forum etiquette - mentioning casinos by name

[plainplayer]

This is an odd, somewhat dodgy question. Apologies in advance for speaking sideways.

Some time ago, I posted a fairly random note about a certain casino visit. It just a news-y sort of thing, personal impressions and such. A day or three later, I got a PM from someone who asked me not to mention this one casino by name in the forums, because this casino has...a certain quality considered to be both valuable and in short supply. The indcation was, "If a lot of people go there to 'burn' the game out....it will be gone."

Hm.

I never responded directly to the PM, but I haven't mentioned that place since that time, either. Over my time in these forums, I've made mention of a half dozen or so different places, so from my perspective the one in question doesn't stand out from anything else I've had to say.

So I want to ask: How seriously should one take a request like this? Is it really so dangerous that casino personnel are reading and would care about (overreact to) what we say here? Is there really so much risk that, in a website regularly visited by a few hundred or even a few thousand people, 95% of whom live nowhere near the casino in question in the first place, and probably less than 1% of whom would make any special effort toward one specific casino simply due to a forum mention, that we should worry about whether some new horde of people will descend on the place and ruin one particular game?

Note that I never made mention of the specific attribute about which there is concern.

It's a serious question to me. I understand a certain level of paranoia. I'm not sure I understand this one.

 

[UK-21]

I think your common or garden opportunist advantage player will be prepared to catch a plain, or greyhound, if they think it'll be worthwhile to do so. Obviously someone else plays there as well, and doesn't want the ground sullied.

Someone has said something similar to me about a particular place in the UK.

 

[21forme]

I don't see a problem with mentioning rules and penetration. Those are no secret to anyone, casino management or otherwise.

I would never mention anything specific about individual dealers or casinos related to dealer errors or sloppiness.

 

[creeping panther]

Plain

This is an odd, somewhat dodgy question. Apologies in advance for speaking sideways.

Some time ago, I posted a fairly random note about a certain casino visit. It just a news-y sort of thing, personal impressions and such. A day or three later, I got a PM from someone who asked me not to mention this one casino by name in the forums, because this casino has...a certain quality considered to be both valuable and in short supply. The indcation was, "If a lot of people go there to 'burn' the game out....it will be gone."

Hm.

I never responded directly to the PM, but I haven't mentioned that place since that time, either. Over my time in these forums, I've made mention of a half dozen or so different places, so from my perspective the one in question doesn't stand out from anything else I've had to say.

So I want to ask: How seriously should one take a request like this? Is it really so dangerous that casino personnel are reading and would care about (overreact to) what we say here? Is there really so much risk that, in a website regularly visited by a few hundred or even a few thousand people, 95% of whom live nowhere near the casino in question in the first place, and probably less than 1% of whom would make any special effort toward one specific casino simply due to a forum mention, that we should worry about whether some new horde of people will descend on the place and ruin one particular game?

Note that I never made mention of the specific attribute about which there is concern.

It's a serious question to me. I understand a certain level of paranoia. I'm not sure I understand this one.

Nice of you to ask.

The new generation of Surveillance Table Gaming Mgrs. are very familiar with the power of the internet, they read these sites and get more info in a month than they used to in a decade. The Internet has in many ways been a curse to AP's because of the very loose transfer of secretive info.

There is a thing here called a PM, use that to talk to others you know about specifics, not on open forums.

As for closed,,or paid forums, like GC, they are also populated by casino managment people, ,so no where is safe,,except PM's.

CP

 

[Sucker]

so no where is safe,,except PM's.

CP

Unless, of course; the person to whom you're sending the PM is ALSO a casino agent, as some of the regulars on this site have been accused of being. I guess a LITTLE bit of paranoia is probably a good thing sometimes.

 

[Sucker]

I think however; the person who PM'ed you had something more like THIS in mind:

If you find a really great situation in a certain casino and tell US about it, you run a great risk that within a matter of days; that casino will be inundated with professional gamblers. The casino will have no choice but to close the hole that you found, leaving you with no further reward for your discovery.

Professional gamblers are attack dogs by nature - we can't help ourselves!

 

[plainplayer]

Obviously someone else plays there as well, and doesn't want the ground sullied.

The PM author (who will surely read this thread -- howdy) is from far enough away that I expect it would be a full weekend trip for him to visit the place in question.

I don't see a problem with mentioning rules

Well, on that note, here's a top-o'-the-news observation about another place we visit now and again: Sometime in the last week, Wheeling Island have re-felted all their tables, and they have moved from S17 to H17. We were there for a couple hours, turned a pleasant if modest profit, but were dismayed when, the very first time that our dealer had A6, she hit a 4, thereby turning my 89 push and my woman's XX win into losses. Boo-hiss.

The new felts are also not felt. I think they're some sort of nylon. I don't much care for it.

Thanks for opinions offered.

 

[plainplayer]

Nice of you to ask.

Just trying to be a good net.citizen.

If you find a really great situation in a certain casino and tell US about it, you run a great risk that within a matter of days, that casino will be inundated with professional gamblers.

That seemed to be the concern; I just have trouble believing that the readership of BJINFO is so high, and the readiness of its pro players so great, that mere mention of one modestly good game would induce more than maybe 1 or 2 to make a special trip. And I don't think 1 or 2 would exactly break the casino bank. Indeed, I would expect that, for the particular quality raised to attention, it would be common knowledge among pros. And anyhow, I never mentioned (still have not mentioned) the particular quality in question.

But what do I know.

 

[creeping panther]

Sucker

I think however; the person who PM'ed you had something more like THIS in mind:

If you find a really great situation in a certain casino and tell US about it, you run a great risk that within a matter of days; that casino will be inundated with professional gamblers. The casino will have no choice but to close the hole that you found, leaving you with no further reward for your discovery.

Professional gamblers are attack dogs by nature - we can't help ourselves!

See the movie Town, that just came out. I think the casinos are getting more like the FBI agent on the heel of Ben and his Crew, and if that is the case it looks very dark indeed.:yikes:

CP

 

[Nynefingers]

That seemed to be the concern; I just have trouble believing that the readership of BJINFO is so high, and the readiness of its pro players so great, that mere mention of one modestly good game would induce more than maybe 1 or 2 to make a special trip. And I don't think 1 or 2 would exactly break the casino bank. Indeed, I would expect that, for the particular quality raised to attention, it would be common knowledge among pros. And anyhow, I never mentioned (still have not mentioned) the particular quality in question.

But what do I know.

I've met a few professional players "in the field", so to speak, including two that I visited with quite a bit about the game we were playing and one of those with whom I have communicated quite a bit since. He was at the time playing on what to me was a fairly substantial team bank run by a player that is pretty well-known poster over at GC. I haven't verified that these claims were true, but I do know how he was playing and how he was betting, and the claims were credible when viewed in that regard. I can't say with certainty how successful this guy is as a pro, but he was playing a strong game. In the last few months, he's played all over the country, from the west coast to Vegas to the gulf states to the midwest to Connecticut, and just about everywhere in between. I say that only to say that there are pros out there who will travel anywhere at the drop of a hat if the game is good, and more importantly if they will take the action. He wasn't playing as big as the biggest teams, but his action (and that of his teammates) was enough that it could influence casinos to fix their weaknesses if they figured out what he was doing. But usually they just back him off and keep things the same if he's just counting. Just don't make the mistake of thinking that since you couldn't imagine traveling a long distance for a particular game, that no one else would either. There are those out there who will.

 

[Albee]

Very good games

If the person came accross what would be considered a very good game compared to other stores in the area, then by all means it should be shared sparingly.

There are games in the upper Mid West that I would love to play, and will when I get out there, but I won't be posting them for the entire internet to see. I will however share them with people I have networked with and feel comfortable doing so.

Whats the old saying....loose lips sinks ships?

 

[bigplayer]

mentioning casinos

Give the facts. Casinos know what their penetation is. If a casino gives good penetration it is because they decided that they make more money (and they do) by spending more time dealing and less time shuffling. Giving the facts without added comment never tells the casino anything they don't already know.

If you come across some special opportunity that is out of character of a casino then you should probably keep it to yourself or within your particular e-mail circle.

 

[bigplayer]

Just trying to be a good net.citizen.



That seemed to be the concern; I just have trouble believing that the readership of BJINFO is so high, and the readiness of its pro players so great, that mere mention of one modestly good game would induce more than maybe 1 or 2 to make a special trip. And I don't think 1 or 2 would exactly break the casino bank. Indeed, I would expect that, for the particular quality raised to attention, it would be common knowledge among pros. And anyhow, I never mentioned (still have not mentioned) the particular quality in question.

But what do I know.

Depends on the table limits, the EV, and many other factors. Generally though you should keep special opportunities to yourself. In the A.P. business the casino is your client and other advantage players are your competitors. You can form temporary alliances with some of your competitors but generally it's dog eat dog...especially today when really good opportunites seem to be more and more rare each year.

 

[tensplitter]

If a casino is offering 2-1 BJ or something like that for a limited time I will fly there and bet every spot at the table at the max. Free money!