Backed off :(

[alwayssplitaces]

I got backed off at a Pennsylvania casino. Some of the things I did were doubling on soft 19 vs dealer 5, splitting tens vs dealer 6, being right on insurance twice, hitting a soft 18 vs 10, all with a max bet. I didn't notice the pit boss watching me accumulate chips and make index plays for several shoes. I had one of my largest session wins in this casino tonight.

Some more things that I think did me in were initially buying in for $500 and then making $10 bets, and raising it up to $100 bets with the count and wong out when the count went south. I ordered Red Bull instead of alcohol from the waitress. I stared intently at the cards. And I showed no emotion when I won my hands such as the split tens, whereas a gambler would be nervous with $200 on the table and a 13 and 15 after splitting tens.

They don't know who I am though, so I may go back there in a few months. I should have left after my second "hot" shoe in which I won a lot of my max bets, instead of letting them scrutinize me play yet another "hot" shoe and have positive variance.

 

[BJLFS]

I think the main thing was the bet spreading. Spliting tens? That had something to do with it.

However you have to show some emotions, which is something I've learned to do.

 

[Dave]

Can you send me a pm as to which pa casino? Thanks beforehand. :grin:

 

[shadroch]

I got backed off at a Pennsylvania casino. Some of the things I did were doubling on soft 19 vs dealer 5, splitting tens vs dealer 6, being right on insurance twice, hitting a soft 18 vs 10, all with a max bet. I didn't notice the pit boss watching me accumulate chips and make index plays for several shoes. I had one of my largest session wins in this casino tonight.

Some more things that I think did me in were initially buying in for $500 and then making $10 bets, and raising it up to $100 bets with the count and wong out when the count went south. I ordered Red Bull instead of alcohol from the waitress. I stared intently at the cards. And I showed no emotion when I won my hands such as the split tens, whereas a gambler would be nervous with $200 on the table and a 13 and 15 after splitting tens.

They don't know who I am though, so I may go back there in a few months. I should have left after my second "hot" shoe in which I won a lot of my max bets, instead of letting them scrutinize me play yet another "hot" shoe and have positive variance.

Sounds like you read the bizarro version of what not to do in a casino and followed it to a T.

 

[ArcticInferno]

Would you kindly let me know which casinos it was?
If you don't want to post it here, please feel free to IM me.
Thanks in advance.

By the way, hitting A7 vs T is okay as long as you ask the dealer/supervisor for advice before hand. They will usually tell you that according to the "book" hitting is the proper strategy. Asking for advice actually makes you look like a ploppy who's unsure.

 

[Mewtwo]

Could you send me a PM as to which casino this was at well?

 

[assume_R]

How exactly did they do the back off? Are others also reporting backoff's in PA?

I wonder what spread they'll tolerate.

 

[Lonesome Gambler]

By the way, hitting A7 vs T is okay

All of those plays are OK, if you ask me. What's not OK is giving up EV when your edge is so small at this game, especially if you're playing unrated. Doubling A8 and splitting tens are valuable plays that most players will assume will bring heat, probably because they read it in a book. I've split tens while yucking it up with the pit boss at a notoriously sweaty downtown joint, and a siren didn't go off anywhere. Surrendering correctly probably brings as much scrutiny as many of these index plays, but you never hear anyone recommending against it because it's just too valuable. Other, less-aggressive index plays are even less worrisome.

Honestly, you can get away with all sorts of ridiculous plays if you don't compound this with every other telltale sign of card counting. Like Shadroch said, it looks like OP almost went out of his way to play the part to a T. I don't mean any offense, but I actually thought it was a trolling thread when I first read it.

1. Why buy in so large? No one buys in for $500 and starts betting red. Well, very few people, at least. I'll generally buy in small at the beginning of a session and then buy in larger if needed during high counts. You never want a mountain of chips in front of you, whether you won them or started with them.

2. Staring at the cards? Why? Wait until the second cards come out, cancel in pairs, done. If you're staring, work on your counting more.

3. Red Bull instead of liquor? You'd probably be better off not ordering anything at all. Personally, I drink a bit when I play, usually a light beer (disgusting, I know, but I can metabolize them faster), but ordering NA drinks at the table when combined with the other warning signs is just one more confirmation for the pit.

I'm not trying to be harsh, but these are things to consider. One good choice (other than not wussing out on index plays) was made, and that was to play unrated. You may have missed out on some flimsy comps, but at least the learning curve and a free lunch didn't come with a price tag of a hot player's card.

 

[alwayssplitaces]

I got backed off right after I took insurance when I had a hard 15 with a $100 bet, and the dealer indeed had blackjack. The pit boss asked me why I insured my 15 when earlier in the shoe I didn't take the even money on a blackjack (I had a min bet due to a low count, the dealer did not have blackjack then). I said that the dealer was overdue to have a blackjack because he didn't have one for a while.
Then he told me that he knew exactly what I was doing and said that I am no longer welcome to play blackjack. The dealer and other players were dumbfounded since I think they hadn't seen a back off before.

I probably stuck out like a sore thumb since the table limits were $10 or $15 and most were flat betting the minimum till they went broke. I might have been the only hundred dollar bettor at that time. Since I'm a local I go to this store several times a month ever since they opened up table games in PA, and I have a net win there. I was naive to think that they would ignore a red chip counter since in AC I get away spreading $10 to $150 (and get some nice comps too).

Oh well, it's their loss whenever negative variance strikes me to even things out, since I won't be losing it back to them.

 

[Jack_Black]

However you have to show some emotions, which is something I've learned to do.

what the hell? are you guys playing like the borg or something? even APing is still a thrill. the edge you get is small, even if you're some HC ST monster. I won 300 units in 4 hours playing a game with a SCORE of 300. right after that, I lost 200 units at the same game.

I got backed off right after I took insurance when I had a hard 15 with a $100 bet, and the dealer indeed had blackjack. The pit boss asked me why I insured my 15 when earlier in the shoe I didn't take the even money on a blackjack (I had a min bet due to a low count, the dealer did not have blackjack then). I said that the dealer was overdue to have a blackjack because he didn't have one for a while.

I always tell them that I'm not insuring my shitty hand, I'm insuring the bet amount I put out. do you insure your honda because it is a honda, or because you got the top of the line model that cost you a pretty penny? either way, you're still in trouble if you have to come up with excuses like that to convince the PB that you're not a counter.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

Remember this: once they scrutinize your betting there is no way to hide that you are playing with an advantage.

But they can't scrutinize everyone's betting, not in the big stores at least. There are things that set you apart and you want to avoid being the guy that surveillance decides to watch, count, and see if you are betting with the count. He'd rather be looking down girls' shirts and you want him doing that too.