Parker Reviews 'Cellini's Guide' to Surveillance

zengrifter

Banned
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.

###
 

sighguy

Member
Re: Parker Reviews 'Cellini's Guide' to Surveillan

Hello all...reading the posts since I've been gone..."rumor" that I'm a Surveillance person? Gee, nice to be the subject of rumors. I just finished reading Cellini's book and it's interesting. However, I have to say that I came away with a "subjective" feeling..meaning I can't believe that this is the definitive guide, merely one persons take. The thought of it being counter [no pun intended] intelligence and a form of propaganda kept creeping into my wittle pea brain. I don't know whether it's real or not, but the thought of a hoarde of counters ponying up $100 bucks for made up crap would be a hoot. Umm, wait a minute, I ponied up $100 bucks too and I am not a world class -worthy to be in all of your exalted presence - counter...great read, worth every penny..yeah, I feel much better now.

If "surveillance observers" are such underpaid, underappreciated moronic grunts, why would he do it as long as he supposedly did?
 

John May

Member
Statement concerning the CCCafe is untrue

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."

This is untrue. Even if it was not untrue, there is no way Cellini could have that information, since he has no experience or knowledge of the moderation powers of a group owner or moderator at a yahoo group. This is just a generalization unsubstantiated by fact. The few attempts by casino personnel to get into the CCCafe were painfully obvious and dealt with easily.

Cellini was caught red-handed creating fake positive reviews of his book at bj21.com, which alone is a good reason not to buy this book. As a surveillance operative his work may not be without value, but I'd caution readers not to place too much weight on the writings of one, eccentric surveillance operative. I have collected half a dozen writings of casino personnel on internal procedure and they rarely correlate with each other-the advice of any one individual is of limited utility because casino policy in this area is scarcely consistent within a given chain of properties let alone in general.
 
More John May Nonsense

The few attempts by casino personnel to get into the CCCafe were painfully obvious and dealt with easily.

There is no way in hell you could keep out any casino employees through the yahoo moderation process. you're really reaching here, even for you.

Cellini was caught red-handed creating fake positive reviews of his book at bj21.com, which alone is a good reason not to buy this book.

Please cite your source for this nonsense. Wong? 'nough said.
 
John May's Defense of the CCC is Inaccurate

This is untrue. Even if it was not untrue, there is no way Cellini could have that information, since he has no experience or knowledge of the moderation powers of a group owner or moderator at a yahoo group. This is just a generalization unsubstantiated by fact. The few attempts by casino personnel to get into the CCCafe were painfully obvious and dealt with easily.

Oh yeah, yahoo groups are VERY secure...please. I'm just sorry to see this has occured at such a reputable site as cardcounter.com (another surveillance person haven, some of whom are even guest book signees). Can you please confine yourself to bj21.com where you are now revered as an "expert" by the masses of counters and surveillance people? No real players go there anymore. When they shut the site down and changed it, they killed it, and it is now far more worthless than ever.

Anyhow, back to the topic at hand, the unsubstantiated statements in all of this are that you have (a) had few attempted by casino personnel to get into the CCCafe and (b) been able to root them out. Yahoo email accounts are entirely anonymous; you have absolutely no way of knowing who is behind a yahoo id, whether you're a group moderator or not. If Cellini and a few of his casino-employee friends have joined CCC under aliases, you'd never know it, or would you have us believe that you have personnally screened and know all of the 1000+ members (granted, half are probably Rob McGarvey's aliases) there, the vast majority of whom have never made a post? The funny thing is that you claim they were painfully obvious but yet I have seen you answer more than one surveillance person's questions on bj21.
 

John May

Member
Re: John May's Defense of the CCC is Inaccurate

Oh yeah, yahoo groups are VERY secure...please. I'm just sorry to see this has occured at such a reputable site as cardcounter.com (another surveillance person haven, some of whom are even guest book signees). Can you please confine yourself to bj21.com where you are now revered as an "expert" by the masses of counters and surveillance people? No real players go there anymore. When they shut the site down and changed it, they killed it, and it is now far more worthless than ever.

Anyhow, back to the topic at hand, the unsubstantiated statements in all of this are that you have (a) had few attempted by casino personnel to get into the CCCafe and (b) been able to root them out. Yahoo email accounts are entirely anonymous; you have absolutely no way of knowing who is behind a yahoo id, whether you're a group moderator or not. If Cellini and a few of his casino-employee friends have joined CCC under aliases, you'd never know it, or would you have us believe that you have personnally screened and know all of the 1000+ members (granted, half are probably Rob McGarvey's aliases) there, the vast majority of whom have never made a post? The funny thing is that you claim they were painfully obvious but yet I have seen you answer more than one surveillance person's questions on bj21.


Yes, I do screen individual members. And yes its painfully obvious who the casino guys are. Since I already caught Cellini creating multiple aliases at a site where I don't even have moderation powers I could certainly do it at the CCCafe. If you can't figure out how use your imagination.

Your last sentence is full of the usual LVCHM baseless bravado but it seems to me very unlikely you would know who the surveillance people are. Someone who gets himself busted for something as anachronistic as hole-card play deserves neither time nor respect when talking about cover.

Btw save the big man talk for those who believe it. Its the small yapping dog syndrome all over.
 

Rob McGarvey

Well-Known Member
Funny Guy

I have one alias on yahoo, blackjackpro2000. Some "funny people" have created fake ID's for me in the recent past. We get about 15-20 new sign ups every week, and I can't tell you who these people are. Most are just curious people that want a look at the club info areas that probably never come back, and never post. Casino peeps are nothing to me, and I would never buy a book from a casino troll mole. The anonaminity of the interent protects you from them, as it does them from you. It is glad and happy people that go talking about their little excursion into casino land to "beat the game" that allow casino peeps to watch them in action. I know there are onLine casino peeps at CCC. That is where my bread and butter comes from, so they get to see so much. There are deals out there no one will ever know about. I know nothing about LVHC simply because he keeps his mouth shut. He knows everything about everyone else tho, simply because he reads and looks around, just like casino peeps can. He has the advantage of knowledge in this respect. Otherwise, he's just another dude that puts hit pants on one leg at a time ;>

"Of all the spirits I have seen tonight, I fear LVHC the most"
 

Abraham de Moivre

Well-Known Member
Re: John May's Defense of the CCC is Inaccurate

I think Eliot is trying to run a "No Voodoo, No Bullshit" site here, so I don't see how you would be happy trying to live within the confines of this policy. You have been streching the facts, and debating the what the definition of "is" is, for so long I think you are starting to lose touch with reality.

You KNOW that there are no casino spies on your site? How can you possibly make such an absurd statement, and then try to defend it? How do you know that casino spies haven't set up anon e-mail accounts, route access to your site thru anon routers, etc. and daily monitor your site activity? How do you know that Mr. Smith in Bucktooth, Arkansas isn't really Steve Wynn himself?

I never realized your "all knowing" and "knows all" and "I am most knowledgeable expert around" attitude extended to the internet and telecommunications.
 
John May, put your money where your mouth is.

Yes, I do screen individual members. And yes its painfully obvious who the casino guys are. Since I already caught Cellini creating multiple aliases at a site where I don't even have moderation powers I could certainly do it at the CCCafe. If you can't figure out how use your imagination.

Let's just cut to the chase. I have joined CCC with four separate accounts since its creation. I defy you to tell me which four are mine. If you can list my four separate CCC member identities in one guess of four names here at CCC, I'll give you $5,000 and buy you a round trip, first-class ticket to Las Vegas from Ireland (or where ever it is you are now) so you can come collect it. And, for the duration of your Las Vegas trip, I'll put you up in a suite in the resort of your choice for up to two weeks. I'll also show you a couple of the best baccarat games around town so you can make some money on your own while you're here. And, I won't even spit on you or sock you in the eye or anything like that. There is no downside here for you to take your best guess, so let's have it. Now, I'm sure you'll accuse me of being a proposition hustler or run off to South America or something to save face, but there's my offer. Go ahead and begin the sidestepping routine and your leisure.

Try as you may, I'm sure you cannot even come close. And now pretend for a minute that I'm a casino spy lurking silently at your site, taking whatever information I can get (how do you know I'm not?). Why you would try to dupe people and lull them into a false sense of security by insisting that you can accurately monitor the memberships of a public yahoo group is beyond me.

At least McGarvey had the backbone and integrity to come out and say what we all know is true about CCC anyway. He is fully aware that rooting out all of the casino spies there, especially those who are just lurkers, would be an impossible task.

Your last sentence is full of the usual LVCHM baseless bravado but it seems to me very unlikely you would know who the surveillance people are. Someone who gets himself busted for something as anachronistic as hole-card play deserves neither time nor respect when talking about cover.

This coming from a $10 internet bonus hustler whose bankroll dwindled so much in recent years that he had to move from England to Ireland, where the cost of living is lower. Think what you will, but the Mayor's guestbook has been signed by more than one surveillance person. And more than one surveillance person checks these messages. I even posted the name and address of one such person who was snooping this site from the Stratosphere but the Mayor got a little nervous and decided to bust that. I make it my business to know about surveillance people...their shifts, their names, their hobbies, their level of blackjack skill, their home addresses, their phone numbers, their intimate relationsihps, their educational background, the churches they attend, the cars they drive, their ethnicity, their spouses' names and anything else I can get my hands on. It's in my interest financially to know these things and it is a fun, and potentially psychopathically rewarding, hobby to watch those who watch me.
 

The Mayor

Well-Known Member
Notes to "the edge"

L,

I want you to know that I have been editing your posts, removing language that is inflammatory, but leaving your points as you make them. It would make my job easier if you would make your points, but leave out the direct insults.

Also, I find it heartening that you refer to some of your actions as "psychopathic..." You have come a long way!

Finally, as usual, I recognize and respect your experience and skill, and your writing isn't bad either. I want your voice to be heard here. Keep to the board policies, and what you have to say is welcome.

--Mayor
 

John May

Member
Re: John May, put your money where your mouth is.

Let's just cut to the chase. I have joined CCC with four separate accounts since its creation.

We've done this before. I picked out several of your identities at bj21. You denied they were all you, even though it was fairly obvious. No one is quite as interested in hole-card play as you, as obsessed with me or as truculent as you. It should be fairly obvious to the neutral observer why that is the case.
Btw Even if I didn't know your character, Schlesinger has noted several mannerisms your writing style betrays, you just have to run suspect posts through a wordprocessor with an optimized grammar check.
I also managed to pick out the identities of various other trolls such as Cellini and Puiu, allegations which were subsequently confirmed.

Naturally, I can call those identities correctly and you will deny it. Someone who spends all his time trolling, issues death threats and virtually destroyed one blackjack website can't be trusted to play fair on a contest like this.

In any case, you aren't a casino employee. I had/have no reason to keep you out, nor any reason to care what you do.

In addition,I really don't know what the Mayor does to keep casino people out but I think he is probably smarter than you make out.

Finally, your comments about $10 bonus hustling are quite badly informed. I'm guessing but I probably make more in a day than you do in a year, if only because you seem to spend most of your time trying to screw over people who were initially sympathetic and helpful towards you.
 

John May

Member
Oh, and regarding the bj21 attacks

Btw you might stop, however temporarily from trying to damage bj21 (the Matthews matchmaking post etc). I'm hardly one of Wong's apostles but attacking the site after the guy's mother just died is scummy even by your standards. And please don't insult my intelligence by telling me you weren't responsible.
 

learning to count

Well-Known Member
Re: Notes to both sides

To put it midly keep your fueds to the other sites who are willing to allow them. I my self appreciate any knowledge you can give us here but if it is going to a be fight. Please take it else where.
 
Another John May End Run

Btw Even if I didn't know your character, Schlesinger has noted several mannerisms your writing style betrays, you just have to run suspect posts through a wordprocessor with an optimized grammar check.
I also managed to pick out the identities of various other trolls such as Cellini and Puiu, allegations which were subsequently confirmed.


You really seem to be quite insane. Why is it you can never stick to the point? Again, there is absolutely no way to identify casinos through the Yahoo software.
 

stalker

Banned
enough is enough

i've about had it with your baseless allegations against me.

We've done this before. I picked out several of your identities at bj21. You denied they were all you, even though it was fairly obvious. No one is quite as interested in hole-card play as you, as obsessed with me or as truculent as you. It should be fairly obvious to the neutral observer why that is the case.

no, you have not. you continue to claim this but i've told you before there are several posters with the same low opinion of you. this is the same tired bj21 tactic of trying to pin every dissenter with the "single poster" label. matthews will never admit it but i'm sure the mayor can confirm this.

Btw Even if I didn't know your character, Schlesinger has noted several mannerisms your writing style betrays, you just have to run suspect posts through a wordprocessor with an optimized grammar check.
I also managed to pick out the identities of various other trolls such as Cellini and Puiu, allegations which were subsequently confirmed.


perhaps you should update your "grammer optimizer" software (or would that require more laborious calculations?). you are obviously unable to differentiate between individual and vastly different posting styles. as far as cellini and puiu, you've proved nothing.

Naturally, I can call those identities correctly and you will deny it. Someone who spends all his time trolling, issues death threats and virtually destroyed one blackjack website can't be trusted to play fair on a contest like this.

more john may baseless allegations. more john may sidesteps. for instance, you insist i am the lvhc hitman. i am not, never have been, and the mayor can confirm this. how about your paramilitary rge theory? or your snyder/nacht conspiracy theory? where is the "mysterious e-mail"? everyone who is anyone in the subculture knows they are no longer affiliated. but not john may.

Finally, your comments about $10 bonus hustling are quite badly informed. I'm guessing but I probably make more in a day than you do in a year,

i highly doubt that.

if only because you seem to spend most of your time trying to screw over people who were initially sympathetic and helpful towards you.

this is rich. i was once sympathetic to how you were treated on bj21 which in hindsight was a mistake on my part. to a man, every single professional player i know, and i know a lot, consider you a charlatan.

now, dazzle us some more with your phony "fake loader" posts and such. you are a menace to advantage players everywhere.

stalker

------------+YlfAkUee2ZifMI4qBltsf
 

The Mayor

Well-Known Member
A brief message

I will confirm that stalker send this message from a server that has never been used by LVHC Hitman. As to these individuals being the same or different, the information I have is that they are different. But they know each other quite well.

--Mayor
 

John May

Member
Re: A brief message

Your post would seem to render further discussion on this issue irrelevant.

I will try to assist this forum by not posting here in future as I don't want it to degenerate into a flame-fest on my account. Good luck.
 

The Mayor

Well-Known Member
Re: A brief message

John,

I for one do not share the opinion of Stalker, LVHC *, et. al, about you and your work. In fact, I think you have made certain forms of advantage play clear to the masses in a way that no one else has. While you book is not appropriate for professionals, it certainly provides insight into the possibilities for the novice or hobbiest.

I sincerely hope you will continue to post here. I welcome your contributions. Saying this, I also recognize that others have a right to disagree with you. Open discourse is the best medicine, I hope you will stay.

--Mayor
 
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