Advice needed on playing rated and longevity in local casinos

[Freightman]

Freighter. I was assuming I don't get into the blackjack secret sevice where I know all the juicy games are found. At least not initially.

If so, at 10 to 1, I'd be streamlined directly to the primo spots. Screw the burlesque job. 36 trips a year. $2,000 per trip expense. $20k in winnings on average. $720,000 a year. Holy shit! Is my math correct?

Why didn't I think of this sooner?

36 trips a year requires LOTS of planning. Don't ever kid yourself. Also, keep in mind that you're not a youngster anymore.

I used to think that incurring travel expense meant that I absolutely had to maximize hours. I've modified my thought process, catering specufucally to me, and my oarticular set if health issues. This, for me, includes scouting and game selection issues. Wheather driving or flying - first order of business is rest. Body needs to adjust to the new environment and brain needs to unscramble. . Two types of tired will affect me. One I really don't care about, and a bit if play will give me a second wind. The other type of tired, tells me I need to rest. I would still play well, but not at my A game level. When I am putting money at rusk, I want to be at my best. The other issue us that overloading hours one day, will affect me the next. Lastly, the younger guys will play graveyards etc. I don't - I work in accordance with my particular set of natural body Rythyms.

Modify to suit for yourself.

[Freightman]

One last point regarding above post. As much as I can cater to it, I choose accommodation central to my playing circle, so that travel time for mid day rest, if needed, is not to far. I also chose accomidation so as not to stay in shit holes and tougher neighbourhood type places. Family p,aces are usually okay.

[Bubbles]

Sometimes I plan stuff, sometimes I just wing it. My better stories come from just winging it. I've slept in some interesting places. One time I went on a trip and I didn't know which state I was going to nor where I would be sleeping once I arrived. One place I slept came complete with complementary cop cars and shady looking folks lurking in the shadows out front. They were nice and bid me good morning. I have also learned the back seat of my car is not as comfortable as it looks. Park near a bathroom.

When involving other people, or more expense than a tank or two of gas, I've found it is best to actually plan stuff. Not that I do. I still refuse to tell my friends ahead of time if I am coming to town. I don't know if I am coming to town until I am there. Even then, I don't know when I am leaving. That takes, like, planning and stuff. Boo.

I also sometimes plan everything. EVERYTHING. Just like my mother. As if I'm trying to control something. Every minutiae of the trip painstakingly planned. Planned as if to set up purposeful boundaries to feel safe inside under the pretense of efficiency. Such detail cocooned itineraries become brittle and crumble under the first unaccounted for traffic jam.

Disclaimer: Fenix is drunk.

[ZenMaster_Flash]

[quote=moses;227349]"One of the major simplifications a player can employ with little effect to his winrate is to quit attempting to side count Aces. An Ace side count will rarely increase a card counters winrate by more than 1/20th of 1%. Even in a "deeply" dealt single deck game, a side of Aces is not worth more than 1/5th of 1% to a counters winrate." Arnold Snyder"[/quote]

This is CLEARLY and absurdly wrong. I want to see where he wrote this.
Copy and Paste the nonsense here. 0.05% is a bad joke.
I am imagining that it is out of context, and he was just promoting his
ZEN COUNT, wherein Aces are counted at HALF value.

[ZenMaster_Flash]

No. No. No. moses. You are WRONG.
You state that "most" casinos will preferentially shuffle. FALSE!
Outside ofReno/Tahoe it is virtually unheard of. How many times
must you be told this and for how many years?

[Freightman]

Yes room quality is vital. I remember in my younger years driving to a game in Wyoming. I pull into this little motel as it's getting late and I didn't want to end up sleeping in my car.

So I get in the room, nod off, and was awaken to the sound of a Harley just outside my door. The biker walks in the adjacent room, turns on the TV which is only seperated by a piece of plywood to my head. The biker must fallen right of to sleep. So I spent most of the night wide awake with a pillow over my head and a 1pm and 7pm games the next day still a couple of hours away.

So Im up early. Out walks this drop dead gorgeous blonde gal. Gives me a big smile and "good morning." Hops on her Harley and rides away.

Can you believe it? I'd slept with a gorgeous blonde
stranger with only a piece of plywood between us and didnt even know it. Sometimes life isn't fair.

Yes room quality is vital.

I recall a post from some social misfit miscreant anarchist from another board. I recall him commenting on his renting some shit hole if a room with a used condom hanging from the ceiling fan. Granted, there were no comments regarding Leakng content from said condom, however, the salient point is - economy is fine, but keep an eye on the neighbourhood.

As far as the loud tv was concerned, it would have been far more entertaining listening to some banging couple. in fact, had you been more astute at the time, you may well have awoken with a big smile.

[Ryemo]

I'd like to point out a few fun facts regarding this thread:

1) This thread is 77 posts long (78 after this) and Moses' posts can account for 31 of them. That's roughly 40%.

2) Zee, this is probably the 1,000th time you've asked this question, or something similar to it. Do you suffer from memory problems?

3) I know where you're playing/living now, Zee. I built my bankroll there. This place is VERY OSN active! Trust me. IF you're a winning player and you play rated, your name and mug will be in OSN soon enough, no matter how good you think your act is. It's just a matter of time. If you are not a winning player, then you'll probably be able to play unmolested (as usual), you'll avoid getting databased, you'll continue to post the same stupid questions year after year, and Moses will account for 40% of those threads too.

[ZenMaster_Flash]

moses,

So ... you do not recall making the silly comment in post #49?

"Most casino's give the dealer a directive to preferential shuffle on a suspected counter."

I repeat. It is virtually unknown outside of Reno/Tahoe.

Re: Side Counted Aces. I am still waiting for you to show us the absurd quote

supposedly made by the Good Bishop (Arnold) Snyder.

Oh, and by the way, you made the comment that ZeeBabar is a retired physician.

That is hilarious. He is a retired College Counselor from Afghanistan - a galaxy away

from being an M.D.

What purpose did you have in stating:

"Flash, you still dont get it. Do you. Why do you think they flat bet you on good ole Miss?
Why do you think you couldn't last in Reno for a week? All these years and you "still" think it's them.
Has the notion ever crossed your mind that maybe it's you?"

The legions of those who have benefited from my mentoring, and many of which
I have teamed with in actual play across this country use you as a "laughing stock."
Several A.P.'s use "moses" as a handy term to describe someone who plays BJ but
knows a fraction of what they think they know. The fact that you compulsively post
with your hostile sarcasm and silly sports analogies, criticizing your betters, etc. is
lost upon you. You lack insight and are incapable of perceiving how it is that others
see you.

[ZeeBabar]

moses,

So ... you do not recall making the silly comment in post #49?

"Most casino's give the dealer a directive to preferential shuffle on a suspected counter."

I repeat. It is virtually unknown outside of Reno/Tahoe.

Re: Side Counted Aces. I am still waiting for you to show us the absurd quote

supposedly made by the Good Bishop (Arnold) Snyder.

Oh, and by the way, you made the comment that ZeeBabar is a retired physician.

That is hilarious. He is a retired College Counselor from Afghanistan - a galaxy away

from being an M.D.

What purpose did you have in stating:

"Flash, you still dont get it. Do you. Why do you think they flat bet you on good ole Miss?
Why do you think you couldn't last in Reno for a week? All these years and you "still" think it's them.
Has the notion ever crossed your mind that maybe it's you?"

The legions of those who have benefited from my mentoring, and many of which
I have teamed with in actual play across this country use you as a "laughing stock."
Several A.P.'s use "moses" as a handy term to describe someone who plays BJ but
knows a fraction of what they think they know. The fact that you compulsively post
with your hostile sarcasm and silly sports analogies, criticizing your betters, etc. is
lost upon you. You lack insight and are incapable of perceiving how it is that others
see you.

Flash, to be fair, I was a physician in Afghanistan but could not pass the unfair board exams in the USA. I had been practicing in one field but the US board exams are more suitable for new graduates, not long time specialized physicians. I have met many others from Nam and Pakistan who were also physicians but are in other fields in the USA. Also, I started as a college counselor but became a director back in 1991 and have been a director in Student Services positions at several institutions over the years before retiring. It's also the case with my younger sibling (who got me players cards). We did better here than we did as Physicians in Afghanistan and in time, Russia, the USA and the Taliban ended up screwing us.

[ZenMaster_Flash]

ZeeBabar,

I thank you for the clarification.

[ZeeBabar]

I'd like to point out a few fun facts regarding this thread:

1) This thread is 77 posts long (78 after this) and Moses' posts can account for 31 of them. That's roughly 40%.

2) Zee, this is probably the 1,000th time you've asked this question, or something similar to it. Do you suffer from memory problems?

3) I know where you're playing/living now, Zee. I built my bankroll there. This place is VERY OSN active! Trust me. IF you're a winning player and you play rated, your name and mug will be in OSN soon enough, no matter how good you think your act is. It's just a matter of time. If you are not a winning player, then you'll probably be able to play unmolested (as usual), you'll avoid getting databased, you'll continue to post the same stupid questions year after year, and Moses will account for 40% of those threads too.

Ryemo:

I posted the question (and yes I had posted it before). The advice has always been to play unrated and it has been given by people who have not played rated in decades. There are far more people who play rated these days and small winners such as me, perhaps taking $3k over a year from a casino, are tolerated or ignored. After all it's only about $400 a month. Some pit guys joke that they rarely see me lose and I often respond that I do win more often but I lose bigger amounts when I do lose. In any case, I do post to hear from other more recent players.

Second, as you can see, even a repeat post ends up in a long long thread so the interest still exists. Also, my posts have helped keep action on this forum. Another forum where rude pros reside is almost dead because, unlike you, they have been nasty.

Finally, I like Moses and the rest keeping threads alive. If it bothers you, just ignore those threads.

[refinery]

Flash, to be fair, I was a physician in Afghanistan but could not pass the unfair board exams in the USA. I had been practicing in one field but the US board exams are more suitable for new graduates, not long time specialized physicians. I have met many others from Nam and Pakistan who were also physicians but are in other fields in the USA. Also, I started as a college counselor but became a director back in 1991 and have been a director in Student Services positions at several institutions over the years before retiring. It's also the case with my younger sibling (who got me players cards). We did better here than we did as Physicians in Afghanistan and in time, Russia, the USA and the Taliban ended up screwing us.

I'd much rather talk to you about Afghanistan than cards.

[ZeeBabar]

I'd much rather talk to you about Afghanistan than cards.

Norm will not allow politics and there is not much I can say...if you are a country with natural resources and strategic location, it's like a hot chick in a dark alley, you get raped when the big bad guys notice you. Russia was bad, USA is/was worse and in the end the Taliban were better than either.