Anecdotes from Rampart

[redtop43]

Always playing at the shoe table (I think there is only one).

1) Guy next to me is spreading $10-250. A couple of hands he's maxed out and two hands in a row dealer shows an Ace. Of course we both insure, but he digs into his pocket to raise the $250 on one of the hands. (I think dealer had BJ on the second hand but not the first; I'm spreading $10-50.) I feel like he's driving his Ferrari 180MPH up and down the street past the police station, but at least while I was there nothing happened to him.
2) Maybe a week later we players get into a conversation with a dealer who says he started dealing on April 27, 1969. I might have the date wrong by a little but it's close. He gets tapped out and when he comes back (I'm spreading $10-50 as always) he says something like - I missed the first few words - "if you were a counter and I said you were just a pro." Weird.
3) Playing yesterday and one of the side bets is very like Lucky Ladies except that it's a $1 progressive and the payout is 2-1 for a nonsuited 20 and the jackpot for heart Q's with dealer BJ. Guy to my left is playing the side bets and I think he gets a matched 20 and the dealer pays him $10. I'm puzzled but say nothing. A little later he's dealt two spade Q's and again the dealer pays him $10. This time I make a fuss, but the floor comes over and even he points to the sign explaining the jackpot which shows two spade K's as a "matched 20" paying $25 and he seems to be saying it's only a pair of spade K's. I've had enough. I color up and go to security and ask to speak to the shift manager. Someone comes over, not sure what his title is but who cares, he says he's the person I need to talk to, I explain it to him. Meanwhile, the guy who was playing to my right comes over and corroberates the story. The manager is sympathetic, agrees with me, asks if the player is still at the table and we look and he is. I have no reason to stick around but I get the strong feeling they get it fixed and presumably also explain it to the errant floor.

[moo321]

You posted the name of the casino, the side bet, your betting spread, and details of an incident that occurred there where you spoke to the shift manager. That's enough to figure out who you are if someone involved finds this post.


It's generally a bad idea to play at the same table as someone else who is counting cards.


A 1-5 spread is not enough for most games to be worth risking your bankroll on it. The guy going 10-250 may get backed off, but he's not going to go broke from playing a weak game. And he may not get backed off, because some places are too stupid to catch you. Or they used fixed game protection procedures that can be exploited (read Cellini's book).

[Zach Black]

A 1-5 on a shoe is really weak, if you play all. Especially if the pen in CBJN is correct. I guess you are playing for entertainment or comps because the win/100 hands with HiLo and full indices is just under $6. I hope you were able to tip the dealer.

I can't imagine going to talk with a shift manager about other player's problems. When I get to talk with shift manager, it's never good. I had a soft back off in line at a retail store, where a shift manager asked me not to play his shift.

[shadowfaxxhs]

rampart will 86 you at the cage for counting

[redtop43]

Another weird experience at Rampart. I played for about 2 1/2 hours, one person I know played, and I really don't have any "regular" dealers. Toward the end a clearly clueless woman sits down with her husband in tow; she's in seat 2 or 3 and I'm third base. She draws an A7 against a dealer T (might have been a 9) and she doesn't know what to do and the dealer suggests she stand. Now, when I started dealing I asked one of the floors "Is it OK to give advice" and he said "As long as it's accurate." Anyway, I took immediate exception and said loudly "No, the correct book play is to hit soft 18 against a ten." The dealer tells me that I'm wrong and I get really cheeky and offer to bet him a grand (of course he can't take it but obviously the offer was in good faith). So a few minutes later the same woman splits a pair of Aces. Rampart has different rules at the 6-deck table; surrender and resplitting Aces are allowed. The dealer deals her hits face down and again I object. I think I had said that I was a dealer in Pennsylvania, so when I say "She needs to see her cards to see if she should resplit" he says something to me (softly) like "Sir, this is Las Vegas" as though to imply that maybe in Pennsylvania they allow resplitting aces but not in Vegas. (The joint I worked at only even allowed resplits to 3 hands.) Anyway, I know I'm on firm ground, so I call the floor, and explain it to him, and he educates the dealer about different rules at different tables and somehow it's mentioned that he's new.

A few minutes later as the floor is walking by I tap him on the wrist (I'm on third base, remember) and say "I'm really not trying to be a pain in the ass."

I'm not saying these people at Rampart are evil or anything. Good help is very hard to find these days in Vegas.

[stopgambling]

Another weird experience at Rampart. I played for about 2 1/2 hours, one person I know played, and I really don't have any "regular" dealers. Toward the end a clearly clueless woman sits down with her husband in tow; she's in seat 2 or 3 and I'm third base. She draws an A7 against a dealer T (might have been a 9) and she doesn't know what to do and the dealer suggests she stand. Now, when I started dealing I asked one of the floors "Is it OK to give advice" and he said "As long as it's accurate." Anyway, I took immediate exception and said loudly "No, the correct book play is to hit soft 18 against a ten." The dealer tells me that I'm wrong and I get really cheeky and offer to bet him a grand (of course he can't take it but obviously the offer was in good faith). So a few minutes later the same woman splits a pair of Aces. Rampart has different rules at the 6-deck table; surrender and resplitting Aces are allowed. The dealer deals her hits face down and again I object. I think I had said that I was a dealer in Pennsylvania, so when I say "She needs to see her cards to see if she should resplit" he says something to me (softly) like "Sir, this is Las Vegas" as though to imply that maybe in Pennsylvania they allow resplitting aces but not in Vegas. (The joint I worked at only even allowed resplits to 3 hands.) Anyway, I know I'm on firm ground, so I call the floor, and explain it to him, and he educates the dealer about different rules at different tables and somehow it's mentioned that he's new.

A few minutes later as the floor is walking by I tap him on the wrist (I'm on third base, remember) and say "I'm really not trying to be a pain in the ass."

I'm not saying these people at Rampart are evil or anything. Good help is very hard to find these days in Vegas.

Acting smart is not actually a smart move.People skill is very important for success in life . Anyone can count cards , but to win a decent amount of money is very difficult these days .

[Sidecount]

Indeed. This seems like relatively obnoxious behavior. We've all experienced much worse. But there is simply no need to butt in and put yourself in the middle of all these situations. Shut your trap already and just be a pleasant person.

[redtop43]

Is it more "pleasant" to allow management to take advantage of players in various ways?

[Freightman]

Is it more "pleasant" to allow management to take advantage of players in various ways?

On the proposition that you’re actually a winning player - as much as possible - don’t bring attention to yourself which you have clearly done. In any event, the ploppy is going to lose his money one way or the other.

[Zach Black]

Is it more "pleasant" to allow management to take advantage of players in various ways?

It's more pleasant to have a fast game where everyone shuts up and let the dealer do his or her job. I had someone trying to correct the other players at the table last week. It was early and no other tables open. Slowed the game to a crawl. He didn't know basic strategy either. It's rare to see anyone (dealer included) that knows perfect basic strategy on low limit tables. STFU and play.

[moo321]

Being loud while talking about basic strategy is definitely a bad idea. If you want to correct the dealer, you can do it in a more subtle way. "I always heard that was a hit" And you shouldn't be doing it loudly.