I've been studying some of the masters and I found a contradiction. Ian Andersen says to have close relationships with casino employees, to the point of being friends, to ensure you can play as long as possible, but Bryce Carlson says to be cold and professional with casino employees and even makes a veiled reference in "Blackjack for Blood" to Andersen being wrong. Which do you all think is right?
Casino personnel relationships
- Thread starter Sput
- Start date
Automatic Monkey
Banned
I like Andersen's approach better
Because the decision to throw you out is going to be a judgment call. The decision to comp you will be a judgment call. I make it my business to flirt with female PC's all them time. It's not their money I'm taking, and they are not going to get in any trouble because a low level counter sat there and played for a few hours, so what incentive do they have to toss me rather than just let me play and enjoy the good feelings? Besides it's surveillance's job to evaluate your play anyway, and those guys up there would rather sleep and look down girls' shirts with the cameras than get involved with us.
When Carlson says "cold and professional" he might mean that's the way you should be after being detected as a counter and backed off or ejected. But "being cold" could be seen by some as "being a prick" and that's going to get you in trouble. And if the casino believes you're a "professional", you're history. Best bet is to do whatever the other people at the table are doing, and blend in.
Because the decision to throw you out is going to be a judgment call. The decision to comp you will be a judgment call. I make it my business to flirt with female PC's all them time. It's not their money I'm taking, and they are not going to get in any trouble because a low level counter sat there and played for a few hours, so what incentive do they have to toss me rather than just let me play and enjoy the good feelings? Besides it's surveillance's job to evaluate your play anyway, and those guys up there would rather sleep and look down girls' shirts with the cameras than get involved with us.
When Carlson says "cold and professional" he might mean that's the way you should be after being detected as a counter and backed off or ejected. But "being cold" could be seen by some as "being a prick" and that's going to get you in trouble. And if the casino believes you're a "professional", you're history. Best bet is to do whatever the other people at the table are doing, and blend in.
If it is not hit and run
If there are places in Vegas that are not overly sweaty at your bet level and you want to return or if there is a decent local Indian Casino near where you live, making a friend out of pit types can only help you. It can help you even if at some point they decide they do not want you playing blackjack anymore. They would most likely just back you off the game and not toss you and probably do it with some amount of class. The let me buy you dinner but no more bj approach.
There are places where I have played so often and pit types who must know what I am doing that I am sure my attitude and friendliness can only help. I also understand that if word did come to them from up above, they would have no choice but to act. I think it gets down to this; you have much less to loose if you are friendly.
To expand this a little. Think about how many ploppys, when loosing, treat dealers horridly and even complain to the pit about how bad things are. Though in certain instances I advocate blending in with the ploppy, I take the opposite approach here. Most pit types were once dealers and they know how it feels when everyone at the table is hating them for taking their money. We all know that in actuality they are just pulling the cards out of the shoe, playing by the house rules, making no decisions whatsoever that effect your win/loss. You might not love the dealer who just took your money but you will be appreciated if you do not jump all over him. Furthermore; at my local Indian Casino, nearly half the pit are dual rates. This means that the dealer you did not jump on yesterday might be the pit critter you run into tomorrow.
All of this does nothing to offset some exec looking at your win/loss record over a period of time. So if you have a local place friendliness should be combined with constant, careful, ratholing of green.
Victoria
If there are places in Vegas that are not overly sweaty at your bet level and you want to return or if there is a decent local Indian Casino near where you live, making a friend out of pit types can only help you. It can help you even if at some point they decide they do not want you playing blackjack anymore. They would most likely just back you off the game and not toss you and probably do it with some amount of class. The let me buy you dinner but no more bj approach.
There are places where I have played so often and pit types who must know what I am doing that I am sure my attitude and friendliness can only help. I also understand that if word did come to them from up above, they would have no choice but to act. I think it gets down to this; you have much less to loose if you are friendly.
To expand this a little. Think about how many ploppys, when loosing, treat dealers horridly and even complain to the pit about how bad things are. Though in certain instances I advocate blending in with the ploppy, I take the opposite approach here. Most pit types were once dealers and they know how it feels when everyone at the table is hating them for taking their money. We all know that in actuality they are just pulling the cards out of the shoe, playing by the house rules, making no decisions whatsoever that effect your win/loss. You might not love the dealer who just took your money but you will be appreciated if you do not jump all over him. Furthermore; at my local Indian Casino, nearly half the pit are dual rates. This means that the dealer you did not jump on yesterday might be the pit critter you run into tomorrow.
All of this does nothing to offset some exec looking at your win/loss record over a period of time. So if you have a local place friendliness should be combined with constant, careful, ratholing of green.
Victoria
phantom007
Well-Known Member
Sexual Discrimination!.....
Dear Ms. V:
Certainly agree.
With ALL said by She,
Excepting that Easier it would be,
If I had a P#ss-ee!
Always appreciate your posts! Disagree with nothing said above. Many "Pro's" suggest a "hostile" style....fine for those who can hit and run.....I just like to play the game!
Anyhow, will simply suggest that it is easier for a Female to play BJ long-term than those of us with high Testosterone levels.
Prejudice? YES! Discriminatory? YES! Just that I suspect that most Stores will allow females to "spread wider" and "penetrate deeper" into their Bank-rolls before getting concerned.
Just my thoughts.
phantom007.
Dear Ms. V:
Certainly agree.
With ALL said by She,
Excepting that Easier it would be,
If I had a P#ss-ee!
Always appreciate your posts! Disagree with nothing said above. Many "Pro's" suggest a "hostile" style....fine for those who can hit and run.....I just like to play the game!
Anyhow, will simply suggest that it is easier for a Female to play BJ long-term than those of us with high Testosterone levels.
Prejudice? YES! Discriminatory? YES! Just that I suspect that most Stores will allow females to "spread wider" and "penetrate deeper" into their Bank-rolls before getting concerned.
Just my thoughts.
phantom007.
female advantage
Phantom
I agree, and I think months ago I wrote something here about the female advantage. It is just the stereotyping by the pits and the folks in the eye. You can blow this advantage by being obvious. Also with more women working in the pits these days it can make things a little tougher.
Finally, I do not if having a sex change is worth it to "spread more" or did you mean bet more??? Never can be sure with poetry.
Victoria
Phantom
I agree, and I think months ago I wrote something here about the female advantage. It is just the stereotyping by the pits and the folks in the eye. You can blow this advantage by being obvious. Also with more women working in the pits these days it can make things a little tougher.
Finally, I do not if having a sex change is worth it to "spread more" or did you mean bet more??? Never can be sure with poetry.
Victoria