Is this bad form?

[way2phill]

If a dealer is cutting 2.5-3/8, can you ask for a deeper cut? Or will they look at me crazy? I went into 5 stores in a row, wanted to just play 10$ min and the penetration was atrocious.

[Finrod]

You can certainly ask. The manner in which you ask can go a long way as to how they respond and whether it might hurt your longevity. Ian Anderson actually talks about asking in his books as a legitimate strategy which he uses. I have since come up with a similar strategy which I have used somewhat successfully but I do not use it all the time. Pick your spots. The fact is, some dealers have no idea what counter measures they have been trained to use. They just use them because they were trained to use the procedure. On the other hand, some are quite aware.

[BigJer]

Ask them. I don't think there is anything wrong with it. Just say "Then you spend more time playing."

[Finrod]

And they spend more time dealing which is the only time they are making money. I have pointed this out to dealers before but they are clearly the wrong audience for that argument.

[way2phill]

Thanks for the replies. Just wanted to make sure I wouldn't be drawing negative attention. Found 1 dealer who cut 1.5/8 on a S17 8D, caught a huge count. Spread to 2x75, dealer was catching 20s like it was going out of style but I pulled a few BJ with a few successful insurance bets. Made out okay. Was my 2nd time counting in the casino and its going real well. Picked up casino verite though. No more practicing in a real setting. Time to master the basics.

[bigplayer]

What have you got to lose by asking, it's not like the game is playable. If they don't give you the cut you want, leave. Tell the dealer you're lucky number is 7 and you always do better when they 7 out of the 8 decks. Make a tip when you say it, if the dealer still cuts off 2.5 decks just pick up your chips (including the toke bet) and walk off. If the game is good you need to be a bit more tactful, but if the game is rotten you should just be blunt because if the dealer doesn't comply you're not going to play.

[Jabberwocky]

What have you got to lose by asking, it's not like the game is playable. If they don't give you the cut you want, leave. Tell the dealer you're lucky number is 7 and you always do better when they 7 out of the 8 decks. Make a tip when you say it, if the dealer still cuts off 2.5 decks just pick up your chips (including the toke bet) and walk off. If the game is good you need to be a bit more tactful, but if the game is rotten you should just be blunt because if the dealer doesn't comply you're not going to play.

I prefer surly as opposed to blunt.

[Bodarc]

On the other hand, sometimes a more subtle approach works just fine. Case in point. I was recently playing one on one with a female dealer who was cutting ok really but I thought I'd see if I couldn't get her to cut a little thinner. We had chit chatted a little and I asked her if she would rather take her tips or for me to bet them. She said "bet them .... I'm a gambler too!". I thought to myself ....ohhh yeah, this is going to work. I said ... "I'll tell ya what, I'm not going to bet too often, but when I feel lucky, I'm going to make a bet for you too". The next time the count got high, I placed her a $ 5 bet on 2 hands and we hit, one was a double down and I doubled for her too. The next time she shuffled, I grinned at her and said "You know if you cut those things a little thinner so we could spend more time playing and less time shuffling, we'd both make some money". She just smiled and I saw her hand just ease back a bit on the cut card. Sometimes you have to pat a dog on the head to get his tail to wag!

[Pacman]

And if yu still cant get a good cut, then spread like a fat guy on a small couch in the summer heat.
Like butter on bread. Like yo girlfriend. No remorse. Then leave. Middle finger raised and dont come back for awhile.

~Pacman style

[moo321]

3 decks cut off is well past the point of unplayable. Even with S17 LS, playing-all in a 1.5 cut off 8 deck game isn't great.

[Nyne]

The next time the count got high, I placed her a $ 5 bet on 2 hands and we hit, one was a double down and I doubled for her too. The next time she shuffled, I grinned at her and said "You know if you cut those things a little thinner so we could spend more time playing and less time shuffling, we'd both make some money".

Bodarc, I could be wrong but you're a red chipper aren't you? If so, the increased pen is very unlikely to offset the tipping expense. As a red chipper, you can hardly afford to tip anything.

[freehope]

Bodarc, I could be wrong but you're a red chipper aren't you? If so, the increased pen is very unlikely to offset the tipping expense. As a red chipper, you can hardly afford to tip anything.

I agreed it. No tips! That will ruin your benefit.

[freehope]

In my opinion, I thought you don't have to ask for deeper penetration, get a big spread. Be an invisible player.