Fitting in in a Game (Part II)

... and preconceived notions that exist within the common pit boss/casino security mentality.

 Let us dissect these biases.
1. Age: young. If a young man and an old man are playing at a blackjack table, all other factors being equal, the young man will be suspected of card counting sooner than the old man.

2. Sex: male. If a man and a woman are playing at the same table, all other factors being equal, the man will be suspected sooner than the woman.

3.  Race: Caucasian. A white player spreading his bets will be suspected sooner than a black or an Asian player. This racial prejudice, as a matter of fact, even extends to casinos in other countries. Asian card counters often find the casinos of Korea, Macao, and other Asian countries to be profitable, heat-free venues for their action. Their betting spreads and strategy variations are virtually ignored. White players, on the other hand, and especially Americans, are immediately suspect if they play for big money, and they often find themselves persona non grata if they spread their bets even moderately, or win any substantial amount of money.

4. Nationality: American. This is tied into the previous factor. All the notable books on card counting have been published in the United States, and few are obtainable in bookstores outside of this country. This fact does not escape the notice of casino managements in foreign countries; nor is it ignored in this country. In fact, there have been some sophisticated and well-bankrolled European counting teams that have attacked the casinos of the world, including those in the United States. In many cases, these teams have gotten away with incredible betting spreads for lengthy periods of time before anyone in the pit took notice.

5. Demeanor: introverted. You put a quiet, thoughtful player at the same table with a gregarious, talkative player, and the quiet player will be suspected of counting before the talkative one.

Join the action at Vegas Casino Online! Enjoy over 90 casino games like Blackjack, Roulette, Poker and much more. Download it for free and ask about their $125 initial deposit bonus!

6. Dress code: stylish-casual. A player who is nicely but casually dressed will be suspected of card counting before any other fashion type. Card counters do not wear three-piece suits; nor do they dress like outlaw bikers. They do not look like hippies or punks. They are not decked out in Western gear. And they are usually not shabby, not if they are playing for serious money.

7. Body type: ectomorph. You put a fat man and a thin man at the same table, and the lanky guy will draw the heat first.
Now I am aware of the fact that there are many exceptions to all of these prejudices. I know that fat counters, female counters, non-white counters, and so on, have all been discovered and barred at one time or another. And I am sure there are some pit bosses and security personnel who will state emphatically that they watch only for playing styles to determine which players pose a real threat to their tables. But all of these prejudices do exist in the general casino security mentality. I have heard so many stories from so many players who have found that one or more of these seven factors have contributed to their longevity (or lack of) at the tables, that I believe these biases to be real. Most of them (but not all), as a matter of fact, are based on truths.

Looking at these seven bias factors, we now can draw a picture of the player most likely to be suspected of card counting, as well as the player least likely to fall under such suspicion.

Most likely card counter: a young, white, American male, who is thin, stylishly dressed, and playing quietly by himself.
Least likely card counter: a heavy-set, gray-haired, non-white woman, who speaks with a foreign accent, is loud and talkative with friends or other players at the table, and is dressed in some unusual cultural outfit, or simply cheap, unstylish clothes.

The more a player looks like the "most likely card counter," the more s/he will have to employ costly "misplay" camouflage. The more a player fits the image of the "least likely card counter," the more freedom s/ he will have to play accurately and with a wide betting spread according to the count.

All this is wonderful news for you card counters who have been struggling for years for picayune win rates with constant heat. You can forget those costly camouflage plays that have been eating away at your long-run expectation these many years. Just walk in looking like a 70-year-old grandmother; wear a sari and a babushka; rant loudly in some language other than English, and you can really take those casinos for a ride! Happy days are here again! Winning at casino gambling was never so easy!

© Copyright 2006 Online Blackjack News. It may not be published, broadcasted, rewritten, or redistributed.

•  0 Comments
•  0 Trackbacks