My First BlackJack Casino Game.

[TimeKeeper]

Last week I played my first few hands of blackjack at a casino. I went to Foxwoods not even thinking I'd play blackjack. I was just going for the fun as I often wake up late at night and go out. Not too many places to go than a couple of all night restaurants otherwise.

So I played the slots and lost $11. I looked over to my left and decided I'd play blackjack even though I wasn't prepared. I noticed plenty of $10 dollar tables available and sat down and handed over my voucher ticket for $9 plus a $1 dollar bill for $10 dollar buy in. He told me that he doesn't take vouchers and that I'd have to redeem for cash first! Doh! Not off to a good start... So I get up and walk the wrong way towards to chip redemptions, and then turn around to where you redeem tickets.

I get my money and go back to the table. I really didn't know what I was doing at all. My very first hand was a blackjack. My seond hand was a push. And my third hand which was a double down which I lost. I had stacked all the chips on top of each other by accident. The dealer told me to be careful because the guys upstairs will find that suspicious. So when I was down to the $5 dollar chip I took off. In all, I threw away $16.

I still need more practice, and definitely not ready to throw away money. I also need to read up a bit more about behavior at the table. I was totall unprepared for it. I was a nervous wreck sitting there. I think if I hadn't known anything about card counting I would have been fine. But with all the info I know about pit bosses and what not, I think I had that on my mind.

Is there a good book you guys can recommend that deals specifically with the table/casino atmosphere? I already have "PLay Blackjack Like the Pros," "KO BlackJack" and "Bringing Down the House." I know Blackwood's book has a chapter in it about heat. I should probably reread it.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

No you did not get heat. I'm there every week spreading green and black chips all over the table and I don't get heat. My advice is to take this free blackjack course http://bj21.com/gamemaster/gamemasterclassicsindex.shtml and go back with a few thousand dollars in your pocket. You won't need any special table deportment at that casino, not until you are betting at a very high level.

 

[TimeKeeper]

No you did not get heat. I'm there every week spreading green and black chips all over the table and I don't get heat. My advice is to take this free blackjack course http://bj21.com/gamemaster/gamemasterclassicsindex.shtml and go back with a few thousand dollars in your pocket. You won't need any special table deportment at that casino, not until you are betting at a very high level.

Wow, thanks for the link Monkey. That is very cool that you are going to Foxwoods every week. I had planned on playing once I was ready and trained with my CVBJ software, and once I have a $1k bankroll. But you're saying $3k? Okay. Also, I didn't mean it to sound like I thought I was getting heat. I didn't at all. I imagine they just thought I was just an idiot! I even almost passed my voucher to the pit boss when he held his hand out to take my Wampum Card!

I'll definitely be keeping in touch with you...if you don't mind. That's really nice. I hadn't heard of any regulars going to Foxwoods and winning regularly with counting there.

 

[EasyRhino]

It sounds like you got bit by what nails a lot of first time players (me included!), and just getting spooked by the general playing of the game.

You were in no way experiencing heat. You were just being corrected on some common mistakes on how the casino likes bets placed and hands played.

It sounds like you've read a bunch on the subject, but if you knew nothing about the game whatsoever, I'd recommend the following progression:

1) Read up on basic strategy. Get a chart for Foxwood's game.
2) Practice online, both to work on the strategy , and to get a feel for how the cards fall.
3) Go back to the casino. If the smallest table you can find is $10, then bring $100 or $200 bucks. Play your basic strategy for at least an hour or so. (you can bring a strategy card with you for reference at the table).

At that point, you'll at least have a feel for the game to decide if you want to do anything as ambitious as learning card counting.

 

[ihate17]

Procedure

Sitting at a blackjack table for the first time is like visiting a country where you do not speak the language. It is easier with a guide, a friend who may not be a great player but has played before.
Little things like how to signal a hit or stay, how to place your second bet when you double or split, seem very simple to people who play, but it is all new to you.

The dealer gave you a decent explaination for why you place a bet in certain ways. The casino needs things to be done in a way where someone in surviellance can watch and not hear what is going on and still be sure that both you and the dealer are not cheating the casino. Putting a bet, on top of a bet is a sign of bet capping, which is cheating. Hand signals for hitting and staying can be seen by the camera and if a problem comes up where you said you wanted a hit and did not get one, if the casino wishes they can rerun the tape. When you double, most casinos will put your second bet just to the left of your first and when you split, your second bet will be a distance from the first, this can also be seen easily by the camera.

Finally, if you do something wrong and the dealer nicely tells you what you should do, you should not get upset at the dealer as some players do. By not correcting you, the dealer might find themselves getting into some sort of trouble with their boss, written up and enough of these can lead to a suspension or being fired. But the dealer should do this nicely because a dealer can tell instantly that you have no experience on a blackjack table.

ihate17