While I was reading Rainmain’s chat transcript it struck me that there are were lot of budding APs contributing to the chat who were suddenly motivated to go out and learn shuffle tracking.

I think it’s great that tales from seasoned-pro’s serve as a catalyst for APs to go out and emulate their skills (myself included). However, in deciding what AP move to develop next, I think it also really also helps to think with the reverse causality: rather than only identifying the games that suit the skills, also identify the skills that suit the game.

For instance, the benefits of learning to shuffle track are limited if your local joints all have 4-pass criss cross stepladder shuffles.

It may be more beneficial to first look at the games that your nearest casinos have to offer and then decide what skills to develop.

Doing it this way around can be tricky, however, as it will often require your own imagination and creativity. Really there are two phases, both of which can be tricky:
  1. Finding the vulnerability
  2. Exploiting the vulnerability
I am still a relative novice in both areas (probably still an understatement) but I will share a few thoughts on it and would welcome other people’s too.

Jumping ahead to exploiting the vulnerability, a great place to start is to read Richard Munchkin’s blog (point number 5):

http://www.richardmunchkin.com/2012/...e-players.html

The ‘finding’ part was seeing the dealer flash those cards in the first place. Here are some other instances on how you might find vulnerabilities:

  • Spotting difference between the dealers’ procedure on the same game. If one dealer is missing part of a procedure out, ask yourself why the procedure was there in the first place.
  • Differences between the way casinos carry out a particular game. Again ask yourself questions why that might be.
  • Deal yourself or your partner the game at home. Learn and perform the payouts.
  • Any time in any game, you can see a card you perhaps shouldn’t. Particularly if it’s after the shuffle.
There are no doubt plenty more in both areas and it would be great to have other AP’s suggestions on this as well.

By all means fire away if you feel this approach to APing is unfounded also.