David Spence: Camoflage: face up vs. face down

[David Spence]

For games dealt face down, are the most effective deviations from proper play different from the deviations one would use in face up games?

In a face up game, mistakes of all kinds are easy for pit personnel and surveillance to see, as the cards are always visible. Improper hitting and standing, for example, can be clearly observed (given that casino personnel know what the correct plays are to begin with). In a face down game, however, only splits and doubles are apparent for any length of time. An improper hit or stand decision would only be apparent after the cards are turned up, which is often only a period long enough to determine payout. I get the nagging feeling that my hit/stand mistakes often go unnoticed in face down games.

So, in other words, should I be more inclined to make proper hit/stand decisions, but less inclined to make proper splits and doubles, in a face down game?

[Don Schlesinger]

> So, in other words, should I be more inclined to make
> proper hit/stand decisions, but less inclined to make
> proper splits and doubles, in a face down game?

You get away with what you get away with. But, for the record, I have always agreed with your assessment. When I used to play DD games, I always liked the fact that no one else saw my hit/stand decisions and that, as a result, no one ever realized -- often, even after flipping the cards over for the settlement -- what I had done. Obviously, it's completely different when they deal open.

Strangely enough, when the dealing is open, the biggest problem comes from the other players, who, upon seeing you hit 13 v. 2, 12 v. 4, stand on 16 v. 10, etc. go ballistic and tell you what a jerk you are, thereby calling even more attention to the deviation.

It's a welcome change, when playing closed, not to have to listen to these morons.

Don

[David Spence]

> You get away with what you get away with. But, for the
> record, I have always agreed with your assessment.
> When I used to play DD games, I always liked the fact
> that no one else saw my hit/stand decisions and that,
> as a result, no one ever realized -- often, even after
> flipping the cards over for the settlement -- what I
> had done. Obviously, it's completely different when
> they deal open.

Thanks for the response. I have only limited experience with face down games and didn't want to jump to any conclusions based a just a few sessions.

> Strangely enough, when the dealing is open, the
> biggest problem comes from the other players, who,
> upon seeing you hit 13 v. 2, 12 v. 4, stand on 16 v.
> 10, etc. go ballistic and tell you what a jerk you
> are, thereby calling even more attention to the
> deviation.

> It's a welcome change, when playing closed, not to
> have to listen to these morons.

I love those morons. When they chastise me for standing with 16 v. 10, I respond by saying, "Hey...I had 17, so I did the right thing!" Then even my powers of addition are in question (this ruse is only believable if the 16 is multicard, of course) :-)

> Don