I was in Vegas a couple of weeks ago. After my first three days of playing I was $1,300 up having started with a meager br of $160 (replenishible of course). The house closed down my table at 2am where I was $500 up and moved us to another table. This table had a crazy player who seemed both to be counting and to be quite superstitious. She bet around $65 on each of two hands, then usually in positive counts she would move in large amounts like two hands of $500 each. She would go crazy if I doubled down on an A-7 against a dealer 4, 5, or 6, pointing to her bet stacks and saying "big money is playing. Don't hit!" I ignored her and I lost each and every time. Also, she went ballistic each time, as if I were the biggest idiot on the planet. She would blame me if she lost.
Another quirk was she went bonkers if I began playing two hands. She would immediately go to playing a single hand instead of two until I went back to playing one hand, like I was disrupting the sacred flow. The vibes were so bad at that table and I started losing for the first time that week. I went from $1,300 up to $300 down (had to go to an ATM machine).
The next day I decided to change to basic strategy, augmenting it with modest spreads in positive counts, since I did not wish to risk another roller coaster ride, and would rather lose a little than risk another bad run of negative variance. The first game I got into, DD at Planet Hollywood, the dealer cut 50% pen. I loudly brought it to her and the table's attention. She said that's what they tell us to do. I complained to the PB, saying, everyone knows that if you don't deal half the cards the good cards won't get much chance of coming out. He nodded and said sorry, but that's what they do.
So I went to a 6 deck game. The pen was good so I settled down to a long session using basic strategy only. I had a great time, talking to the dealer and all the players, counting, too, out of sheer habit, but relaxed because it didn't matter if I lost count. The vibes were great. And I couldn't stop winning. I had a great time and I won back my losses and left.
Was it the vibes that made the difference? I know when the vibes are bad I am distracted, impatient, and emotional. I am apt to make some plays against my better judgment. I am also apt to delay wonging out at the appropriate time. But when the vibes are good and my mind is fresh, I feel on top of it all. Even if I start losing, I am patient, and generally able to hang in without much effort until it turns around.
Another factor with me can be a dealer. Some dealers seem to get under my skin. If I can avoid letting their attitude or sarcastic remarks from getting to me, I can generally do well. But if I let it get to me, I am toast. The dealer who throws your hits down like he knows they will bust you or wants them to bust you is one kind of dealer that used to grate on my nerves. Now I strike up a friendly converstation with them, discussing their hometown or something, and soon they seem to be wishing me the best of luck. It doesn't change the cards, but it does change the atmosphere in which I must play, and seems to be conducive to a winning attitude.
