czechs play: labor day trip report

[czechs play]

Decided to take a road trip from SoCal to Vegas over Labor Day Weekend and camoflauge my play by blending in with the ploppies. It's been 6 months since my last trip and it still seems the bj conditions are atrocious, at least for the regular joe green chip AP. Had a hard time finding $25 DD or $50 for that matter. So I hit my normal high limit stomping grounds. Started at Mandalay. Wow, absolutely no one at the HL lounge. Granted this was in the middle of the day on Sat, but I guess all the action was at night. Now to many of you, this is perfect head to head action, but I consider this a double edged sword. You offset the higher hands per hour vs. the likelihood of the PC backing you off since it's easier to do so without making a scene in front of other people. Fortunately, the PCs seemed to care more about chatting amongst themselves about vacation, so I figured I'd give it a whirl. Implemented my typical hit-and-run strategery and left +15 units in less than 1 hour.
Took the tram next door to Luxor. I was backed off a year here but I played 6 months ago without incident so I was fairly confident. 30 minutes in, i had a bad run of cold cards. Down 25 units. PC kept asking me that I should get a players card...blah blah blah. i decline. then the executive host comes down from her high horse and hands me her business card and also tries to get me rated. no thanks. My past experience with another MGM-Mirage casino (ie. getting the official 86) precludes me from ever showing my players card or ID to a sister casino.
Went back to Mandalay and recouped my Lxr losses. used my
"i've been up all night" act, combined with drinking alcohol and applying my special "create instant blood shot" eye drops. Worked like a charm. It was getting dark so I ended the day slightly up.
The next morning, I hit Monte Carlo. they have a $50 dd at their high limit lounge. Played multiple 1/2 hour sessions throughout the day and was up +18 units. With the $50DD and very little heat, this was my target casino for the rest of the weekend. In between sessions, I hit the roulette table as camo, plunking down a inconsequential buy-in, knowing i would never get it back. boy was I wrong. I was hitting my numbers 40% of the time. I just love stupid luck! My 2 benjis in roulette ended up making more margin than my bj sessions.
Ended my weekend by stepping foot in the bellagio, probably my favorite place to play. Not only do you get virtually no heat, but where else can you regularly rub shoulders at the blackjack felt with the likes of pro poker players, professional athletes, and hollywood actors? All the while the PCs are paying attention to them, and could give a rat's ass about a nobody like myself. The ultimate cloak of invisibility. I got backed off here about 2 years ago, but I blame a rogue PC rather than security protocol. The Bellagio has DD S17 cards face up, so counting technique needs a little adjusting. Nothing memorable with my session. Ended my up +9 units.
Left Vegas early following morning to beat traffic back to California. I'm doing 80 on South I-15 in the morning darkness, I'm happy with my winnings, I've got a cup of joe in my hand, I'm singing along to GNR's Paradise City on the radio, I've just crossed the California border.....then I blew out one of my front tires. Bad karma, i guess. you take too much money from Vegas, and the Vegas gods find a way to get back at you. At least that's my rationale. My 3 hour 45 minute drive became a 6 1/2 hour drive. My wallet's $150 lighter, but it was still a good trip. =)

[Wolverine]

Enjoyed the report and smiled as your experience has mirrored mine in many ways. I pictured myself in many of the situations you described from past trips. What is with the 'Luxur' staff getting people "rated" at their casino? If I say "no thanks," then take the hint that I don't need your lousy buffet or room comp. Besides, penetration at that joint is only 1 or 2 cards better than at the V where they cut the DD in half. Ouch. Always a full house at the V though, not so much at the Luxur.

I always chuckle to myself of what Don or Bill Zender would say if they saw DD getting cut in half to the casino manager..."Do you realize that while you are saving $130,791 annually from a handful of card counters good enough to beat your game, it is costing you $650,000 due to increased shuffles. Congratulations on your shrewd game protection!"

Good cards and keep up the good fight!

[Church Lady]

> Enjoyed the report and smiled as your experience has
> mirrored mine in many ways. I pictured myself in many
> of the situations you described from past trips. What
> is with the 'Luxur' staff getting people
> "rated" at their casino? If I say "no
> thanks," then take the hint that I don't need
> your lousy buffet or room comp. Besides, penetration
> at that joint is only 1 or 2 cards better than at the
> V where they cut the DD in half. Ouch. Always a full
> house at the V though, not so much at the Luxur.

> I always chuckle to myself of what Don or Bill Zender
> would say if they saw DD getting cut in half to the
> casino manager..."Do you realize that while you
> are saving $130,791 annually from a handful of card
> counters good enough to beat your game, it is costing
> you $650,000 due to increased shuffles.
> Congratulations on your shrewd game protection!"

> Good cards and keep up the good fight!

Forget about the Venetian. I was just there. Iwatched 3 rounds of 47, 51, 49 cards dealt. What a deal.

[jblaze]

when you say the official 86, do you mean no more bj, or trespass?

do people really thinking spending 10 minutes at slots or roulette serves as good cover? I think this might have the opposite effect, especially if you're betting black BJ then dropping a whole $10 on the slots.

[Daily Dubble]

> Took the tram next door to Luxor. I was backed off a
> year here but I played 6 months ago without incident
> so I was fairly confident. 30 minutes in, i had a bad
> run of cold cards. Down 25 units. PC kept asking me
> that I should get a players card...blah blah blah. i
> decline. then the executive host comes down from her
> high horse and hands me her business card and also
> tries to get me rated. no thanks.

I had the exact same experience a few weeks ago at the Luxor. Hit the HL DD game intending to play ONE shuffle. Bought in for a couple grand, started betting 2 and 3 blacks and ramped up quickly with a sweet count. By the 3rd hand I had (probably the same) host trying to get me to move to the Luxor (from another MGM property!) and a non-buffet dinner. I was playing with my card, but politely declined and left up several units at the end of the round. They must be pushing their hosts to keep the players around, especially in the HL room. Other than me, it was empty on a weekend afternoon.

[Wolverine]

I too was the only player in the "new" HL area (tucked so far away from the floor and so far into a corner, it was comical!). Tried the same, play a few shuffles and see attitude, but was hounded so much that I was quickly out of there. Maybe it is an "anti-counter" strategy...as if the penetration wasn't enough already....GENIUS!

Good cards and here's to good penetration someday at the Luxur and V!

Wolverine

PS--At least when I counted down the V recently it was 52 cards. But 47?????? Yikes! When are the citizens going to figure out they are getting screwed?

[Don Schlesinger]

> PS--At least when I counted down the V recently it was
> 52 cards. But 47?????? Yikes! When are the citizens
> going to figure out they are getting screwed?

Trying to figure out how poor penetration screws the "citizens." Maybe you can explain.

Don

[Wolverine]

Perhaps I used an incorrect term in my post, Don.

To me, a "ploppy" is a player that is ignorant of the fact they are going to lose (and lose big) over their lifetime because they don't even use BS to play the game.

A "citizen" is a "wanna-be" counter that loses because they don't understand penetration, rules, or casino countermeasures and how much it affects them.

I define a "counter" as someone that has proven their threat level against a casino via years of winning cash money.

So, when a wanna-be counter (aka, citizen) plays at the V or L with horrendous penetration, because they don't know any better, they are getting screwed and don't even know it. You are correct (of course), to a ploppy, penetration doesn't mean anything other than less money lost as they shuffle, shuffle, and shuffle.

Thanks for the opportunity to clarify. Am I using "citizen" wrong?

PS--I have found many, many blackjack players (aka, citizens) that claim to be counters, but have very little skill (and winnings) to back up that claim. Until I listened and worked with people here, I was definitely one of those. I'm far from perfect, but have worked hard to improve my game.

[Don Schlesinger]

> Thanks for the opportunity to clarify. Am I using
> "citizen" wrong?

Yes, I think so. It is a term coined by James Grosjean, who uses it to mean the same thing as "ploppy," hence my confusion when you used it in regard to pen, which, as we know, would be irrelevant to the ploppy/citizen.

You're using "citizen" as "wannabe counter," but I don't think that's the common definition. No big deal.

Don

[Wolverine]

> You're using "citizen" as "wannabe
> counter," but I don't think that's the common
> definition. No big deal.

Thanks for the clarification, I'll make sure I treat the terms 'ploppy' and 'citizen' as equals. So much to learn, and still learning it. Perhaps I will use the terms "amateur counter" or "wannabe" when talking about the players that think they can play a winning game but are missing critical pieces to the puzzle.

On a side note, while I have your attention, I appreciate all your help (on the boards here, as well as BJA 3) to get me on the right track. 2006 was my best year ever, but 2007 has been hard luck. At least I've learned from all the pros that bad cards don't mean you are a bad counter. Otherwise, I'd have to throw in the towel.