The Card Counter's Guide to Casino Surveillance
by D.V. Cellini
Review by Parker/rge21
It has been many years since a book created a stir in the advantage player community comparable to that surrounding The Card Counter's Guide to Casino Surveillance, by D.V. Cellini. Written by a veteran surveillance agent, this book could have been titled, "Everything a card counter ever wanted to know about casino surveillance, but was afraid to ask, and probably wouln't have gotten a straight answer anyway."
The book is not physically impressive, expecially considering its $100 price tag (our online catalog has it on sale for $79.99). Printed on letter size (8.5 x 11 inch) paper, it weighs in at a mere 88 pages, and rather resembles something put together at the local Kinko's. I found this somewhat surprising, as the book is published by Anthony Curtis' Huntington Press. My hardbound copy of Ian Andersen's "Burning the Tables in Las Vegas" (another HP title) is a top quality book.
However, we are paying for information, not mere paper and ink. The question is, does the book live up to the hype. For those "cut to the chase" types, the answer is, "Yes, indeed." Others, read on.
The book consists of two parts. The first, entitled "Inside Surveillance" is essentially a "behind the curtain" look into the shadowy world of casino surveillance. We learn about the day-to-day routine of surveillance work, the equipment used, the records kept, and surveillance organizations and networks. We learn the jargon of surveillance - terms such as "Grill Shot" (a request for a facial shot of an advantage player), "Headstone" (a player who stays at a blackjack table for an entire shift), and "Buzzard" (a big player who circles the pit too much while waiting to be called into a game by spotters).
Much of this information has never before been made available outside the industry. To anyone who has ever spent much time in a casino, this is fascinating stuff.
The second section is even more intriguing. It seems that, at some point in his long and varied career, the author was a card counter himself, actually playing on a team, and section two is entitled, "The Card Counters' Survival Guide." It gets down to specifics as to what methods surveillance uses to detect card counters, and what an enterprising advantage player can do to thwart them. Player tracking software and Facial Recognition Software (FRS) are discussed.
For example, regarding player tracking software, Cellini writes: "Here is an easy method for confusing all computer-tracking software programs. Simply make one really stupid play, such as standing on your first two-card total of anything less than 12 against any dealer's up card, or double down on a two-card total of 12 or more vs. ANY dealer up card, etc. Yes, you read it right. Just one truly knuckle-headed play can reduce Survey Voice's overall analysis of your playing skill level to "moron.""
How to look, how to act, how to dress, how to play, what surveillance looks for and how to fool them - it is all here, in great detail.
Regarding Internet websites, Cellini writes: "The Internet is another major source of information for casino surveillance spies. If you're a frequent user of site like bj21.com, advantageplayer.com, or the Card Counters' Cafe, you've been had! These sites have more casino surveillance and floor people on them than there are feds monitoring the Web sites that sell plans for homemade explosives."
Of course, anyone with half a brain should have already realized this, but we now have official confirmation.
Naturally, there is a problem with all this. I would bet my entire bankroll that copies of this book are popping up in casino surveillance breakrooms all over the country even as I write this. In a few months, they will all know what we know about them, making the information of much less use. There will be software patches and updates going out, indeed, it may have already happened.
Nonetheless, knowledge is always preferable to ignorance. I have already made several changes both in the way I play and the way I act when inside a casino, as will anyone reading this.
Anyone playing at green chip levels or above, or anyone who aspires to ever play at those levels, simply cannot afford to NOT have this book.
###
by D.V. Cellini
Review by Parker/rge21
It has been many years since a book created a stir in the advantage player community comparable to that surrounding The Card Counter's Guide to Casino Surveillance, by D.V. Cellini. Written by a veteran surveillance agent, this book could have been titled, "Everything a card counter ever wanted to know about casino surveillance, but was afraid to ask, and probably wouln't have gotten a straight answer anyway."
The book is not physically impressive, expecially considering its $100 price tag (our online catalog has it on sale for $79.99). Printed on letter size (8.5 x 11 inch) paper, it weighs in at a mere 88 pages, and rather resembles something put together at the local Kinko's. I found this somewhat surprising, as the book is published by Anthony Curtis' Huntington Press. My hardbound copy of Ian Andersen's "Burning the Tables in Las Vegas" (another HP title) is a top quality book.
However, we are paying for information, not mere paper and ink. The question is, does the book live up to the hype. For those "cut to the chase" types, the answer is, "Yes, indeed." Others, read on.
The book consists of two parts. The first, entitled "Inside Surveillance" is essentially a "behind the curtain" look into the shadowy world of casino surveillance. We learn about the day-to-day routine of surveillance work, the equipment used, the records kept, and surveillance organizations and networks. We learn the jargon of surveillance - terms such as "Grill Shot" (a request for a facial shot of an advantage player), "Headstone" (a player who stays at a blackjack table for an entire shift), and "Buzzard" (a big player who circles the pit too much while waiting to be called into a game by spotters).
Much of this information has never before been made available outside the industry. To anyone who has ever spent much time in a casino, this is fascinating stuff.
The second section is even more intriguing. It seems that, at some point in his long and varied career, the author was a card counter himself, actually playing on a team, and section two is entitled, "The Card Counters' Survival Guide." It gets down to specifics as to what methods surveillance uses to detect card counters, and what an enterprising advantage player can do to thwart them. Player tracking software and Facial Recognition Software (FRS) are discussed.
For example, regarding player tracking software, Cellini writes: "Here is an easy method for confusing all computer-tracking software programs. Simply make one really stupid play, such as standing on your first two-card total of anything less than 12 against any dealer's up card, or double down on a two-card total of 12 or more vs. ANY dealer up card, etc. Yes, you read it right. Just one truly knuckle-headed play can reduce Survey Voice's overall analysis of your playing skill level to "moron.""
How to look, how to act, how to dress, how to play, what surveillance looks for and how to fool them - it is all here, in great detail.
Regarding Internet websites, Cellini writes: "The Internet is another major source of information for casino surveillance spies. If you're a frequent user of site like bj21.com, advantageplayer.com, or the Card Counters' Cafe, you've been had! These sites have more casino surveillance and floor people on them than there are feds monitoring the Web sites that sell plans for homemade explosives."
Of course, anyone with half a brain should have already realized this, but we now have official confirmation.
Naturally, there is a problem with all this. I would bet my entire bankroll that copies of this book are popping up in casino surveillance breakrooms all over the country even as I write this. In a few months, they will all know what we know about them, making the information of much less use. There will be software patches and updates going out, indeed, it may have already happened.
Nonetheless, knowledge is always preferable to ignorance. I have already made several changes both in the way I play and the way I act when inside a casino, as will anyone reading this.
Anyone playing at green chip levels or above, or anyone who aspires to ever play at those levels, simply cannot afford to NOT have this book.
###