Ouchez: ......Tales from the Felt......

[Ouchez]

Ever sat down at a table only to have the dealer warn you that he/she has been on a tear all day and you may want to find another table?

Well this happened to me...again...and I usually pay no heed. This was a $5 to $100 table, fewer than 6 deck game, and only myself and one other player. I bought in for $400 and rarely won a hand, losing splits, doubles, and the count never really getting very high. I was usually betting 2 spots at $10 each at neutral to neg. counts, when I did not wong out, etc. This entire event took place in 3 1/2 hours of play. Within a short period of time I was buying in with another $400 only to have the same happen, and having to buy in with another $400. I used all my tricks and skillz but nothing would work...and I began to think that this would be a slaughter, a nightmare. Now I am down enough that I must buy in with another $400!! I take a bathroom break, extended to see if the cards will change due to my abscence as nothing else is working.

I come back to find a new player sitting next to my spot playing 2 spots, one spot one of my 2. I tell him in a firm voice, (somewhat pissed over the losses I have already sustained) "you are on one of my 2 spots, I will be playing those spots as soon as a this shoe ends". He looks at me and say's, "sorry, if I had known that was your spots I would have never played them, you are the guy who doubles on BJ's, I can't forget you"!

Now, I am down to $300 and there are 3 players and 5 spots being played. All I know is that within 45 minutes and some steady high counts and aggressive play, and getting the cards, I won all my money back plus a $375 plus profit!
I was astounded, looking back all I did was play like a BJ machine, of course a finely tuned machine with one purpose, to get the job done... being Zoned and in BJ Warrior mode...always helps.

Sometimes, I have found, coming back from big loss and making a small win is just as gratifying as a big win.

I think these events are important for one's confidence and ongoing BJ education. It is of interest to see what can happen in such a short period of time, and just when things are looking rather hopeless.

The poor fellow who had been playing my spot, a non AP, not even a very good BS player, tapped out putting some $1000 in the chip tray by poor play and steaming after looses. I was sad to see that and wanted to say something to him as he played....but I have a policy to keep my mouth shut to other players, most of the time. I also think the casino appreciates my silence to other players.

I took a break, had a great comped Filet, super steak, and decided to call it a day and spend the rest of the evening, *Bowling*, with a very foxy team member.

Regards,
Ouchez.

[shuffle]

> Ever sat down at a table only to have the
> dealer warn you that he/she has been on a
> tear all day and you may want to find
> another table?

Dealer told me the same when I approached his empty table. I think dealers do this to ward off inflamatory remarks that may come after player hands go bad. They hear so many player gripes, it serves as a defense mechanism of sorts. I did sit down to play heads up and managed to double my buy in. I was happy to just prove him wrong about his cold table.

[Gibbs]

[MrPill]

> Ever sat down at a table only to have the
> dealer warn you that he/she has been on a
> tear all day and you may want to find
> another table?

Ouchez,

All the time, I usually make a comment like, "Well I guess things are due to change" and sit down an play.

Another tale.... Played with the Mrs the other day and dug out of a 15 unit hole to be slightly ahead. I told the wife that maybe we should be hitting the road and she indicated that she wanted to play one more shoe to get her (my) money back. (she was only down $60).

What a mistake, it was the shoe from H*ll. Very beutiful by turned out to be a killer. Within a couple of hands it was positive and kept climbing. I have never had a shoe become as positive as this shoe was. (Red7 +25)

I was at max bet for most of it and think that I lost all but one hand. It was unreal! And just to rub salt into my wounds, the final hand (still max bet) I had a 20 with the dealer showing a 5 (I know, you would have split them). Turns his hole card of 10 and then hits with a 6.

Ended up losing 54 units in that one shoe. Got up from the table, tipped the dealer and said thanks for the game. Oh well, that's blackjack.

See you soon.

Pill

[paranoid android]

> The poor fellow who had been playing my
> spot, a non AP, not even a very good BS
> player, tapped out putting some $1000 in the
> chip tray by poor play and steaming after
> looses. I was sad to see that and wanted to
> say something to him as he played....but I
> have a policy to keep my mouth shut to other
> players, most of the time. I also think the
> casino appreciates my silence to other
> players.

A counter's advantage versus a ploppy's disadvantage is probably around 3%-8% (I'm guessing - someone here probably knows). The difference in your outcome versus the ploppy during that session was mostly due to variance rather than skill differences. Trying to educate them will make little difference for a session (assuming they even listen to you).

I only give advice if a ploppy asks for it, and I always tell them I don't really know what I'm doing either, so they shouldn't be upset if my advice causes them to lose. Also remember that there would be no advantage playing opportunities in blackjack if ploppies didn't exist.

[Ouchez]

> A counter's advantage versus a ploppy's
> disadvantage is probably around 3%-8% (I'm
> guessing - someone here probably knows). The
> difference in your outcome versus the ploppy
> during that session was mostly due to
> variance rather than skill differences.
> Trying to educate them will make little
> difference for a session (assuming they even
> listen to you).

> I only give advice if a ploppy asks for it,
> and I always tell them I don't really know
> what I'm doing either, so they shouldn't be
> upset if my advice causes them to lose. Also
> remember that there would be no advantage
> playing opportunities in blackjack if
> ploppies didn't exist.

this poor fellow was steaming big time after losses, that can make a huge difference.

You may say he went on tilt.

I also think skill difference plays a much larger role than you seem to be implying.

Regards,
Ouchez.

[Ouchez]

> Ouchez,

> All the time, I usually make a comment like,
> "Well I guess things are due to
> change" and sit down an play.

> Another tale.... Played with the Mrs the
> other day and dug out of a 15 unit hole to
> be slightly ahead. I told the wife that
> maybe we should be hitting the road and she
> indicated that she wanted to play one more
> shoe to get her (my) money back. (she was
> only down $60).

> What a mistake, it was the shoe from H*ll.
> Very beutiful by turned out to be a killer.
> Within a couple of hands it was positive and
> kept climbing. I have never had a shoe
> become as positive as this shoe was. (Red7
> +25)

> I was at max bet for most of it and think
> that I lost all but one hand. It was unreal!
> And just to rub salt into my wounds, the
> final hand (still max bet) I had a 20 with
> the dealer showing a 5 (I know, you would
> have split them). Turns his hole card of 10
> and then hits with a 6.

> Ended up losing 54 units in that one shoe.
> Got up from the table, tipped the dealer and
> said thanks for the game. Oh well, that's
> blackjack.

> See you soon.

> Pill

You and Misses Pill will get it back, no sweat.

Regards,
Ouchez.

[addicted?]

kind of on the same beat as your experiences here...

i'm in nevada at a particularly fun single deck game, $3-$100, nice dealers, nice pit bosses. KO counts of +4 and 5 and more all night, all weekened really, and i'm seeing blackjacks fall to my left and to my right with my max units out there and i'm just getting 18's for a dealers 19, 20's for a dealer's BJ. it was horrible. the worst party about it: my advantage-playing skeptical friend, who was sitting next to me all night drinking like a fish and just throwing chips out there, left as much up as i left down. ah what a game. i love it.

[Ouchez]

> kind of on the same beat as your experiences
> here...

> i'm in nevada at a particularly fun single
> deck game, $3-$100, nice dealers, nice pit
> bosses. KO counts of +4 and 5 and more all
> night, all weekened really, and i'm seeing
> blackjacks fall to my left and to my right
> with my max units out there and i'm just
> getting 18's for a dealers 19, 20's for a
> dealer's BJ. it was horrible. the worst
> party about it: my advantage-playing
> skeptical friend, who was sitting next to me
> all night drinking like a fish and just
> throwing chips out there, left as much up as
> i left down. ah what a game. i love it.

you will see a turn around, take my word for it, hang in there!

Ouchez.

[addicted?]

> you will see a turn around, take my word for
> it, hang in there!

> Ouchez.

i am sure i will. wild swings. actually i kind of just did. harrah's new orleans. i did quite well.

an odd thing happened at this table actually, that might be of interest to post:

i'm using KO and it's treating me well, surprisingly good penetration, the dealers were jerks which i love cause it makes it easier to blend in not tipping. this guy sits down at the beginning of the deck and decides to take me under his wing (i was playing the role of a bj idiot, a gambling buffoon too reserved to make money, too idiotic to understand basic strategy). now i'm sure this guy was counting as well, cause maybe one deck in, he starts making these wild spreads, and really starts grilling the casino. he's telling me what to do, he's telling the guy next to him what to do, and not much of the shoe has even been exposed yet. and at this point, i had KO count still in the -20's so i don't know what system he was using. man this doesn't sound right. now that i think about it, he must've just been lucky.

[Ouchez]

> i am sure i will. wild swings. actually i
> kind of just did. harrah's new orleans. i
> did quite well.

> an odd thing happened at this table
> actually, that might be of interest to post:

> i'm using KO and it's treating me well,
> surprisingly good penetration, the dealers
> were jerks which i love cause it makes it
> easier to blend in not tipping. this guy
> sits down at the beginning of the deck and
> decides to take me under his wing (i was
> playing the role of a bj idiot, a gambling
> buffoon too reserved to make money, too
> idiotic to understand basic strategy). now
> i'm sure this guy was counting as well,
> cause maybe one deck in, he starts making
> these wild spreads, and really starts
> grilling the casino. he's telling me what to
> do, he's telling the guy next to him what to
> do, and not much of the shoe has even been
> exposed yet. and at this point, i had KO
> count still in the -20's so i don't know
> what system he was using. man this doesn't
> sound right. now that i think about it, he
> must've just been lucky.

You just never know, but from what you say he was betting big into neg. counts, strange and not too smart.

Thanks,
Ouchez.

[WallStRunoff]