El EsCortez

[bj bob]

Just relax GN!

In my experience,when I first started I was so uptight I couldn't keep the count in my head...too much fatigue. You come to realize that being an AP you are now playing TWO games,i.e. cards and (More fun!) cat & mouse. For some of the heavy hitters it seems to me that they enjoy the second game more than the first. Having taken stock of some very sage posts by the vets on this forum I've learned to "enjoy" the game(s) a lot more. You have many weapons on your side. In the situation you've described I would have first just fallen back to BS for a while, and if the Pitess Boss was availabe, would try to get her number since she obviously had an attraction to you! A trick I learned is to swing around in your chair,back to the table and flag down a cocktail waitress, not paying any attention to the game for a few minutes. If you appear not to be interested the heat cools down,esp. if you totally turned off the PB with your charm! You can always go back to counting whenever you want
As for ramping, that does mean increasing your bet in steps ,e.g. 1-2,2-4,then split hands w/3 or 4 each. This seems to be the general wisdom for 1D 2D games.For shoes you go higher, but I defer that to those more knowledgeable in shoe games. Finally, to quote a legend in the field "A 36:1 bet spread is a bit over the top in a 2D game"

 

[zengrifter]

thankyou for the quick reply ! Further to my question, I know that table conditions such as amount of players is important, but can it actually hurt to play where you could shoot off a canon, or do you prefer some traffic at a table ? I'm hoping to play tonite at a reserve where it could be quiet.

My preferrence -
1D heads-up
2D 0-1 other players
6-8D 0-3 other players

 

[zengrifter]

As for ramping, that does mean increasing your bet in steps ,e.g. 1-2,2-4,then split hands w/3 or 4 each. This seems to be the general wisdom for 1D 2D games.For shoes you go higher,

His use of the word 'ramp' was incorrect. Ramp really means how fast the bet increases IN RELATION to the count.

Regarding the suggestion that multi-deck games require you to bet higher - NO - they require you to bet LOWER - a bigger spread means that your min bet is lower - the topBet is the same in any #decks. zg

 

[bj bob]

Lower vs. Wider?

Confusion in terminology...Zg, in one of your posts (Risk Management, I think) You said that bet spreads are calculated from the top down,correct? While the max. bet remains the same for any # of decks,the min. becomes lower as the game conditions degenerate. I think we are talking about the same thing just using different verbs. By lowering the min. while keeping the max. constant, this "widens" the spread. Did I get that right?
Also, what do you think is a "safe" spread for 2D $25 flat bet and what sort of ramping (if any) would you employ vs. count?

 

[golfnut101]

ZG

can you expound on the ramping comment you made ? I am confused also on the lower bet in multi-deck ? If my spread in a 6d is 1-8, and in a dd it is 1-4, how is it lower ?

thnx

 

[zengrifter]

Also, what do you think is a "safe" spread for 2D $25 flat bet and what sort of ramping (if any) would you employ vs. count?

By 'flat-bet' I assume you mean unit. In 2D a typical topBet is 2x 4-5u. zg

 

[zengrifter]

ZG

can you expound on the ramping comment you made ? I am confused also on the lower bet in multi-deck ? If my spread in a 6d is 1-8, and in a dd it is 1-4, how is it lower ?

EXAMPLE -

TopBet = 100 (play-all counts)

min bets - spread

1D 25 (1-4)
2D 10 (1-10)
6D 05 (1-20)

 

[Joep]

Plaza's Old shift manager

The casino manager/day shift there now is originaly from the Plaza so that might be the case of the good DD games . He is sharp when he wants to be .I have played there 3 times in the last 2 weeks on his shift and he didn't see me I THINK or HOPE

 

[golfnut101]

hey Joep

Are you kens sidekick on the radio show ? I listened to an archive of when you had MIT Mike on. If you are the one, I like how you handle people. i also listened to when you had a shift supervisor(?) on. Direct questions that alot of us would want to ask. Some of Kens questions seem like they are coming from left field. In regards to your response in this thread, how did you do at the Plaza ?

thnx

 

[Knox]

I was at El Cortez this past weekend and the DD game was great. Other than H17, I can't say a thing bad about it. They even had $3 tables! I won $225 from a $100 buy-in the first night in a couple of hours. I went back the next day and did poorly. At one point I was down $360 and pulled out the last $100 I had brought with me (rest was in the safe at the Hilton). Finally I clawed my way back to $360, down $100 for a much more lengthy session than I wanted! Net gain for El Cortez was $125 + plenty of free drinks, tips, and a number of $1 bets on the dealer.

 

[mdlbj]

Your being booted and then able to return at some future time brings me to this question. How long, in your experence, do you wait to attempt to re-enter a club after being barred,esp. if you've been read the trespassing routine and, are there any clubs from which you have never been able to return after the first "gentle translevitation"?

Ive gone back in the same night.. Different Pit crew. Card counting does not put you in the griffin book and make you a star in one night.

 

[jetace]

Good Stories in this thread, I'm glad it was bumped.

So I'm guessing the DD rules at Cortez are H17, DA2, DAS.
Do they have LS and resplitting of Aces?

 

[Knox]

Good Stories in this thread, I'm glad it was bumped.

So I'm guessing the DD rules at Cortez are H17, DA2, DAS.
Do they have LS and resplitting of Aces?

No ls. Not sure about the aces, never got more than 2 in one hand.

 

[Negrocan]

Was at the EC this week and had no problems on mornings and evenings. Played the SD getting six rounds heads up then the next dealer only gave 5. Played the DD game going 10-100. Had asian female PB sitting on my table and the italian looking male PB standing behind me but no BO. I don't screw around with cover or anything. I am almost asking to get the EC BO but it never happens here for some reason. I only won six bills from the place in three one hour sessions so maybe that is why.

 

[Jeff25]

Played at EC a couple of days ago and was booted after 20 mins... I guess spreading from 1 hand of $10 to 2 hands of $100 at thier DD table wasnt such a good idea.

 

[shadroch]

Just played there about six hours a day for several days.
On there DD shoe game,I would bet $10 on the first hand,drop to $3 on negative counts and up to $20 on positive counts.Let my $20 winnings ride several times.Pitbosses were pretty oblivious to my actions as there was a crazy Marine sitting at my table betting green and really streaming.Doubling down 8 vs. 7,splitting 10s vs 7s,ect,ect.
Heat has cooled quite a bit over the last few years.

 

[Sonny]

I've had good success there. I usually spread $5-$30 (or 2x$20) at both SD and DD. No cover, no camo, no problems. I’ve had sessions of +/-$400 and they don’t mind. They got rid of their nasty counter-catcher about 2 years ago. I get some attention but no heat. Even cashing in $500-$1000 has gone smoothly. They have loosened up a lot since the old days, which I’m sure has boosted their business (as well as mine!). This is one of those cases where both sides have benefited from offering a good game.

-Sonny-

 

[Knox]

I've had good success there. I usually spread $5-$30 (or 2x$20) at both SD and DD. No cover, no camo, no problems. I’ve had sessions of +/-$400 and they don’t mind. They got rid of their nasty counter-catcher about 2 years ago. I get some attention but no heat. Even cashing in $500-$1000 has gone smoothly. They have loosened up a lot since the old days, which I’m sure has boosted their business (as well as mine!). This is one of those cases where both sides have benefited from offering a good game.

-Sonny-

How do you make any money on their single deck game? I thought it was 6:5 blackjack payout? Seems the DD game would be more profitable...

 

[Mikeaber]

How do you make any money on their single deck game? I thought it was 6:5 blackjack payout? Seems the DD game would be more profitable...

Nah. The Tez is 3:2 on single and double...at least they were as late as this past September.

 

[Sonny]

How do you make any money on their single deck game? I thought it was 6:5 blackjack payout? Seems the DD game would be more profitable...

The SD game is 3:2, but the DD game is actually more profitable. I may Wong into their SD game if I'm walking by and I see a lot of small cards on the first round, but I'm usually at the DD game.

-Sonny-