(Dead link: http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2002/Dec-01-Sun-2002/living/20002578.html)
Here is my response (sent to the editors of the LVRJ):
===========================================================
Dear Sir,
In response to the comments of Alan Feldman, senior vice president of public
affairs for MGM Mirage, that appeared in the December 1 story: "CARD
COUNTING: Creating Their Luck", in which Feldman is quoted as saying: "We
view card counting as manipulation of the game, much in the same way a
person who marks cards is manipulating the game."
I find Alan Feldman's remarks highly insulting, and typical of the
propaganda war waged by casino executives, floor men, and detective agencies
against proficient gamblers of all kinds. There is simply no sign posted in
any casino that requires us to leave our brains at the door, although the
casinos would prefer that every gambler do so. We train and practice to
become skilled enough to beat these games, we follow the rules posted,
promoted, and allowed by the casinos. We do not cheat, mark cards, or
otherwise gain an illegal edge over the games. Everything we do is strictly
in accordance with the rules.
The casinos respond by calling us cheats and liars, by harassing us,
detaining us, arresting us, illegally searching us and seizing our winnings,
and in some cases roughing us up. Casinos give away free drinks,
decorate their hotels to focus our attention on the games, and use every
other subliminal trick in the book to get people to lose more money. And
while they are busy manipulating people's minds, these same casinos hire
private detective agencies who work hard to catch us, we the skilled ones
who only want to play a fair game, following their posted rules.
This shows who the real cheats are. The casinos are the ones who are lying
here, and Feldman's remarks are typical of the war being waged against those
who are skilled enough to beat the casinos at their own games.
Signed...
Here is my response (sent to the editors of the LVRJ):
===========================================================
Dear Sir,
In response to the comments of Alan Feldman, senior vice president of public
affairs for MGM Mirage, that appeared in the December 1 story: "CARD
COUNTING: Creating Their Luck", in which Feldman is quoted as saying: "We
view card counting as manipulation of the game, much in the same way a
person who marks cards is manipulating the game."
I find Alan Feldman's remarks highly insulting, and typical of the
propaganda war waged by casino executives, floor men, and detective agencies
against proficient gamblers of all kinds. There is simply no sign posted in
any casino that requires us to leave our brains at the door, although the
casinos would prefer that every gambler do so. We train and practice to
become skilled enough to beat these games, we follow the rules posted,
promoted, and allowed by the casinos. We do not cheat, mark cards, or
otherwise gain an illegal edge over the games. Everything we do is strictly
in accordance with the rules.
The casinos respond by calling us cheats and liars, by harassing us,
detaining us, arresting us, illegally searching us and seizing our winnings,
and in some cases roughing us up. Casinos give away free drinks,
decorate their hotels to focus our attention on the games, and use every
other subliminal trick in the book to get people to lose more money. And
while they are busy manipulating people's minds, these same casinos hire
private detective agencies who work hard to catch us, we the skilled ones
who only want to play a fair game, following their posted rules.
This shows who the real cheats are. The casinos are the ones who are lying
here, and Feldman's remarks are typical of the war being waged against those
who are skilled enough to beat the casinos at their own games.
Signed...