Borg going H17?

aslan said:
It is disheartening to see. 8-deck games on the promenade just outside the high roller area. H-17 games by the Poker room. Oh, Borgata, how thou hast fallen!

Still a fine place, comfortable, friendly, laid-back for your card counting pleasure-- be tasteful and use a little camo if you will. Still has the best clientele and the friendliest pit anywhere. But, oh, did I wait in that long line for a paper thin Nationals baseball jacket that they will send me UPS in two weeks? San Boyd, I want to talk with you. Does anyone know-- is he still alive?


Interesting... I have been noticing that the Borg has been pretty sweaty lately. Seemingly they are being more vigilant, even with cover.

Then again, I have also been moving on to greener pastures and as much as I miss the environment (and the reasonable comps) the Borg is nowhere near the best place to play (for me at least).
 

aslan

Well-Known Member
FLASH1296 said:

asian,

Did you think that they were giving away (anything) without a sound reason to do so ?
That's ASLAN, not Asian, Flash.... yes, because last year they gave away a very heavy and warm NFL Superbowl jacket which kept me very warm many cold days this winter. Thanks for asking. :)
 

aslan

Well-Known Member
Polarbearsolvent said:
Interesting... I have been noticing that the Borg has been pretty sweaty lately. Seemingly they are being more vigilant, even with cover.

Then again, I have also been moving on to greener pastures and as much as I miss the environment (and the reasonable comps) the Borg is nowhere near the best place to play (for me at least).
I don't play the HL room, which may be sweaty-- I don't know -- but my style of "play all" with convincing cover and patiently waiting for the "long plus counts" seems to slide easily under their radar. I enjoy the play, the conversation, the socializing, and don't mind playing a break/even game until the good times come.
 
Hmm, interesting. It could be that my spread is a bit aggressive, or some other "factor" that is getting me tagged a bit more.

Although, the experience has given me some insights into a few play styles that (at least at that venue) seem to be surprisingly big red flags. If you are interested in my observations, feel free to toss me a PM (hopefully it can be of some longevity use).
 

WABJ11

Well-Known Member
I would have to agree with Polar that the Borg has been getting sweatier. Never have had a problem there, with "checks play" almost always just getting a nod from the pit.

But on my last trip out there (last week) I played one shoe before the pit came over and started harassing me with comments like "oh why are you making a big bet at the end of the shoe?" Dealer shows an Ace and I take insurance cause its like +10, but he doesn't have it. The pit goes "He should have had it with your system." I got outta there quick. I'm use to things like this happening at Trump and Resorts, def not Borg. Maybe they hired some laid off pit critters from neighboring properties? Who knows?
 

aslan

Well-Known Member
WABJ11 said:
I would have to agree with Polar that the Borg has been getting sweatier. Never have had a problem there, with "checks play" almost always just getting a nod from the pit.

But on my last trip out there (last week) I played one shoe before the pit came over and started harassing me with comments like "oh why are you making a big bet at the end of the shoe?" Dealer shows an Ace and I take insurance cause its like +10, but he doesn't have it. The pit goes "He should have had it with your system." I got outta there quick. I'm use to things like this happening at Trump and Resorts, def not Borg. Maybe they hired some laid off pit critters from neighboring properties? Who knows?
Once in a while you run into a knowledgeable pit person, even at the Borgata. I played the other day for more than 12 hours, almost consecutively, and had no problem spreading from 1 x 1 or 2 x 1 to 2 x 8 which I find sufficient for my purposes, Of course, I did have the patented Aslan Holistic Invisibility Distribution Engine (HIDE) engaged and working at all times.

For insurance, my defense is that "I only take insurance when I have a lot of money out" [which coincidentally is in a plus count]. "A small bet is not worth insuring," I say. [That's my story and I'm sticking to it.]

For large bets at the end of a shoe, I have never heard that one before. You might inquire, "Is there truth to the idea that the good cards don't show up until the end of a shoe?" *humble demeanor, mouth agape, begging for crumbs of wisdom from this mighty and knowledgeable stalwart of the pit*
 
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moo321

Well-Known Member
Yeah, the Borg is pretty sharp these days. Which shifts were those incidents, and which bosses if you guy can mention it?
 

aslan

Well-Known Member
moo321 said:
Yeah, the Borg is pretty sharp these days. Which shifts were those incidents, and which bosses if you guy can mention it?
I played in three different pits, the two outside the high roller room, and the pit by the cashier. I played at five or more different tables and experienced no heat whatsoever.

I think this is all about one pit person. Also, the pit who asked about the poster's system may have just been fishing for a reaction. I know if I were a pit person and knew a few tells like someone suddenly and dramatically increasing his betting amount, I might say the same thing pretending to be in the know. A pit person might especially be tempted to apply pressure to a young person whom he perceived as inferior to himself.

I used to get heat when I was inexperienced and playing classic, naked bet spreading (1 to 10-15) in plus counts, but that was two or three years ago. I'd be betting three hands of $300 a hand, steaming like a nuclear cooling tower, standing with beads of sweat on my forehead, nervous as a whore in church, and quickly leaving after each one of these episodes. I have become so laid back and easy going since then that I doubt the pit ever gives me a second look unless like the other night, I get two blackjacks at the same time playing 2 x $200. Lucky stiff! But nowadays the pits are so nice and pleasant to me, I almost feel bad about extracting my playing fee, but I did say "almost", didn't I? These ploppy employees do not understand who they are working for. If they did, many of them would resign immediately (or do I just have too much faith in human nature?).
 
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WABJ11

Well-Known Member
Funny because I used the "all the good cards come at the end of the shoe" line, and I just said "what system?"

Didn't get the pit's name. Older guy, late 40's, dark hair, tan, maybe a mustache not sure. It was late night mid week shift. It was the pit right outside the HL room. I got outta there pretty quick though because I was playing on a card, and he seemed to get ready to camp out at the table as the cut card was just about to come out. I'm fairly certain if I stuck around he would have tried to intimidate me more, or half shoed.

I am in my twenties and had my fair share of brushes with pit's before. They think my youth gives them a license to push me around, but I've been playing since I was 15 so it doesn't bother me. I too have that nonchalant attitude about the whole thing.
 
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pit15

Well-Known Member
Eh, most dealers at borgata don't even bother calling checks play or purple action.

Yeah, I stand around the table for a while then come in betting 500 bucks, but that's not really all THAT unusual at borgata, and the amount of time I spend at one pit is far too short for them to even remotely have a chance at evaluating the play.

If anyone's willing to take some heat, there's a good way to prevent the H17 tables from spreading.

False Drop.

Buy in big with cash at the H17 pit, play very little or not at all and move on. IF enough people do this the drop goes through the roof, but the hold will remain the same as if just ploppies played.. Result = hold % goes way down and borgata decides the H17 tables suck.

Probably not a good idea to do this repeatedly unless you're already so hot there you can't play there anymore and just want to piss them off. In that case, go buy in for as much cash as you have on you (and you WILL ctr so just take the ctr), go to the cage, cash out, then go back to the table, and just keep doing that until they trespass you. If anyone's actually going to do that, let me know. If I have a game available there at the time I'll bet more then I usually do while they're busy bouncing you ;)
 
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aslan

Well-Known Member
pit15 said:
Eh, most dealers at borgata don't even bother calling checks play or purple action.

Yeah, I stand around the table for a while then come in betting 500 bucks, but that's not really all THAT unusual at borgata, and the amount of time I spend at one pit is far too short for them to even remotely have a chance at evaluating the play.

If anyone's willing to take some heat, there's a good way to prevent the H17 tables from spreading.

False Drop.

Buy in big with cash at the H17 pit, play very little or not at all and move on. IF enough people do this the drop goes through the roof, but the hold will remain the same as if just ploppies played.. Result = hold % goes way down and borgata decides the H17 tables suck.

Probably not a good idea to do this repeatedly unless you're already so hot there you can't play there anymore and just want to piss them off. In that case, go buy in for as much cash as you have on you (and you WILL ctr so just take the ctr), go to the cage, cash out, then go back to the table, and just keep doing that until they trespass you. If anyone's actually going to do that, let me know. If I have a game available there at the time I'll bet more then I usually do while they're busy bouncing you ;)
You do have to give the pit credit, they do keep track of black chips. The pit came over to my table and the dealer said, "One is there [pointing to me] and one left," thus causing me thereafter to stuff my pockets with greens instead of blacks to avoid the appearance of a winner.
 

pit15

Well-Known Member
aslan said:
You do have to give the pit credit, they do keep track of black chips. The pit came over to my table and the dealer said, "One is there [pointing to me] and one left," thus causing me thereafter to stuff my pockets with greens instead of blacks to avoid the appearance of a winner.
not ratholing black should be a given though. I figured that one out quickly before I started playing black.

Borgata is far more liberal with actually paying in black during the course of play then most places though.

Any AP who's played in a casino for any serious amount of time should know they track the big chips. Though they don't do it to prevent ratholing as their primary reason. If they didn't bother tracking purple/orange at the table, then the dealers who do things like steal chips (and there's been TONS of those cases) would be palming off an orange instead of a green, and you can see how that would be a problem. A lot of times if you're betting big the pit watches closely not because they're nervous there's something going on with you, they want to make sure the dealer is paying things right. Most of the time the casino's more worried about their own employees then the players.
 

aslan

Well-Known Member
pit15 said:
not ratholing black should be a given though. I figured that one out quickly before I started playing black.

Borgata is far more liberal with actually paying in black during the course of play then most places though.

Any AP who's played in a casino for any serious amount of time should know they track the big chips. Though they don't do it to prevent ratholing as their primary reason. If they didn't bother tracking purple/orange at the table, then the dealers who do things like steal chips (and there's been TONS of those cases) would be palming off an orange instead of a green, and you can see how that would be a problem. A lot of times if you're betting big the pit watches closely not because they're nervous there's something going on with you, they want to make sure the dealer is paying things right. Most of the time the casino's more worried about their own employees then the players.
You right, they don't do it to keep you from ratholing blacks, but it has the same effect; that is, if you do, they will know it. Employee theft has long been the main concern of surveillance, although years ago, customers had a heyday in cheating the casinos.
 

moo321

Well-Known Member
pit15 said:
not ratholing black should be a given though. I figured that one out quickly before I started playing black.
That's a blanket statement and is often not true. I pulled $1300 off the table in black at one casino and no one noticed. There are a number of casinos where I'll rathole black.

MAYBE ok as a generalization to be tested at your particular joint.
 

pit15

Well-Known Member
moo321 said:
That's a blanket statement and is often not true. I pulled $1300 off the table in black at one casino and no one noticed. There are a number of casinos where I'll rathole black.

MAYBE ok as a generalization to be tested at your particular joint.
I should've said IN MOST CASES.

There's opportunistic situations to rathole black, and maybe if you play in high limit pits where the min bet is 100 they don't track them that carefully.
 

aslan

Well-Known Member
pit15 said:
I should've said IN MOST CASES.

There's opportunistic situations to rathole black, and maybe if you play in high limit pits where the min bet is 100 they don't track them that carefully.
I agree. Even in lower limit pits I've noticed an inability to track black chips when players are betting with them frequently. When no one is betting blacks, the only ones that "go out" are the cash ins by players, or payoffs using blacks, both under control of the dealer. I those cases, the pit keeps exact count.
 

alwayssplitaces

Well-Known Member
A dealer can just rathole 1 green chip an hour and have a wonderful salary, and no one would question why the dealer's table is making only $25 less per hour than the others on average, since that can be chalked up to variance. They'll be caught eventually, but I am sure it goes unnoticed in many casinos every day. Unless they watch the video and figure out exactly how many chips should be in the rack every hand, and look for a discrepancy, they will get away. It's unlikely they'll get caught in the act if they are good at palming the chips.
 

Thunder

Well-Known Member
update

Pit by the hotel elevators or high roller room is now mostly 8 decks. I did see 2 or 3 $25 tables with 6 decks where the $50 tables are usually. H17 8 deck tables are by the poker room. The rest of the casino is 8 decks S17 but with only 75% pen.
 
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