brandone
Active Member
Tonight while back-counting at a local casino, my fists were clenched in anger. An obnoxious prick sat at first base, switching up his bet spots (taking one woman's blackjack numerous times while laughing at her) between first base and the third betting spot, jumping between his and the one next to his friend. He would curse loudly and beat the table when the dealer pulled a 21 from a seemingly "impossible odds" of small cards, yelling in my direction as I was behind him, "Why does that always !@#$ing happen like that!?".
No, I'm not digressing. There is a point. This oaf would sit there and seem to almost "concentrate" on a decision to hit a stiff 16 versus a ten; stand on 13 against a 9; hit 17 against an ace; all while taking well over 20 to 25 seconds to make his decision drastically slowing down the progression of play at this table. As his chips dwindled he started to call the dealer names and wanted to know if she got commission when he lost.
Now I don't know if I'm becoming a "snob" in blackjack or not, but if that means being severely annoyed and looking down on those that think they're playing chess against IBM's "Big Blue" anytime a "tough" (or even simple) hand comes into play, then I wear the badge with honor.
I want to sit there and lecture, while stomping their playing motion hand into the carpet, people who make seemingly random moves. You would almost think they were sitting there playing camoflage on EVERY hand! People who try to use their supreme mental acuity to choose a hit on a 17 against a 5. You know the look. They look at their cards, bite their lip, stare down the dealer, look around the table, and grudgingly motion their decision, almost in such a way as to say 'maybe'. Those that ask to split an 8 and a 6. Those who don't split 8s against a 6. Those who double down on 13 against a 10 on one hand and then stick on 12 against a 10 on the next. Those that throw their double down or split chips on top of the current bet and touch the cards to split them.
Is anyone else severely annoyed by all this? I've been playing basic strategy for the past six years, played blackjack in general for ten, and have been doing a variety of counting for one. It didn't seem to annoy me until recently. Sure I'd get a chuckle and privately call the baffoon a moron or give them a sideways dirty look, but never to the point where I want to smack them.
Is it just me?
No, I'm not digressing. There is a point. This oaf would sit there and seem to almost "concentrate" on a decision to hit a stiff 16 versus a ten; stand on 13 against a 9; hit 17 against an ace; all while taking well over 20 to 25 seconds to make his decision drastically slowing down the progression of play at this table. As his chips dwindled he started to call the dealer names and wanted to know if she got commission when he lost.
Now I don't know if I'm becoming a "snob" in blackjack or not, but if that means being severely annoyed and looking down on those that think they're playing chess against IBM's "Big Blue" anytime a "tough" (or even simple) hand comes into play, then I wear the badge with honor.
I want to sit there and lecture, while stomping their playing motion hand into the carpet, people who make seemingly random moves. You would almost think they were sitting there playing camoflage on EVERY hand! People who try to use their supreme mental acuity to choose a hit on a 17 against a 5. You know the look. They look at their cards, bite their lip, stare down the dealer, look around the table, and grudgingly motion their decision, almost in such a way as to say 'maybe'. Those that ask to split an 8 and a 6. Those who don't split 8s against a 6. Those who double down on 13 against a 10 on one hand and then stick on 12 against a 10 on the next. Those that throw their double down or split chips on top of the current bet and touch the cards to split them.
Is anyone else severely annoyed by all this? I've been playing basic strategy for the past six years, played blackjack in general for ten, and have been doing a variety of counting for one. It didn't seem to annoy me until recently. Sure I'd get a chuckle and privately call the baffoon a moron or give them a sideways dirty look, but never to the point where I want to smack them.
Is it just me?
