Playing as a mechanic

[ZenKinG]

I dont know about you guys, but Im seriously going to try this in the future when Im betting much bigger. I used to work at a dealership and so I have the uniforms as well and which is why im asking this question. Of course I also have the tools in my garage, as Im sure many of you do as well.

What Im thinking about doing is going to the casino with oil on my nissan work shirt, a couple of pliers and a wrench in my shirt pocket and back-counting the hell out of the games. This is such a good psychological first impression on the pit bosses, they will never think im counting or even think I know how to play blackjack; they will think im some type of dumb degenerate mechanic who just got of work and wants to gamble. Lets face it, our society is full of stereotypes, and they wont look at a mechanic as someone who is generally 'smart' or 'smart' enough to be able to count profitably. I dont agree with the stereotypes, but it is what it is, and I think it would completely throw off casino personnel right from the start. We all know first impressions are everything, and once they see a dirty mechanic with pliers and a wrench in his pocket with oil stains on his shirt, they wont bother me again for that whole trip and probably future trips as long as they remember my face.

Of course there are other ways you can accomplish this, but what Im getting at is the 'first impressions' psychological aspect of cover, which doesnt get talked about enough in my opinion. Most of my cover is going to be psychological, I dont believe in cover plays, because if you're at the point where you need to use cover plays to trick somebody, you already messed up. My whole idea of cover is using the psychological aspect of manipulating people at the very 'FIRST' interaction with them. If you can make a strong first impression that you dont know what you're doing, it can really help you play long term with that very same pit boss. When I say 'first impression' im not just talking about the first time you interact with that boss, but the whole 'first' trip you are there. Also the thing about this psychological strategy, is we as humans all have biases, we all think we are smarter than we think we are, we are the king of 'assumptions', and once we label somebody as something, it's hard for us to change our minds about that person, that's what the whole thing about the power of 'first impressions.'

I have even tested this on myself. When I look back at times when I played with an idiot blackjack player, I remember they would 'look' and 'talk' like a novice, ask the dealer and pit boss for advice, slow the game down, make odd plays at times, and I immediately labeled him a novice, even though im completely aware of what an advantage player is and what they could do, but I still labeled him a novice, due to ego at the time, being completely oblivious that he might actually be an advantage player. I look back now, and what right did I have of labeling him a novice, he easily couldve been an advantage player now that I think about it, and that is the importance of 'first impressions'. If somebody like me who has knowledge about the game of AP blackjack could possibly mistake an advantage player for a novice, than ANYONE can be thrown off especially if you really hit them hard with the 'first impression' of being a mechanic LOL.

[ZenMaster_Flash]

ZenKinG, et al,


Wearing the garb associated with a "working-class" profession

that does not require college education is good camouflage.

I have T-Shirts from mentalfloss.com ~ I wouldn't wear in a casino.

I have a T-Shirt with a Basic Strategy chart silkscreened on it.

I have 2 that have Arnold Snyder's famous LOGO emblazoned on it.

The problem is: your garb is not seen by the EITS !

[Stealth]

Since I believe a successful AP is about 25% technical skills and 75% (my wild ass guess to make my point) art, then any good act that helps is of value. This type of thing may help with the pit but not so much with surveillance. But if you can keep the pit from making the call to surveillance, then it is good.

What is better, is that you are thinking about ways to employ acts to assist your game. Keep up the focus, develop multiple "acts", stay sharp technically and measure, record and analyze your results. A formula that will serve you well over time.

[ZenMaster_Flash]

Yes Stealth, we agree.

At low stakes, this is very good camo'

At high stakes, the EITS reviews everyone.

[Dieter]

I think that dirty grease under the fingernails would be a more convincing accessory than a pocket full of tools you "forgot" to put away.

And yes, I know that mechanics wear gloves nowadays.

[ZenKinG]

Since I believe a successful AP is about 25% technical skills and 75% (my wild ass guess to make my point) art, then any good act that helps is of value. This type of thing may help with the pit but not so much with surveillance. But if you can keep the pit from making the call to surveillance, then it is good.

What is better, is that you are thinking about ways to employ acts to assist your game. Keep up the focus, develop multiple "acts", stay sharp technically and measure, record and analyze your results. A formula that will serve you well over time.

It is from my understanding the pit boss is everything, they are the ones who inititiate heat 95% givof the time. They make the calls to surveillance to track your play. From my understanding EITS, are nothing but retired security guards that dont know the first thing about counting and use software upstairs to track your play ONLY after the pit gives them a call. This is why my main attention is on the pit, because they are generally the ones who review your play. Im aware some stores in Las Vegas review every table at the end of the shift from surveillance, but that is rare, and in general it is my understanding that the pit bosses initiate all heat and give the call 'upstairs' for the EITS to review your play

[Oneoffthecount]

Yeah, but I think low stakes is really important. If you are tossing 2 x $250, I'd be wondering if you are a mechanic who doubles as a drug dealer!

[KJ]

ZenKing, the best thing in this thread, was your thoughts and reference to "first impressions". First impressions are HUGE. First impression can probably go as far to increasing longevity as almost anything else you do.

BUT, the idea of wearing the uniform, is NOT the way to go. That is the type of thing that makes you more memorable, and that is 180 degrees opposite of where you want to go. Based on discussions with a couple friends who work the pits, my approach is too be a generic and non-memorable as possible. I want to be forgotten a minute after I have walked away.

Like Flash, I am sort of a tee-shirt guy myself. I have an extensive collection of tee-shirts and under ordinary circumstances, I like to wear colorful and humorous tee shirts. But when I am 'working' in the casino environment, is not the time to express yourself and stand out. My work uniform is very plain, non-distinct, polo/golf type shirts with very plain cargo or sports shorts. No logos, no designs. If I wear a hat it is a solid one color generic hat, no logos, no sports teams.

Finally, if you thought this work uniform was a good idea, worthy of an attempt, why on earth would you post about it here in such detail. Don't make the mistake of thinking that casino personnel don't read these boards. They do. I take pride in being able to help other members based on my own experiences and that includes really bad experiences (learning things the hard way). So when I tell you discussing this in such detail is a bad idea, I hope you will believe me.

[ZenKinG]

ZenKing, the best thing in this thread, was your thoughts and reference to "first impressions". First impressions are HUGE. First impression can probably go as far to increasing longevity as almost anything else you do.

BUT, the idea of wearing the uniform, is NOT the way to go. That is the type of thing that makes you more memorable, and that is 180 degrees opposite of where you want to go. Based on discussions with a couple friends who work the pits, my approach is too be a generic and non-memorable as possible. I want to be forgotten a minute after I have walked away.

Like Flash, I am sort of a tee-shirt guy myself. I have an extensive collection of tee-shirts and under ordinary circumstances, I like to wear colorful and humorous tee shirts. But when I am 'working' in the casino environment, is not the time to express yourself and stand out. My work uniform is very plain, non-distinct, polo/golf type shirts with very plain cargo or sports shorts. No logos, no designs. If I wear a hat it is a solid one color generic hat, no logos, no sports teams.

Finally, if you thought this work uniform was a good idea, worthy of an attempt, why on earth would you post about it here in such detail. Don't make the mistake of thinking that casino personnel don't read these boards. They do. I take pride in being able to help other members based on my own experiences and that includes really bad experiences (learning things the hard way). So when I tell you discussing this in such detail is a bad idea, I hope you will believe me.

This was a plan long down the road and more of an idea that just popped up in my head the other day. I was aware when I posted it, that casino personnel might end up reading it. But the probability of them reading this thread and then combining it with the probability of those exact same people connecting that to me when I use my mechanic uniform is extremely rare, so im not even worried about that part. I understand your point about being non-memorable, but if you make a good first impression that you are a novice, why wouldnt you want them to remember you?

[ZenMaster_Flash]

______

Besides, as everyone knows, there is only one auto mechanic in the USA who is a casino habitué. L.O.L.
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[metronome]

I like KJ's term Generic, perfect.
Counting being one of those things in life where you really need to be a nobody. Something that goes against our nature...

[bigplayer]

Blending in with the idiots helps. Realize once the eye gets interested in you they can figure out who you are (if databased) or what you're doing if it's a standard AP play like counting. You want to do things that deflect their interest. That means avoiding things that trigger automatic calls to the eye (like big buy-ins). It means adding a few cheap things that cause a casual observer to immediately write you off. I won't disclose any of my secrets, but I'll say that dressing like a grease-monkey is probably helpful on occasion, but you should probably mix it up. During NFR wear rodeo clothes, during conventions get a badge, etc.

[ZenKinG]

All i gotta say is if you walked into a casino tomorrow and you saw a dirty mechanic with oil stains and a pair of small tools in his shirt pocket, the last thing you're going to think is he's an AP. Your immediate impression will be like, I feel sorry for this guy. If your first impression isnt along those lines, you're straight up lying. You wont even think twice the rest of the day while you're there with him. LOL