HOLLYWOOD: I'm really annoyed by this

[Norm Wattenberger]

I think all of the posts above are great even though contradictory in places. Personally, I like it when a good dealer starts playing for me in heads-up play as you can reach an incredible speed. Sometimes the dealer can also begin to feel he is a partner. After all he is playing most of the hands. In one case playing DD (rare for me) at the usually tight Mir*ge, I played with a dealer that played for me and knew how to count. He asked me if I was counting. I told him that I once dabbled with counting and found it too boring, but had some idea when the count was up. He began increasing penetration when the count was high.

Clearly, there is a danger of a dealer playing incorrectly in an odd situation. What I've done is to raise my hand to stop him and then make a signal or DD bet. This is more obvious and faster than reaching for chips. Plus, when you reach for chips, your head dips and this can be taken as a sign that you've given up interest in the hand. When the count is high, you must be ready to this immediately. I'll also do this on occasion to test the dealer on an obvious play.

[Cardkountr]

> and it's not the first time it happened.

> I'm sitting at a table and i'm getting
> beaten up pretty bad. Just waiting for my
> turn. Finally the count goes my way and I
> start my bet escalation. I was flat betting
> $100.00 and i'm now up to $500.00. The
> dealer gives me a pair of 9's against her 6.
> Using KO, the count is plus 6. I split the
> 9's and get an ace on the first one for a
> total of 20. With a count that high I wanted
> to double on that.
> The dealer never gave me a chance to give a
> hand signal. Without hesitation she hit the
> 2nd 9 with a 10. So i'm sitting with a 20
> and 19 the dealer pulls 21 and the rest is
> history. A $3000.00 swing. (if i'm allowed
> to double)

> I was really upset and didn't feel I could
> do anything about it.

> WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE?

> Hollywood

I can appreciate your frustration. Since you are a regular player in the pit where the eye is most always watching and the pit critters have little else to do but observe the game, I wouldn't have called attention to the play.

If you had stopped her after receiving the 10 but before she completed her hand, they would not have backed up the card for your double anyway. Generally they would either burn that card and give you the next card for the double or given you the option to back out of the hand, which you wouldn't do since you had a soft 20.

If you could have gotten your chips out there to double the A9 before the dealer passed it by and hit your split 9 is one thing, but to complain about it after the dealer has completed her hand with a 21 would have caused the pit critter and possibly the pit boss to intervene. Then the question in their mind becomes why you wanted to double, especially if you are not known to have done that in the past.

I don't see anything to be gained by saying anything as it could cause them to watch you more closely and potentially affect your longevity in that club. And with only 13 clubs in AC most of them owned by only 3 corporations, you don't have much "wiggle" room once you're identified as a counter.

The best that you can do is chaulk it up to experience and in the future always be ready to quickly double by having your chips in your hand.

Just one opinion.

May all the dealers blackjacks occur while you're in the bathroom!!

Card.

[Mr.X]

Yours is certainly is a frustrating situation, but the way I look at it, it really wasn't nearly as costly as you think. The implication is that it cost you $3000. I'd say it really cost you little or nothing.
MathProf has pretty much nailed what I was going to say, but I'll add on my 2 cents-
IMO, the way to look at this is in terms of EV, and future cost. Right off the bat, a soft 20 DD is one of 2 plays I avoid regardless of the count (10 splitting is the other). My experience is it causes much more heat and unwanted attention than it's worth. So, as MathProf has pointed out much better than I ever could, DD the A9 is not a good idea, AT THE TIME YOU HAD TO MAKE THE DECISION, e.g., before you saw the ace.
My other point is, at the time you had to make the decision, your EV for DD A9 is not very much, as MathProf expertly points out. THAT, imo, is the "cost" of not being allowed to DD. That, minus the long term cost of the possible heat caused by the unusual A9 DD, which would probably mean negative EV.
One can go crazy if you consider that a ploppie making a BS error cost you a large bet here and there. But that's not the way to look at it. Look at the EV, and heat potential. I strongly agree with MathProf here.