It's 1977. SD everywhere, dealt deep. I'm young, slow and awkward. Driving with my buddy LA - Vegas - Tahoe, then on to school. Table mins generally $2.
1. Desert Inn in Vegas. Rat pack territory. We played early morning. Won a few bucks betting up and down together. Then a goon appears at my elbow. Sport coat, no neck, flat-top haircut. He said nothing, but I got the message and got out of Dodge.
2. Someplace in Tahoe. Found a perfect dealer - he had crippled hands and dealt really slowly, enabling me to keep the count. I settle in without my friend, spreading something like $2 - $14. After a couple of hours of winning, a new, young relief dealer appears. He is so fast that the last card of the round is out of his hand before the first hits the table. He happily cleans everyone no matter the count. I'm convinced he was a mechanic.
3. Later, at a smaller place in Tahoe. I'd been made (surprise). From the very first deck, the dealer shuffled whenever I raised my bet.
I guess I got better over time, as I have never been bothered since. But then again, I don't hammer SD games any more either. :cool2: