ATLANTIC CITY OBSERVATIONS & TRIP REPORT-09/12/2010- Very Interesting Moments

[Sero]

Hi Everyone,

Another trip to A/C on last Sunday. Usually scouting around, play-all strategy due to NMSEs, ups and downs and this and that, you know you have all been there. Ended up 46 unit ahead and happy about the result while on my way back home but I still think the same way i posted in my previous message last year whose link is below:

http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bb/showthread.php?p=149330#post149330

The conditions are now even worse overall. I don't think anyone can make a living out of BJ in AC. The edge is so tiny to bother with. Here are the headlines from my trip:

TROP (1st Stop)
I usually go to Trop as soon as I arrive to AC. I think it's the only casino that offers 6D game with low limits, $10 and $15. Between 11am and 5 pm, there are always $10 games and seats are always available during this period. Penetration is terrible though. Usually 4D/6D but 1.5D/6D if you get lucky or find a sloppy dealer. Pit is quite harmless.

A note: The very first table I sat at, there was a guy sitting right next to me a little mellow and lousy. We somehow got in a casual conversation and at some point he made a comment about my particular hand. He said" You can split those tens if you count cards. Are you counting cards?" What an idiot I said silently. I laughed it off with an evasive answer like what is it? " I departed a few hands later.

TRUMP PLAZA(2nd stop)
People say that TP is one of the best casino to play BJ but I just dont agree. I visited this place few times and everytime i go there, I get nothing but a disappointment. Maybe conditions are different druing the week.

TRUMP MARINA (3rd Stop)
I have always wanted to visit TM and play BJ but never had till yesterday. I was gonna have a buffet and play BJ. I saw the ads all over about $1 BJ games. Yes I saw $1 tables, unbelievably!! They were of course all fully packed. What did you expect It wasn't my intention to play $1, just wanted to confirm that they have those tables. I have never seen a dollar table before, anyone?

I ended up not playing because there were not enough tables to play and conditions were not that attractive. I also didn't like their buffet menu

HARRAH'S (4th Stop)
Another first time for me. I have never been, or wanted to be, to Harrah's. This time I just wanted see the place and try their buffet, since I passed buffet at TM. Anyway, I'm going back to West Coast soon, so what would hurt to visit Harrah's in AC, right? Had a nice meal and observed their games. Yes they suck but because I paid $30 for buffet instead of $24 as advertised, I just wanted to play a few hands and get at least 20-30 back to cover my buffet expenses. Fresh shoe, 6 1/4D / 8D, $10, won first 2 bets and pushed 3rd hand. Here is the biggest mistake of my night. I didnt got out and consequently I got in trouble. Lost $100 in 10 min and I quit.

At that point, I remembered the Ian Andersen's famous quote: "Don't play to get even. Let the casino have its day..." I was on my way to get out and I somehow got caught by a $10 table having a fresh start with only 1 player. Decided to back count few hands while watching another table. Count got high and high and I jumped in. Few winnings and losses and I was up 10 units, which made me even with Harrah's but I kept playing since the count was still high. Ups and downs etc. I walked away with an extra 12 units from that shoe. Buffet was almost paid thanks to that shoe.

A note: While I played 2 hands of 2 units each, pitboss approached and said: "Sir, you can't play 2 hands if you dont have a players card." What a bullshit! I'm pretty sure that it wasn't an alert because it was my 4th or 5th hand and that guy has never watched me playing. It was simply forcing customers to get rated. I replied: " I'm from Cali and it's my first time here. I don't think I'd be coming back here so no need to get a card, right? He says: " Sure no problem, but it's the policy and you can bet any amount but play only one hand." I thanked him and played a few hands and walked away with my profit. This was my first and the last visit to Harrah's and its affiliated properties.

BORGATA (Last Stop)

I used to go to Borgata only because of their decent game rules. After they switched to 8D in low limit tables suddenly together with the crowd i cant get over with, I lost a bit interest. Therefore, I designated Borgata to be my last stop since then. It wasn't that crowded and table limits were ok. 2 $10 tables, many $15 tables and a few $25 6D games but NMSE and so on. I played at a $10 table from a fresh start with 2 other players. They were betting and losing heavily and they didn't seem to care. Perfect conditions for an AP Ups and downs same same etc. I caught a very positive and lucrative shoe and I came ahead of 38 units. Pit was totally fine and never paid attention to the table.

A note: In the last shoe I played, the 38 unit winning one, I glimpsed a an ace due to sloppy dealing procedures and I tracked it exactly where it was located. I was gonna play for that particular hand which was closer to the cut card, like ace was 10-15 cards in front of cut card. I had that ace over my ten giving me a nice winning I know this type of conditions dont show a lot but when it does, it's much more effective than counting

The most interesting moment of my trip was what I'm writing below:

Me: Well I have 20 and you have 6 showing. Do you think I should split them? I'm just kidding, who would do such a thing?
Dealer: Actually, if the count is high, you can split'em like plus 13!
Me: Isn't that illegal?
Dealer: No not really. There are people doing it! We even got trained about it!
Me: Well I stay on my 20 and get paid. laughings.

Comment: I honestly got shocked of what I heard. It felt like getting choked for a moment. I got rid of it professionally and promptly but it was a very different moment. The horrifying fact is that RC was 12 and TC 2.5!!!!!

After all, I colored and cashed out having a nice conversation with the pitboss about Cali and I vanished in the dark

I think that was my last AC visit because I'm soon moving to Las Vegas

SERO

 

[Thunder]

The game at the Borgata was probably the best one you visited out of all the casinos you mentioned. Not sure why you would want to play at the others when they are H17 and don't offer good pen with the exception being maybe TP.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

....The most interesting moment of my trip was what I'm writing below:

Me: Well I have 20 and you have 6 showing. Do you think I should split them? I'm just kidding, who would do such a thing?
Dealer: Actually, if the count is high, you can split'em like plus 13!
Me: Isn't that illegal?
Dealer: No not really. There are people doing it! We even got trained about it!
Me: Well I stay on my 20 and get paid. laughings.

Comment: I honestly got shocked of what I heard. It felt like getting choked for a moment. I got rid of it professionally and promptly but it was a very different moment. The horrifying fact is that RC was 12 and TC 2.5!!!!!...

What, at what casino did they say this?

What shocks me is that they're being trained in level 3 counts! That's the kind of count that would call for a TC of 13 to split XX vs. 6. Unless it was some unbalanced RC system, that might be up there too.

Or maybe he just had it wrong.

 

[rrwoods]

What, at what casino did they say this?

What shocks me is that they're being trained in level 3 counts! That's the kind of count that would call for a TC of 13 to split XX vs. 6. Unless it was some unbalanced RC system, that might be up there too.

Or maybe he just had it wrong.

Wouldn't it need to be level 4? The Hi-Lo index for that is +4 right? A level 3 count would put that index at +12 if *every tag* was a 3.

In any event, I've had some crazy stuff happen to me at the Borgata. Nothing this crazy, but the amount they talk about card counting there you'd almost think they didn't care at all.

 

[Thunder]

There's no such thing as a level 4 count to my knowledge. Hi-Lo is a level 1 count. Then you have more advanced counts like the Uston APC or HI Opt II

 

[Sero]

What, at what casino did they say this?

What shocks me is that they're being trained in level 3 counts! That's the kind of count that would call for a TC of 13 to split XX vs. 6. Unless it was some unbalanced RC system, that might be up there too.

Or maybe he just had it wrong.

This happened in the last shoe I played at Borgata. The dealer definitely meant RC of 13, not a TC of 13. As I mentioned previously, the RC was 12 at that time.

I forgot to mention that he even waited for me to see if I was gonna split them although I had said and pointed to stay on 20.

SERO

 

[Automatic Monkey]

There's no such thing as a level 4 count to my knowledge. Hi-Lo is a level 1 count. Then you have more advanced counts like the Uston APC or HI Opt II

There are a few published level 4 counts. Not even close to worth it. Exactly where the index is going to be will depend on the specific system tags, risk aversion and H17 vs. S17.

A long time ago when the Golden Nugget had a decent SD game I was playing it, and the PC drove me off by standing next to me, counting out loud along with me and giggling. The disturbing part was he was counting in Hi-Opt II just like me. He must have been a legit counter and a knowledgeable one, what a shame to see talent wasted on the wrong side of the table.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

This happened in the last shoe I played at Borgata. The dealer definitely meant RC of 13, not a TC of 13. As I mentioned previously, the RC was 12 at that time.

I forgot to mention that he even waited for me to see if I was gonna split them although I had said and pointed to stay on 20.

SERO

Too high for KO, and you would never discuss such an index in terms of RC for High-Low.

My money is on he didn't know what he was talking about.

 

[Sero]

Too high for KO, and you would never discuss such an index in terms of RC for High-Low.

My money is on he didn't know what he was talking about.

What are you talking about? Enlighten a bit and be more descriptive.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

What are you talking about? Enlighten a bit and be more descriptive.

What I mean is who cares what the RC is when you are talking about split indices for High-Low? Those indices are always referenced in terms of true count.

The dealer was probably talking out his anus.

 

[Jack_Black]

A long time ago when the Golden Nugget had a decent SD game I was playing it, and the PC drove me off by standing next to me, counting out loud along with me and giggling. The disturbing part was he was counting in Hi-Opt II just like me. He must have been a legit counter and a knowledgeable one, what a shame to see talent wasted on the wrong side of the table.

How nice o the pc to do that for you! I would've played dumb. "oh so +12 means I should bet big? Thanks! What a nice casino to help you win so much!!!"

 

[aslan]

Too high for KO, and you would never discuss such an index in terms of RC for High-Low.

My money is on he didn't know what he was talking about.

Dealer: Actually, if the count is high, you can split'em like plus 13!

The way I read it, the dealer was simply saying that he was trained that if the count was high, counters will sometimes split tens. He just threw plus 13 out as an example, not as the threshold for splitting.

You might split tens at a TC of 13, no? lol

OTOH, was it coincidental that he was close to Sero's running count? In that case, he may have been playing with Sero. What count were you using, Sero?

 

[Sero]

What I mean is who cares what the RC is when you are talking about split indices for High-Low? Those indices are always referenced in terms of true count.

The dealer was probably talking out his anus.

I have never used a single " index " word in any of my posts if you can check them out once again. The other members did.

And yes i mentioned both RC and TC to point out the match between dealer and me(RC was 12 and he said something like 13). Please review my posts above.

He was a fat guy and I totally agree that he was talking out his anus

SERO

 

[Sero]

The Dealer at Borgata

Dealer: Actually, if the count is high, you can split'em like plus 13!

The way I read it, the dealer was simply saying that he was trained that if the count was high, counters will sometimes split tens. He just threw plus 13 out as an example, not as the threshold for splitting.

You might split tens at a TC of 13, no? lol

OTOH, was it coincidental that he was close to Sero's running count? In that case, he may have been playing with Sero. What count were you using, Sero?

I use Hi-Lo with full indices except the ones below -2 or above 5. I do keep an ace side-count though.

It might have been a coincidence that he got very closer to the actual RC but I doubted it. Why? He waited for me to see if I really was gonna intend to split'em although i repeated few times that i was gonna stay on my 20 and win! This all happened in an 15 sec time interval which was quite long time, wasn't it?

Considering I might have been misundertood, I must again repeat that the RC was 12, not TC.

BTW, I have never seen that guy in Borgata so there is now way we could be playing together without knowing his intentions though

 

[aslan]

I use Hi-Lo with full indices except the ones below -2 or above 5. I do keep an ace side-count though.

It might have been a coincidence that he got very closer to the actual RC but I doubted it. Why? He waited for me to see if I really was gonna intend to split'em although i repeated few times that i was gonna stay on my 20 and win! This all happened in an 15 sec time interval which was quite long time, wasn't it?

Considering I might have been misundertood, I must again repeat that the RC was 12, not TC.

BTW, I have never seen that guy in Borgata so there is now way we could be playing together without knowing his intentions though

By "playing with Sero" I meant that he may have been "toying" with you, NOT that you were playing together! :laugh:

 

[wwcd]

I saw the ads all over about $1 BJ games. Yes I saw $1 tables, unbelievably!! They were of course all fully packed. What did you expect It wasn't my intention to play $1, just wanted to confirm that they have those tables. I have never seen a dollar table before, anyone?

I saw $1 tables before at Sahara, in Vegas. There were about 4 tables, all packed. I checked the rules, and was shocked. BJ pays 1:1, double on 9-11 only, no LS, no DAS etc. Even with these crappy rules you shouldn't lose much if you stick to $1 and keep those drinks coming. But I think their target is to lure the $1 player and make him/her bet $5-$10 and above with those lousy rules.

 

[aslan]

I saw $1 tables before at Sahara, in Vegas. There were about 4 tables, all packed. I checked the rules, and was shocked. BJ pays 1:1, double on 9-11 only, no LS, no DAS etc. Even with these crappy rules you shouldn't lose much if you stick to $1 and keep those drinks coming. But I think their target is to lure the $1 player and make him/her bet $5-$10 and above with those lousy rules.

I see it as a foray into the yet unchartered waters of 1:1 blackjack, not to mention the crappiest rules anywhere. How much can the public tolerate? Maybe instead of 3:2 on a blackjack, they'll start offering a kewpie doll or a rose for the ladies. I'm surprised that some casinos don't have a guess-your-weight guy between the pits and the slots. :laugh: