Dealer Interaction (smoking)

[Frostbyte]

It's accepted and intuitively obvious that being nice to the dealer is likely to add a bit of longevity or reduce a suspicion, but I recently witnessed an act from a non-AP that I've never seen toward a dealer before, and that I think if he had been an AP would have bought him quite a bit of time without suspicion. After approximately fifteen minutes at the table, he produced a Sherman cigarette from his blazer pocket and asked if the dealer would mind if he smoked. The dealer, a man of maybe thirty-three, responded that smoking was allowed anyway and he didn't need to ask. The player answered that no other players at this particular table were smoking and "You're the one who has to stand in it all day; I don't want to impose that if it's not OK with you." The dealer smiled and responded that he did not mind, so the man lit up and went on throwing $50 a hand on the felt.

Has anyone else seen/done this? Was any effect visible? What effect would one expect?

[Frostbyte]

Addendum: On a related note, I'm curious as to how many people here, or APs in general, smoke? I understand not smoking is part of the pit's profile of the AP. If you do, do you do it anyway or only as a form of camouflage, i.e. only at the tables?

[moo321]

I've heard of some people smoking as cover. I can't imagine it affects things too much. Drinking/fake drinking definitely can turn away heat, but it can be dangerous if it affects your play.

[Norm]

I only smoke when I don't have my lungs with me.

[Aslan]

I only smoke when I don't have my lungs with me.

That's an excellent rule to follow. Besides, it's one of the best things we can do to lower world health care costs.

[Frostbyte]

Be that as it may, I am categorically a non-interventionist with regard to other people and if you're steeping into most casinos (or most bars or restaurants in most countries) you're already receiving enough exposure that whether you do it yourself or not seems like window dressing.

[BigHow]

This reminds me of a Johnny Carson line. When Johnny was asked if he smoked after sex he replied" I don't know. I never checked".

[Tom]

I don't smoke and tend to get headaches when people smoke on either side of me at the tables. Now, if the person at first or third base is smoking and blows it away from the table, like a polite person should, then nobody complains.

I do drink though, a beer or two will actually keep me relaxed. I've heard people say it affects performance but I've not had that issue.

[Frostbyte]

A big AP ploy is to step from the table at the appropriate time to smoke without bothering others at the table. I have seen them get up on cue when the count tanked over and over. I looked back and he wasn't even inhaling.

I hadn't considered that. How easily do you detect other APs' presence? And how do you react? Do you leave the table, as Norm recommends? Do you take a break and invite them for a drink? Are you ever worried about house players being used in such positions to drop your guard?

[Tom]

How easily do you detect other APs' presence? And how do you react? Do you leave the table, as Norm recommends?

You can detect other APs by how they react. On my recent trip I sat down at a table with two other players, early morning. One was a drunk and the other was a quiet man in a fedora. The quiet man immediately left the table, disappeared for a few minutes then reappeared at the SD (single deck) table. Looking across the aisle I could tell he was counting by his eye movement, plus the fact that he was silent and remaining quite focused. Pit boss was giving him heat like crazy, although that is pretty normal for SD tables. He didn't hang around long, seemed like a hit-it and quit-it kind of guy. I never saw him again the rest of the week.

[Aslan]

Be that as it may, I am categorically a non-interventionist with regard to other people and if you're steeping into most casinos (or most bars or restaurants in most countries) you're already receiving enough exposure that whether you do it yourself or not seems like window dressing.

The studies I've seen say second hand smoke has no serious consequences. But believe what you want. It's a free country. What bothers me is when smokers are so insensitive as to constantly blow smoke in your face.

[Aslan]

You can detect other APs by how they react. On my recent trip I sat down at a table with two other players, early morning. One was a drunk and the other was a quiet man in a fedora. The quiet man immediately left the table, disappeared for a few minutes then reappeared at the SD (single deck) table. Looking across the aisle I could tell he was counting by his eye movement, plus the fact that he was silent and remaining quite focused. Pit boss was giving him heat like crazy, although that is pretty normal for SD tables. He didn't hang around long, seemed like a hit-it and quit-it kind of guy. I never saw him again the rest of the week.

Being silent and focused is a common tell plus it usually describes me to a tee. I've had pit critters call attention to my silent, focused behavior and I just make a big joke out of it. That has always satisfied them. Plus I use it to strike up conversation with the pit which I believe is always a good idea. It's like when people won't let you into a lane until you roll down your window and meet them eye to eye-- it humanizes you and makes them stop thinking of you as a possible enemy.

[Tom]

Plus I use it to strike up conversation with the pit which I believe is always a good idea.

I agree, by the third day of my trip I had the pit boss calling me by first name and joking around. Even the dealers were having a good time that day. Nobody was a "threat." I think it's important that you eliminate that threatened feeling in the pit as soon as you arrive.