Playing negative counts?

I agree that it's tougher to wong out on pitch (especially single deck) and that over a lengthy session, it's not reasonable to expect to be able to wong out of all substantially negative counts, best you can expect is to wong out of some of them.

If you're keeping sessions short, you probably could fit in a lot of wonging into a short time. You'd just look like a gambler with ADHD.

Then again, I haven't been stalked by sexy casino agents.

It's the easiest thing ever! You just get up and leave the table! You don't have to ask permission from the pit, you don't even have to give an explanation, just go. Stand up and take a fake call, go to the bathroom, smoke a cigarette, whatever. What's so hard about it?

You don't need to wong out of EVERY single negative count. It's not like you get to a RC of -1 and go, "OMG, I have to get out of here!". You can play more negative counts in single and double deck games because the count can improve so much more easily. I only wong out of sufficiently negative counts in double deck, not ALL negative counts, as that would be ridiculous.

In shoe games wonging out is critical, because they last longer.

Wonging around in pitch games is definitely more of an art, but it is possible for short periods of time (usually an hour or less, which is the average session for many players). I used to do this in downtown Vegas fairly often. When the count goes south in the first few hands, head for the bathroom. Keep an eye on the other tables as you pass them on the way to the bathroom (walking slowly). If any of them heat up (it often only takes 1-2 hands in pitch games) then jump in for a few hands, then continue on your way to the bathroom. If you lose then you can say something like “Man, I knew I shouldn’t have stopped” and if you win then you can say “Yup, I can spot a hot dealer from 100 yards away!” Phrases like that can be good ways to get away from a table after only playing a few hands.

Do the same thing on your way back from the bathroom. You can sometimes Wong into 3-4 different tables per break (always at + counts) using this technique without getting much heat. When (if!) you get back to your original table you can say something about getting lost, seeing a friend or spotting a lucky table somewhere else. The pit bosses love to hear that kind of stuff.

I was able to get away with this about 2-3 times per hour, and when the casino has more than one pit you can get away with this trick for even longer sessions. As always, timing your breaks to coincide with busy times in the pit will be all the cover you need.

-Sonny-

wonging out on pitch games

Worried about the amount of times you wonged out of a single or double deck game? Consider this.

You do not have to wong out that often because the shuffle comes up much sooner than it would in a shoe game.
If you have done your bathroom break and your cell phone call and think it will bring attention to you, just wait till you lose a hand and just sit there at the table and not bet. Unless you are playing heads up it will be no problem as other players do this all time. No bet and you can just tell the dealer honestly, that you have been losing and are waiting for the next shuffle. You might get some flack from some guy who is winning but unless he wants to bet for you, just tell him the FLOW has stunk for you and you hope it will change next time.

Surviellance and the pit are more concerned and are trained for the guy who wongs in with a big bet. That is why many casinos have either limits on the max bet for someone entering mid shoe or just no mid shoe entry. That guy can immediately take chips from their tray. There is very little concern over the guy leaving the table as he has no immediate effect. Of course, do it too often and someone will wonder why, but even then you have some time on your side. No one is counting down most shoes for the house unless you are on a Mindplay table or something similar. The pit does not count, the eye does but only when the eye has been notified to run a skills check on a player. Wonging out is just easy but can be overdone.

ihate17