New CC Tell......PHONE JUMPING

[phantom007]

As we study our game, we read of "tells", i.e., subtle things that we do, often subconsciously, that may I.D. us for what we are, CC's. Common examples include moving one's lips while counting, counting on our fingers, using innocent looking but blatently obvious chip stacks to keep side counts, etc. I have read on more than one occasion that we should practice our skills in front of a mirror, or on video tape, so as to overcome some of these shortcomings.

Anyhow, it seems that every casino that I have ever been in has the same phone system. These phones ring with a musical, undulating, 3-second sound that I cannot put into writing, so I will term the sound "Brrrrrng".

Was playing at the casino bar, Quarter 8/5 VP. Got 4 to a Royal, AND a pair of kings. Tossed the non-suited king, and drew a 2 of hearts...looked pretty with my 4 big spades. One might ask "Phantom, why are you playing 8/5 machines when there are 9/6 across the casino?" ANSWER: There is no bar over there.

Brrrrng!

I jumped...literally! I caught myself jumping/flinching when the phone rang.

To make matters worse, I heard the bartender say into the receiver "Yeah, the big guy at the end of the bar....I'll watch him".

I was sitting at the end of the bar. I am a big guy...same height and weight as an average NFL linebacker...just slightly different Body Mass Index.

Crap! I am under VP survelliance! By the Bartender no less! Wonder what tipped them off??? Possibly the expert play above. Possibly the fact that I was playing the worst VP machine in the house made them think that I knew something that they did not....in reality, just knew where the bar was.

Thought about dropping back to one coin (for cover)...oh hell, just keep playing 5 coins. And a few minutes later....

Brrrrrng!

I jumped again! Damn! Bartender said "OK" and hung up. I looked back over my shoulder and saw a security guard heading straight towards.........THE BIG GUY at the OTHER END of the bar. The guard said something to the patron, and then they both left together.

I can only guess that the patron was there for "Quarter Beer Night"...play one quarter, get a free beer, repeat.

Anyhow, I had known for a long time that I "tense up" when the Pit phone goes "brrrrrng"...did not realize that I physically responded.

Every time I think that "I am getting good", I have to go back and learn/re-learn something basic.

Things to do:
-----#1: Buy phone that goes "brrrrrng".
-----#2: Respond to multiple internet ads for aluminum siding, term life ins., etc., and include my phone #.
-----#3: Sit in front of mirror with my phone that goes "brrrrrng".
-----#4: Practice, Practice, Practice!

phantom007.

 

[gehrig]

with enou' table time...

one may beyond counting, study pitstiff moves. while of less value than the dealer tells of yore, observing the pitstiff minuet is amusing.

they're stuck in a corral and have limited turf. maybe they have 4 or 5 tables to hawk. their mic duties require certain actions as approving color ups/buy-ins, attending to rack fills, opening/closing and hourly checque counts, settling disputes. as well they are rating players, approving/acknowledging shoe shuffles, writing markers, greeting worthy buy-in players, hitting on cocktail servers, assigning tables, listening to dealer whining, eyeballing for player or dealer procedural errors, and otherwise appearing to be attentive under the eyes of the shift/pit bosses.

screen out those gymnastics, kinda like twisting the squelch knob, and what's left is of interest to the skilled player.

an obvious 'stiff move is the call to/from the eye with back turned to the suspect player. or, the give-him-some-rope, avoidance of the table entirely. howsabout the back up to the table cum whispered instructions to the dealer ? i recall that "secret code"/foreign language instruction by the 'stiff at the pioneer..."uno mano". duh.

mebbe the coolest 'stiff move is the 'stiff "reunion"/huddle at a distance while discussing a suspect player. one comes to mind at the 'shoe. at my elbow, two 'stiffs were hiding behind my side of a column, one peeking around each side like a couple kids trying to hide behind a tree. they were eyeballing another table, commenting on a suspected counter's strategy plays. their comments revealed the level of their skill.

best mebbe was at the santa fe. the 'stiff board meeting/huddle, after some ten minutes of pulaver, sent in their best man. the dude places his elbow on the layout next to me carefully scanning the play. like i think i saw his lips moving. of course, i downshifted to an apparent 1-2/up-down/parlay-"pull back"/hunch, wager orchestration. that lasted for about 5 minutes when the annointed 'stiff spun around and gloatingly returned to the huddle, loudly proclaiming "he's a progression player" midway back to the flock.

i miss that s.d./das santa fe game.

 

[AnonThisTime]

when i hear that certain ring.... i usually try to act impassive about it, but often times I'll yell out to the PC, "If that's for me, I'm not here!"

 

[Automatic Monkey]

Great essay! Honestly I never hear the phone ring when I'm playing, and if I did I wouldn't associate it with any kind of trouble. Being visibly nervous or afraid of anything is never good. But I've had dealers tell me what the profile is of a counter in their store. I just love it when dealers give you these lectures on counting and counters, how they have them all figured out, meanwhile you are spreading like crazy while feigning interest in their words of wisdom.