Victor Francis: A 1st Time Vegas Experience

[Victor Francis]

I had wanted to post this in April but just never did. I had been in Vegas for a convention and wanted to play some blackjack. I had been learning to count but did not feel confident to use it. I did feel confident that my basic strategy was very good. So I figured I'll have a good time and learn. I had been to AC twice before and loved it and even came out a few bucks ahead!

Alladin, which I not affectionately renamed the bin Laden. I had the dealer from hell. $10 min which was okay but he flung the cards. I mean sloppily tossed them. It really bothered me and set me on edge. At one point another player knocked his drink over and they had to exchange some cards. I should have taken that as a sign to leave. I lost $100. My lesson? If the dealer annoys you, leave!

I went to some less expensive casinos after that and played $5 minimum. I went to Westward Ho. The rules were different than what I had studied, but I had a good time and didn't lose a ton. Practiced a little counting. The people were fine, down to earth. I felt proud because afterwards I went back to my room and studied the tables for H17 and NoDAS and I quickly learned the differences.

I went to Terribles and had a great time. Fun crowd, made a few bucks and enjoyed every minute. Practiced counting but it was the evening and I was drinking. My basic strategy was perfect and I loved it.

I went to Circus Circus. Great crowd, fun dealers. I was with a friend and we had a great time. Both of us won a few dollars. I had another good lesson. I had doubled down on a hand. The hand was a push, everyone else at the table lost. The dealer swept up the bets and the hands. I complained, nicely, and she gave me back my bet, then I said, "I doubled down!" and she corrected her mistake. It was all in good spirit. I do believe it was a mistake and I was not a jerk about it. But that is another lesson I learned - Dealers do make mistakes!

I also learned that I had a lot of counting pracice to do. I have been practicing and this weekend I'm going to AC for a bachelor party. My plan is to hit the tables before the drinking starts and apply what I have learned so far. It will be a Friday night so I know the minimums are not low. But they have good rules ( S17, DAS ). After the drinking starts I will play low limit roulette and maybe some craps.

Anyway, I loved playing and most of the dealers were fun and at least pretended to be on your side of "luck". The bin Laden dealer was annoying and horrible. Next time I will walk away if I meet a dealer like him.

[MrPill]

>Alladin, which I not affectionately renamed the bin Laden. I had the dealer from hell. $10 min which was okay but he flung the cards. I mean sloppily tossed them.<

If he was flinging them at you in a $10 dollar game, it sounds like you were playing their terrible single deck game? BJ only pays 6:5, avoid at all costs!

But you are right, if you are not enjoying the table and it bugs you then you should leave, unless you have some very good conditions.

Pill

[Victor Francis]

Actually it was a six deck game, they had 6:5 single deck there. Even if I felt ready for single deck I would avoid 6:5 like the plague!

> If he was flinging them at you in a $10
> dollar game, it sounds like you were playing
> their terrible single deck game? BJ only
> pays 6:5, avoid at all costs!

> But you are right, if you are not enjoying
> the table and it bugs you then you should
> leave, unless you have some very good
> conditions.

> Pill

[bonetg]

> Actually it was a six deck game, they had
> 6:5 single deck there. Even if I felt ready
> for single deck I would avoid 6:5 like the
> plague!

what do you mean if you felt ready for single deck. no one starts on a shoe (harder than single deck) and then moves to "get ready" for single deck. Most start on single deck and stay on single deck, then move to shoes when they don't know any better.

[Parker]

> what do you mean if you felt ready for
> single deck. no one starts on a shoe (harder
> than single deck) and then moves to
> "get ready" for single deck. Most
> start on single deck and stay on single
> deck, then move to shoes when they don't
> know any better.

I highly recommend starting with shoes. For one thing, single deck games are only available in a few parts of the USA, and not at all in the rest of the world.

In addition, once you move beyond red/low green betting levels, the number of playable single deck games decreases even further, and these games are watched very closely. Limit yourself to single deck, and you will quickly run out of places to play.

Finally, I agree that shoes are more difficult than single deck - all the more reason to start with them. That way, when you do run across that juicy single deck game, it will be a snap to adjust your strategy and playing technique.

[suicyco maniac]

> Finally, I agree that shoes are more
> difficult than single deck

I tend to disagree a little bit. Most face up shoe games are slow and it is very easy to pick your moment to count all the cards without straining your neck too hard but on pitch games the cards are often tossed in real quick and scooped up so if you are not on top of your game it can be more difficult. Also as you seemed to point out they are more vunerable to counting and are watched closer so a counter who is not in top form will have a lot harder time getting a decent game. Just my two cents SM

[DaveChina]

Being new to counting, I experienced a few things during real play that were disturbing and I was wondering what you experienced guys have to say about it.

From my readings I learned that if you want to draw the least amount of attention from the pit bosses you should be changing bills less than $100, since every time a $100 is changed the dealer notifies the boss. But I played in LV in June and had a dealer get a little annoyed at my breaking $60 three times (I was in the middle of a losing streak) and she said "why don't you just break $100? Why always $60?"

I guess I could go to the cashier before I sit down and exchange the large dollar amounts for chips and then all the dealer would have to do is exchange chips for smaller chips. But I would imagine that's almost as disruptive to threir business as money-for-chips. They're still exchanging. I'm sure I'm not going to get all $5 chip denominations from the cashier, right?

My first impression when I experienced this conversation with the dealer was - "I'm losing my money and now you're unhappy cause I'm not losing it fast enough for you? Give me a break." After that hand was over I left - without tipping.

Any thoughts or experiences here?

[Parker]

> Being new to counting, I experienced a few
> things during real play that were disturbing
> and I was wondering what you experienced
> guys have to say about it.

> From my readings I learned that if you want
> to draw the least amount of attention from
> the pit bosses you should be changing bills
> less than $100, since every time a $100 is
> changed the dealer notifies the boss. But I
> played in LV in June and had a dealer get a
> little annoyed at my breaking $60 three
> times (I was in the middle of a losing
> streak) and she said "why don't you
> just break $100? Why always $60?"

Why is it any concern that the dealer notifies the PB? The dealer will yell "Change $100" and the PB will usually barely glance in the dealer's direction and say, "Go ahead." Even if he comes over to supervise the transaction, he is watching the dealer, not you.

Franklins are the official currency of Las Vegas. Don't be afraid to use them. As you found out, dealers actually get more annoyed handling smaller bills.

> I guess I could go to the cashier before I
> sit down and exchange the large dollar
> amounts for chips and then all the dealer
> would have to do is exchange chips for
> smaller chips. But I would imagine that's
> almost as disruptive to threir business as
> money-for-chips. They're still exchanging.
> I'm sure I'm not going to get all $5 chip
> denominations from the cashier, right?

Just buy in at the table with your $100 bills. Really. It is no big deal. I don't know where you got these ideas, but it certainly wasn't this site.

> My first impression when I experienced this
> conversation with the dealer was - "I'm
> losing my money and now you're unhappy cause
> I'm not losing it fast enough for you? Give
> me a break." After that hand was over I
> left - without tipping.

Why talk to the dealer at all? You're there to make money, not start a relationship. :-)

[Battery]

In addition to what Parker said, buying in with $100 bills helps if you want to be rated. Even a red-chipper can earn a sandwich or two that way.