Shaming annoying players off the table

[glenwiggy]

Those of you who read my book know that I discovered a unique way to keep annoying people off the blackjack table where I am playing. Regrettably, the “Some dogs are named Talmadge” gimmick is sometimes difficult to employ in a busy casino or among serious players. I recently developed a new method that is surprisingly effective against a certain blackjack demographic.

As you know, there are many players who rarely or never offer a toke to the dealer. I have no problem with that character trait…to each their own. When the player is annoying, however, I’ve learned to use their “no-toke” stance against them.

A few weeks ago, a blackjackally challenged player at my table was making crappy decisions against basic strategy, but winning anyway. Plus, he was slow and maintained a sour demeanor. Finally, he never tipped the dealer. In my opinion, he had to go! After the guy hit a 13 against a 6, and drew an 8, I jokingly told him, “You should give the dealer a biiiigggggg tip for that pull.” He looked at me, then the dealer, but did nothing toke-wise. The dealer shrugged her shoulders at me and smiled; I tipped her a pink $2.50 chip. A couple hands later, the guy won another badly played hand when he shouldn’t have. I asked again, “What about that dealer tip?” This time, he gave me a dirty look, picked up his chips, and left the table! The dealer remarked, “He never tips.” I then watched as the player traveled around the pit and entered another game at an almost packed table. I was now playing head’s up against the dealer. I shamed the guy so badly, he left an almost empty table to play at an almost full one!

Yesterday, I used the method again on a woman who I’ve never seen toke the dealer. She moved as well. I’m onto something now…so much for Talmadge.

Glen Wiggy
Author of "1536 Free Waters and Other Blackjack Endeavors--Finding Profit and Humor in Card-Counting"

[hitthat16]

There are other players at the table?

Just kidding.. You might indeed be on to something.

[marriedputter]

I personally wouldn't do this. I prefer a more passive aggressive approach. I would maybe play every other hand. Imagine the awful disrupt of the flow! Once annoys them. Doing it every other hand would send them into a frenzy looking for other tables.
I was playing at a table a few months ago and the count was negative on pretty much every shoe I was playing. The guy at the end of the table was as voodoo as could be in his blackjack. Rather than leave, I just stopped playing and waited for the shuffle since it was negative. He was betting big in a super negative shoe and getting demolished. He blamed it on me for "jumping out." Now, this anger wasn't due to me jumping in and out, it was just jumping out once per shoe! I guess he expected me to play every hand in the shoe in order for him to win. He started getting a little too angry and was swearing pretty loud and often. Some of it was directed at me. The dealer said "you're done" and wouldn't deal more cards to him. Nice!
He only recently resurfaced. It was nice to see him gone for a while.

[BJGenius007]

Those of you who read my book know that I discovered a unique way to keep annoying people off the blackjack table where I am playing. Regrettably, the “Some dogs are named Talmadge” gimmick is sometimes difficult to employ in a busy casino or among serious players. I recently developed a new method that is surprisingly effective against a certain blackjack demographic.

As you know, there are many players who rarely or never offer a toke to the dealer. I have no problem with that character trait…to each their own. When the player is annoying, however, I’ve learned to use their “no-toke” stance against them.

A few weeks ago, a blackjackally challenged player at my table was making crappy decisions against basic strategy, but winning anyway. Plus, he was slow and maintained a sour demeanor. Finally, he never tipped the dealer. In my opinion, he had to go! After the guy hit a 13 against a 6, and drew an 8, I jokingly told him, “You should give the dealer a biiiigggggg tip for that pull.” He looked at me, then the dealer, but did nothing toke-wise. The dealer shrugged her shoulders at me and smiled; I tipped her a pink $2.50 chip. A couple hands later, the guy won another badly played hand when he shouldn’t have. I asked again, “What about that dealer tip?” This time, he gave me a dirty look, picked up his chips, and left the table! The dealer remarked, “He never tips.” I then watched as the player traveled around the pit and entered another game at an almost packed table. I was now playing head’s up against the dealer. I shamed the guy so badly, he left an almost empty table to play at an almost full one!

Yesterday, I used the method again on a woman who I’ve never seen toke the dealer. She moved as well. I’m onto something now…so much for Talmadge.

Glen Wiggy
Author of "1536 Free Waters and Other Blackjack Endeavors--Finding Profit and Humor in Card-Counting"

When ploppies try to shame me out of table, they never succeed. More than often, I had to hit 12 against 5 or 6 because of index play, aggressive ploppies will told me, "Are you moron or stupid, never hit 12 against 6!" I just said it was a hunch. A few more times, ploppies will leave instead of me.

[marriedputter]

When ploppies try to shame me out of table, they never succeed. More than often, I had to hit 12 against 5 or 6 because of index play, aggressive ploppies will told me, "Are you moron or stupid, never hit 12 against 6!" I just said it was a hunch. A few more times, ploppies will leave instead of me.

I've done that before too. I had a 12 against a 4 recently and hit it (we all know how often you hit 12 against 4). There was one guy on 3rd base. A person standing behind me said "you hit a 12 against a 4? He's betting $75 a hand over there!" The 3rd base man played a few more hands then left.
Unfortunately though, the index plays don't come up too much. 16 vs 10 comes up a lot but the ploppies are used to people varying their plays on it.

[Sharky]

simply put, this advice stinks....don't want to do anything that draws extra attention to yourself

[ZeeBabar]

I agree. I would never be "ugly", lose my own dignity trying to be an asshole. There are those who try to annoy people into leaving a table, and such poor characters also try and annoy people of various forums too. Don't let your profession, be it BJ or anything else, change the person you are.

[BigJer]

I just them that "I sometimes split tens when I feel the vibes." That gets rid of them.

[muffdiver]

My personality allows me to hit it off fine with most all other players BUT I'm not at all tolerant of the occasional true jerk. I don't retaliate like I used to, though. Partly because, at my age, I could get hurt but more, along the lines of Sharky's comment, I want the casinos to view me as a "no trouble" client.

[Three]

When ploppies try to shame me out of table, they never succeed. More than often, I had to hit 12 against 5 or 6 because of index play, aggressive ploppies will told me, "Are you moron or stupid, never hit 12 against 6!" I just said it was a hunch. A few more times, ploppies will leave instead of me.

I had a guy trying to tell me how to play every hand. I was playing most in a way he didn't like. Finally he is saying don't hit don't hit. I replied I really want to stand on tis hand but I hate being told what to do. It was basically a coin flip decision with a minimum bet out. I hit. The guy didn't say another word about my play. Messing with ploppies is more fun than messing with sasquatch. A lot safer too.

[NotEnoughHeat]

I had a guy trying to tell me how to play every hand. I was playing most in a way he didn't like. Finally he is saying don't hit don't hit. I replied I really want to stand on tis hand but I hate being told what to do. It was basically a coin flip decision with a minimum bet out. I hit. The guy didn't say another word about my play. Messing with ploppies is more fun than messing with sasquatch. A lot safer too.

lol, the other day I had a good laugh at the expense of this to a semi-regular (the same guy who thought "somebody has to take a card" I mentioned in the superstition thread). I was playing at the $5 table with a friend. We got markers and stood up but were undecided about what we wanted to do (get a milkshake, eat, etc.). My brother met us shortly after we got up and while we were chatting I was back counting the $10 table (the table next to the $5) where that gentleman was sitting. He is one of the believers in how jumping in and out of the shoe hurts his chances. Last time we played with him he was quite rudely talking about us to guy beside him after I wonged out of a negative count "I can't believe he jumps out of the shoe like that! I had a hundred dollars on the table". So when the count got good enough to bet, I rushed in in between the chairs and got change for my green, betting $10 on a spot. The hand turned out horribly for everyone (I believe it was just 3 spots at the table being played) and the count fell just under +2 (TC) so I didn't play the next hand. I couldn't quite make out what he said, but it was slightly louder than conversation level and included the phrase "for one hand only!!!". If only I could bet on a receiving a reaction, I would be rich, since I knew how I could get guaranteed reactions out of the guy!

[moo321]

I would take a middle position between Mr. Wiggy and Sharky.

Ploppy heat can be a real problem. If they start yelling to the floor when you split tens, or surrender, or complain about you, it can draw unwanted attention to your play. Sometimes, especially when it gets aggressive, it needs to be shut down.

Furthermore, there are plays that require table control. That is, you need all of the seats, or certain seats. In those cases, it's less of a heat issue, and more of an actual EV problem.

I generally won't mess with people, but if someone gets aggressive, or starts trying to call down heat, I will respond. Whining is one thing. Yelling, talking to the floor, etc. is another thing entirely. I don't think it's morally wrong to tell someone to mind their own business.

[muffdiver]

There are a couple of fairly local stores that I was feeling some minor heat at. When I first noticed it, I made it a point to appear that I had a good rapport and almost friendship with a pair of high rolling ploppies at each place. No perceived heat since.
Heads up play is next to impossible in these places so when I sit in on a good circumstance I'm very often next to such players. I feel that it's making the best of the situation. Most of them are nice people with too much money and little game knowledge.