Tips and Tricks

[biggg]

Here is a thread to post little things that can improve your EV that aren't in a lot of books, or maybe aren't talked about:

-The best place to put the cut card when cutting a shoe is slightly inside (toward the front) where most dealers in that store will cut. This will create a nice little groove which usually will draw the cut card in when the second cut is made. Sometimes I have even heard the dealer say, "that seems just about right" and just put it right there. I find this works better in double deck games.

-Coloring in is something you want to avoid in most cases. It is a huge waste of time and draws attention from the pit. In addition the lower denomination chips are useful since you can quickly enter another table without having to buy in, which slows down the game and draws attention. However sometimes you have won too much, don't want to take all the green, etc. The thing to do here is to tell the dealer you "might be back" and just leave quickly. They can't make you color as easily, you don't look as bad, and you have the option to come back in the future. To take this to the extreme one could buy a rack from the poker room and play out of the rack. I have never done this but have seen it done at the tables and is a great act for younger players in my opinion especially if you occasionally play rated poker at that casino.

[ZenKinG]

Nice thread idea, I just hope we dont give away too many tricks that could work against us. Nice idea about the poker rack buy in. thumbs up

[Three]

You make a habit of making the Floor and dealer's job's harder by causing excessive fills and even the rare withdrawl due to not coloring up and they won't like you. You will be acted against a lot quicker if they see you and think, Oh sh*t that guy is back so I know my shift will be harder. The other downside is they will instantly count down the tray once the Floor sees you are gone and every missing chip will be assumed to be in your possession. This will cause you to post wins higher than your actual wins. If they perceive you to be helpful and understanding their procedures you can work the buy-ins. Buy-in small and often and get credit ask to check your buy-in every now and then. Say they are right and how impressed you are they are so good at their job despite the crazy conditions and after a dealer change correct them after asking to get an extra buy in or 2. You have their confidence and they will be quick to enter it as requested. You just reverse ratholed a bunch of chips without affecting the chip tray count. Most places don't count trivial buyins in the computer so as long as you don't exceed the sum of them your ruse will not raise any red flags when they check the buyins against the drop. Just pay attention to what is and isn't recorded by the floor.

[bigplayer]

Here's a tip, keep your chip stack small, if you make a big comeback color up an put the purple in your pocket (in plain view of the dealer and pit) You want your chip stack on the table to always be non-threatening to any manager that might be walking by. You don't want a shift manager asking...who's that and what's his story.

Regarding ratholing I'd rather not give away too many tricks on a public board, but needless to say ratholing chips that aren't tracked is best and not so much that it appears to make a big dent in the chip rack. That is why short sessions are best, ratholing $350 in green and red chips over a 45 minute session is not an issue whereas ratholing $1000 in green over 2.5hrs can cause questions to be asked about where the chips went. Immediately ratholing 2 to 3 black chips when Mr. Whale walks up and dumps a pile of black chips on the table is also usually not a problem. The key is not be be seen doing it.

[KJ]

Here's a tip, keep your chip stack small, if you make a big comeback color up an put the purple in your pocket (in plain view of the dealer and pit) You want your chip stack on the table to always be non-threatening to any manager that might be walking by. You don't want a shift manager asking...who's that and what's his story.

Regarding ratholing I'd rather not give away too many tricks on a public board, but needless to say ratholing chips that aren't tracked is best and not so much that it appears to make a big dent in the chip rack. That is why short sessions are best, ratholing $350 in green and red chips over a 45 minute session is not an issue whereas ratholing $1000 in green over 2.5hrs can cause questions to be asked about where the chips went. Immediately ratholing 2 to 3 black chips when Mr. Whale walks up and dumps a pile of black chips on the table is also usually not a problem. The key is not be be seen doing it.

"ratholing $350 in green and red over 45 minutes". Yikes! I am glad I don't play at YOUR levels bigplayer....well glad in the ratholing aspect, but probably not the 'end of year tally up time' aspect.

I do have concerns about your first point. I understand, you are not referring to ratholing here, but rather 'openly' taking money off the table after winning, to avoid a large stack of chips which can draw attention from pit (as well as thieves and thugs). Many non counter players do this, so it is not that unusual. But the problem is that if the rack comes up short for whatever reason, like some one walked with more chips that the pit thought, guess who will get credited with that differential.....they guy that they know takes chips off the table.

I also think many players, and I certainly am not talking about an experienced player like bigplayer here, but many players, tend to overdue it with ratholing. You really only want to rathole your EV or a little more, to make you go from a longterm winner, to ever so slightly losing player. In my own case, playing very short sessions, usually less than 30 minutes, that is 2-3 green chips per session. Anything more than that and you risk, someone detecting you and then your efforts backfire and you fall in to the category I previously described, where any unaccounted for chips will be credited to you. I know a couple players that try to rathole away large wins, and that is dangerous (as far as detection) and really not necessary. You still want to register both wins (even big wins) and losses like a regular player.

[ZenMaster_Flash]

BigPlayer said . . "The key is not be be seen doing it."

We need a colloquy on how to "blind" the E I T S.

[texnav]

One way to ''rathole'' without being noticed, pick up your greens or blacks when going to restroom (or wonging out), & ''forget'' to return them to your stack when you return. A lot of players don't like to walk away from big chips.

[ZenMaster_Flash]

texnav,

You have to be kidding.

Are your chips invisible ?

[Norm]

No, but the memory of a goldfish is three seconds.

[White Guy]

The point BP is making about taking chips off the table "in plain view" is mainly in case a new PB or SM or even a PB or shift manager who comes in to give one a break doesn't notice your chip stack and start investigating.

I would rather get credited with another chip or two then get tossed.

I have had many times where the main PB is fine with what's going on and everything's great.. That is until the breaker comes in and sees a big stack of chips. The same can be true about shift change (better to leave before this happens) as well as shift change due to an EO or moving people around.

You are not hiding the chips from the pit whose there when you do it. You may even say "I am going to put these purple in my pocket so I don't lose them." This is not rat holing. Its more of a heat deflector when playing a longer session.

The boss who watched you buy in 8k won't perceive your 9k stack as much of a threat most likely but anyone who just comes in and notices it will likely investigate further.

[Solo player]

Also one thing I learned from the school of hard knocks... If you play on the poor side of town and you tend to be the big better and begin to build up a decent stack for that particular casino. You may want to color up and openly rat hole chips in plain site of the pit. In order to avoid attention from other casino patrons. Which has the potential to be much more dangerous than any pit critter catching you secretly stashing a few chips.

[ZenMaster_Flash]

Moses,

Do not buy in for $500 at a $25 table.
$200 at a time (as needed) suffices.
$100 is appropriate for a $10 table.

[ZenMaster_Flash]

Having a "goal" is a self-destructive "voodoo" tactic
if you define said goal in terms of money won/lost.