Attracting Attention

RFB · Jun 25, 2008

I'm new to trying to win Blackjack in Vegas, but I'm facinated with the whole thing. I've got the basic strategy chart almost compleatly memorized and I practice with the strategy trainer on this site. But one thing that I'm a little bit curious about, If Ken Uston was that good and flamboyant, didn't he attract enough attention to be asked to leave or ever get barred?

Blue Efficacy · Jun 25, 2008

Yes he did.

moo321 · Jun 25, 2008

Uston got banned all the time. The good ones don't get caught very much.

Automatic Monkey · Jun 25, 2008

moo321 said:

Can't agree with that. If you are spreading, you are going to get banned eventually. Back in an earlier day there were more false arrests and backroom beatings of card counters but these days getting backed off is just an inconvenience, you go back some other time.

blackjack avenger · Jun 25, 2008

I Am Getting Another Round at the Barring

To use barring as a measure of AP profeciency is not very reliable.

cardcounter0 · Jun 25, 2008

There are reasons to get barred (ie: the particular game is not going to last long, so you might as well "go for it" and get as much as you can, etc.) but simply beating the game is not one of those reasons.

Starting out, normally a new player plays for lower stakes. Unless you are in a seriously sweaty grind shop, you should fly "under the radar" playing with low stakes and a small spread. If you are attracting attention at this point, you are doing something seriously wrong. Are you staring intently at each card as it is dealt, moving your lips as you count, and muttering "+3, -1" under your breath???

Use this time to observe and learn as you move up in stakes and skills. What are normal dealer and floor procedures, and what is unusual attention? How does a "normal" player act? What does a "normal" player do when he places a big bet? When he loses? When he wins?

Learn to interact with people (while keeping the count). Gamblers like to talk to the dealers, flirt with cocktail waitresses, don't mind the floor watching. If you want to be seen as a gambler instead of a counter, learn to do the same.

Other topics to explore: Avoiding action and winnings being tracked, Hiding winnings, wonging in and out without obviously leaving the table, etc., etc.

cardcounter0 · Jun 25, 2008

Here is an example of a "cover" play that does not cost anything:

Scan thru some expectation tables. There are plays where the difference between hitting and standing, doubling/not doubling, splitting/not splitting is less than .0002% Find a couple of these (maybe even composition dependent ones and shave a few more .00001%ths potential loss off making the wrong move).

When you encounter one of these special hands -- call the pit boss over to your table. (notice: you are doing the EXACT opposite of what a "typical" counter would do. You are attracting the attention of the floor, not avoiding it.)

Ask the pit boss for his advice on how you should play the hand. Since the EV is so close, do what ever choice the pit boss tells you to do.

After the hand, win or lose, throw in a line to the pit about you had a "hunch" he would know how to play the hand, or that you got lucky/unlucky etc.

You have just accomplished several things:

1. You have acted in a manner that a counter wishing to avoid attention would not do, so you must not be one.

2. You have tested the Pit Boss on his knowledge of basic strategy. Which answer did he give? Did he discuss his reasoning for playing that way? This gives you some insight on how well he is going to spot you varying from basic strat in the future.

3. If you followed the floors advice and lost, he might feel uncomfortable thinking you blame him for the loss, and might avoid your table in the future.

callipygian · Jun 26, 2008

cardcounter0 said:

"To impress the ladies" and "to pad my resume" are also not included, either.

The first is a joke, but the second isn't. Some people learn card counting for the express purpose of getting barred, so they can brag about being so good they got barred. These people are annoying, both before and after they get barred.

_shed_ · Jun 26, 2008

Can't be for real

Who actually writes on their resume that they're a card counter?

Sonny · Jun 26, 2008

callipygian said:

callipygian · Jun 26, 2008

_shed_ said:

Not literally, silly. I just mean people who find ways to bring it to peoples' attentions. As in, "I overheard you're going to Vegas? When? Wow, I haven't been there since I got banned for counting cards. I suppose that's what you get for winning too much."

Sonny said:

EXACTLY like that guy, except at the water cooler or at a class reunion.

Attracting Attention

RFB

Member

Blue Efficacy

Well-Known Member

moo321

Well-Known Member

Automatic Monkey

Banned

blackjack avenger

Well-Known Member

cardcounter0

Well-Known Member

cardcounter0

Well-Known Member

callipygian

Well-Known Member

_shed_

Member

Sonny

Well-Known Member

callipygian

Well-Known Member