What would you do with a rat at the table?

[Automatic Monkey]

A while back, I had a close encounter of the rat kind. Here's what happened: I'm playing a table at a regular joint, count goes really high and my big bets go down. Then this silly little old guy (who kind of looked like a rat, that should have been my warning) sits down next to me and starts playing a minimum bet. Dealer gets 5, I have a cold turkey and I was at the point of splitting 10's so I do so. Then the little rat makes this gasping sound, rolls his eyes and says "Do you realize how high the count has to be to do that?"

Unbelievable. What an idiot. I just told him, I don't know anything about that and I keep playing. The count keeps climbing and a few hands later I surrender 17 vs. 10. I resisted the temptation to tell him "Yeah, not quite as high as the count has to be to do that" as he gasped and rolled his rodent eyes again, and he left the table at the end of the shoe.

Now I wasn't sure how to take this, as ignorance or malice, but I think if he was a malicious counter trying to snitch on other counters he would have been betting more in this situation so he was probably just an idiot. So he might not even be a competent counter. But intentional or unintentional, I still consider this ratting on another AP. Hopefully I'll never see him again, but I'm not sure what I'll do with him if I do.

 

[EasyRhino]

What's a cold turkey?

If I was thinking on my feet enough, I'd ask him questions about this crazy "card counting" thing, and if it was really possible. Either that, or I'd smash him. But, I guess if you can't engage the guy in lengthy banter (or smash him), then the general rule of thumb of sitting at a table with another counter applies: one of you should leave.

I wonder what the guy's deal was. I've seen one or two guys who seem to be familiar with the concept of card counting, and like to blab on and on about it. One old guy was standing behind a table keeping the count out loud, and another young guy was just talking about it in general while playing $5 at the table.

I don't think either really expected that there was someone counting at the table while they were blabbing.

What does the count have to be to surrender a 17?

 

[JoeV]

I don't think it would be that big of a problem for me if a rat like that sat down next to me. Sure it would be annoying, but I don't sit down too long anyway, so he would only be an annoyance for a few minutes. I would also use him as an excuse to wong out or leave after the shuffle. I could give him a nice dig while I'm leaving, like, this guys breath smells like he ate a sh** sandwich I gotta get the hell outta here. It gives me an excuse to leave and to insult the rat at the same time.

 

[cisco]

Why did your bets go down if the count was really high? I've been noticing that. It seems I win more when the count is 5 or 6 over when you start betting more, but then it goes higher and I seem to lose those bets. I'm learning here.

Thanks.

 

[Kaiser]

He meant his big bets "go down", as in, he's putting down the big chips.

Just a twist in the wording that got you.

 

[cisco]

Oh, I get it. Why am I losing those big counts then. I know I'm doing it right. It's happened a few times, luckily I haven't tried it at a casino yet, and I'm hestitant if I'm going to lose when I should be winning those. I know I'm not going to win all of them, but yesterday I was practicing, and went broke with over $: 2500 when the count was really high. :cry:

 

[Sonny]

Then the little rat makes this gasping sound, rolls his eyes and says "Do you realize how high the count has to be to do that?"

There’s a few different ways to handle a guy like this, depending on what type of act you are using:

Arrogant Ploppy: “What are you talking about? That’s a basic strategy play. You should read a book or two, buddy. They have one in the gift shop by John Patrick. That’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

Ploppy In Awe: “Really, you know how to count cards?! Can you show me how to do it right now? What’s the count?” Guess who will be getting heat after that remark?

Superstitous Ploppy: “Aw, that counting crap doesn’t work because they cut off too many cards. It’ll never tell you what the next card is. That’s why you’ve got to follow the flow of the cards. A face follows a face.”

Scientific Ploppy: “I’ve done a lot of research and there are some serious flaws with card counting. The numbers just don’t add up. I’ve created my own strategy based on my ‘revised’ mathematical formulas. I’ve been testing it out for 3 hours and it seems to be working!”

New Age Ploppy: “All of those card counting books were written for single deck games. It just doesn’t work for the shoes because there are too many decks. The only way to win is to track the win/loss ratios of the table and bet big into a winning streak. I can’t tell you how many card counters I’ve seen bust out at a dealer-biased table. I tried to warn them, but they never listen.”

-Sonny-

 

[Kaiser]

I like your first suggestion the best.

I would have said "I always split 10s when the dealer has a bust card." It deflects the counting suggestion while possibly clearing other players from the table. :laugh:

 

[Kaiser]

What's a cold turkey?

Cold turkey: Slang for a hand consisting of two face cards.

 

[Mimosine]

Hopefully I'll never see him again, but I'm not sure what I'll do with him if I do.

i think Sonny has some good suggestions.

if he really was a little rat looking person i would whisper to him:

"if you don't leave me alone right now, i'm going to stab you in the f*&*ing face."

though i'm a big guy, so i might be able to pull this off better than others.

 

[MEDITANK]

I would tell that idiot, "hey, if you don't STFU, I am going to throw a CSM right at your face." :laugh:

Can't believe that moron. Everyone here knows that counting cards doesn't work.:joker:

 

[SecurityRisk]

Arrogant Ploppy: “What are you talking about? That’s a basic strategy play. You should read a book or two, buddy. They have one in the gift shop by John Patrick. That’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

Is it really a good idea to name a blackjack author? I would think that would make the casino suspicious. Now I know who John Patrick is and should never follow his advice, but the dealer probably doesn't know, and the pit supervisor probably doesn't know. So if you name ANY blackjack author, good or bad, I would that that would make them suspicious.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

i think Sonny has some good suggestions.

if he really was a little rat looking person i would whisper to him:

"if you don't leave me alone right now, i'm going to stab you in the f*&*ing face."

though i'm a big guy, so i might be able to pull this off better than others.

Yes, thanks to Sonny for the great suggestions. This is my favorite:
"Ploppy In Awe: “Really, you know how to count cards?! Can you show me how to do it right now? What’s the count?” Guess who will be getting heat after that remark?"

What a way to turn the tables on a rat!

Regarding your idea, I like that too, and I'm a little bit bigger than the average guy too and I have some physical training but I avoid physical intimidation and confrontation in casinos. Nothing good ever comes from that, and the bigger guy will usually be treated more severely by the police and the courts.

 

[21forme]

Spill a drink on him

 

[Kaiser]

D'oh! I said the first one, but meant the second one. Asking him to show you how to count in front of the dealer would be hilarious! :laugh:

 

[SilentBob420BMFJ]

Oh, I get it. Why am I losing those big counts then. I know I'm doing it right. It's happened a few times, luckily I haven't tried it at a casino yet, and I'm hestitant if I'm going to lose when I should be winning those. I know I'm not going to win all of them, but yesterday I was practicing, and went broke with over $: 2500 when the count was really high. :cry:

card counting has nothing to do with winning more hands, it has to do with more money out.. but then again if u lose more hands than u win at lets say count +6, then i guess u wud be done in the long run, so i dunno.. but just remember this, a high count doesnt mean u are more likely to win that hand (i cud be wrong tho, som1 help me out)

 

[Mimosine]

Regarding your idea, I like that too, and I'm a little bit bigger than the average guy too and I have some physical training but I avoid physical intimidation and confrontation in casinos. Nothing good ever comes from that, and the bigger guy will usually be treated more severely by the police and the courts.

i too avoid physical confrontations at ALL costs, with training i've learned how to diffuse or divert or avoid them when possible.

but in a casino, and under your breath i think you could get away with a lot more, and if this person is threatening you by exposing you - then stabbing him in the face is self-defense. [/sarcasm]

 

[Mimosine]

Spill a drink on him

amazing!

 

[shadroch]

If you threaten a patron,make sure no one else hears it. Its a very good way to get barred from a casino if the person complains and there is a witness.

 

[ScottH]

I like your first suggestion the best.

I would have said "I always split 10s when the dealer has a bust card." It deflects the counting suggestion while possibly clearing other players from the table. :laugh:

I wouldn't use the word always, because then what do you say when you get the same situation in a low count and you don't split them?