Blackjack - How to Play Like a Pro

Blackjack Blueprint How to Play Like A Pro … Part-Time Rick “Night Train” Blaine Huntington Press Las Vegas, Nevada

Blackjack Blueprint How to Play Like a Pro … Part-Time Published by Huntington Press 3665 Procyon St. Las Vegas, NV 89103 Phone (702) 252-0655 e-mail: [email protected] Copyright ©2014, Rick Blaine eBook ISBN: 978-1-935396-10-9 Print ISBN: 978-1-935396-53-6 Cover Photos supplied by Image100 Royalty Free Photos and Photo Disc Royalty Free Photos Design & Production: Laurie Cabot All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated, reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the express written permission of the copyright owner.

Dedication This book is dedicated to the memory of Sonny Boy. Although we never had the opportunity to play at the same table, he was the man from whom I first learned about wagering.

Acknowledgments Kevin Blackwood, who recently authored Play Blackjack Like the Pros, provided mutual feedback on our respective projects. Kevin has been very generous with information, as well as upbeat and encouraging. George C. is a well-respected author and a former teammate, whom I nicknamed “the Legend.” A few years ago, when I had just ended a losing team bank, George provided me with an introduction to one of the bestfinanced advantage-play groups at the time. I hope to return the favor some day. Among the several books George has authored, The Unbalanced Zen II and Shuffle Tracking for Beginners are referenced in my book. Anthony Curtis, after I told him of my plans to write a complete book, looked over the manuscript, and in the summer of 2003 told me, “I want to publish this.” Anthony is a dynamic individual and a workaholic. He also knows his business. With all the projects Huntington Press had going, coupled with Anthony’s being an icon on the Travel Channel, it’s been two years and it’s finally my turn. Experiencing the level of focus Anthony possesses and the marketing capabilities of Huntington Press has me excited. I’m grateful to Anthony. Dustin Marks, author of Cheating at Blackjack and Cheating at Blackjack Squared, was kind enough to lend his expertise and review the chapter of my manuscript on the subject of cheating. My thanks to Dustin for the suggestions provided, which have added greatly to the project. Richard W. Munchkin, author of Gambling Wizards, reviewed my chapters on Zone Tracking, Location Play, and Team Play. I’m grateful for the suggestions and insight from this most talented individual. Viktor Nacht, a colorful figure who picked up the publishing of my second version of Blackjack in the Zone, jumped right in and added some pizzazz to the work. After that, in his first major publishing effort, Viktor rolled out Don Schlesinger’s Blackjack Attack 3, The Ultimate Weapon, which is truly a masterpiece. Viktor has always been supportive of my projects.

Thanks, Viktor. Sal Piacente is the top gaming-protection expert in the world now that his mentor, Steve Forte, is retired. Yes, it’s true that Sal works to protect the same casinos from which I attempt to use my skills to win money. However, we extend each other a professional courtesy. I won’t play in any casino with which he works and he won’t reveal my identity to anyone. Both of us being from Brooklyn, we know the value of one’s word. Sal is also one of the top memory experts in the world. He was good enough to contribute his S.A.L. (Simple Associated Learning) memory system as part of the chapter on Location Play. Mickey Rosa is one of the masterminds of the infamous MIT team and one of the most brilliant individuals in the advantage-playing arena. Mickey lent his expertise by looking over chapters of this book on Zone Tracking, Location Play, and Team Play. Max Rubin can best be described as the power broker of the gaming world. His masterful book, Comp City, is one of the best-hidden jewels for advantage players. Reading Max’s work gave me enormous insight, which led to my development of some new moves that still work to this day. Max’s support over the years is greatly valued. Don Schlesinger, author of Blackjack Attack 3, The Ultimate Weapon, has been a most-valued supporter of all my projects. Don is a no-nonsense callsit-like-he-sees-it type of guy. Most folks don’t know that Don has read just about every book on the subject of blackjack and has offered his invaluable feedback to many of the authors. Over the years and through the production of the book you’re about to read, Don has not only reviewed the overall content, but red-inked my manuscripts like a college English professor. Every author can benefit from Don’s expertise, as he not only points out what needs to be corrected, but he also acknowledges what you did right. A fairer and more honest person is hard to find. Arnold Snyder supported my authoring of two report-style books, both of which he published in 2000 as Blackjack in the Zone and Blackjack Blueprint: How to Operate a Blackjack Team. In November 2001, when Arnold asked me to write an updated version of The Zone, he provided some great

suggestions on areas to add and expand on. He thought it would be brilliant if I could include his Red Seven and Zen Count systems from his Blackbelt in Blackjack book. Although Arnold left the publishing business prior to the release of this second version of The Zone, his support and encouragement during that time were key to its success. It was also Arnold who recommended that I combine the texts of both these works into a full-blast book, which is what you’re about to read. Norm Wattenberger is the developer of Casino Vérité, the number-one blackjack practice software. Norm is truly a brilliant programmer. He’s also one of the easiest individuals to work with. While completing my manuscript, I approached Norm and asked if he’d be interested in developing a companion software product specifically for this book. Without hesitation, he said, “Sure.” What more can I say? To two South Florida investors who were not afraid to take a risk, I still say, “You guys are out of control,” but we’re still way ahead as this book is going to print. When you read this book you’ll know that I’ve kept my word not to reveal any specific locales. Thanks for your respect, confidence, and making 2005 a profitable year. Huntington Press Staff: Deke Castleman spearheaded the nightmare of a project with the formatting of this book. Bethany Coffey’s creative thinking helped move things in a new direction. Laurie Cabot worked out the graphics and did a marvelous job of layout and production. Finally, my wife, “Mrs. Blaine,” who has not only put up with me, but has been most supportive.

Contents Introduction The Zones

The Silver Zone 1 How I Got Started 2 The House Advantage 3 How the Game is Played Rules of the Game

4 Basic Strategy Sequence for Learning Basic Strategy

The Red Zone 5 Selecting a System Three Factors in Determining the Power of Systems Different Types of Systems

6 Learning to Count Cards with the PLS Learn the Point Values of Each Card Learning to Maintain a Running Count Maintain Running Count as Cards are Dealt Apply a Betting Strategy to the Running Count

7 True-Count Conversion 8 Learning Play Variations Plus Counts Minus Counts

9 Advanced Counts Zen Count Unbalanced Zen II Count Converting to True Count Using Half-Deck Segments

Side Count of Aces

10 Putting It All Together 11 First Casino-Play Experience Developing a Game Plan Ready to Play?

The Green Zone 12 Money Management 13 Interaction with Casino Personnel Tipping

14 Heat, Casino Countermeasures, and Camouflage How Much is too Much? Who is this Person? Use of Different Names Obtaining a Casino Players Card Moving Your Bets Playing Your Hands When You Start Winning You Wanna Be in Movies? Barring from Play Surveillance Techniques Countermeasures The Typical Card Counter Profile Camouflage Disguising Wins and Hiding Chips Cashing Out

15 Casinos and Personal Privacy Your Driver’s License, Please Identity Theft and Casinos Profiling Through the Players Club Casino Credit Cash Transaction Report (CTR) Suspicious Activity Report (SAR)

Be Informed

The Black Zone 16 Cheating The Preferential Shuffle

17 Advantage Play: Some Gray and Not-So-Gray Areas 18 Tactics for Double-Deck Play Summary

19 Backcounting 20 Blackjack and the Internet Security Tips for Participating in Blackjack-Related Websites

21 Blackjack Tournaments 22 The Comp Game and Travel Strategies The Allure Airfare Saving Money on Hotel Rooms Complimentaries Loss-Rebate Programs Other Comps Some Final Tips on Scoring Comps

23 Airline Travel Security 24 Blackjack Outside the U.S. Foreign Currency Exchange (“FX”) 101

25 Basics of Zone Tracking Identifying Segment Sizes Learning Cut-Off Tracking Learning Segment Location Learning Multi-Segment Location Summary

26 Location Play Introductory Exercise

The Learning Process How to Bet Fine Points Summary

The Purple Zone 27 Introduction to Team Play Comparisions of Solo vs. Team Play My First Team

28 Notes from a Team Diary 29 Getting to Know You 30 Team Leadership Management

31 Methods of Player Compensation Method A Method B Method C Method D Method E Method F Player Bonuses Method G Penalties

32 Living with Losses Some Reasons for Red Ink

33 Outline for a Team Manual 1. Confidential Nature of Contents 2. Establishment and Implementation of Team Policies 3. Manager’s Role 4. Membership 5. Testing 6. Procedures for Actual Team Play 7. Various Tactics That May Be Applied

8. Expenses 9. Safety And Security 10. Distribution of Winnings 11. Quality Control

34 Down Memory Lane The End Zone 35 Assuming the Role of a High-Stakes Player Attitude Preparation, Homework, and Knowledge Eye Contact Attire Appearance Purpose Summary

36 Playing Blackjack as a Part-Time Professional Summary

37 Resources and Final Notes Recommended Books Periodicals Software Final Note

Glossary About the Author

Introduction Okay, here’s another book on blackjack. After reading most of the books published on the game, playing for many years, and providing group and private instruction, I finally decided to put some ideas of my own together. People in the blackjack world tend to evaluate, compare, and critique cardcounting systems, software programs, books, and theories as they encounter them. That’s good, but it’s essential to always keep an open mind. If you read a book, watch a training video, or take a lesson, you can glean at least one solid principle out of the presentation. We never stop being students of the game. Accordingly, there’s something within these pages that can benefit players of all levels. This book doesn’t contain any “new breakthroughs” in card-counting systems. With several excellent systems already on the market (some of the good ones are included in this book), there are too many tough acts to follow. Rather, the differences in systems are discussed, enabling aspiring counters to select one that’s suitable for them. But just knowing how to count cards isn’t enough, and beginning and experienced players alike will gain valuable insight from the discussions of several important concepts and techniques that must be mastered to be a successful blackjack player. Before attempting to apply card-counting skills in live play, it’s necessary to have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of the game. Toward that end, this book covers such issues as: • bankroll • money management • discipline • game selection • attitude • interaction with casino personnel One of the highlights of this book is the introduction of the Progressive

Learning System (PLS), a technique that allows you to learn any cardcounting system on the market in the most efficient and simplified manner. If new to the game, after reading Blackjack Blueprint you will know what it takes to become a successful blackjack player and should be able to determine if playing in the manner that’s outlined herein is for you. You’ll be able to: • Determine if card counting is something you have the ability and desire to do successfully. • Select a card-counting system that works well for you. • Master the PLS approach so you can learn the mechanics of almost any card-counting system. • Take the skills acquired from this book and strategically apply them to live casino play. As an existing player, Blackjack Blueprint will provide you with a means to: • Learn other advanced techniques in a progressive manner. • Evaluate the pros and cons of team play. • Gain or enhance knowledge about tactical approaches to playing a winning game. Here are a couple of quick pointers to facilitate the learning process while reading the book: • If you see a term and you’re unsure of its meaning, refer to the Glossary in the back of the book. Cards with rank ten, jack, queen, or king are referred to in the book as “10s.” • Don’t be afraid of running into complicated mathematics. The goal is to present the material in a simple and clear manner. Many of the tactics discussed in this book come from personal experience in actual casino play. The first question you need to ask yourself is: “Am I a gambler or a disciplined player?” A gambler is an “action player” who relies on luck and

thrives on the excitement of casino play. Gamblers usually aren’t winning players. A disciplined player is a calculating individual who has the patience and ability to evaluate a game and play only if the conditions appear favorable. Disciplined players can walk through a casino, evaluate the games at hand, and walk out without placing a bet if the conditions aren’t favorable. When they bet, it’s in good situations and this translates into winning over time. If you evaluate your own personality and determine that you’ve got what it takes to be a disciplined player, you’ll benefit greatly from this book. The goal of Blackjack Blueprint is to educate you about the overall game, as well as the “games within the game.” I hope you’ll find this presentation helpful and profitable.

The Zones The book is broken down into six “zones.” As you progress through each, you’ll enhance your knowledge of blackjack play. The Silver Zone After familiarizing yourself with the rules of the game of blackjack, along with the house advantage, you’ll learn how playing according to the proper basic strategy can minimize the casino’s edge. Covered in the Silver Zone are: • the casino advantage at various games • how blackjack is played • basic strategy The Red Zone Applying the outlined Progressive Learning System (PLS), you’ll develop a foundation of the basic skills needed to identify opportunities and play blackjack at an advantage. Covered in the Red Zone are: • selecting a card-counting system • learning the fundamentals of card counting • preparation for initial live casino play

• live casino play • post-game evaluation The Green Zone Here, you’ll fine-tune your skills and develop more tactical approaches to playing a winning game. Covered in the Green Zone are: • tactics necessary for betting at higher levels • interaction with casino personnel • money management • avoiding detection The Black Zone Entering the Black Zone, you’ll prepare to play high-stakes blackjack and add more to your arsenal, which is needed at this level of play. Covered in the Black Zone are: • the Internet as a source of blackjack information • casino comps and travel strategies • blackjack tournaments • awareness of cheating • zone tracking • location play • other advantage-play techniques The Purple Zone In the Purple Zone, you’re taken through the team-play experience. Covered in the Purple Zone are: • recruiting players • management

• training • testing • quality control • security • creating a team manual The End Zone Having reached the End Zone, you’re given some final pointers to complete your blackjack education. Covered in the End Zone are: • high-roller strategies • playing part-time • recommended books and systems

The Silver Zone

1 How I Got Started In the late 1970s, I’d just finished college and moved back to the New York City area. In the fashion of many my age, I landed a job on Wall Street, along with an apartment in Manhattan (no BMW though, and my hair was still a bit long). Soon I became friendly with a neighbor whom I’ll call Pete. Pete, a former federal agent, was wheelchair-bound. I used to talk to Pete for hours, as his stories fascinated me. He’d been all over the world and he knew a lot about surveillance, a topic that always amazed me. Pete had a part-time nurse who stopped in twice a week. But he wanted to be selfsufficient and did great on his own. I occasionally stopped by on my way to the supermarket to see if Pete needed anything. One day I found him sitting at the kitchen table with a huge stack of playing cards and a few piles of paper clips. When I asked what he was doing, he said that he was teaching himself how to count cards to beat the casinos at blackjack. I paid him no mind and left. For some time, though, it seemed that whenever I visited Pete, he was involved in this routine. Pete explained that card counting meant assigning a plus or minus point value to each card. By doing so, a counter could determine how to bet and play. Finally, after a few months of practice, Pete told me he was ready to go to Atlantic City. I’d never been there, nor to any casino, but I told him that if he wanted to go, I’d take him on the bus. We decided to go on a Saturday morning. It was late spring 1981. The bus fare was $15 per person and they gave us coupons good for $10 in coin upon arrival in Atlantic City. The bus was loaded with older folks, all of them excited about the trip. After a threehour ride, we arrived at Bally’s Park Place around noon. After we ate lunch, Pete asked me to take him to the blackjack tables. The place was crowded, and maneuvering Pete’s wheelchair was no easy task. Finally, Pete pointed to a table with some empty spots and I took him over. He gave me the

voucher for his roll of coins (dollars) and said he’d be okay there for about an hour. I left him and went to the slot machines with 20 silver dollars. Observing the slot machine players, I quickly concluded that it was some sort of religion for those folks, some of whom were feeding coins into two or three different machines at a time. They seemed to have unbelievable coordination in doing so. Finally, I decided on a machine for myself, one next to an attractive young lady who completely ignored me. I ended up winning a little over $300 playing slots, then took a stroll around the rest of the casino. I saw a roulette wheel, and after watching for a while, placed a $5 bet on red. I lost. On to the crap table, where lots of people were hooting and hollering. I’d done a little homework on craps and knew that when you rolled the dice, if you got a 7 or 11, you won, and if you got a 2, 3, or 12 you lost. That was all I knew. I asked someone to help me and ended up placing a $5 bet on the pass line. The person rolling the dice rolled a 6 and it was explained to me that now the shooter had to roll a 6 before rolling a 7 for me to win. I scratched my head, confused, as the shooter rolled a 10. I didn’t even want to ask what that meant. The next roll was a 7 and the dealer collected my chip. Next it was on to the blackjack tables. I stood by a table and watched the game being dealt. At this point I knew only that the object of the game was to get closer to 21 than the dealer, without going over 21. I sat down and clumsily handed the dealer $50. He instructed me to place the money on the table, so I put the $50 down on the circle in front of my seat. The dealer asked if I wanted to bet the $50. I shook my head no. I had no way of knowing that the cash should not have been placed in the betting circle unless I wanted to bet it all. After instruction on how to get change the proper way, I had 10 red chips in front of me, each valued at $5. Two cards were dealt in front of me and I reached to pick them up. “Please don’t handle the cards, sir,” the dealer snapped at me. I apologized and proceeded to play, quickly learning the proper hand signals for hit and stand. Still, I noticed that the people at the table were upset with me. I couldn’t figure out why, though I clearly remember friction over a hand on which I had two 8s. I don’t recall what

the dealer had showing, but a loud-mouthed person sitting next to me said, “You’re gonna split those, I hope.” I gave a puzzled look and said, “Split?” I ended up standing on the 16. After the round, the loudmouth mumbled a few choice words and left. I won $100 at that table. Then it was time for me to check on Pete. I walked over to his table and he asked me how I was doing. All excited, I told him about winning $300 playing slots and $100 playing blackjack. He whispered that he was winning and wanted to play some more. At this point we agreed that I’d check back with him in another two hours. I quit while ahead and went off for a stroll along the Boardwalk. After the two hours, I returned to the casino to check on Pete and I noticed that the pile of chips in front of him was smaller than when I’d left. It was about 4:30 and Pete decided to call it a day. He asked if I wanted to have dinner. I nodded. He showed me a slip of paper and told me that dinner was free. Once again, I was puzzled. When we got to the restaurant, Pete told me that I could order whatever I wanted. He explained that after you gamble for a certain period of time, the casinos give you free meals, tickets to shows, and free rooms. My eyes widened. I was amazed that all you had to do was gamble at the casinos and they would give you all these things for free. Pete told me that many people lose lots of money getting those free meals. As the saying goes: There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Pete said that when I first checked in with him, he was winning, up about $900. But when I returned two hours later, he’d lost all but $50 of his winnings. Dinner was great, then we hopped on the bus home. Although I never went back to Atlantic City with Pete, he made several trips down there over the next two years. I thought that because he was counting cards, he should be able to win money. Based on my talks with him, however, Pete seemed to lose more than he won. But win or lose, it all seemed too complicated for me to worry about. In December 1983, Pete moved away, leaving me with a box of books and some other odds and ends he thought I might find interesting. After a couple of months, I finally had time to sort through the box and found several decks of cards and a hardcover book titled Million Dollar Blackjack. I noticed that it was autographed by the author, Ken Uston. I decided to keep

the book and the cards and soon I began reading the book. To this day, I still consider Million Dollar Blackjack to be one of the most informative and entertaining books on the game ever written. I read through that book chapter by chapter, stopping to practice the drills as they were presented. I was on my way. Throughout this book are more details of my experiences with playing the game at various levels—for example, how I got involved with blackjack teams and my journey of playing at high-stakes for more than 20 years. At the time of this writing, I can still confidently walk into a casino and play a winning game. I’ll end this chapter with some notes from my diary of the final days of a recent play: Thursday Night/Friday Morning My final plunge. Hit the tables at 11:15 p.m. and got a private table in the VIP Room. During several wild sessions throughout the evening and into the early-morning hours, I went from down $50,000 to winning $22,900. Took $36,000 in my last shoe. Then played Friday afternoon in one final session and won $12,500, putting my trip total at $5,000. It was a long night/morning! Friday Night/Saturday Morning Decided to sleep a good deal of the day Friday, to squeeze in one last play before leaving for home. This time I arrived as the VIP Room opened for the evening and continued with the aggressive style of play. I opened up the table, with no other players. After three shoes, I was up $46,000, putting my overall trip total at $51,000. A couple of other players joined the table, so I left. I’m done. I’m glad to be going home, as the trip was a bit tiring. The swings were wild and I’m pleased I ended up with a decent enough win.

2 The House Advantage The gaming industry has been growing at a blistering pace over the past few years. A number of states have legal casinos on riverboats and on land. Casinos have also opened on Native American land. People get a big thrill out of trying their luck at gambling. In states that offer a lottery, check out the ticket lines when the jackpot grows large. Casinos are in business to make money on their “games of chance,” so it should be no surprise that all casino games have a built-in house advantage. Here’s an example of how the casino makes its money with the house advantage. In craps, the house advantage (on the best bets) is roughly 1.5%. If 100 people each make one bet at $10 per bet, the total “action” is $1,000. Considering the 1.5% disadvantage on that action, they will lose, on average, about $15 on the play. Following are the house advantages for a few other casino games (approximate): baccarat: roulette: slots: keno:

1.2 % 5.3 % 3% and up 25%

What about the house advantage for blackjack? Let’s hold off on providing numbers on this, because there are a lot of variables to consider. While all other casino games are subject to what’s known as the “law of independent trials,” the house advantage in the game of blackjack is dependent on the cards that were previously dealt. Each time a card is removed from a deck (or decks) in play, the odds of the game at hand shift, and at times those odds shift to the player’s advantage. This is the only

casino game where the odds shift in this manner. In all other games, the fixed house advantage remains constant. For example, in craps it’s entirely possible to roll 10 sevens in a row, regardless of how many sevens were previously rolled. Thus the saying, “dice have no memory.” On the roulette wheel, the number 22 can hit two or three (or more) times in succession. Now let’s look at blackjack. In a game where a single deck is in use, if on the first round dealt all four aces appear, the chance of being dealt an ace in any subsequent round is zero. Since you need an ace to get a natural, for which the house (usually) pays the player 3-2, your chance of getting a blackjack in any subsequent round is also zero. In such cases, the house advantage increases. Considering the reverse situation, if after a few rounds have been dealt no aces have appeared and there’s less than a half-deck remaining, the advantage is now (probably) in favor of the player. Cardcounting systems identify these situations and provide you with a tool for adjusting your betting and playing decisions to make use of this knowledge. The material presented in this book will show you how it’s done, and put you on the path to playing for profits.

3 How the Game is Played The typical blackjack table has spots for seven players (though some have only five or six), which can appear as circles or boxes, sometimes with the word “BET” inside. The first seat on the right as you face the dealer is referred to as “first base” and the last seat on the left is known as “third base.” Directly in front of the dealer is the “chip tray” (also called the “check rack”), where casino chips are maintained for that table and sorted in denomination order. The usual chip denominations are: $5 red chips, known as “nickels,” $25 green chips, known as “quarters,” and $100 black chips. At the higher-limit tables, commonly found denominations include $500 purple chips and $1,000 chips (colors vary). Smaller denominations can also be found, such as $1 and $2.50 chips (colors vary). Actual half-dollar coins may be kept in the chip tray as well. As you look at the dealer, to the left is the discard tray, where the dealer places cards after they’ve been used in each round. Commonly, after shuffling a deck or decks, the dealer removes the top card from play and places it in the discard tray. This is referred to as the “burn card.” Behind the discard tray is a small clear box, in which the dealer deposits all tips received. This is referred to as the “toke box.” Next to the discard tray is a slot in the table where the dealer deposits all currency received from players, whether to purchase chips at the table or used in actual play. This is called the “drop slot.” Money deposited in the drop slot falls into a locked box called a “drop box.” In games where 4 or more decks are used, a “shoe” is used. Upon completion of the shuffle, the decks are placed into the shoe (a box-like device), from which they’re dealt. On either side of the dealer, there should be two separate placards. One

indicates the table minimum and maximum bets permitted. The second indicates the important house rules for the blackjack game at that particular table. You may also find a third placard, indicating “No Smoking Allowed.”

Rules of the Game The object of the game is to make a total higher than that of the dealer without exceeding 21. When this happens, the player wins the bet and an even-money (1-1) payoff. If the dealer gets the higher total, the player’s bet is lost. In the event that both player and dealer make the same total, it’s called a “push” (tie), and no settlement occurs on that hand. Jacks, queens, and kings count as 10; aces are either 1 or 11, at the player’s option; 2s through 10s are worth their face value. At the start of the game, the dealer shuffles the deck(s) to be played. The cards are then presented to a player at the table to cut. Single decks are often cut with the hand in the normal fashion. When 2 or more decks are used, the player is given a plastic cut card to insert at the desired cut point. The dealer then takes the cards under the plastic cut card and places them on top on the pack, leaving the plastic cut card on the bottom. If more than 2 decks are being used (and in some casinos, also with 1 or 2 decks), a second plastic cut card is placed by the dealer at a point in the pack. This is referred to as a “shuffle card,” as its purpose is to signal the dealer when it’s time to reshuffle. When 1 or 2 decks are used, the dealer usually holds them in one hand and deals (“pitches”) with the other. When more than 2 decks are used, the cards are placed in a shoe to be dealt (although it’s rare, some casinos deal 1 or 2 decks from a shoe). Play begins as the dealer places the burn card (or cards) in the discard tray face down. Players place their wagers in the betting circles directly in front of them. Going from the dealer’s left to right, cards are dealt to each player, and one goes to the dealer. Then a second card is dealt to each player and a second to the dealer. One dealer card is face up, the “upcard,” and one dealer card is face down, the “hole card.” Depending on the number of decks and house rules, the player’s two cards are dealt either both face up or both face down.

If the dealer’s upcard is an ace, the dealer asks the players if they want “insurance.” Insurance is a side bet that the dealer’s hole card is a 10, resulting in a dealer “natural” (or blackjack). A player may bet up to half of his original wager on insurance and is paid at 2-1 odds if the dealer has a natural. If the casino offers “early surrender” (rare), the player has the option of forfeiting half the original wager before the dealer checks for a natural. This is done by either saying “surrender” or by drawing an imaginary line behind your bet with your finger, the hand signal for surrender. In a facedown game, the player also flips over both cards, placing them on the table face up. After all players have decided whether or not to take insurance, the dealer “peeks” at the hole card. If it’s a 10, the dealer flips it over and pays all insurance bets at odds of 2-1. The dealer then picks up each player’s original wager, including the ones from those who won the insurance side bet. The exception is when a player also has an ace and a 10 for a natural, in which case the dealer doesn’t take the original wager, as the hand is a push. The dealer then picks up all the remaining cards on the table, placing them into the discard tray face down, and the hand is over. If the dealer doesn’t have a 10 in the hole, the insurance bets lose. The insurance money is picked up and play continues. When a player’s first two cards dealt are an ace and 10, that hand comprises a “natural” or a “blackjack.” The traditional payout for a natural is 3-2 to the player. Recently, some casinos have been experimenting with 6-5 payouts for naturals, which adds significantly to the casino’s edge. If the casino offers “late surrender,” players may forfeit half of the original wager after the dealer checks for a natural, but before playing the hand. The dealer collects half the wager, then finishes play of the hand if other players are at the table and haven’t surrendered. Note: Most casinos also require the dealer to check for a natural when the upcard is a 10. In this case, the dealer peeks immediately at the hole card, and if it’s an ace, he flips it over and collects all wagers, except if a player also has a natural. If the dealer doesn’t have an ace, play resumes as normal.

Beginning with the player on the dealer’s left, each player is asked (or prompted by pointing) how he wants to play his hand. In a face-up game, if the player wants another card (“hit”), he signals by tapping or scratching a finger on the table. If the player doesn’t want another card (“stand”), he waves his hand, with palm facing down, side to side above the bet. If, after taking a hit, the card total exceeds 21, the player “busts.” The dealer takes the bet and places the cards in the discard tray. In a face-down game, the player picks up the original two cards dealt and signals for a hit by gently scratching the cards on the table. To signal a stand, the original two cards are tucked under the wager. A player may continue to hit a hand until it exceeds 21. When the player busts, the original two cards should be tossed on the table, face up. Players have the option to “double down” on the first two cards dealt. The rules vary by casino; some permit a player to double on any two cards, while others allow doubling only on two-card totals of 10 or 11. To double down, place an amount equal to the original wager next to it. In a face-up game, simply say “double down.” In a face-down game, turn both cards face up and place them in front of the original bet. When a player doubles down, only one additional card is dealt to that hand. In a face-down game, the card is usually dealt face down, while in a face-up game the card orientation varies. If a player’s first two cards are of the same value, the pair may be “split.” The player places an additional wager, equal to the original, and says “split.” In a face-down game, the player turns both cards over and places them in front of the original bet. Although most dealers will know when you intend to double down or pair split, they’ll usually ask if you don’t declare. When splitting pairs, the player is actually separating the first hand and creating two hands, each to be played in sequence in that same round. Each hand is played separately, using the appropriate hit/stand signals as indicated above. After all players complete the play of their hands, the dealer exposes the hole card and plays the hand according to set rules. The dealer is required to hit on all hands totaling 16 or less and to stand on hands totaling 17 or higher. In the case of a “soft hand” of 17, such as an ace and a 6, rules vary

by casino. Some require the dealer to stand on a soft 17, while others require the dealer to hit. After the dealer finishes drawing, all remaining wagers are settled. If the dealer draws to a total above 21, all players who have not busted first (or surrendered) win. If the dealer doesn’t bust, each player wins, loses, or pushes depending on his total compared to the dealer’s. The wagers are settled, then all cards are collected and placed in the discard tray. Players then place their wagers in the betting circle for the next round of play and the process repeats. When the cut card is reached, the round in progress is completed and the remaining undealt cards in the shoe are mixed with those in the discard tray. The cards are reshuffled and the process starts over again. In a handdealt game without a cut card, the cards are shuffled at a point dictated by house policy or when the dealer feels there may not be enough cards to complete another round.

4 Basic Strategy Basic strategy is a set of optimal playing decisions based on the player’s cards and the dealer’s upcard. Playing according to the correct basic strategy for a specified number of decks and set of rules provides the player with the best way to play any hand without the benefit of additional information (such as the count of the deck). Some basic strategy decisions vary based on the number of decks and the rules in effect, but most decisions are consistent through all blackjack games. The basic strategy was developed by computer analysis and it’s mathematically irrefutable. Whatever the computer has determined as correct is the proper thing to do. It’s not always obvious. Let’s look at a situation in which the player has a hand of T,6 and the dealer is showing a ten (upcard). A hand of 16 against a dealer’s ten is a losing situation, hit or stand. But it would seem that standing would offer the most hope, since hitting a 16 will likely result in drawing a high card and busting. That’s how I used to think. But basic strategy tells us to hit the 16. The reason? The computer runs show that the player will lose more hands of 16 by standing than by hitting. That’s all you need to know. Choosing to stand rather than hit will cost you money. It’s that simple. For this reason, once you learn basic strategy, it’s essential that you adhere strictly to the play decisions as outlined. You must play like a machine. No hunches. At times, a dealer or other players may criticize your play. You must have nerves of steel and zone out these outside influences. By playing perfect basic strategy, you’re decreasing a house advantage of more than 2% (the casino’s edge against the average player) to less than .5%, subject to the rules of the game you’re playing. At times you’ll play basic strategy perfectly and lose hand after hand. When this happens, you must zone it out, because in the long run, making the correct basic strategy plays is to your advantage. You must learn to play

basic strategy flawlessly, as any deviations from the proper plays cost you money over time. To apply basic strategy effectively, you must remember the distinction between a hard hand and a soft hand. A hard-hand total can’t be lowered by counting the ace as 1. For example, a hand of A,2,4, is a soft 17, because it can be lowered by counting the ace as 1 to get a hand of 7. A hand of A,2,4,T is a hard 17. It can’t be lowered, since the ace is already counted as 1. Following is the basic strategy for a typical multi-deck game, as offered in a number of Las Vegas and Atlantic City casinos. Hit/Stand Decisions on Hard-Total Hands • Stand on all hard totals of 17 and higher. • When the dealer is showing an upcard of 7, 8, 9, T, A, hit all hands until your cards total 17 or higher. • Stand on hard totals of 13, 14, 15, 16 vs. dealer upcard of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; otherwise hit. • Stand on hard total of 12 vs. dealer upcard of 4, 5, 6; otherwise hit. The above decisions occur more than others throughout the game. Double Down Decisions on Hard-Total Hands • Double down on all hard totals of 11 vs. dealer upcard of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, T; otherwise hit. • Double down on all hard totals of 10 vs. dealer upcard of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; otherwise hit. • Double down on all hard totals of 9 vs. dealer upcard of 3, 4, 5, 6; otherwise hit. Pair Splitting • Always split A,A or 8,8. • Never split T,T or 5,5. • Split 2,2; 3,3; and 7,7 vs. dealer upcard of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; otherwise hit. • Split 4,4 vs. dealer upcard of 5 or 6, otherwise hit.

• Split 6,6 vs. dealer upcard of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; otherwise hit. • Split 9,9 vs. dealer upcard of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 (not 7); otherwise stand. Double Down Decisions on Soft-Hand Totals • Double down on A,2 or A,3 vs. dealer upcard of 5 or 6; otherwise hit. • Double down on A,4 or A,5 vs. dealer upcard of 4, 5, 6; otherwise hit. • Double down on A,6 or A,7 vs. dealer upcard of 3, 4, 5, 6; otherwise hit (except stand with an A,7 vs. dealer upcard of 2, 7, or 8). The player is permitted to double down only only on the initial two cards. There are some rare occasions where a casino permits doubling after one or two hit cards are dealt. The basic strategy for these special rules is different. Never Take Insurance

Basic Strategy Multi-Deck, Atlantic City Rules

If late surrender option is offered: • Surrender a hard 16 (but not 8,8) vs. dealer 9, T, or A. • Surrender a hard 15 vs. dealer T. Remember, different rules and numbers of decks result in different basic strategies. For complete coverage of proper basic strategies for different games, consult The Theory of Blackjack by Peter Griffin or Blackjack Attack 3 by Don Schlesinger.

Sequence for Learning Basic Strategy 1. Start with the basic hard hit/stand decisions. 2. Learn the hard doubling decisions. 3. Learn the soft doubling decisions 4. Learn pair splitting decisions. 5. Take each quiz in the order presented. The specified order will simplify the learning process. 6. Deal yourself hands with only an upcard for the dealer and check your decisions. 7. Repeat #5 and #6 as described below. Additional Practice Drills Refer to the flash-card sample and use it as a guide to create a set by pasting them onto cardboard and cutting to size. Write in the player total, dealer upcard, and play decision. Drill yourself, using your thumb to cover

the answer on the bottom right corner of each flash card before checking for the correct response. Use the flash cards, first in order of each segment of basic strategy (e.g., use only the hit/stand cards after studying the hit/stand decisions, then use only the hard-doubling flash cards after studying that segment, and so on). After you’ve learned all the segments of basic strategy, you can mix all the flash cards together for final drills in random order. You can augment study with CV Blueprint, this book’s companion software, which contains drills for practicing basic strategy.

Drill Instructions Make several copies of the following drill sheets. Perform each drill until you can complete it accurately, recalling each response without hesitation. Then move on to the next drill.

Drill # 1: Hard Totals Hit/Stand

Drill # 2: Hard Double-Down Decisions

Drill # 3: Soft Double-Down Decisions

Drill # 4: Pair-Splitting Decisions

Answers to Drill # 1

Answers to Drill # 2

Answers to Drill # 3

Answers to Drill # 4

The Red Zone

5 Selecting a System Once you’ve mastered basic strategy and reduced the house advantage to less than .5% in many accessible games, you’re ready to progress to card counting. Mastering this skill can provide you with the tools to identify the shifting advantage between the house and the player during blackjack play. Before exploring the types of card-counting systems available, there are two crucial personal factors you must consider. Your Abilities—There’s story after story about prospective card counters in search of the ultimate system. Finally, one of the many complicated systems on the market is chosen. The player learns the system. Then, while using it in live play, he wonders why it’s not working. So often, beginners take on the heavy task of trying to learn a “genius-level” system, one that significantly increases the potential for errors that wind up costing them money. There’s no shame in not being able to apply such a system in live play—very few players can. The good news is you don’t have to. The difference in performance between the least and most complicated of the credible card-counting systems is fractions of a penny per hand, or even per dozens of hands (though high-stakes players will point out that even tiny percentage gains can have a discernible impact on returns as stakes rise). Put your ego and pride on the shelf and choose the system that’s easiest for you to handle, not the one with the most bells and whistles. Remember, it’s more profitable to play a weaker system accurately than to play a powerful system inaccurately. Your Stamina—Let’s say you have the ability to learn a genius-level system flawlessly. You must next determine how long you can accurately apply such a system in live play before your brain turns to mush. Many players using a higher-level system find that after 30 minutes or so, they can’t continue playing accurately. Using a simpler system often allows you

to last longer at a table. The above two points have little to do with win rates or mathematical formulas, but in my opinion, they rank as the most important to consider before going forward. That’s because the actual application of a cardcounting system has more to do with psychology than mathematics. While most books on the topic beat the mathematics to death, my approach is to consider first the psychological dynamics and provide a practical and uncomplicated approach to applying a good system at the tables.

Three Factors in Determining the Power of Systems Betting Efficiency One of the primary principles of card counting is to bet more when you have an advantage and to bet less when you don’t. Any good system’s key component is a point count. The betting efficiency of a system is measured by how its point count identifies the shift in advantage and quantifies it. The betting efficiency indicates how well a given count does this. A system with a strong betting efficiency is the foundation for the development of an effective betting scheme. Playing Efficiency Another benefit provided by a card-counting system is properly identifying times when it’s correct to deviate from basic strategy. Playing efficiency indicates how well a system identifies the deviation opportunities. Let’s look at an example that’s unlikely to occur, but is a good illustration of the concept. You’re playing “heads-up” on a single-deck game in which the dealer is dealing down to the last card. You have two tens and the dealer’s upcard is a 7. Two cards remain to be dealt and you haven’t seen any aces yet. Counting the burn card, the dealer’s hole card, and the two undealt cards, you know where the four aces have to be. The dealer, showing a 7 with an ace hole card, will end up with a hand of 18. Knowing there are two aces waiting to be dealt, what would you do? Of course, you’d split the tens, which would result in your drawing both aces for two hands of 21.

Don’t get too excited; the Fantasy Island Casino has been closed for many years. But this extreme example shows what the information you glean from counting cards can potentially do for your game. A more likely manifestation is standing on a 16 when the dealer shows a ten (as opposed to the basic-strategy play of hitting), because the count tells you there’s an excess of high cards remaining. A system’s playing efficiency can be measured mathematically to determine how well the system identifies the proper basic-strategy-deviation opportunities. Insurance Efficiency Basic strategy dictates that a player should never take insurance. When counting cards, however, a player will sometimes make the insurance bet. A good system provides an accurate gauge for when taking insurance is advantageous.

Different Types of Systems Following are several variations of card-counting systems. X-Level Systems Count systems assign a “point value” to each card denomination. The easiest systems are one-level counts, whose card values are limited to -1, 0, and +1. A two-level count can have values of -2, -1, 0, +1, and +2. A threelevel count can have values of -3, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2, and +3. Higher levels are also available. As you go up in the levels, it’s possible to gain more power if the system is applied correctly. However, the increased complexity makes it more difficult to play without errors, and there are diminishing returns; that is, after a while, adding higher levels simply is not worthwhile. Balanced Counts In a “balanced-count system,” the total of the plus-card values is equal to that of the minus-card values. With balanced systems, starting at 0 and counting down a deck (adding and subtracting the proper plus and minus point values as the cards are turned) leaves you back at 0 at the end of the deck. Most count systems are balanced.

Unbalanced Counts In an “unbalanced-count system,” the total of the plus-card values is not equal to that of the minus-card values. With unbalanced systems, counting down a deck from a prescribed starting number (an unbalanced count typically doesn’t start from zero) leaves you at a different number when you finish. Running Count The “running count” is the cumulative count of the cards—according to their assigned values of plus, minus, or neutral (0)—at any given point as you’re counting down a deck. Example: Assume that tens are assigned a point value of -1 and two players at a table both have 20s made up of two tens each. The dealer shows a ten and turns up another ten. Using a balanced count and beginning from the top of the deck with a starting count of 0, the running count is -6 at the end of this round. This is determined by the six cards dealt each having a point value of -1. On the next round, the count begins at -6. True Count The “true count” is an additional measure that enables a player to gain more power from a system. The true count is derived by dividing the running count by the number of decks or half-decks (depending on the system) remaining to be dealt. The resulting number is used to derive the proper bet, play, and insurance decisions. Example: In a 6-deck game, the running count is +12. You look at the discard tray and determine that 3 decks have already been dealt. Therefore, 3 decks remain. Dividing a running count of +12 by 3, we establish our true count of +4. Note that an unbalanced-count system eliminates the need for truecount conversion, because all decisions are made according to the running count. At this point, you may have concluded that the most difficult count system would be a multi-level balanced count, where true-count conversion is required. Not so fast. Side Count of Aces

In systems where the aces are neutral (assigned a value of 0), a player must maintain a separate side count of aces and make an additional adjustment to properly determine the betting amount. These counts are called “ace neutralized.” A count that assigns a point value other than 0 to the ace does not normally require such a side count and is called “ace reckoned.” Play Variations The final ingredient of a count system is the number of play variations from basic strategy it includes. There’s quite a range among systems, based on what the author chooses to include—some have only a few variations, while others have more than 100. Of course, the more complex, the more difficult to learn and the more chance of error in live application. There are roughly 20 key play variations (covered later in the book) that a player needs to memorize. You can attempt to apply more variations, but the overall gain is usually minimal. What Do You Do? For most players, an unbalanced one-level system with approximately 20 play variations is all that’s needed. Such a system yields a playing advantage, is easy to learn, and allows longer effective application in live play. Examples of such a count are the Knock-Out and the Red 7 counts. If you want more firepower in a system and are confident in your abilities, you can try a more challenging count system, including any of these: • Unbalanced 2-level count, such as the Unbalanced Zen II. • Unbalanced 3-level count, such as the Uston SS. • Balanced 1-level count with true-count conversion, such as the Hi-Lo. • Balanced 2-level count with true-count conversion, such as the Zen Count. • Balanced 3-level count with true-count conversion, such as the Uston APC.

6 Learning to Count Cards with the PLS It’s not my intention to pitch any specific card-counting system, as just about every one published is mathematically sound. The information in this chapter should give you the tools to decide what type of system is best suited for you. For our purposes here, we’ll begin by using a balanced onelevel count. Please note that the learning progressions outlined in this chapter can be applied to just about any counting system. This systematic method of learning is called the Progressive Learning System (PLS). It starts off with a simple-level card-counting system, with the flexibility to add components later should more power be desired. Using the PLS, you don’t need to completely switch count systems and relearn an entire set of numbers to get more power. The system we’ll be learning below is based on the point values from the Hi-Lo count system, which is presented in Stanford Wong’s book Professional Blackjack.

1-Level Balanced Count At the completion of this level, you’ll be able to maintain a running count and vary your bets accordingly, allowing you to gain a slight edge in a blackjack game.

Learn the Point Values of Each Card Get a deck of cards and take out one card of each value, 2 through ace. Place the cards in a stack corresponding to the following chart.

Drill Number One With the cards in the sequence as outlined, flip through each of the 13 cards reciting the point value of each card as you encounter it. Repeat this drill until you can flip through the cards reciting their values accurately and without hesitation. Tip: You may find it easier to organize the cards by grouping the plus values, the minus values, and then the 0-value cards. Drill Number Two Shuffle the 13 cards. Flip though the shuffled cards, reciting the point value of each one as you encounter it. Continue practicing until you’re fast and accurate. Drill Number Three Mix the 13 cards back into the full deck and shuffle it. Now flip through the entire deck of 52 cards, reciting the point value of each card as you go. When you can flip through the deck of 52 cards reciting the point values quickly and accurately, you’re ready to go to the next progression.

Learning to Maintain a Running Count Now you’ll learn to keep a cumulative count total (the running count) based on the plus/minus/neutral point values while flipping through the cards in a deck.

Drill Number Four Take the deck of 52 cards and using the memorized point values, follow this sequence: Say “zero,” and flip over the first card. Say [the point value of that card], then say, “The running count is (point value of that first card).” Flip over the second card, say [the point value of that card], then add or subtract it to the previous running count, determine your new running count, and say, “The running count is (#).” Continue through the deck. After completing all 52 cards, your running count should be zero, as this is a balanced count. If you don’t wind up at zero, count the deck again (with the cards in the same order as previously counted).

Drill Number Five Same exercise as above, with the following modifications: Say “Zero.” Flip over the first card and mentally determine its value. Then verbally say your running count. Flip over the second card, mentally add it to or subtract it from your running count, and say your new running count. At this point, when completing your countdown, you should be arriving at zero with consistency. Remember, if you’re not at zero, repeat the countdown in the same order. Why? If an isolated sequence of numbers is throwing you off, the best way to correct it is through repetition. If you’re

going through that deck a little faster, that’s good. The more you practice, the more your speed will pick up. Ready to go faster? Drill Number Six To develop speed in counting down a deck, once you’re accurate and fast in counting the cards one at a time, you can learn to train your brain to “group” the cards, counting them two at a time. Take 10 cards valued at +1 and place them face down, lined up on the table. Now take 10 cards valued at -1 and place each card atop a +1 valued card, leaving 10 little stacks of two cards each. Starting with zero, flip the first pair of cards and mentally determine that the +1 and -1 offset each other to add up to zero. Finish flipping over the subsequent pairs, mentally determining that they offset to keep the running count at zero. Now add 10 cards valued at 0 to this group and mix up all 30 cards. You should have different combinations of pairs adding to -2, -1, 0, +1, and +2. Finally, count down the entire deck of 52 cards, keeping the running count by counting in pairs. To ensure accuracy, pull one card from the deck. Place it face down without looking at it. After completing the countdown of the 51 cards, you probably won’t be at zero, and should be able to determine the point value of the card you pulled. For example, if the running count is +1, the remaining card should be either a ten, jack, queen, king or ace (a -1 point value card). If the count is zero, the unseen card should have a value of zero —a 7, 8, or 9. You want to aim for counting down a deck in 25 seconds or less. Be patient, though. Speed comes eventually. In the beginning, accuracy is much more important. If you’re not accurate, the count is of no value. Some Tips for Gaining Speed In plus counts, get in the habit of not saying the word “plus.”

In minus counts, say “M” instead of the word “minus.” When counting down a deck, face the cards toward you and transfer them from one hand to the other as you count, instead of flipping over the cards. At a zero count, say “Z” instead of zero. Using these little tricks, you can shave a few seconds off your time.

Maintain Running Count as Cards are Dealt Cards Dealt Face Up Because the cards are exposed as the dealer distributes them, this is the simplest method of maintaining the count. Here’s the sequence: Starting at the dealer’s left, one card is dealt to each player and one card is dealt face up to the dealer. Do nothing. As the dealer is about to deal the second card to player #1, your eyes should be focused (subtly) on the spot where that second card will be exposed. As the card is dealt, look at the pair of cards and silently recite the running count. Continue as above, as each second card is dealt to the other players, by looking at each pair of cards. When the dealer takes a hole card, look at the value of the upcard and add that to your running count. As you and the other players take additional hit cards, add those values to your running count. When the dealer reveals the hole card, add that value to your running count. If the dealer takes additional hit cards, add those values to your running count as they are turned up. Don’t get confused by the position of the cards in the dealer’s hand. You already counted the upcard. Watch as the hole card is revealed next (usually to your right, or the dealer’s left, of the hole card). Then add any hit cards drawn (usually to the dealer’s right, and your

left, of the hole card). After the round is completed, your running count will be used to determine your bet size for the next round. Cards Dealt Face Down In single- and double-deck hand-held games, players’ cards are normally dealt face down. Here’s the sequence to maintain the running count. Starting at the dealer’s left, one card is dealt to each player, and one card is dealt face up to the dealer. Do nothing. In the same order, the dealer will deal a second card face down to each player. At this point your hand should be on the table, and as your second card is dealt, quickly pick up and look at both cards, then silently determine the running count. As the dealer takes a hole card, check the value of the up-card and add that to your running count. As you and the other players take additional hit cards, add those values to your running count. If a player busts, splits, doubles down, or has a blackjack, add the value of those exposed cards to your running count. As the dealer exposes the hole card, add that value to your running count. If the dealer takes additional hit cards, add those values as they are exposed, to your running count. As the dealer turns over a player’s previously unexposed cards to settle the hand, add those values to your running count. As these cards are flipped over, they’ll be positioned on the table as the two closest cards to the dealer in any given player’s hand. After the round is completed, your running count will be used to determine your bet size for the next round. Be especially careful and alert when the dealer has a blackjack. At this moment, all the players toss their cards on the table. They’re not always neatly arranged. You have to be quick here!

Apply a Betting Strategy to the Running Count One benefit of card counting is the ability to identify moments in the game when the composition of cards remaining to be dealt is either favorable to the player (a plus running count) or favorable to the casino (a minus running count). Armed with this information, the card-counting player will bet as little as possible in a minus count and raise that amount as the count turns plus. As illustrated in the point values of the cards, 2 through 6 are plus-value cards, meaning that since they’re valuable to the casino, after they’re dealt (and are no longer available for play), the running count improves in the player’s favor. Aces and tens have a minus value. These are of value to the player and when dealt, they reduce the running count, which reflects a player’s disadvantage. Presented here are betting strategies for a 6-deck game dealt face up and a 2-deck game dealt face down. Determine which type of game you’ll be playing most of the time. If you live or play in Las Vegas, you have access to 2-deck games. If you live or play in Atlantic City, the choices are 6- and 8deck games. Become proficient in one type of game. The following two betting strategies are for the benefit of readers who feel they have absorbed all the information they can handle. Varying your bets as outlined and playing basic strategy provides a very slight edge. However, to appreciate the real strength of a balanced count system, a player should add the ingredients of the true-count conversion and attending play variations (outlined in Chapters 7 and 8, respectively). Betting Strategy for a 2-Deck Game Dealt Face Down To provide the best possibilities for profit, while at the same time not being too obvious with bet movements, we use a bet range for the 2-deck game of 1-6 units. If you’re playing at a $5-minimum-bet table, your lowest bet in a minus count will be $5 (1 unit) and your highest bet in a plus count will be $30 (6 units). Note that the numerical value of the running count at the end of a round is used to determine the bet on the round about to be dealt. The numbers:

Referring to the above numbers, perform the following drills: Drill Number Seven—For this drill, you need two decks of cards and either plastic poker chips or a box of paper clips (to use instead of chips). Place a bet of 1 unit in front of you. Take the top card of the two decks and place it face down off to your left side. This card represents the burn card and you’ll place all cards from completed rounds on top of this card, face down. This stack represents the discard tray. Deal yourself a hand of two cards face down, plus one card face down and one face up for the dealer. Starting at 0, count the value of your two cards, along with the dealer’s upcard. Using basic strategy, either hit, stand, split, or double down and count the value of any additional cards you deal to yourself. Flip over the dealer’s hole card and count the value of that card. In accordance with standard house rules (dealer stands on totals of 17 or higher and draws on totals of 16 or lower), deal required hit cards for the dealer and count the value of each card as revealed. You now have the running count to determine the number of units to bet for the next round. It is not necessary to perform actual payoffs on wins/losses, as this exercise is strictly for determining bet size in accordance with running count. Deal subsequent rounds following the above steps until you run out of cards. At that point, stop and determine the running count right there.

Based on that number, you should be able to figure out the value of the burn card, which is the only card not included in the running count. If the running count is -1, then the burn card should be a +1 value card, bringing you to 0. Shuffle and repeat the above procedure. Drill Number Eight—Perform the same steps as in drill number seven, except deal hands to two players. After performing the exercise with two players a few times, add a third player and continue until you’re comfortable maintaining a running count and placing your bets with a full table of seven players. Note: In live play, you should avoid playing at full tables at all costs. This is strictly an exercise to strengthen your ability to scan cards on a table. Betting Strategy for a 6-Deck Game Dealt Face Up A wider bet range is necessary for the 6-deck game. (When applying a count system at full potential as outlined in Chapters 7 and 8, a recommended betting range of 1-12 units can provide good possibilities for profit.) Here, we’ll use a betting range of 1-6 units. If playing at a $5minimum-bet table, your lowest bet in a minus count is $5 (1 unit) and your highest bet in a plus count is $30 (6 units). Remember, use the value of the count at the end of a round to determine how much to bet on the next round. The numbers:

Be aware that applying this betting scheme throughout an entire 6-deck shoe is very aggressive. A player should not use such an aggressive betting scheme unless well capitalized. It’s highly recommended that you read on and learn either the 1-level unbalanced count presented later in this chapter or the true-count conversion from Chapter 7.

Using these numbers, perform the drills number nine and ten, which are the same as drills seven and eight above, except for the betting units. If someone can deal to you, it’s easier to perform these drills. Once you’ve mastered these skills, you can use them as learned up to this point, while playing at a very small advantage (based on computer simulations for 2-deck and 6-deck games using Karel Janecek’s Statistical Blackjack Analyzer, or SBA. However, it’s not recommended that you use this system without completing the next two chapters, where true counts and play variations are discussed. These factors are necessary to gain full benefit from a balanced count system. If, upon completing the next chapter, you find it difficult to perform the true-count conversions, consider learning a 1level unbalanced count.

1-Level Unbalanced Count Outlined in this section are the point values for a 1-level unbalanced count. One benefit of an unbalanced count is the gain of some power, without having to convert to a true count. This provides more ease in applying the system. The difference in an unbalanced count versus a balanced count is that you may start your count with a number, plus or minus, other than 0, and you will always end on a different number—thus, the unbalanced effect. The most popular unbalanced count is the K-O Count, detailed in the book Knock-Out Blackjack by Olaf Vancura and Ken Fuchs. You can use all the previous drills and betting schedules to learn K-O. However, instead of starting your count at 0, you use the equation 4 - (4 x number of decks) to derive the count’s starting point. In a 2-deck game, for example, your starting count is -4. In a 6-deck game, start at -20. In all cases, counting down the deck(s) results in an ending number of +4.

To move into a simple transition from the 1-level balanced count you just worked with, we apply the same point values (as shown above), except that 7s are also counted +1. In the same manner as with the balanced Hi-Lo, keep a running count as the cards are played.

Following is a recommended bet sequence for a 2-deck game using the K-O unbalanced count.

On the following page is a recommended bet sequence for a 6-deck game using the K-O unbalanced count. Note that the unbalanced counting technique results in raised bets being made while the count is still in negative territory. Have no fear, the count has been calibrated so that the

numbers accurately correlate to the recommended bet amounts.

Of course, there’s more to the count system than this. K-O comes with multiple levels of sophistication and incorporates play variations that will enhance the count’s success. All are available in Knock-Out Blackjack.

7 True-Count Conversion Take a situation in a single-deck game where two 4s, four 5s, and two 6s are dealt in the first round. The running count is +8. This is a significant advantage for the player, justifying a large bet on the next round. However, if this occurs in the first round dealt from a 6-deck game, the advantage differs. Since there are 5½ more decks left in the shoe containing so many unseen cards, you don’t get as accurate an indication of the advantage as in a single-deck game. How do you obtain a more accurate indication of advantage with a balanced count in multi-deck games? You perform the true-count conversion. In order to do so, you first establish the running count. Then by glancing at the discard tray, you estimate how many decks have been played. You then subtract that number from the total number of decks used, which determines the number of decks remaining to be played. Finally, you divide the running count by the number of decks remaining to arrive at the true count. Think it takes forever to do all this? Well, the process can be confusing, but if you program your thinking properly, the calculation falls right into place every time. Note: Some count systems provide for using half-deck segments as a divisor for the true-count conversion, which is presented later on. Let’s use an example of conversion by full-deck segments, which is the simplest of the methods. Let’s also use the point values for the Hi-Lo Balanced Count as outlined in Chapter 6.

Converting to True Count Using Full-Deck Segments Example—In a 6-deck game, you have a running count of +6. Glancing at the discard tray, you note 4 decks already played. Since the entire shoe began with 6 decks, you note that there are 2 decks

remaining to be played. Dividing the running count (+6) by the number of decks remaining (2), you arrive at a true count of +3. Note: When you perform a true-count conversion and arrive at a fraction, for the sake of being on the conservative side, round the count down to the nearest whole number.

Conversion Chart for 6-Deck Game

Drill Number One Get a few dozen decks of used casino cards. It’s important to get the same cards used in the casinos, so the deck thickness is exact. You can make up flash cards to drill yourself for each number of decks used. Flash Card Samples for 6-Deck Game Deck Dealt—1

Decks Dealt—3

Decks Dealt—2

Decks Remaining—5

Decks Remaining—3

Decks Remaining—4

Divisor—5

Divisor—3

Divisor—4

Take 15 decks. Place a rubber band around 1 deck, with a slip of paper that says “1 deck.” Do the same with 2, 3, 4, and 5 decks. Practice looking at the piles to determine sizes. Position the piles on the table at the same distance and angle from you that they’d be in a casino. Do this until you’re confident that you have mastered the technique of eyeballing the discard tray. Drill Number Two Take 6 more decks and shuffle them together. Start counting down the decks for a running count and stop at random.

Quickly look at the discards and state out loud how many decks are there, then how many decks remain to be dealt. To check yourself for accuracy, hold the discard pile against a pile used in drill number one. Repeat this step several times: Stop at random, determine the number of decks remaining, then start over. Next, repeat the above exercise, but after determining the number of decks remaining, calculate the true count. Your thought flow should be running count = __, number of decks played = __, decks remaining = __, and when you divide the running count of__ by __ decks remaining, the true count = __. Keep doing this until you’re comfortable. Finally, repeat the above, but instead of starting over, continue counting down the deck, maintaining the running count. Stop again at random, using the new running count and the number of decks played/remaining to determine the new true count. Perform two or three true-count conversions during the countdown of decks. It’s important to retain the running count number through the whole countdown, so you can continue where you left off to do the true-count calculations. Drill Number Three Using the conversion numbers for a 6-deck game (see here), based on the information in the two columns provided in this drill, calculate the true count, writing it in the third column next to each item. Answers to drill number three can be found below. Example: The running count is +12, and the number of decks played is 3. With 3 decks played, 3 decks remain, giving a divisor of 3. Dividing 12 by 3, the true count is +4.

Thinking Sequence for Establishing True Count • Establish and retain running count. • Look at discard tray and determine # of decks dealt. • Determine # of decks remaining, which establishes your divisor number. • Divide running count by divisor to establish true count.

True Count Betting Strategy for a 2-Deck Game

True Count Betting Strategy for a 6-Deck Game

Answers to Drill Number Three

8 Learning Play Variations Another benefit of card counting is using the knowledge of the cards remaining in the deck(s) to determine how to play your hand. While traditional basic strategy is the most advantageous method of play for the non-counting player, there are times when the count will dictate a deviation from the basic strategy play.

Plus Counts The first and most crucial deviation from basic strategy is insurance. Although the basic strategy player will never exercise the insurance option, there are times (in a plus count) when taking insurance is the more advantageous play. With a high plus count, there are probably more tens than normal remaining in the deck(s), increasing the dealer’s chance of receiving a natural. A common variation in plus counts is that of standing on stiff hands, such as 16 vs. ten or 15 vs. ten. In plus counts, the player has identified that more tens remain to be dealt. Therefore, if you hit a stiff hand of 15 vs. ten, you would be more likely to draw a ten as the hit card, and bust. Here a counting player might deviate from basic strategy and stand. In plus counts, a player would double down and split pairs more aggressively. Two such variations are to double down on a hand of 9 vs. 7, and split a pair of tens vs. dealer’s 5 or 6. Yes, you read that correctly. At certain points in a plus count, the advantageous play is to split tens and elicit selective comments from the other people at the table. The reason for these plays is that you have identified more tens remaining in the deck(s), which may cause the dealer to bust. For this reason, it’s beneficial to get more money out on the table by using the double down and pair split options more aggressively. In minus counts, a player is more likely to hit stiff hands such as 12 vs. 4,

or 13 vs. 2. In this instance, the counting player has identified that more low-value cards remain in the deck(s). Taking a hit instead of making the basic strategy play of standing, the player would have a better opportunity to improve the stiff hand and create a pat hand.

Minus Counts Here, a player is less likely to double down. In extreme minus counts, the counting player will deviate from the basic strategy play of the double down on 11 vs. ten, taking instead a hit card or cards. In this case, the indication from the count is that more low-value cards remain in the deck(s). By limiting oneself to drawing only one additional card on the double-down option, there’s an increased chance that this one card will be low in value, so it’s preferable to pass on the double-down option and take as many hit cards as necessary. Since different forms of counting methods are outlined in this book, the play variations differ for each and you will have to learn them from the sources that have been recommended here. If you’re satisfied using a simple running count with the point values of the Hi-Lo count system outlined in Chapter 6, you may use the method presented as a running-count-only system, without play variations. This calls for playing a strict basic strategy and varying your bets according to the running count. All count systems, however, will be more powerful if the proper play variations are learned and applied. To demonstrate, play variations for the Hi-Lo are provided here (remember, variations are different for different counts; do not use these variations with a count other than the Hi-Lo).

Play Variations for Hi-Lo 1-Level Balanced Count w/True-Count Conversion Multi-Deck

These play variations for the Hi-Lo Count, known as the “Illustrious 18,” are recommended by Don Schlesinger as outlined in his book Blackjack Attack: Playing the Pros’ Way.

Instructions—Make several copies of the following drill sheets and perform each drill, writing in the count at which a play variation should occur and what it should be. Perform the drills until you are able to complete each one accurately, giving the responses without hesitation. Then move on to the next drill. Answers to the drills for play variations can be found after Drill Number Five.

Sequence to Learn Play Variations • Start with the insurance variation.

• Learn the hit/stand variations. • Learn hard-doubling decisions. • Learn pair-splitting decisions. • The quiz sheets in this chapter should be taken in order. They are presented in a specific order, to simplify the learning process. • Use the Flash Card sample shown below to make cards for each of the play variations. • Deal yourself hands with both a hole card and an upcard for the dealer, keep the running count, convert to the true count, and make any play variations that the count may dictate. It’s not necessary to place bets for this drill, as we’re not working with betting strategies here. • Mix up numbers 5, 6, and 7.

Note: As insurance is only one number, it’s not included in the drills below. However, it’s essential that you know it well prior to moving on. Drill Number One—Hit/Stand Variations

Drill Number Two—Hard-Doubling Variations

Drill Number Three—Splitting Variations

Drill Number Four—All Variations

Drill Number Five—To Vary or Not to Vary In this final drill, we have various hands to play, which may call for either a basic strategy decision or a variation. The count will be indicated; your task is to decide how to play.

Additional play variations may be added to most count systems. Those outlined in this chapter are some of the most beneficial. Playing efficiency, based on the application of many play variations, is most effective in single-deck play.

Answers to Drill Number One

Answers to Drill Number Two

Answers to Drill Number Three

Answers to Drill Number Four

Answers to Drill Number Five

9 Advanced Counts If you’ve learned the systems outlined in the previous chapters and want to attempt a more challenging method, one or more of the following systems might appeal to you. While the systems presented in this chapter provide more power, please keep in mind that they’re more complex and if not applied with total accuracy can lead to costly errors. I remind you once again to keep your ego in check and only use a system that you can play with total accuracy. The learning sequences of the PLS outlined in the previous chapters can be applied to the systems presented here.

Zen Count This 2-level balanced count is presented in Arnold Snyder’s first edition of Blackbelt in Blackjack.

Bet Sequence for 2-Deck Game

Bet Sequence for 6-Deck Game

Unbalanced Zen II Count The legendary George C. took the Zen Count, converted it into an unbalanced count, and presented it in his fine book, The Unbalanced Zen II (from which the following information comes). The outlined bet schemes and play variations may differ somewhat from what George presents, but they will enable you to play at an advantage. For the complete system as is was written and revised, it’s recommended that you refer to The Unbalanced Zen II. Start the running count at -4 per deck.

Bet Sequence for 2-Deck Game

Bet Sequence for 6-Deck Game

Play variations for the Zen Count and Unbalanced Zen II Count are available in the CV Blueprint companion software.

Expert-Level Counts There are 3-level and even 4-level balanced-count systems available. Some of these more complex systems may also require either a side count of aces or a true-count conversion using half-decks or both. The following is a

learning sequence to help master these tasks.

Converting to True Count Using Half-Deck Segments In a 6-deck game, let’s use a running count of +6. Glancing at the discard tray, you note 3 decks already played. (You can also attempt to “calibrate” the discard tray by half-decks if you’re confident in your ability to do so.) Since the entire shoe began with 6 decks, you note there are 3 decks remaining to be played. If you double that number, you have 6 half-decks remaining to be played. Dividing the running count (+6) by the number of half-decks remaining (6), you arrive at a true count of +1. The first two drills apply to learning the true-count conversion in a 2deck game. More decks are added as we progress. Before each set of drills is a divisor chart for the respective number of decks for the game. You can also make up flash cards, as shown in the sample below, which may be used to drill yourself for each number of decks used.

Note: When you perform a true-count conversion and arrive at a fraction, for the sake of being on the conservative side, round the count down to the nearest whole number.

Conversion for 2-Deck Game

Drill Number One Get a few dozen decks of used casino cards. As always, get the same cards used in the casinos, so the deck thickness is exact. Take three decks, count off 26 cards, and place a rubber band around them, with a slip of paper that says “½ deck.” Count off 52 cards and mark the pile “1 deck.” Mark the remaining cards “1½ decks.” Practice looking at the piles to determine sizes. Do this until you’re confident that you have it down. Drill Number Two Take two more decks and shuffle them together. Start counting down the decks for a running count and stop at random. Quickly look at the discards and state out loud how many half-decks are in the discards, then how many half-decks remain to be dealt. To check yourself for accuracy, hold the discard pile against a pile used in drill number one. Repeat this step several times, stop at random, determine the number of half-decks remaining, and then start over. Repeat the above exercise, but after determining the number of halfdecks remaining, calculate the true count. Your thought flow should be running count = __, number of half-decks played = __, number of half-decks remaining = __, and when you divide the running count of__ by __ halfdecks remaining, the true count = __. Repeat this until you’re comfortable. Finally, repeat the above, but instead of starting over, continue counting down the deck, maintaining the running count. Stop again at random, using the new running count and the number of decks played/remaining to determine the new true count. Perform two or three true-count conversions during the countdown of decks. It’s important to retain the running count number through the whole countdown, so you can continue where you left off to do the true-count calculations. Now let’s increase to 4 decks.

Conversion for 4-Deck Game

Drill Number Three Take the 2 decks you were just counting with and place a rubber band around them, marking on a slip of paper “2 decks.” Then take 9 decks, count off 2½ decks, 3 decks, and 3½ decks, marking the piles accordingly. Practice looking at the piles to determine sizes. Do this until you are confident that you have it down. Drill Number Four Take four more decks and shuffle them together. Start counting down the decks for a running count and stop at random. Quickly look at the discards and state out loud how many half-decks are in the discards, then how many half-decks remain to be dealt, and calculate the true count. In order to check for accuracy, hold the discard pile against a pile used in drill number three. Repeat this step several times: Stop at random, determine the number of half-decks remaining, then start over. Repeat the above, but instead of starting over, continue with the running count, stop again at random to determine the new running count, half-decks played/remaining and new true count. Do this “stop and go” two to four times throughout the decks. In this step, you’re performing a different sizing of true-count conversions each time throughout the countdown of the decks. It’s important to retain the running-count number through the whole countdown, so you can continue where you left off to do the true-count calculations. You can perform the above drills for 6-deck and 8-deck games, referring to the charts on the following page for initial guidance.

Conversion for 6-Deck Game

Conversion for 8-Deck Game

Drill Number Five Using the conversion numbers for a 6-deck game, based on the information in the two columns provided in this drill, calculate the true count and write it in the third column next to each item. Answers to drills number 5, 6, and 7 can be found at the end of this chapter. Example—The running count is 15 and 3½ decks have been played. For 3½ decks played, 2½ decks remain, giving a divisor of 5 (representing five half-decks). Dividing 15 by 5, the true count is 3.

Drill Number Six Now let’s try the exercise with a 4-deck game:

Drill Number Seven And finally, we work our way back to the 2-deck game:

Side Count of Aces Some card-counting systems assign a zero value for the ace and require that the player keep a separate side count of played/unplayed aces in the deck(s). Knowing how many aces are left in the deck(s) is extremely valuable for betting purposes, though for playing purposes, the ace has little use. For this reason, some of the higher-level systems include this feature. In order to provide a flavor for this task, I outline the procedures to practice the art of maintaining an ace side count. Please be forewarned that this is an extremely complex task. Most players do not attempt this, as it can lead to numerous errors, thus wiping out much of one’s advantage. Determining Normal Number of Aces Played Since there are 4 aces per deck, the first step is to master the skill of determining whether the number of aces remaining to be dealt is above or below normal. An example: In a 6-deck game, 3 decks have been dealt and you’ve counted 12 aces also dealt. The “ace factor” in this case would be “normal.” Therefore, an ace adjustment to the running count would not be necessary. However, if in the same game, after 3 decks dealt only 2 aces have been seen, obviously the remaining decks in play have a high concentration of aces. Since the normal number of aces for 3 decks is 12, if only 2 have

appeared, you have 10 aces above normal in the remaining decks. Adjusting the Running Count with the Ace Factor Let’s say the point value you assign for the purpose of side counting of aces is 1. Your running count, without factoring in the aces, is, say, +6. This represents your unadjusted running count. The next step is to add the ace count to this unadjusted running count to determine the adjusted running count. Taking this example, with 10 extra aces, the adjusted running count is +16. Converting to True Count The adjusted running count is then converted to true count for betting purposes only. After making this conversion and placing the bet, the player reverts to the unadjusted running count, which is next converted to true count for playing purposes. The Sequence Establish running count (unadjusted) and retain this number. Determine the ace factor by keeping a separate count of aces and noting if the content of the remaining cards is above or below normal in aces.

Thinking Sequence for Establishing True Count • Establish and retain Running Count. • Look at discard tray and determine # of half-decks dealt. • Determine # of half-decks remaining. • Establish divisor number. • Divide Running Count by divisor and establish True Count.

Add the ace factor to the unadjusted running count to determine the adjusted running count. Convert the adjusted running count to true count and determine your bet size. Revert back to the unadjusted running count and convert that number to true count to determine playing strategy. Confused yet? This method is not essential to playing with an

advantage. It should be utilized only by those who can realistically perform the quick and accurate calculations necessary to accomplish the tasks. Methods for Keeping a Side Count Players have their own methods and tricks for maintaining side counts. When I used to side count aces, I kept a wad of chewing gum in my mouth and moved the gum to different parts of my mouth to mark the number of aces. Some people use the chips in front of them (this can be somewhat obvious), while others position their feet in a certain manner to determine the number. If you do try keeping a side count, be creative, but don’t be obvious. Answers to Drill Number Five

Answers to Drill Number Six

Answers to Drill Number Seven

10 Putting It All Together In the previous chapters, we learned how to vary our bets in accordance with the running count and true count and how to vary our play of hands, based on these counts. We can now incorporate a final review, dealing hands and combining the betting/playing strategies, while maintaining the running and true counts. At this time you should possess the ability to: • Make basic strategy plays without hesitation, and count down a deck of cards in 25 seconds or less. • Maintain a running count, while hands are being dealt. • Convert the running count to true count after each round, or use the unbalanced count system. • Place appropriate bets in accordance with the count. • Make proper play variations to basic strategy, based on the count. For a final review of all the acquired skills, deal yourself hands as if there’s a full table of seven players. While playing your one hand, vary your bets and play of hands in accordance with the count. Once you feel that you have a grasp of the skills necessary, you’re ready to make your initial trip for live casino play. It’s essential that you do not rush into this until you’re performing your drills flawlessly. Thanks to modern technology, nowadays computer software programs are readily available for practice. In addition to the CV Blueprint companion software, one such program is Casino Vérité, which is referenced in Chapter 37. I recommend that you put in an hour of practice daily to ensure that you’re on track. “So,” you ask, “how long will it take before I can hit the tables?”

There’s no standard answer to this question. The amount of time devoted to practice and training is an individual preference. The following suggestions for practice and training schedules take into account all of the training tools referenced in the previous chapters. I haven’t included any benchmarks for time frames. Rather, I recommend using the drills available in CV Blueprint or Casino Vérité as a skills-check to determine your readiness to progress to the next level. Weekday Training After Work or School Devote one hour each weekday for training and practice. or Train every other day (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) for one-two hours. or Alternate the above two training schedules, going five days for week one, then three days for week two. Weekend Training This should not be treated as a crash-course training method. If, from your personal experience, you have the patience for intense training in a somewhat condensed manner, then you may wish to consider weekend training. On both Saturday and Sunday, train for two hours in the morning, then two hours in the afternoon. Full-Day Training This somewhat resembles a crash-course training style and I don’t recommend it for most. First, it’s unrealistic to think that you can spend 6-8 hours learning the material and be completely ready to take on the casinos. So, if you’re looking for a crash-course, this isn’t it. Second, from my experience in training people (in many different fields), I find that the average person can absorb only so much information in a single sitting. Full-day training may be effective as a “final test,” after you’ve become fluent in all the necessary skills acquired from part-time training. However,

if you don’t take my word for it, or happen to be that exceptional person, here’s a compromise: One day per week, train for separate two-hour sessions each in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Mix It Up, Get Creative and Have Some Fun In most cases, no one knows the best way for you to learn except you. You have your own style, which you probably developed in your academic studies and carried onward. As such, you can combine the above training methods in any way that works for you. There are no rules and there should be no hurry to hit the casinos until you’re ready. Trust me, the casinos will still be there. Take your time, get creative, and make your training an enjoyable experience.

11 First Casino-Play Experience You’ve spent the time necessary to learn a valid card-counting system and you’re ready to put in your first live-casino play. It’s important that you view this trip in the proper perspective: strictly for practice at the lowest stakes available. Ideally, if you plan on playing in Nevada, you want to look for $3-minimum tables. Playing in Atlantic City you may find a $5minimum table. The steps in preparation are performed at home.

Developing a Game Plan How many days will you have available to play? How many hours should you play daily? Regardless of your responses, you should ensure that you plan activities other than playing blackjack. Most important are eating and sleeping. To maintain your sanity, it’s necessary to take regular breaks from play and relax by a pool, work out at a health spa, take a drive, or play some golf. Just do something to give your brain a rest in between blackjack sessions. The best approach is to draw up an itinerary planning your day. A sample itinerary:

Day One 8:00 a.m.

—

Session #1

9:00 a.m.

—

Breakfast

10:30 a.m.

—

Session #2

12 noon

—

Relax by pool and have lunch

2:00 p.m.

—

Session #3

3:30 p.m.

—

Sauna, massage, workout, or other exercise

6:00 p.m.

—

Dinner

8:00 p.m.

—

Session #4

10:00 p.m.

—

See a show or other entertainment

11:30 p.m.

—

Sleep

This may seem a bit structured, but it helps to get into the habit of

planning your trips to develop the sense of discipline necessary to play a successful game. How Much Should I Bet? How Much Money Should I Bring? Find the lowest-limit table available. If you can find a $1-minimum table, that would be ideal. Playing in a 6-deck game, follow the betting range as outlined in your specific count system. As an example, let’s assume your system suggests a 1-12 bet range, hence a minimum bet of $1 to a maximum bet of $12. We want to have a bankroll consisting of 100 maximum bets. The reason for this is based on a formula devised from several variables within the count system. In many count systems, a bankroll of 100 maximum bets is required to play within a 5% risk of ruin. This means that based on your bankroll, betting sequence, and overall structure of the count system, you have a 19 out of 20 chance of doubling the bankroll and a 1 in 20 chance of losing your entire bankroll if you keep playing until one or the other occurs. This is a general guideline, as other factors may warrant a different approach. Therefore, with a maximum bet of $12, our bankroll should be $1,200. How Long Should Each Playing Session Be? After planning an itinerary, betting schedule, and bankroll, establish your length of play during a given session. With a $1,200 bankroll and playing 10 sessions in 2-3 days, you can divide the bankroll by the number of sessions to determine your session bankroll ($120). In this initial stage, your session length should be as long as it takes for one of these three determining factors to occur: You double your session bankroll. You lose half of your session bankroll. A time of 1 hour elapses. How Do I Keep Track of My Playing Sessions? Bring along a notebook or even a laptop computer. The following is a sample of a Session Report:

In the provision for penetration, we want to note how many decks out of the multi-deck game are dealt prior to shuffling. As the more cards a card counter sees, the greater the advantage, a record of observed penetration levels by dealers/shifts/casinos is important information. Pre-Game Scouting Look for casinos with low-minimum tables. Look for a slow dealer (at this early stage). Look for dealers providing a good penetration level. At the completion of the dealer’s shuffle routine, the player cuts the deck(s). The dealer then places a second cut card somewhere within the deck(s). You’re looking for this cut card to be no more than 1½ decks from the bottom, giving at least a 75% penetration level for the 6-deck game. Look for a table with an empty seat at third base. There are two reasons for this. First, when counting, you don’t have to turn your head in all different directions, with your eyes wandering. You can also accomplish this from first base, but in your initial outing, you’d be better sitting at third base for the second reason: You have more time to absorb the count before making your playing decision. Sitting at first base, you play your hand immediately after each player’s initial two cards are dealt. Eventually, you’ll develop the ability to accomplish this, but in the initial stages, it’s best to create the most comfortable conditions possible. Note: Pit and surveillance are aware that card counters prefer third base.

However, in this learning stage, playing small stakes you shouldn’t have a problem. Be aware that other players at the table may criticize your play more when you sit at third base. If you’re sensitive to criticism, you may want to consider sitting at first base.

Ready to Play? You’ve mastered basic strategy and a card-counting system for the game you plan on playing. You’ve developed a game plan and an itinerary. You’ve done some pre-game scouting of casinos. Okay, time for the opening kickoff! Things to Do and Not Do While Playing Since this first trip is meant to be a practice session, the things to focus on are maintaining the count, making the proper bets, and making the proper plays. There are other outside factors and fine points of playing, which we need not focus on at this point. The topics of heat, casino countermeasures, and camouflage, covered in detail in Chapter 14, shouldn’t be an issue at this level of play. However, in the rare event that you’re told by a casino employee that you’re not permitted to play 21 anymore at that property, simply take your chips, cash in, and leave immediately without further incident. Without any argument, simply respond, “Yes sir” or “Yes ma’am.” Once you start playing, develop your own style and rhythm in maintaining the count, placing your bets, and stacking your chips in front of you. You want to play in a mechanical yet relaxed manner. You want to converse occasionally with other players, the dealer, or the pit staff, while at the same time maintaining an accurate count. This tactic is a form of deflection. You eventually want to create several deflections throughout the game. In order to create a most effective deflection and at the same time be alert to other events around the table, you have to pick your spots. Routinely determine the best times to divert your attention briefly from the cards and throw out a comment or two. They should be of a nature that will, with luck, lead to a quick one-line response, rather than a life story. The best time to carry on any sort of lengthy conversation is during the

shuffle process. A good method to develop, especially when you’re sitting at third base, is to ask someone a quick one-line question just after the dealer finishes playing a hand. At this point, you’ve counted every card and know the running count. The dealer must settle all bets, collect all cards and place them in the discard tray, then deal one card to each player and him/herself, before you need to pay attention again. If you can work this into a routine and time all your brief one-liners for this period, you’ll be in the beginning stages of developing the rhythm for creating an effective deflection. When interacting with other players at the table, dealers, or pit staff, be certain never to criticize the plays someone else makes. Actually, you should try to discipline yourself not even to register the plays other players make. This is an easy task, since all you want to do is look at the value of all the cards and determine the count. If another player or the dealer criticizes your play, just shrug your shoulders and say you had a hunch. Post-Game Evaluation After each session, immediately complete your session report with as many details as you can get in. If you write down dealers who deal with good or bad penetration, this can come in handy on later trips, as you’ll have advance knowledge to play with or avoid certain dealers. Do a self-evaluation, most importantly of your comfort level at the tables. It’s important that you don’t tense up while playing, as such emotions divert your focus. If you find yourself tensing up at the tables, figure out some methods to ease such tension prior to playing. Perhaps some exercise might work or you might cut down on your caffeine. This is something you can determine for yourself. As a rule, you shouldn’t drink alcoholic beverages at the table while counting. However, in your final session of the day, it’s relatively safe to order a drink just as you are winding down that session. Once the drink arrives, prepare for your exit from the table. Another point in your self-evaluation is to determine that you’re following your game plan, noting any deviations made and why. One of the toughest calls to make is whether you’re playing accurately or making errors. This is easy when you’re playing with someone else who

uses your count system and who can observe your play. But short of that luxury, if you feel as though you’re not playing accurately, try to isolate what could be the weak link. Make a note to practice and strengthen it. After completing your evaluation and review for each individual session, do the same for the overall trip. All these steps are helpful in mapping out your game plan for your next trip. With your first trip and overall self-evaluation under your belt, make the necessary adjustments and begin to prepare your game plan for the next trip. This second trip should also be considered as strictly practice and played at the same low stakes available. At the conclusion of your second trip, you should be even more confident in your play, and after some additional hours at the tables, you’ll be ready to move on to the next stage.

The Green Zone

12 Money Management The next stage comes after you have logged several hours of low-stakes play and are comfortable playing in a live casino environment. At this point, you may be ready to increase your playing stakes. However, there are several things you should consider first. Can you afford to put the required bankroll at risk, without jeopardizing your normal living expenses? This requires serious consideration. On this point, I must make a strong suggestion (which basically means you’d better do this!) and tell you to perform a thorough review of your current finances and determine how much money you can put aside without having any need for it in the near future. Funds for a down payment on a house, college tuition for your children, etc. should not be touched. Money of this type should be in separate accounts for the intended purposes. After reviewing your finances, you may find that you don’t have the proper funds readily available for a sufficient bankroll. If this is the case, my recommendation is to stick to low stakes. Perhaps at a later date, you may have the necessary funds for the next level of play. Do not attempt to play higher-stakes blackjack with an insufficient bankroll. Once you’ve determined you have adequate funds, take those funds and open a separate bank account or investment account. This will be your personal “21” account. After each trip, deposit your winnings (you hope) into this account. On the other hand, if this account goes to zero balance, you should consider taking a break from playing. (This is also a good idea, even if you determine that you can only afford playing low stakes, as this bank account has the potential to grow into a sufficient amount for higher stakes in time.) How do you determine what is sufficient funding for a bankroll?

Our realistic goal is to play in a manner that will maximize our potential to win money, while at the same time minimize our risk. Most count systems outline a bankroll requirement and betting scheme that, when followed, give the player a better than average chance to achieve this goal. Betting and playing in accordance with the methods outlined in the count system and based on your bankroll (as determined by the count system), you may have a 19 out of 20 chance (95%) of doubling your bankroll in the long run, with a 1 out of 20 chance (5%) of losing your entire bankroll in the long run. Note: The “long run” is a term used rather loosely in gambling, as it’s difficult to determine accurately the number of hands or hours one needs to play to get into the long run. An easy way to view the long run is to understand that as you increase the number of hours of accurate play in accordance with the 5% risk of ruin, your chances of succeeding increase. Some count systems have rather complex formulas that determine the optimal bet range for a given bankroll. Most systems simply indicate that after you determine your desired bet range, take your maximum bet and multiply it by 100. This total should be your bankroll. You can also reverse the process and take the funds you have available for a bankroll and divide that figure by 100 to determine your maximum bet. Based on that number, you would further develop the optimal betting scheme. All this ensures that you’re playing close to the 5% risk of ruin. What happens if you should lose half your bankroll? If you lose half your bankroll, I recommend that you stop to evaluate a few things: Are you keeping the count and playing accurately? Are you betting in accordance with your outlined range? Are you selecting games with playable conditions? Are you being cheated? (See Chapter 16 on cheating.) After determining that you’re playing accurately, selecting playable games, and being dealt an honest game, you’ll come to the realization that you’ve hit one of those fluctuations that exist in the game, putting you at

this loss. When this occurs, you should stop playing, reevaluate your available bankroll, and revise your betting range accordingly to continue playing within the 5% risk of ruin. The following is a brief illustration: Starting Bank = $10,000 Betting Range = $10–$100 After X hours of play, you’ve lost $5,000. Stop. Reevaluate the bank. New Starting Bank = $5,000 New Betting Range = $5–$50 How do you determine the amount of money to allocate for each playing session? You can use the same formula outlined in the previous chapter to determine the amount of money for each session. However, it’s a good idea to add an additional factor here: Keep two additional maximum bets for each session. The purpose of this is to provide a cushion in case you have a situation calling for a split or double down where you’ll need additional cash. Take note that this additional cash should be considered reserve, only for this purpose. The above illustrates a most simple form of money management. For more precision in establishing methods of money management, there are some excellent tools on the market. One product I use and recommend is Blackjack Risk Manager 2002, which was developed by John Auston. This software is easy to use and useful to the serious player. Also recommended is Don Schlesinger’s book, Blackjack Attack: Playing the Pros’ Way, which explains bankroll issues in a clear and detailed manner.

13 Interaction with Casino Personnel While playing, you interact with casino personnel. This chapter gives you a basic idea of the “who’s who” in the business. Most casino employees work a basic eight-hour shift. Since most casinos are open 24 hours, there are three shifts. Day shift is noon–8 p.m., swing shift is 8 p.m.–4 a.m., and graveyard shift is 4 a.m.–noon. Note: These times vary from casino to casino. Here’s the basic chain of command within the casino staff: Dealers Obviously, you’ll have the most interaction with these folks. Most have completed a course or training program, provided by a school specializing in instruction of dealing casino games or an in-house casino training program. Dealers are usually trained in more than one casino game. It’s not uncommon to see the same dealer who dealt you a blackjack game one day working the roulette wheel the next day. During the dealer’s shift and depending on the casino’s procedures and policies, the dealers may rotate the tables where they deal, as well as take specified breaks after dealing for a certain period of time. Relief dealers fill in at the tables while the regular dealer is on break. It’s common to see a dealer working your table for up to one hour, then taking a 20-minute break. There are several reasons for this. One of the most important is that dealing, standing on one’s feet and performing the duties involved in the job, is tedious and mentally tiring. Considering the accuracy required for all the payoffs of winning wagers, along with the totaling of the numerous hands dealt, it’s wise to give dealers regular breaks to minimize the chance of their making errors. Some casinos also fear that if a dealer stays too long at the same table, he or she

may get too friendly with some of the players. Since most casinos encourage dealers to practice good customer relations and be friendly at all times, some are concerned that a dealer may get too friendly with a player, and be tempted to provide “help” for a player. Such “help” is not only against casino rules, but a crime punishable by a prison term (more in Chapter 16). Dealers are just regular folks trying to make a living, as in any other job. Some are there just for the paycheck, while others aspire to work their way up the ranks. One thing to realize is that dealers have a sometimes difficult chore, as they’re the front line interacting with the public. Dealers have to put up with players who lose, then blame them. They deal with boors and drunks. The best approach in interacting with dealers is to be friendly and courteous. Say “please” and “thank you,” make eye contact, and smile. When you’re losing, don’t blame them. You’ll find that interacting with dealers is similar to interacting with front-line employees in many other businesses. Bank tellers or restaurant servers are good examples. Some are friendly and talkative, while others are quiet and seem as if they just want to finish their shift, get their paycheck and go home. It’s best to treat them all with courtesy. If a dealer makes an error (in favor of the casino), the way you point it out can have an effect on your future relationship with this dealer. Many players are blunt, abrupt, and harsh in pointing out a dealer’s mistake. A recommended approach is to smile and say, “Excuse me, but would you mind taking a second look at [whatever the situation may be]. I may be missing something, but it looks like [say whatever may be incorrect]. I’d appreciate it.” Say, “Thank you” if you’re correct or “I’m sorry; thanks for checking” if you’re wrong. This may sound like a lesson in etiquette, but it helps to maintain this attitude. If a dealer should make an error in your favor, use your own judgment. Remember that being nice can pay off! Floorpersons Next up the ladder, floorpersons are assigned to oversee a few tables within the pit. They’re responsible for watching the dealers at those tables, ensuring that house procedures are followed. The floorperson, in all

probability, has previously worked as a dealer and was promoted to this position. They often interact with players at the tables. When you first enter a game, it’s common for a floorperson to approach you and ask whether you have a player’s VIP card or if you’d like to be rated (meaning have the pit record your play to qualify for casino comps). When this occurs, ideally, you should already have a player’s card. If you don’t, it’s a good idea to sign up for one. When you get rated, you become eligible for comps, most commonly meals; this helps cut down on expenses. Also, it looks suspicious if you’re playing decent money and refuse to get rated. An informed floorperson knows that card counters like to avoid contact with the pit staff, and refusing to be rated is typical of a card counter’s actions. And there are methods you can use to get rated without using your true name. If you take this approach, in the unfortunate event you get backed-off from the game (more on this in Chapter 14), they don’t have much information on you. Other functions of a floorperson are: Write out markers for credit players; fill out rating slips for rated players; check the chip trays on the tables to keep track of how much the table may be winning or losing; arrange for “fills” to the chip trays; perform lots of paperwork accompanying all the above; and watch for any dealer and/or player cheating or stealing. The floorperson may come over to chat with you periodically. When this occurs, you should make every effort to look that person straight in the eye, smile, and carry on the conversation. Ask some questions; say something about yourself (whatever you want to make up); talk about sports, shows, and restaurants. These are the usual things discussed by regular players, which is what you’re trying to appear to be. While this is happening, you can still maintain the count. If, like many others, you find it difficult to talk and maintain the count at the same time, just flat bet and play basic strategy until the floorperson leaves. If he doesn’t leave, ask for a meal comp. That way the person has to step away to fill out a comp form for you! The floorperson usually has limited authority in issuing comps. In most casinos, the floorperson can issue a buffet or coffee shop comp without requiring a higher level of approval.

In many casinos, if a floorperson suspects a player of being a card counter, this suspicion will first be reported to the pit boss. Pit Bosses Pit bosses are responsible for all activities related to the tables within their assigned pit. They keep records of all fills, markers, and drops (cash going into the drop boxes); authorize any comps for rooms, gourmet meals, or shows; schedule breaks for floorpersons; complete endless paperwork; and have some interaction with players. In some of the larger casinos, the pit bosses’ performance evaluation may include the ability to cultivate new business for the casino. When a high roller is playing, pit bosses usually make a point of introducing themselves, handing over their business card and saying, “Let me know if you need anything.” How the high roller reacts after that determines whether the pit boss will hang around to chat or step away. This is based on the marketing strategies taught to the casino pit staff. Generally, high rollers come in two basic types. Some want to feel important and be catered to. They want to impress everyone around that they’re high rollers. They want the pit boss to pay attention to them. Others don’t have such ego demands, are more subdued and low-key, and might even appear to be shy. In this case, the pit boss desires to demonstrate that he’s part of a classy operation that caters to plenty of high rollers and doesn’t need to dote on the players. Bosses will leave this high roller alone, checking up only when called upon. If a floorperson reports that a player might be a card counter, the pit boss either observes the player personally or notifies surveillance to observe the player, or both. Shift Manager All pit bosses on a shift report to the shift manager. Requests for higherlevel comps, such as airfare reimbursements or full room, food, and beverage (“RFB”) comps require, in many cases, the shift manager’s approval. Shift managers normally don’t have a great deal of interaction with the players. They do pay attention to high rollers who bet at or above a specific level.

Casino Manager The shift managers for all three shifts report directly to the casino manager, who runs the entire gaming operation. The casino manager normally interacts with only the highest of high rollers playing in the casino. In this case, the casino manager ensures that the player is extended the highest level of comps the casino has to offer. Casino Hosts The above chain of command—dealers, floorpersons, and bosses—is representative of the gaming operations area. In the marketing area, you may have contact with hosts. While you’re playing, probably trying to keep track of the running count, a well-dressed man or woman with a huge smile may approach you, extend a hand, and say “Hi, my name is ____ and I’m a casino host here.” The host will give you a business card, ask you some questions about yourself, and just make some generally brief (you hope) small-talk. When this occurs, you can stop playing (if the count is negative), look the host straight in the eye, and talk. Ask questions about the casino, about a line of credit, about the restaurants. Keep talking until the shuffle (if you can). Since the host wants you to put money in action, if it becomes evident that you’re distracted, he’ll leave. If this visit occurs during a positive count, stand up to shake hands with the host and position yourself so you can easily shift your attention back and forth from the table to the host without too much head-turning. Take your time when trying to keep the count, play your hand, and talk to the host. It may appear to be a difficult task to juggle all this, but it can be accomplished with some practice. To learn more about the inner workings of casino marketing, I recommend reading Deke Castleman’s Whale Hunt in the Desert. Casino Surveillance Throughout the casino are many cameras and two-way mirrors from above the casino floor, manned by individuals monitoring the activities of all the customers, as well as monitoring casino personnel working the floor. This form of surveillance, known as the “eye in the sky,” is responsible for

detecting anyone stealing or cheating, any dealers deviating from proper procedures, and players counting cards or utilizing any advantage techniques. Some casinos hire former cheats, who know just about every trick in the book, to work in their surveillance departments. The surveillance staff watches a video monitor of any given table. They can monitor, film, and photograph any player(s) and tables(s) as instructed by any pit personnel for further review. Most casinos film every table. Films are normally reviewed only when deemed necessary. Cashier You’ll visit the cashier “cage” to exchange your chips for cash. Pay attention to ensure accuracy when the cashier is counting both your chips and cash. Cocktail Servers Drink runners visit the tables every so often, and you can order a cocktail, beer, wine, soda, coffee, or whatever your pleasure. Note: Avoid drinking bottled water, as the word in the pit and surveillance is that this is the preferred drink of card counters. Remember to tip!

Tipping Let’s discuss how and when to tip the dealer. Dealers make a portion of their income from tips, which are referred to in the casino industry as “tokes” (short for “token”). The pit staff commonly believes that card counters don’t tip. When winning, you may place an occasional modest toke for the dealer. This is done in three ways. You outright lay a chip on the table and tell the dealer it is a tip. Place a chip in front of your bet, indicating that win or lose, it’s a bet for the dealer on that hand. Though this method is most common, it’s far from best for two reasons. First, if you win the hand, the dealer is required by the house to take the winnings and deposit them into the toke box. He doesn’t have the option to “let it ride” and benefit if you have a hot streak. Second, if the hand turns out where you need to double down or split, you end up putting out more money for the dealer’s original bet, as well as your own. You’re not required to match the tip portion on a double down. Often you feel

obliged to, but it isn’t obligatory. On the other hand, it’s good to tip in this manner if a boss is watching and you want to demonstrate that you’re tipping. Here’s a good method for toking the dealer. Place a chip on top of your bet, then lean over and tell the dealer, “You’ve got something riding on this hand.” If you win the hand, give the dealer the one winning chip and leave the original chip for the next hand. You may even ask the dealer, “How about we let it ride?” In this method, you control the tip, rather than the dealer having to follow house procedures. Actually, you don’t need to say anything to the dealer when placing the chip on top. If you need to double or split, then win, you don’t have to feel obligated to give up more winning chips. Remember that our edge is small and overtipping can eat into profits. If you’re in a losing session, don’t tip at all. You’re not winning, therefore you have no money to tip and shouldn’t. Period. The majority of casinos require dealers to pool all the tips. Why? For reporting purposes, there’s consistency in the dollar amounts of tips evenly distributed amongst the dealers. Dealers are naturally hesitant to understate the amount of tips earned for tax purposes, knowing it’s on record what all dealers earned from the tip pool during any designated shift. In addition, a dealer working a $100-minimum table generally earns more tips than a dealer at a $5-minimum table. Pooling of tips creates a fair distribution based on hours worked. Finally, there’s less incentive for a dealer to be in cahoots with a generous tipper, since the dealer doesn’t get to keep all of the tokes personally. Some casinos still allow dealers to keep their own tips. If you are playing in such a casino, tipping can become a more strategic part of your game. Here are a few finer points on tipping. Wait for a positive count before placing a chip for the dealer. A lot of people, as a rule, tip the dealer when receiving a natural. Don’t do this too often, because you don’t want the dealer to get in the habit of expecting a tip every time you receive a natural. When playing 1-deck or 2-deck games where a cut card isn’t usually

used to indicate the shuffle point, a good time to place a chip for the dealer is deep in the deck(s) during a positive count, where the dealer may normally shuffle. Upon placing the chip, say to the dealer, “This is for you; I feel a blackjack coming out right now.” When a floorperson is watching the game, it may be beneficial to place a chip on top of yours, and if you win the hand, toss the winning chip to the dealer. If asked why you don’t place the bet on the side for the dealer, say, “If I did that, the dealers would never get any money from me with my luck here today.” When initially buying in, if you’re playing at a $25-minimum table, ask the dealer to break down one $25 chip into five $5 chips. This might lead the dealer to think that the $5 chips are for tipping. At a $5 table, break down a $5 chip into dollars. Sometimes, by creating this perception, you have a dealer on your side before you even place your first bet! When talking to a dealer, find out when the next scheduled break is. A good time to tip can be right before the break, especially if the relief dealer sees you placing a tip up. Dealers also are known to say “Thanks for the bets” upon leaving the table for break. This can be an indication to the relief dealer that you’re a tipper. Remember that your edge is small and overtipping can wipe it out. Time your tips accordingly and place those extra chips out there modestly.

14 Heat, Casino Countermeasures, and Camouflage In the previous chapter, we outlined the roles of the various members of the casino staff. Because casinos are in business to win money from players, they become concerned when a player begins winning from them regularly. Having a built-in house advantage, the casinos know that they’ll win in the long run. The bosses are aware that some players attempt to implement various methods to shift the odds in their own favor. When this occurs, they scrutinize the players carefully.

How Much is too Much? It’s important to know the type of casino in which you’re playing. In some places, betting green $25 chips sets off alarms in the pit; in others, bets of $100 don’t get as much as a blink. All casinos have a certain “choke point” based on an amount of a player win, which prompts intense scrutiny. You need to identify this dollar amount and incorporate the knowledge of it into your game plan. You don’t want to bet green chips in a club that doesn’t maintain a supply of black $100 chips in the chip trays! When playing in a club, be certain not to exceed what may be the acceptable stakes for that club. Your level of betting must fit in with the club you are playing. But that’s not all that needs to fit in. An Early Experience When I first started card counting, much of my initial practice was playing for small stakes in clubs with only six tables and a $200 maximum bet. They didn’t stock $100 black chips in the chip trays. Early one morning I entered one such casino, dressed in a silk jogging suit and a fanny pack, looking clean-cut. The door to the front entrance of this place hadn’t even closed behind me when the pit boss zeroed in on me. After a quick scan of

the other patrons, I knew that I looked out of place. His eyes followed me all the way to the table as I bought in for a whopping $200. As I took a firstbase seat, he proceeded to pull up a stool and sit over my right shoulder, watching my play. I played, carefully spreading my bets, even though he was sitting right there. After playing for almost 90 minutes, I suddenly yawned and stretched my arms. The boss then commented to me, “It’s tough work, huh?” I responded, “I’ve been playing all night.” “How long have you been studying the game?” he asked. “My brother taught me a little about how to play. He learned when he was in the service.” I then asked him a little about how long he’d worked in casinos. A short while later, an interesting thing happened. The dealer, when paying me on a winning bet, put an extra chip on top of the winnings. I paused before making any motions. Immediately, the boss called over to the dealer. When the dealer looked up, I pointed to the overpayment, then looked back at the boss. My unspoken message to him was that maybe I’m counting cards, but I’m not a thief. After that, he more or less left me alone. As I was leaving, he even asked me if I was hungry and wanted a comp to the coffee shop!

Who is this Person? When you first approach a table and make your initial buy-in, a floorperson will usually check you out. Therefore, the amount you buy in for should be in accordance with the type of casino you’re in. You should be attired so you blend in with the other patrons, in accordance with the stakes you’re playing. Nothing stands out more than an intelligent-looking, early 20ish, Caucasian male, wearing a fanny pack, buying in for large amounts, and betting $100 black chips (see the typical card counter’s profile later in this chapter). The initial observation may continue into the first few hands you play. It’s important to remember that old saying about first impressions. The stereotype of a card counter is a player who wants little to no

attention from the pit. Counters, when asked if they’d like a VIP card or to be rated, usually decline. Your typical gambler, on the other hand, wants to be rated to take advantage of all the comps he can get. So here’s the tip. The move you should make when initially arriving at the table is to actively seek out a floorperson and ask to be rated. If you don’t use your real name, be certain to remember the name you’re using in that casino. When making your first few bets, bet a bit higher than what your minimum bet would be. For example, instead of betting 2 units, maybe come off with 3 units. If the game has decent rules, you won’t be giving up much advantage by doing so, in consideration of what you may be gaining when moving your bets later on. If you do a good job in your camouflage, you should win some money and get a nice comp or two. Keep in mind that it’s the casino’s job to know who its patrons are. If you’re betting $100 chips or higher, depending on the casino, the bosses may get curious about you. Even if you don’t give a name to get rated, they can still maintain information on you: your photograph, physical description, and session results. Keeping this in mind, if you hit a casino for a nice win without providing your name, then return to the same casino shortly thereafter, they may have the ability to pull up information based on your last visit, regardless. Remember, they have cameras! Overall, when a player declines to be rated, it raises a red flag. For that reason, I recommend getting rated. However, if your style is to go this route, it’s imperative that you develop creative methods to stay under the radar.

Use of Different Names If you’re playing at levels that won’t trigger cash transactions in the neighborhood of $10,000, you have a good shot at getting away with using some different names in casinos when being rated. Just be certain that you don’t trip yourself up and forget what name you’re using in the current casino (I’ve heard stories of this happening). This practice serves several purposes. If you’re identified as a counter, the name under which you’re playing will be conveyed to any other casino, to the extent that casinos communicate information to one another. When using different names in casinos, exercise caution, since casino personnel are known to change clubs frequently.

One of the better methods of using different names is to use a different spelling of your real name. It’s best to change the first or second letter of your surname. The reason for this is so the two names do not appear right next to each other when someone is looking at a player list. Example: Jankowitz or Yankowitz. Bird or Byrd. You can add further distance between the two names by using a post-office-box address on one of the names. Get creative!

Obtaining a Casino Players Card In my experience, it’s been safer to get a players card with a bogus ID from a clerk at the players club than at the table. The sweet ladies at these desks appear to be less suspicious than the pit staff. In this case, you can get away with providing minimal information. The only caution is if your cash buy-ins approach US$10,000, which triggers the pit to see if they have your driver’s license and Social Security numbers on file. If you’re playing at such levels, think about calling a host before you arrive to ensure they have all the necessary information for government-reporting purposes. If not, state that you’ll bring copies of this info for their records. Bring photocopies only, for their convenience. See if they’ll accept the information by Fax. Whatever routine you use, you control the situation and provide information under your terms. This goes with my overall philosophy of being prepared before I get to the tables, rather than getting caught with my pants down while I’m playing at the casino.

Moving Your Bets You should do some scouting, prior to your initial play, as to what type of bets will draw attention from the pit. If you increase your bet to a certain level, the dealer may be required to alert the pit about it. The dealer may call out to the pit certain bet amounts. This may cause the pit to observe your play, or more likely prompt them to phone surveillance to monitor your play. If and when this happens, here are some things you may want to do (other than leave). Ask for a cocktail. Continue moving your bets, but very subtly.

Ask the floorperson for a comp. If you’re winning, place a bet for the dealer (in this instance, alongside your bet). Talk to the floorperson. Talk to the dealer. Talk to other players.

Playing Your Hands Conduct your play as though most pit and surveillance personnel are in tune with perfect basic strategy play and are able to identify a player applying it. Some typical plays that communicate that you’ve “read the book” are never taking insurance, hitting 16 vs. ten, hitting 12 vs. 2 or 3, and hitting a hand of A,7 against a dealer’s upcard of 9, ten, or A. One of the biggest red flags used to identify card counters is when a player who, after not insuring a natural or a hand of 20, all of a sudden starts insuring stiff hands. A player who uses the surrender option properly may be suspect to an alert staff. A risky play is splitting tens. In addition to getting pit attention, it aggravates other players at the table. The word in the pit is that only two types of players split tens: either complete morons or card counters. I’m not saying that you should never split tens; at times your count will call for it. Making these plays is part of your edge. However, this is one that can bring immediate attention, which can lead to heat. Here are some tips on how to get away with splitting tens. With minimum bets up, split tens early in the session, giving the message that you do so at will, and not solely as the count dictates. If there is a loud-mouthed, know-it-all, or otherwise obnoxious player at the table, whisper to the dealer or the floorperson, “I bet if I split tens this person will leave.” When the opportunity arises, wink to either of them, and split those tens! If you have a play calling for splitting tens and you’re getting attention from the pit, make it your last play.

When You Start Winning If the bosses see that a player is winning and doing well enough to reach the choke point, they may wonder why that player is winning. Most casinos require a call to surveillance once a certain win level is reached. To determine if a player is cheating, pit personnel are instructed to: Check if player is pinching (removing chips) or capping (adding chips) bets. Check if dealer is doing anything outside of procedures, overpaying, or passing information to player. Check the cards to see if there are any unusual markings, bends, or warps. Check to ensure the deck(s) is complete. Pit personnel are also trained to suspect that a player could be using a “device,” such as a concealed computer, to keep track of the cards played and determine perfect play. It’s a felony to use a device when playing in most casinos. The best-known concealed blackjack computers are housed in a pair of shoes. With this knowledge, the pit will look for any unusual movements of the player’s feet, or unusually large shoes that may appear to be out of proportion with the player’s height. Such a player needs to sit in an unnatural position. A common ploy is for a casino employee to walk behind the player and pretend to drop something, such as a chip, to get a close look at the player’s shoes. To determine if a player is counting cards, the pit and surveillance use various methods. Here’s a sequence of methods used, along with some of the countermeasures. Two members of the pit staff observing the game from within. Someone observing the game from behind the table. A casino employee at the table, posing as a player, observing your game. Observing the player’s betting pattern. If a player is noticed increasing a bet after several small cards appeared in the previous round dealt, the floorperson may scan the discards.

A common countermeasure is to instruct the dealer to shuffle immediately after the player increases the bet size. If the player pulls back the bet, it confirms the pit’s suspicions. It’s crucial to leave the bet out when the dealer shuffles. Some players think it’s a good idea to split the bet into two hands when this occurs. The pit is looking for you to do something, as they’ve read the books that suggest this move. If you notice the pit initially observing your game, then making a phone call, there’s a chance that surveillance is being put on your play. After such a phone call, you may notice your table appears to be unsupervised. Guess again! These days, surveillance uses different computerized methods to track a player. Using any of these methods, they will run a skills check to determine if the player is employing a card-counting system. If they’re performing such a live evaluation on your play, you may even notice the dealer slowing down the speed of the game (on instructions from a supervisor) to facilitate an evaluation. It’s my understanding that they’ll run this test for a minimum of a half-hour. If surveillance makes you as a counter, the phone will ring in the pit (the call may even go to a different pit as a relay), and a decision will be made as to what actions will be taken. I suggest playing short sessions. Leave the club before they have the opportunity to get a handle on your play. (See “Surveillance Techniques,” for some updated methods.)

You Wanna Be in Movies? The phone call has been made and your play is now being observed by surveillance. All of a sudden, the floorperson(s) watching your game is nowhere in sight. At this time, you think you’re safe and can spread to your heart’s content. Right? Wrong! Your play is being monitored from above. Here’s the textbook procedure, used by many casinos, that they follow before backing off a suspected card counter: Player is observed by floorperson and suspected of counting cards (usually after 15 minutes). Floorperson informs pit boss, who steps in and observes player (5–15 minutes). Pit boss, who has reason to believe that the player is counting cards,

phones surveillance. Surveillance monitors the player for a minimum of 30 minutes, then phones the pit boss, informing the following: If the player is counting cards, using any advantage play, or cheating. If the player is listed in the Griffin Book, Biometrica Book, or the casino’s own “book” as a known card counter or cheating player. How much the player stands to win from the casino per hour, based on the amount of the player’s bets. Based on the above information, pit boss makes the decision on whether to back off the player, permit further play, or refer the matter to a shift supervisor for a decision.

Barring from Play Once the decision has been made not to allow you to play blackjack in a casino, you may be given the message in various ways, enumerated below, from hints to formal notification. Deal Around You—A floorperson will instruct the dealer to deal around you, not allowing you to play, without saying a word to you. The floorperson is telling you that the casino doesn’t want your action and you should pick up your chips and leave. Do just that. Can We Buy You Dinner?—A nice way of being told that a club doesn’t want your action is when a floorperson approaches you and tells you something to the effect that, “You seem to be a little too tough on us. Why not have dinner on us, then try playing at another casino?” Shuffling Up or Moving Up the Cut Card—You were previously getting decent penetration and the pit knows this. They also know that with poor penetration, card counters lose much of their advantage. When they suspect a player of counting, floorpersons may instruct the dealer to shuffle sooner or move the cut card up to worsen the penetration. In this instance, they want you to leave. They’re saying, “We’re on to you and you won’t get a decent game here. Leave.” Again, do what they’re telling you to. Note: This type of extra shuffling actually costs the casino money in the long run, since it leads to downtime during which they’re not winning bets from the losing

players. Flat-Bet or Bet-Spread Restriction—A pit boss may approach you, informing you that if you wish to continue playing 21, you’ll have to either flat bet (bet the same amount each hand) or spread only 3-1 (or whatever they decide). Restriction to Shoe Games Only—After observing your playing single- or double-deck games, a pit boss may approach, informing you that if you wish to continue playing 21, you may do so only on shoe games. Getting Backed Off—A pit boss will approach you and ask you to step away from the table to speak with you. You’ll be told that your 21 play is too strong for the casino and you’re not permitted to play the game in that casino any more. You’re welcome to play any other casino game offered. The Formal Barring—A pit boss will approach, possibly accompanied by a uniformed security guard, and ask you to step away from the table to speak with you. You’ll be told that you must leave the premises immediately and are no longer permitted to reenter the casino at any time. The Trespass Act—If you’ve already been formally barred from a casino and attempt to return to play 21, you run the risk of being arrested for trespassing. Backroom Detention—The casino doesn’t have the legal right to detain you if you’re merely counting cards or using any other form of “legal” advantage play. However, the casino does have the right to detain you if they have “probable cause” to believe that you’ve committed an illegal act (e.g., cheating). Since probable cause can be and has proven to have been used as a lame excuse to detain players, casinos are known to take this cheap shot. In the rare event that a casino attempts to force you into a back room under the guise that they believe you were cheating, the first thing you should do is insist on speaking to the Director of Surveillance to demonstrate the evidence of the obvious false accusation. The Surveillance Department is separate from Table Games Operations and Security. If a decision has been made to detain you, there’d better be irrefutable evidence, such as a surveillance video, of such. It’s good to be aware of your legal rights, as well as the inner workings of the casinos, whereby exhibiting

such knowledge may cause casino employees to think twice about what they’re trying to pull off. In all of these instances, be aware that the casino has identified you as a card counter. Except in extreme cases, such as getting “back-roomed,” forget about what you think your rights are and just leave the place. There are many other places you can play.

Surveillance Techniques Technology has come a long way in its ability to identify card counters. Years ago, casinos were limited to watching erratic bet spreads and any small tip-off that would lead to suspicion. Now they have access to some state-of-the-art technology to do the job. Armed with such tools, some casinos have the ability to identify a skilled player from the eye in the sky in a very short time. Impressive as some of this equipment may be, it’s only as good as the individual operating it. When you consider the number of tables in respect to the number of surveillance operators, it’s easy to see how certain events can go by unnoticed. Besides, not all casinos have sophisticated technology, so the card-counting tactics still have some use. In the past, decisions to track a player were initiated from the casino floor. Nowadays, many surveillance departments take a more proactive approach and make decisions to track players, at times, without the knowledge of pit personnel. Exchange of Information Among Casinos If you’re barred from a casino that has sister properties, chances are that your photograph will be circulated. If you’ve been formally barred from a casino, chances are they have your photograph. Whether they retain this photograph and other information for their own records or share such things with other casinos is another story. Many casinos retain the services of companies that specialize in gaming protection. Griffin Investigations Griffin has been in the business of providing surveillance for its clients (casinos) for more than 30 years. They serve the casino industry by identifying and keeping records on cheats, thieves, card counters, and

players employing any type of advantage technique. They maintain a book (now in four volumes with thousands of entries) that contains names, photographs, and descriptions of identified players. Part of their service is supplying this book to clients and keeping it updated, by adding new entries. Griffin also has agents who observe any suspected player from the casino floor and gather as much information on that person as possible. Griffin agents are known to follow players from casino to casino, record license plates, debrief taxi drivers, even personally follow players to their hotels, in an attempt to get their true identity. One of their products, the Griffin 2000 System, enables a casino to utilize a remote hookup, giving the central headquarters of Griffin Investigations the ability to observe the activity of any player(s) or tables(s) via live video. The Griffin GOLD product offers an automated database of all the entries compiled from the four-volume book. This database enables a surveillance operator to run a search based on gender, age, race, height, weight, date of birth, address, etc., or any combination of these variables. This is much more effective than flipping through four volumes of mug shots. This product can interface with the FaceIT facial recognition system, manufactured by Visionics, Inc. Biometrica In 1999, a lead agent of Griffin left the organization and joined forces with Biometrica, Inc., offering the same services, including a similar database to that of Griffin GOLD. The database of information comes from Casino Visual Identification (CVI), which was developed by the former Griffin agent. As a companion to the CVI database, Biometrica offers a facial recognition module manufactured by Viisage, Inc. Blackjack Survey Voice (BJSV) This product, sold by Casino Software & Services, Inc., enables a casino surveillance agent to view a table and, via the use of a speech-recognition feature, recite the values of cards played, bets made, and other pertinent information into a computer, which then analyzes the player’s skill level. I’m told that the product has been marketed with claims that card counters

can be identified after roughly 100 hands of play in a 6-deck game. After reviewing the results of hands played, it’s first established whether the player is playing at an advantage. If so, BJSV then attempts to determine why. After calculating the player’s average bet, hands dealt per hour, and percent advantage, BJSV calculates a dollar figure indicating the player’s potential “win per hour.” Let’s break it down further. In terms of betting, BJSV, using a card-counting system, summarizes the player’s activity and establishes that the player’s bet movements correlate with that of the count. Even the use of well-known “bet-camouflage” techniques doesn’t, it’s believed, prevent BJSV from identifying a card counter. In its evaluation of the player’s betting pattern, BJSV indicates the percent advantage that was gained, as opposed to if the player was betting the same amount on each hand dealt (flat betting). In terms of the play of hands, it’s easy enough for any tracking software to determine whether a player is using basic strategy in playing decisions. When a non-basic-strategy play is made, BJSV identifies this, then determines whether such deviation provides an advantage to the player based on the count. In its evaluation of the play decisions, BJSV indicates the percent advantage that was gained, as opposed to if the player was applying strict basic strategy decisions. BJSV classifies players as: Good Card Counter: Player’s betting pattern and deviations from basic strategy show a consistent pattern resembling a highly skilled card counter. Card Counter: Player’s betting pattern occasionally correlates to the count. However, the consistency is not enough to play at a strong enough advantage over the house. Hole-Card Player: A high percentage of the player’s deviations from basic strategy are not consistent with the count, but would be the correct play with knowledge of the dealer’s hole card. Shuffle Tracker: Player’s betting pattern reveals consistency of large bets as slugs of high cards appear. Basic Strategy Player: Player plays basic strategy with no deviations

and no bet movements correlating to the count. Random Bettor: Player’s betting pattern has no correlation whatsoever to the count. Overall, BJSV is a slick product. As with any automated product, there are inadequacies, and a clever player can beat the system. While I can’t point out the specific ways that BJSV can be thwarted, the following information should steer you in the right direction. When running a “skills check” on BJSV, most places use a random sampling of three contiguous shoes of play. Here are a few circumstances that may prompt a skills check: A player betting more than $XXX per hand. A player who buys in for more than $XXXXX. A player who increases a bet by more than X times previous bet. A player makes a questionable play decision (e.g.; insurance, splitting tens). A player who is winning more than $XXXX during current session. A player who won more than $XXXX on a prior visit. A player whose year-to-date win record is in excess of $XXXXX. A player whose lifetime win record is in excess of $XXXXX. Believe me, the above information can provide you with more than enough insight on how to develop methods to foil BJSV. Find them, learn how to work them to your advantage, and keep your lips sealed. Facial-Recognition Software Use of this application is growing at a rapid pace. State governments are becoming major users of this product, where they can create a database resulting from photographs taken by Department of Motor Vehicles when people apply for their driver’s licenses. The majority of these products are based (in one way or another) on the Eigen Face method of deconstructing and reconstructing a facial map in digital form. A hundred key points are mapped and the system, apparently, can create a match once 14 of the 100 features are captured. In all of these systems, the mapping process starts

with the eyes. It’s necessary for both eyes to be visible for the product to work. Let’s walk through the process on how the systems operate. First, a casino possesses a database of faces from which the product seeks matches. This database is continually updated with new and better-quality photos. The photos in this database are referred to as “enrollment photos.” If you’re playing blackjack and a casino employee gets suspicious, the surveillance room takes your picture. This is referred to as a “probe photo.” When your photo is scanned into the computer, a search is conducted using the existing database. The first point of the search is the eyes. The system focuses on the distance between the eyes and captures the first group of possible matches from the database. Since this key point is only one of many, the results of this search are numerous. However, the system doesn’t rely solely on this one key point and continues to search additional key points in a defined sequence until the most perfect match is realized. This search occurs in a couple of seconds! Note that regardless of whether a match is realized, the probe photo is then entered into the database and becomes a new enrollment photo. It’s possible, though not practical, to have a system set up to scan every person entering a building. There could be a “hot list” where, if an entrant matches a face on it, an alert is sent to a surveillance operator for review. To realize the highest accuracy level, a front-face image must be captured, as profiles don’t work. In addition to the distance between eyes, other key points used for recognition are: Head shape Jaw structure Chin Nose shape Cheekbones Given the above information, you can figure out subtle methods to beat the system. Here’s a hint on one weakness of the system. If it can’t capture an accurate read on both eyes, it can’t run an accurate match. Another

important factor is that poor lighting, glare, and reflections can prevent the system from getting an accurate read on both eyes, is necessary. Get the picture?

Countermeasures As we can see, the casinos mean business. Therefore, if we wish to maintain longevity in counting cards, we must take specific measures to survive. Here are some things to consider. Blend in with the crowd and do everything possible not to fit the “typical-card-counter” profile. Play stakes acceptable to the casino in which you are playing. Get rated using a false name. Keep alert as to pit activity. Limit your sessions to one hour. Based on the textbook procedures most casinos follow, it will take them this long to get a handle on your play. The goal, of course, is to avoid detection, but if they do happen to detect your play, the goal then is to get out of the casino before being asked to leave. Be aware that just because you had a successful session, won some money, and walked out of the club without incident, does not mean the casino isn’t on to you. Many casinos have a policy in which they review the films of all black-chip players at the end of each day/shift. This is done for several purposes. One is to determine the level of comps to extend such players. Upon review of such tapes, if they note that you’re a solid basic strategy player, your comps won’t be as good as those extended to an unskilled player. If it’s noted that you’re a card counter, you may no longer be welcome to play 21. If this happens, you won’t know it until you enter the casino again (if you use the same name). The floorperson, upon entering the name into the pit computer, will be alerted. Surprise! A more recent approach is for the identification of card counters to be performed strictly by surveillance. The philosophy of many of the casino corporations calls for their front-line staff (to be more customer-service oriented to keep the clients happy and coming back. Hence, the pit may not be responsible for identifying card counters. However, they’re responsible

for ensuring that proper actions are taken against any such player previously identified by surveillance or other sources. What does this mean? If you step into a casino for the first time and count cards for three hours, there’s a chance you may play without incident. After you leave, based on review of the surveillance videos, you may be identified as a counter. If you return the next day or shortly thereafter, chances are they’ll back you off very quickly. In this new method of surveillance, you won’t see the phone calls from the pit to surveillance mentioned earlier in the chapter. In the past, the pit would pay attention to big winners. Nowadays, the smarter ones watch anyone winning consistently over a period of time. Think you’re safe playing low stakes? Not necessarily. If you’re at a table playing low stakes along with one or more players betting high stakes, the tape is reviewed, solely due to the heavy action, and the play of the entire table may be analyzed. You can be caught that way. In summary, it’s getting tougher to win money from the casinos by counting cards. Surveillance has gotten very sophisticated and, as a player, you must keep abreast of the various techniques used by casinos. In the past a good act would be able to fool them, but nowadays it won’t always work. The computers see just the numbers and not the act. To Minimize Detection • Avoid playing a same club/shift more than once every few months. • When playing the same club during a different shift, use a different name under which you get rated. • Be aware of which casinos may share information. • If playing low stakes, avoid playing at tables with high rollers. • Avoid playing at a table where the chip tray is low on chips and in need of a fill. This would halt the action and bring attention to the table. • Consider employing team play techniques (see Chapter 27). • Consider playing with the use of disguises.

• Develop skills in methods not detectable by surveillance.

The Typical Card Counter Profile The following are some of the characteristics of a typical inexperienced card counter, whom most pit and surveillance staff members would identify immediately: Player’s Actions • Stares at all the cards. • Moves lips while looking at cards. • Not talking much. • Appears very serious at the table. • Meticulously stacks and sorts chips. • Looks guilty, annoyed, or suspicious when spoken to. • Observes game from behind the tables, often prior to entering a game. • Does not order liquor to drink, but most commonly bottled water or juice. • Sits at 3rd base. • Not interested in being rated. • Does not tip. • Shows no emotion when winning or losing. • “Sneakily” pockets (hides) chips. • Obvious in attempt to put on an act. (Many novice counters make this mistake. They try to become actors without formal training. The biggest joke to the pit is watching some graduate student trying to give the impression of a New York hoodlum. HELLO! The books we’ve read are available to the general public and the casino staff read the same books.) • Circling the pit, looking too observantly at the tables.

• Asking how many decks are being used. Player’s Appearance • Young, Caucasian, English-speaking male. • Intelligent looking. Looks like a college student or professor. • Intelligent sounding. Articulate. • Clean-cut look. Well groomed. Maybe wearing glasses. • Wearing sunglasses, visor, or baseball cap. Keeping head down. • No suntan, but pale skin—if casino is located at place and time when tourists would be sporting a suntan. (It’s wise to wear light-colored clothing where light skin will blend in, and if you do have a tan, the light clothing will amplify it, giving you more of a “fun-loving” type of appearance.)

Camouflage Attire It’s important to dress the role. If you’re playing in a high-roller-type casino and betting large amounts, it’s essential that you be properly attired. In the daytime, you can get away with a golf shirt and slacks or a silk jogging suit. Jewelry is important. In the evening you want to dress the role even more so. A sports jacket, designer wear all around with the necessary accessories, and a pair of expensive shoes work well. If you’re not betting this type of money, you can tone down the look a bit. It’s a good idea to go into the casinos where you plan to play and observe the attire on the folks who are betting in the same range that you intend to play. Cover Plays Some books recommend that when counters feel as though they’re being watched, they should make some plays contrary to the proper strategy to throw the pit off. I don’t recommend using this tactic as often as others may. What I do recommend is to consider altering certain properplay decisions, if you feel your act is weak and you’re being watched. Plays you may wish to alter, even though your strategy says they are the proper

plays, include: Insuring stiff hands. Not insuring a natural. Splitting tens. Hitting a soft 18 vs. T. Hitting 16 vs. T. Hitting 12 vs. 2 or 3. Proper use of the surrender option when available. It’s not necessary to deviate from too many proper-play decisions, as the main thing that will give you away as a counter is your bet spread. If you’re smooth enough, you can get away with making the proper plays, which would normally raise an eyebrow or two. Movement of Bets Most counters get caught by using too aggressive of a bet spread. It’s important to master the art of moving your bets in a subtle manner. A few tips that may help you stay below the radar: Do not increase your bet after a losing hand. Do not decrease your bet after a winning hand. Leave the same bet out after a push. When you have a large bet out and the dealer shuffles, leave the bet out. When increasing your bet, use a parlay method, nothing more. Combine chips of different colors in the betting circle. Some Tips on “Acts” Try to develop an “act” in a manner that would blend in with your personality. If you’re from New York City and have that accent, move your hands and gesture when you speak. Do that often at the table. Be that “wise-guy New Yorker.” In Mississippi casinos, they really find this type of player an amusing novelty, whereas in Atlantic City, you simply blend in as

one of many. Think about yourself for a moment. What are you like? Take me, for example. In general, I’m the type of person who’s a bit shy until I get to know someone or become more familiar with the environment I’m in. Once at ease, I drop my guard and talk more freely. Here’s a good approach if you’re like me: When you go into a casino, keep in mind that the pit staff and casino hosts will probably try to schmooze you and make you feel at home. It’s imperative that you let them think that they’re succeeding. You can do this by talking about one of your favorite topics and acting as if you’re sitting at a bar or in your living room with one of your longtime friends. The key is to be at ease, and naturally be yourself, with a few minor amplifications. If you’re a salesperson by profession or have that overly exuberant type of personality, ham it up! A sport is usually a good topic. The stock market may work. If the person isn’t familiar with investing, start explaining it, giving all kinds of advice (if this is an area of expertise for you). Once again, all this must appear to come naturally to you, and not be forced.

Disguising Wins and Hiding Chips I’ve seen it written and heard it spoken many times that the best form of camouflage is losing. What this really means is that a player should appear to be losing in the eyes of the casino. Whether you’re a rated player with a play history or a one-time player at a particular casino, showing a loss or understating wins can work wonders in alleviating heat. It all boils down to the value of chips the casino records you leaving the table with. Your mission is to hide some chips before you end your playing sessions. First and foremost, it’s not a crime to remove your chips from the table and place them in your pocket or give them to another person. Do the casinos frown on it? Yes. But players do it and there’s no way a casino can rightfully prohibit it. Hiding chips makes it much more difficult for pit personnel to track a player’s win or loss. Hence, it becomes part of your job to hide chips without the pit or surveillance staff’s knowledge. Here are

three of many methods. Pocketing Chips—Using a palming technique, periodically remove a chip of a desired denomination. Timing is crucial and you want to make this move when the dealer and pit staff are busy or distracted. A good time to pocket chips is during a dealer change. As for surveillance, there’s no way to determine whether they’re watching and tapes can always be reviewed. The key is to give them no reason to do either. Handing Off Chips—Similarly, players can give chips to wives or friends who walk up during play. Using discretion and good timing, this can be an effective way to hide chips. Transferring Chips—One of the flaws in the above two methods is that the pit staff keeps a close record of the chips in the dealer’s tray and the amount in front of each active player. When a player colors up and leaves the table, the floorperson will recalculate the total chips. If this total is less than what his records show, he might “assign” the amount of the difference to the player, thus fudging the player’s results. Transferring chips is a method—used most effectively with a team—to replace the unrecorded chips a player removes from a table. If a player (A) is winning, he arranges for a teammate (B), who is not being rated, to sit next to him at the table. B already has chips purchased or won from a previous session, but places only some of his chips in front of him at the table. He has plenty in his pocket and, at an opportune time (usually called in with signals), A removes chips from the table and pockets them. At the same time, B removes the same value of chips from his pocket and places them in front of himself at the table. When A leaves the table, the total chip count won’t show a discrepancy and A has effectively disguised his win. When B leaves the table, he’s recorded as having won the same amount of chips that A pocketed. It doesn’t matter, since B is unrated, using an alias, or otherwise anonymous. Here are some additional tips on handling/hiding chips: • Observe and note the pit procedures for players leaving the table. • Determine what denomination of chip is best to pull from the game. The higher the denomination, the more closely it’s monitored, so

care should be exercised when making this decision. While $100 chips may be freely paid out, the dealer may call out to the pit whenever a $1,000 chip is paid, prompting the floorperson to notice who receives it. In this case, don’t even think about transferring a $1,000 chip. • It’s easier to hide chips when other big bettors are at the table. • Observe and note the cashier procedures for cashing out chips, which vary by casino. • The amount of chips you cash out at the cashier should not be more than the amount the floorperson recorded you leaving with. If you plan to play additional sessions at that casino, it’s beneficial to hold a predetermined amount of chips to avoid excessive cash buy-ins.

Cashing Out You just won some money and leave the table with your chips. All you need to do now is go to the cashier window and exchange the chips for cash. Sounds easy, right? Well, it is easy if you’re cashing out a small amount. But when you reach a certain level, which varies by casino, the process can get a bit complicated by identification issues related to CTRs and SARs, as discussed in the next chapter, “Casinos and Personal Privacy.” You need to be well-versed in the rules and requirements and consider them before cashing.

15 Casinos and Personal Privacy Players smart enough to win must also be sharp enough not to fall prey to the manipulative methods of the casinos. This is especially true in the case of card counters. Whether you’re a professional player with a winning system or a recreational player just looking to have some uncomplicated fun, you must avoid the pitfalls and protect your personal privacy. As time marches on, it’s increasingly difficult to preserve personal privacy. Aside from proving age to purchase alcohol or cigarettes, or to enter a casino, the rule today is that an individual present some form of “government-issued photo identification” for entrance to buildings, opening a bank account, checking into a hotel room, obtaining telephone service, and many other necessary day-to-day activities. Our society has made it a requirement, not a law, to provide such documentation in order to function in a normal manner. First and foremost, simply by applying for “official” identification of any sort, you are, in essence, providing the issuer (government agency) with your life story. You are now in the database. The three most common forms of official identification are driver’s license, passport, and military ID. Every time you comply with a request to present such identification, you’re at risk of revealing your personal information to at least one stranger. It’s understandable that businesses have such requirements as a measure of protection against fraud and the like. However, in the majority of instances where identification requirements exist, they’ve been instituted with the specific purpose of gathering as much information about as many individuals as possible. Translation: The businesses want your information for marketing. We’re being manipulated by what society now dictates as a necessity. This can be dangerous, as your most critical information ends up in the database, accessible to any number of interested parties.

One of the most notorious perpetrators of this practice is the casino industry.

Your Driver’s License, Please Both individual and team players are becoming more and more concerned about privacy protection. The average citizen has been brainwashed into automatically turning over a driver’s license whenever asked for a “photo ID.” Even worse, persons requesting a form of photo ID now ask for a driver’s license just out of habit. Do you automatically give your driver’s license to anyone who requests it? Congratulations. You’ve just joined the ranks of the majority of Americans who are routinely providing unknown persons with a license to steal. Go ahead and call it paranoid, but open your wallet and take a look at all the wonderful information on that harmless little card. Your driver’s license has your name, home address, and date of birth. Some states even include your Social Security number on the face of the license. This one little card gives away all the data necessary to steal your identity. All it takes is one individual with larcenous intent.

Identity Theft and Casinos The following concerns are not limited to casinos—they apply to any business that interfaces with the general public. Still, few other businesses toss money around so openly and freely. This in itself attracts a certain type of thinking, one that involves theft. You’re at the casino cashier window and a clerk asks for your driver’s license. Did you notice the stranger standing nearby, clicking a photo of your license with his cell-phone camera? What do you know about the clerk to whom you’ve just given the keys to your privacy, or any other casino employee with access to the casino database? Casinos love to dangle the carrot in front of players. They offer freebies for all who sign up for a players card. Most commonly, you’re given an application to fill out. In addition to the standard name, address, and phone number, among other things, they may ask for your date of birth, Social Security number, anniversary date, and maybe even your favorite sports.

Here again, in order to obtain a players card, you must also present a photo ID. This requirement varies from casino to casino, so let’s break down the term “photo ID” into three common categories: Category #1: Any respectable-looking ID card with a name and photo that resembles you (company ID card; photo credit card; medical-alert card; any self-manufactured photo identifcation, the possession or use of which does not break any laws). Category #2: A government-issued photo ID (passport, military ID; government employee ID; state-issued firearms permit). Category #3: Your driver’s license. From this point forward, do yourself a favor and never give your driver’s license to anyone other than a police officer. Category #1 gives you the most flexibility, but as an advantage player with a desire to stay anonymous, you may find the need to go to Category #2 (giving up only some minor details). You should do this only in the event that the place is offering something good enough to persuade you to make the exception. One trick that’s always worth a try is to have whatever application is necessary already filled out, then present it along with a Category #1 ID before they ask you for their choice of ID. Government-issued photo ID comprises a broad category that gives you more safety than a driver’s license. A passport, for example, does not provide your home address or Social Security number. Given a choice, providing a passport is preferable to a driver’s license any day.

Profiling Through the Players Club Casinos invest an obscene amount of energy and money in customer profiling. Look at all the weapons a casino has at its disposal: players clubs, casino credit, hotel rooms, valet parking, cameras everywhere. Now add facial recognition. The most powerful weapon is the players club card. Most casinos encourage regular use of players cards by patrons, in order to reward them with free stuff. However, every time you present or insert this card, that event is recorded in the casino’s monstrous database. Even if you don’t

present your card when you eat, purchase show tickets, play golf, or buy something in a retail shop, if the purchase is made using a credit card, that information is captured. The main reason for gathering this information is to enable the casino to market to you, so you’ll come back, gamble, and lose more money. When a player has points on a players card, he feels obligated not to “let the points go to waste.” Send a customer an offer for a free room and there’s a good chance he’ll be a return visitor. Throw in a free meal or two? The odds of the return visit have just increased. Am I saying you shouldn’t use a players card? No. The perks offered by casinos are a part of the gaming experience for casual players and even calculated into the gains of many advantage players. With this in mind, using a players card is beneficial, if not mandatory, to get the highest return. However, be aware that it comes at the price of privacy. If you care about your privacy and use a players card, I recommend that you take measures to limit the information casinos can obtain about you, which is to say, give them the bare minimum you need to to get what you want. Keep in mind that many casinos have a policy whereby all players at a specified bet level must present valid identification or they will not permit play. Yes, they do have that power!

Casino Credit In three words: Don’t do it! Take a look at a typical application for a casino credit line. After providing the casino with all that information about yourself, it goes into a database … and we all know how secure databases are! Imagine an employee who manages to get a copy of a casino’s database of premium players: names, addresses, bank account numbers—an identity thief’s dream! Central Credit has provided services for the casino industry since the late 1950s. Global Cash Access acquired it in 1998 and increased the number of services offered, as well as its ability to invade an individual’s personal

privacy. While Global Cash Access provides identity verification of casino patrons to protect all parties from identity theft, the player’s personal information is in its database, which is accessible by any number of casino employees worldwide. Casino Credit Services can provide casinos with a dossier of all a subject’s recorded casino activities. At some casinos, your name is checked against that database when you check in. I’ll bet you didn’t know how invasive the simple process of getting a hotel room could be.

Cash Transaction Report (CTR) Federal law requires casinos to report all currency transactions in excess of $10,000 (or its equivalent in other currencies). The stated purpose of this requirement is to thwart laundering of money used to finance terrorist activities, drug trafficking, and other crimes. Casinos have historically been targets for these practices. A casino is required to file a Currency Transaction Report (CTR) with the IRS, identifying any customer who conducts a cash transaction or series of cash transactions totaling more than $10,000 in a gaming day. The CTR details the customer’s name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number. If the customer is a regular player, he probably has a players card with an account number and the casino should already have the information in its system. If not, a casino employee will ask for a form of government identification. If the customer refuses to provide this, he will no longer be permitted to engage in cash transactions of any type. Notice the phrase “totaling more than $10,000 in a gaming day.” If you go to a table game and buy $5,000 in chips, then later in the day go to a different table and buy another $6,000 in chips, your total buy-ins are $11,000 and the casino is required to identify you. Officially, buy-ins have to exceed the $10,000 mark. The casino staff tracks cash buy-ins and attempts to identify anyone who looks like a threat to exceed the threshold early on. In fact, some casinos have specific thresholds at which they won’t allow further buy-ins for an unidentified player, i.e., one who won’t surrender ID when first asked. It could be $5,000, $7,000, or any such amount. Here is an important point. It is federal law to report a cash transaction

exceeding $10,000. If you attempt to cash in $10,001 in chips, the casino cannot legally give you the cash unless it has information (obtained from a government ID) on file. The same goes for buying in for chips with cash at a table. However, any requirement to obtain ID prior to the $10,000 point is solely dictated by internal casino procedures and not by federal law. That means you don’t have to produce ID prior to $10,000 in cash transactions. But keep in mind that if a casino asks for ID and you refuse to provide it, you will be watched very closely from that point on, or possibly even backed off. A simple way to view this is as follows. An ID request resulting from cash transactions exceeding $10,000 = federal law. An ID request resulting from cash transactions below $10,000 = internal casino policy. Privacy problems can arise out of the blue as a result of CTR issues. For example, it’s not uncommon to buy in for something like $9,000, get on a bad run, and ask to buy in for another $3,000, at which point you’ll be asked for ID. If you refuse, the casino is within its legal rights to refuse to allow the additional buy-in. The regulations as outlined under the Bank Secrecy Act clearly define a currency transaction as the physical exchange of currency between two parties. When you go to a casino gaming table and place $5,000 cash down in exchange for chips, that is a physical exchange of currency. After that initial $5,000 buy-in, you’re using casino chips to play. Now, say you win $12,000 and leave the table with a total of $17,000 in chips. That is not an additional physical exchange of currency. It only becomes defined as an exchange when you go to the cashier and exchange those chips for cash. So playing with chips you’ve won shouldn’t trigger a CTR, but once you cash them, that transaction will likely accrue toward your total, including any other cash transactions you’ve made that day. Casino policy may impose additional actions or requirements of identification when cashing out chips. They include the following:

• The cashier may require identification any time chips higher than a designated denomination are presented. While this varies by casino, it’s most common with $5,000-denomination chips or higher. Since casinos are known to track these chips very closely, many players never accept them at the table, but rather work only with $1,000 or lower denominations. • The cashier may phone the pit where you recently played to verify the amount of chips you walked away with. For convenience, it makes sense to keep an ample amount of chips available if you plan to play more at a casino, which means it’s rarely necessary to cash out large amounts at any one time. Keep in mind that if it’s determined that you’re “structuring,” you’ll have bigger problems to deal with, as explained below. Be careful and obey the law. • Some casinos use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, with tracers implanted in high-denomination chips. Caution must be exercised if this type of chip is in use. In such cases, only you should attempt to cash it or break it down at a table for future play. The term “gaming day” also needs to be considered, as its definintion differs among casinos. A gaming day (or designated 24-hour period) might run from midnight until 11:59 p.m. in one casino, while it’s 7 a.m. until 6:59 a.m. in another. Most customers won’t know what constitutes the casino’s gaming day. And while it might be good to know, you have to be careful about what you do with that knowledge. Cashing out different amounts at different times can be perfectly legitimate. However, making multiple cashouts in a deliberate attempt to avoid a CTR is called “structuring,” a crime for which you can be arrested. If you’re with a spouse, relative, or friend, you legally cannot break down your chips and have them cashed out for you to avoid a CTR. That could also be considered a form of structuring. To summarize, if your usual level of play causes you to exceed $10,000 in cash transactions, then dealing with CTRs will be something you have to get used to. If you keep your cash activity under $10,000, you’re not legally required to provide the casino with your personal information, but understand that your refusal might prompt other actions, as you’ll see below.

Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) Financial institutions are required by federal regulations to file a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) when they suspect that a violation of federal criminal law or regulations is being committed or attempted and involves the money being transacted. Guess what? Casinos are considered financial institutions and are required to comply with this regulation as well. Given the vagueness of the requirements, anyone can be subject to such reporting. The actual dollar amount that warrants an SAR filing is also vague. It’s generally understood that banks use a $5,000 benchmark, whereas casinos are more likely to use $3,000. Remember how a cash transaction in excess of $10,000 requires a CTR filing? The $10,000 number can score you both a CTR and an SAR if someone finds you suspicious! You’re in the blind with regard to when such filings are made. The Bank Secrecy Act prohibits the institution filing the SAR from informing the filing’s subject. However, there are two areas in which a patron is protected by this same Bank Secrecy Act. The filing institution is prohibited from disclosing to other institutions that an SAR has been filed on a patron. In the casino business, patrons frequently move from casino to casino. A player may even bring chips from one casino to cash in another. It’s not uncommon for one casino to call another and inquire about a suspicious patron. If this occurs and a casino reveals that an SAR was filed, that casino is in violation of the Bank Secrecy Act. Quite serious! Additionally, the filing institution is not permitted to inform law-enforcement authorities that an SAR was filed. Suppose you’re detained by casino security and local police get involved. If a casino employee informs the police that they filed an SAR on the player, the casino is in violation of the Bank Secrecy Act. Financial institutions have a “better safe than sorry” mentality on this issue. They fall under the protection of the Safe Harbor Provision, where they’re granted immunity for any consequences that stem from illegal transactions, provided they filed an SAR. Casinos are especially sensitive to this. In fairness to casinos, they encounter many players who engage in

multiple cash exchanges throughout a 24-hour period and it’s difficult to keep track. To aid in tracking, most maintain Multiple Transaction Logs, in which they either have the patron’s player card number or, in the absence of that, a physical description of the patron. They may be logging your transactions, but at this point it’s not a legal requirement to obtain official identification, and any attempt by a casino to do so is merely an anticipatory effort based on internal policy. The tricky part is that if you wish not to comply with the request, the casino may not allow you to make any further currency exchanges. Even though you may not have even approached the $10,000 mark, the casino can implement this as internal policy to protect itself. This is risky territory due to its vagueness, making decisions subject to opinion rather than verifiable facts. Other than determining whether you’re old enough to engage in casino play, the only legal reason a casino has to identify you is if you engage in cash transactions in excess of $10,000 during the course of a day. This will trigger a CTR. Additionally, an SAR can be filed below the $10,000 threshold if the casino deems you to be suspicious. Here are some of the major differences between the CTR and SAR reports: • Federal law has an established threshold of $10,000 for CTR reporting, but none for SAR reporting, which is subject to the judgment of the casino. • The patron’s Social Security number is necessary for a CTR, but not required for an SAR. • If a patron does not provide identification when a CTR is required, the casino is prohibited by law from completing the transaction. With an SAR, the casino is under no such prohibition by law. However, a refusal to complete a transaction could be a result of internal casino policy and not federal law.

Be Informed From my experiences and those of others I’ve spoken with, the pit staffs in most casinos aren’t knowledgeable about the whys of these requests for

identification. Their actions give every indication that they were lightly trained and simply proceed in a robotic manner when they ask for IDs. Players (including me) have encountered situations where pit staff asks for ID at specific points below the $10K mark, stating, “The government requires it.” You’re now armed with some knowledge that will help protect your privacy. As you implement the necessary measures outlined here, all perfectly legal and within your rights, to protect yourself, you may come up with new tricks of your own. Don’t forget to pass them on, so others can better protect their own privacy. The best way to battle devious practices is to educate others. This is not limited to card counters playing blackjack, but applies to many other areas of life.

The Black Zone

16 Cheating This chapter is divided into two sections. The first is “Player Cheating” and the second is “House Cheating.” Note that I’m mentioning methods of player cheating strictly as a point of awareness. In the event you observe another player cheating in any form, you should leave the table immediately. You don’t want to be anywhere near cheating in a casino. That’s the sole purpose of pointing out their illegal acts. We’ve never utilized any method of cheating. I’m confident that I play well enough using honest methods. Those using such techniques are committing a crime.

Player Cheating Capping Bets A player who’s dealt a strong hand attempts to place one or more chips on top of the initial bet. A cheating player attempting this most likely does so in a hand-held game, where the player picks up the cards and uses them to mask his move. In Cheating at Blackjack Squared, by Dustin Marks, he shows a method of capping bets during the double-down process. It’s also possible to cap a bet by slipping an additional chip under the initial chips. This technique is performed at the time a player slips the initial two cards underneath the chip(s), indicating the desire to stand on that hand. While doing so, he slides an additional chip underneath. In this move, it’s common to “accidentally” knock over the chips. Pinching Bets A player with a weak hand attempts to remove one or more chips from the original bet. Again, a cheating player in a hand-held game uses the cards to cover the pinch. Card Mucking A player attempts to remove one or more cards from play and use them

when needed in a future hand. For example, a player might draw and deliberately bust, without tossing in the hand. When the dealer moves on, the player then removes the desired card, using sleight-of-hand techniques. With this illegal move, a skilled card mucker can constantly switch cards in and out of the game to improve a hand. A card mucker can be caught with an additional card if the pit decides to change decks. In that case, the pit person will count down the deck(s) and realize that one or more cards are missing. Card Marking Marking cards can, at times, give a cheating player knowledge of the dealer’s hole card and/or the next card to be dealt. This is very powerful information for a player to have. Cheating players can attempt to mark cards in various ways. One of the most common methods is by “bending” certain cards. A player who bends all the aces in a 2-deck game will sometimes know that an ace will be dealt prior to making a bet. Such information would be extremely valuable. In another method of marking cards, the cheating player uses a sharp object to nick the edges of certain cards. A ring or sharpened fingernail is a common tool for this illegal practice. Another creative method of this illegal practice is to use a fluorescent coloring, which can best be seen with the use of special eyeglasses.

House Cheating In recent years, large corporations that run the casinos have attempted to ensure that casino games are handled in a legitimate manner. However, some casino employees may try to test the boundaries. For example, a dealer could have a friend sitting at a blackjack table and perform certain maneuvers (e.g., overpayments) to help this friend win. Now this dealer has a bit of a problem, because if the table ends up a “house loser,” the dealer may be placed under scrutiny and tapes of the table would be reviewed a bit more closely. To avoid this, the cheating dealer would perform certain maneuvers to ensure that another player at the table loses money. This would balance out the fact that the dealer’s friend wins. Such cheating is usually not sanctioned by the house. In the old days, if a high roller was having a streak of luck, the house might be inclined to bring in a “special-situation

dealer,” a card “mechanic” capable of manipulating the cards in a deck by various means to the dealer’s (or the casino’s) benefit. This form of cheating is house sanctioned. I asked Dustin Marks, author and expert authority on this topic, to look over this chapter. He confirms that in his experiences house cheating is quite uncommon. His rationale is that each move a dealer makes provides an opportunity for the casino to identify the form of cheating. Dealing Seconds This method of cheating is generally performed by dealers in hand-dealt games, where dealers pitch the cards rather than deal from a shoe. The cheating dealer peeks at the top card by positioning the deck in a certain manner. If that card is beneficial to the player’s hand, the dealer pitches the second card instead. This maneuver can also be performed if the top card benefits the dealer’s hand, thus saving the top card until the dealer is taking a card. A skilled card mechanic dealing seconds is extremely difficult to detect. Strangely enough, the best way to detect it is by sound rather than sight. When a card is legitimately dealt from the top of a deck, it makes a distinct sound, which differs when a second is dealt. While this method is fine in a poker game or a quiet environment, in a noisy casino it’s difficult to hear. Dealers are also trained to lift their thumb when dispensing a card off the top of the deck. If the dealer’s thumb remains on the deck and appears to be pulling back as the cards are dealt, that may be a sign of dealing seconds. Dustin mentions that while it’s rare, if a dealer uses this move, it’s usually done as a one-shot deal at an opportune moment, such as a doubledown card with a large bet out. One such hand can truly make all the difference! Incomplete Shuffle It’s a good idea to occasionally observe the manner in which the dealer shuffles. Look for consistency and a thorough mixing of the cards during each shuffle. In one form of cheating, the dealer picks up the discards in a certain manner and shuffles in an unorthodox way, which may be detrimental to the players.

Selective Upcard If a cheating dealer is aware of the value of both dealer cards, the decision on which card is exposed as the upcard can be manipulated. “Suggestive Cut” Considering the above shuffling method, a dealer may have knowledge of where a certain clump of cards is located within the deck(s). Knowing this, the dealer wants to ensure that certain cards are cut either into or out of play. A cheating dealer might hand you the cut card and move the deck(s) toward your hand, positioning the cut card next to where the dealer would like it placed. Incomplete Deck(s) Whenever one or more new decks is introduced to a table, the dealer examines all the fronts and backs of the cards. This is to ensure that complete decks are put into play and the backs of the cards don’t have any unintentional marks from the printing process or shipping. Although discrepancies are rare, they’re known to happen. It’s a good idea to pay attention when this is being done, just to make sure the dealer doesn’t miss something. The act of intentionally removing cards from a deck rarely occurs today.

The Preferential Shuffle This method of house cheating, commonly used by casinos, is deadly to players. When we say players, we refer to all players, not just card-counting players. Unfortunately, there’s no law that prevents a casino from shuffling decks whenever it desires. Therefore, the casinos are armed with a lethal weapon. A preferential shuffle is where dealers shuffle or are instructed by their superior(s) to shuffle decks when they believe that the cards remaining favor the player or when a player makes an unusually large wager. For an example of how this can be detrimental to all players at the table, suppose a dealer is keeping track of aces. If, after a few rounds are dealt, the dealer (who has knowledge of a surplus of aces remaining in the deck) shuffles, the players at the table would be deprived of having the benefit of the aces,

minimizing their chances of getting a natural and benefiting from the 3-2 payoff. Preferential Shuffle by a Card-Counting Dealer This is the worst type of preferential shuffling. A game played under these conditions is unbeatable. The dealer in this case, who can be completely skilled in card counting, shuffles away all positive-count decks, while dealing out all negative-count decks. You may also encounter a dealer who’s simply tracking aces. In any shape or form, you’re playing at a huge disadvantage. When you encounter such a game, just get up and leave. Preferential Shuffle by a Non-Card-Counting Dealer An astute player can actually manipulate this type of dealer to an advantage. This type of dealer has determined, or has been informed, that you’re counting cards. As a countermeasure, the dealer shuffles when you raise your bets. Some casinos have a built-in policy to shuffle any time a player triples the previous bet. If you encounter such a dealer, you can actually use this to your advantage (more on this further in the chapter). Is it Legal for Casinos to Preferential Shuffle? At the time of this writing, there’s no regulation prohibiting this action by casinos. Many people, including me, feel strongly that giving the casinos the right to shuffle at will has resulted in preferential shuffle tactics. The argument of players who are against it is that by allowing them to use this tactic, the casinos have the ability to alter the randomness of what’s supposed to be a game of chance. If a game has a fixed and consistent shuffle point, the casino dealing it would have an already-existing house advantage against the average player. The house advantage can be determined based on the rules of the game. In a game where a casino can shuffle at will as is the case today, the casino has the ability to further improve the house advantage by selectively dealing or not dealing certain cards. This is essentially equivalent to removing cards from a deck, which is cheating. Some Player Countermeasures Against the Preferential Shuffle In hand-dealt games, you have a lesser chance of encountering a

preferential shuffle if the casino employs a shuffle card. This is a cut card placed within the deck(s) used to dictate the last round dealt. Casinos using shuffle cards don’t normally shuffle the deck(s) prior to reaching that card. However, be on the lookout for such tactics, as when a dealer leaves for a break earlier than normal and lays the remaining cards out prior to reaching the shuffle card. If you encounter this during only positive counts, you may be dealing with a very crafty and creative pit crew. When you encounter a non-counting dealer who’s using your bet range as a basis for shuffling, you have an opportunity to work this to your advantage. When playing against a shuffle anytime you triple your prior bet, you can bet $50 off the top. If the count rises, bet $100, but if it drops, bet $150 to force a shuffle. After your $100 wager, if the count drops, bet $300 to force a shuffle. If the count continues to be in the plus region, stay with the $100 bet. This way, you’re controlling the dealer and manipulating the shuffle of negative decks. This method doesn’t always work and even when it does, the dealer and/or pit may eventually get hip to what you’re doing. It’s important for you to be able to identify a card-counting dealer. This is easy. Just look for some of the signs that the pit looks for in identifying a card-counting player. If a dealer is non-talkative and seems to be intently concentrating (more so than other dealers), it could be a warning sign. You may even see a dealer’s lips moving! When you encounter a card-counting dealer, leave the table. If you want to confirm your suspicions, engage the suspect dealer in conversation. This dealer may try to ignore you. Keep on talking and make certain that some form of number is included in parts of your conversation. A counting dealer will become frustrated. Of course, this is best to do just standing or sitting, without playing.

17 Advantage Play: Some Gray and NotSo-Gray Areas This chapter discusses some questionable methods of gaining an advantage in a blackjack game. At the time of this writing, some are clearly illegal and can land you a jail sentence, while others are not illegal. Some methods are simply based on taking advantage of a sloppy dealer. Years ago, crafty players used to cruise the casinos in search of sloppy dealers, then made a bundle playing against them. Today, the casinos, aware of these tactics, have installed measures to eliminate or minimize their effectiveness. Front-Loading On occasion, the dealer may accidentally expose the hole card as it’s removed from the deck, placed on the table, and slipped underneath the upcard. A sloppy dealer angles the card while going through the motions, so that a player seated at third base, or the next seat over, has the ability to catch a glimpse of the card’s value. A right-handed front-loader normally exposes the hole card to the third-base side of the table, while a left-handed front-loader exposes it to the first-base side. Having constant knowledge of the dealer’s hole card can provide a player with a huge advantage. One powerful use of this knowledge is always making a correct insurance decision. Another is where you’d normally hit a stiff against a dealer’s ten upcard. Now, armed with the knowledge that the dealer has a stiff hand, you’d stand on your stiff hand, eliminating your chance of busting and taking advantage of the dealer’s chance of busting. Some plays bring immediate suspicion and for that reason are avoided by players using this tactic. If you have a 19 with knowledge the dealer has a 20, for example, hitting 19 isn’t wise. First-Basing

Sometimes you may catch a glimpse of the dealer’s hole card when the dealer manually peeks under an ace or ten to check for a natural. A sloppy dealer who doesn’t protect the hand while performing this check exposes the hole card to an alert player seated at first base. This doesn’t occur as frequently as it did years ago, since the casinos have installed two countermeasures. One: The dealer doesn’t check for a natural until the play of all hands is completed. This can be applied to only tens or both tens and aces. Two: the installation of the “automatic peek device.” With this, the dealer slips the hole card into the device, which is installed on the table, enabling the apparatus to read the specially coded cards to indicate whether the hole card is an ace or ten. If so, a light flashes. If not, the dealer, not having manually peeked under the hole card, hasn’t any further knowledge of what the card is. This form of hole-card play is not as powerful as front-loading. Whereas a front-loading dealer exposes the hole card close to 100% of the time, a first-basing dealer exposes the hole card only when checking for a natural, which is roughly 35% of the time at best. In any event, a player who has the opportunity to use this technique can play at a strong advantage, strictly on such information. Playing the “Warps” In a game where the dealer manually checks under aces and tens for a natural, some dealers may bend the cards in such a way that they remain warped after being in play for a while. This can be advantageous if a dealer’s hole card appears on the table with the corners lying flat and the center of the edge slightly bridged upward. The card could be an ace or ten that’s been warped. Due to the casino countermeasures, the ability to read warps is less common today. Knowledge of Bottom Card Before the Cut On occasion, a sloppy dealer will expose the bottom of the deck when presenting it to you for cutting. This is good information, as you can insert the cut card in a strategic location to either cut a good card into play or cut a poor card out of play. The rule here is that if the bottom card is a high card, you cut low, ensuring it will be dealt. If the bottom card is a low card, you

cut high, where that card will end up not being dealt. In many single-deck games, cutting a 5 out of play gives you an advantage off the top. With this information, you can place a larger bet off the top. Knowledge of Bottom Card After the Cut A sloppy dealer may expose the bottom of the deck(s) while completing the cut. This is good information, as you can incorporate the value of the bottom card, which won’t be dealt, into your count. If you catch the bottom card before and after the cut, you have two cards to incorporate into your count. Knowledge of this information also can justify placing a larger bet right off the top. Knowledge of the Burn Card You may also benefit from a sloppy dealer’s exposing the burn card while placing it into the discard tray. You can incorporate its value into your count. If you’re fortunate enough to catch the bottom card before the cut and after the cut, in addition to the burn card, you have three cards to incorporate into your count. If these three cards are low value cards, which will not be dealt, you’re playing at a nice advantage off the top of a handdealt game and can bet accordingly. Use of a Concealed Computer This is a felony offense in most U.S. jurisdictions. On July 1, 1985, a bill in the state of Nevada went into effect, whereby anyone caught using a computer in a casino would be subject to up to a $10,000 fine and/or 10-year jail sentence. Nevada Statute 465.075 Use of Device for Calculating Probabilities: It is unlawful for any person at a licensed gaming establishment to use, or possess with intent to use, any device to assist: 1. In projecting the outcome of the game; 2. In keeping track of the cards played; 3. In analyzing the probability of the occurrence of an event relating to the game; or 4. In analyzing the strategy for playing or betting to be used in the game,

except as permitted by the commission. Other jurisdictions followed suit, passing similar bills. During the 1970s, one of the first known concealed computers was developed and used very successfully to count cards and provide the player with the strongest betting and playing strategies based on the information input into the computer. This computer was comprised of components about the size of a pack of cigarettes, which were strapped to the player’s waist, connected to a set of wires running down the player’s legs, connected to a mini-keyboard located inside one shoe. The value of each card dealt was input with the mini-keyboard by tapping toes in accordance with the codes indicating the card values. The computer, receiving this information, would go through the necessary calculations in practically one second and respond with a series of buzzes back to the player, directing how many units to bet and how to play the hand. Use of a computer is far more powerful than traditional card counting. The computer knows exactly what cards remain to be played. Let’s take an extreme situation. You’re playing a single-deck game with all the cards dealt. You have T,T for a pat hand of 20 and the dealer’s upcard is a 7. Only one card remains undealt. If you know that the only three unseen cards are three aces, one being the dealer’s hole card, one representing the burn card, and one being that only undealt card, what play decision would you make? The insane move of doubling down on a 20— giving you the opportunity to win twice your original bet! As you can see, using a computer results in some strange play decisions. Before the casinos caught on to the use of computers, such plays helped minimize heat from the winning computer player, as the pit attributed such winning to dumb luck, figuring that anyone making such stupid plays would eventually start to lose. Nowadays, such plays bring immediate attention from the pit personnel, who are a bit more educated. The bottom line is that if you get caught using a computer in a casino, you’ll be arrested. Don’t try it.

18 Tactics for Double-Deck Play It has become far more difficult to get away with betting large money in single-deck and double-deck games. The majority of the big-money advantage players stick to shoe games, which they consider safer from detection. It’s still possible to play a winning game against double-deck games using some careful tactics and modifications to the textbook strategies. Especially here, it’s crucial to a player’s survival to develop relationships with casino staff and use various methods to ensure the action is well accepted. Mix up your play between all three shifts of a casino, so as not to overexpose yourself on any given shift. If you’re comped a room in a specific hotel-casino, play there only the days you’re staying as a hotel guest (this applies to players working to satisfy comp requirements). It’s a good idea to stay a maximum of two nights at a hotel. Although this means changing hotels during a trip, it minimizes the amount of time you’ll be required to play in that casino, thus minimizing your exposure. Dealer Weaknesses Stay alert to dealer weaknesses noted in Chapter 17 as follows: Exposure of the bottom card before the cut—If you see a high card, cut low to get that card into play. If you see a low card, cut high to get that card out of play and include this card in the count. Exposure of the bottom card after the cut—You can use this information in your count before the first hand is dealt. Exposure of the burn card—You can use this information in your count before the first hand is dealt.

A “high-riffling” dealer—When the dealer riffles the cards on the final riffle, you can observe some of the cards as they’re falling in place. You’re looking for “paint” here and this can help you determine where to cut. The best dealers for this practice are females with long fingernails. Identifying Quality Games Pit—A good pit setup for you, as a player, is where the floorperson has several tables to monitor. Observe the number of tables open when you play and record this information in your session notes. Time to play—Best time for head-on action is graveyard shift (4 a.m.– noon in many casinos). A good time to play is toward the end of the shift. The dealers and pit are getting tired. Dealers may get sloppy and lazy. If you encounter a dealer who’s too lazy to shuffle all the time, the deck penetration may be better. If you’re in a pit where shoe games are mixed in with double-deck games, a great time to play is when they’re changing cards on the shoe games. This procedure requires lots of pit attention and a double-deck player can play unobserved. Number of players at table—As a guideline, we aim to play at tables with no more than two other players. The fewer players at the table, the more hands per hour you get, playing at an advantage. There’s flexibility here, but exercise sound judgment before entering a game at a crowded table. Dealer selection—Aside from any exploitable weaknesses, the two most important qualities to look for in a dealer are deep dealing and fast dealing. Rules—Be aware of the different rules in each casino. In the event you note a change from your records, update this information in your session notes. Table Limits—Ensure the minimum and maximum bets permitted at the table are within your betting guidelines. Initial Entrance into a Game Timing your arrival—Watch for a new shuffle and approach the table just as the first round is being dealt. This gives you the opportunity to see the first round of cards dealt, establish your count, and determine whether it’s worthwhile to enter the game at that point. This is a good opportunity if the

count warrants entering the game with a higher bet. This tactic is not applicable in games with no mid-deck entry allowed. Entrance Bet(s)—If you already have chips (recommended), you have a good opportunity to sneak them in without the dealer announcing your buy-in or a money-plays bet. If the count calls for a minimum bet and the floorperson isn’t watching the table, bet that minimum. If the floorperson is watching, you may want to bet more than the minimum for the first few hands, if the count isn’t extremely negative. Initial Aggressive Play—If you enter a game and the count immediately jumps up, don’t hesitate to put the big bets out. There’s no way the pit or the eye can establish any pattern so soon. However, if you happen to win some big bets right off the bat, chances are you’ll then be under observation. One thing you can do is simply leave. Another tactic is to go to a 1- or 2-unit bet after the next shuffle, which may give the impression that you were just “going crazy” off the bat and have now cooled off. You can throw some cover by using a parlay/progression, if you’re comfortable doing so. If you lose your initial big bets, you’re justified cutting back to a table-minimum bet at the shuffle. In this case, flat bet the table minimum for a bit, unless the count really jumps up. Then go for another “going-crazy” round. If you win those big bets, leave a big bet out at the shuffle, until you lose a bet. Then cut your bet back to 1 unit. Initial Passive Play—Flat bet the first two rounds regardless of the count. Another tactic is to go with a parlay/progression for the first two rounds regardless of the count (but not a strict parlay; be creative). During this time, if the count jumps up, throw a few extra chips up or spread to that second spot. In an initial passive entrance, you’re setting yourself up to become more aggressive shortly thereafter. When using an initial passive entrance, play very slowly (see “Controlling the Tempo” next page). During Play Session Changing tables—Break down your 1-hour session into three 20-minute mini-sessions at a table. After 20 minutes, change tables. Never leave a table at a positive count; always wait for a negative. When you enter a new table, time your arrival with the shuffle as outlined above.

Restroom break—During each 20-minute mini-session, take one restroom break or leave the table for some reason or another (phone call, sports bet). When you return from your restroom break, time your arrival with the shuffle as outlined in the above section. Players jumping into game—If a player starts to enter a game in progress and if the count is negative, wait for the player to put a bet in the circle, then pull yours back, without saying a word. Body language is important here, as you want to look disturbed. If the count is positive, catch the player before the bet is dropped and ask him to please wait for the shuffle. Ask politely but firmly. Players jumping out of game—If a player leaves a game at a negative count and there’s another player at the table, pull your bet back. If the count improves, jump back in. The message you’re giving here is that you’re cognizant of the order of the cards being changed and that maybe by sitting out a hand or two or three, might things will change for the better. If a player leaves a game at a positive count, this is a good opportunity to spread to two spots. Your message is that you want to keep the order of the cards. Pocketing chips—Good times to pocket chips are when you’re changing tables and taking restroom breaks, and during dealer changes. This makes it difficult for the pit to get an accurate handle on your win. Be aware of the tolerance levels of the casino, as this determines the denomination of the chips that you should pocket. Also note the bet levels of the other players at your table. If, on the rare occasion, there’s another big bettor at the table who’s not getting rated, and he leaves, you can comment that the player left with a lot of chips. Controlling the tempo—This is a key tactic. When the count is positive, play fast and aggressively. When the count is negative, play slowly. When playing unobserved by the pit, play fast. When the pit is watching, slow it down.

Summary While the recommendations presented in this chapter may help your longevity playing double-deck games with an advantage, it has become

increasingly difficult. If it’s your preference to stick to these games, remember to keep your sessions short and be careful not to overplay any one casino.

19 Backcounting Focus and Discipline in Backcounting Backcounting a non-crowded table with a deeply dealt six-deck game is a welcome opportunity for a knowledgeable player. You’ve done your homework and determined an “entrance point” where you’ll jump into a game, along with an “exit point” to leave the game. This is the heart and soul of your game plan, card counting at its finest. You’re playing only when you have the advantage and never betting into a house edge. Now, here you are one hour later and you haven’t realized a count warranting the placing of a bet! This is common with backcounting players, which results in many players becoming impatient and lowering their standards. Once a player falls prey to this emotional uppercut, he’s no longer playing a winning game. Since a majority of card counters operate more on the recreational level and incorporate their play as part of a vacation, one of the biggest problems is limited time. This is similar to the vacationing recreational poker player who ends up staying in on poor hands rather than folding. This player has a plane to catch, came into town for some action, and is going to get some action! In the meantime, the local pros are licking their chops, folding hand after hand and staying in only on the premium plays, while taking advantage of the impatient player’s mistakes. Relate this to playing blackjack. As with most things, it all begins with preparation. Game Plan The goal is never to play against a house advantage. You’ve scouted various casinos with enough tables and even noted some of the better dealers. You’ve established that in a six-deck game, if after two decks are dealt and you’re not at an acceptable entrance point, you’ll look for a new table to backcount. You drill into your head that you’ll enter the game only

at this given point, and once the count indicates you no longer have an advantage, you’ll exit the game. This is cut in stone. You are in strict discipline mode. Patience It takes a great deal of restraint to resist the urge to get into action when you’re thinking about the clock ticking. One solution is to stop thinking about the time element. Plant in your mind that you may end up spending a few hours working and counting down games without ever placing a bet. You say, “What a waste of time”? I say you should think about it as betting zero units in negative counts. By not playing the hands, you’re actually playing, only you’re playing with one heck of a bet spread! You say, “Great. That makes me feel a little better, but how boring!” Use the time as effectively as you can. It’s not all about counting down a game. You also need to study the opposition. Watch the procedures the pit follows when a player enters a game betting big money. Notice what goes on in the pit. Which floorperson is most or least attentive? These factors are all part of your game, and although you’re not physically laying down bets, the time will come when you are, and knowledge of these workings can make a huge difference. Your Worst Enemy You end up being your own worst enemy. Take a situation where you’ve been patient and after a couple of hours you get that hot count and send the chips in. You lose hand after hand! It happens and it happens often. Still, you mustn’t get impatient, which leads to altering your game plan. Do not play in substandard conditions. We all know that blackjack is a game played for the long run. Well, this long run can be quite long. It’s crucial to accept this and develop a balanced approach to the game, where you’re active in playing without betting, but ready to enter a game with aggressive betting once the conditions dictate. Who Owns the Table? It has become more frequent that a backcounting player enters a game and soon finds that the table is already occupied by another counter. It can

put both players at the risk of being exposed as counters when their bet movements are similar. In other words, “This table ain’t big enough for the both of us!” Now we have a problem. Who has rights to the table? The answer is, “There are no rules.” Let’s look at a typical scenario that a backcounting player may encounter. You’ve spent some time counting a particular table. During that time, several players have been in and out of the game. Some folks feel that one of the first things you should look for is whether another counter is at the table. I’ve always disagreed with the concept, because unless you actually know on sight that such a player is at the table, I feel you’re wasting your time attempting to evaluate another player in such a short period. Although you may possess a well-trained eye, there are more important things to be watching. Further, if you’re not already in the game, which would indicate the game is not yet advantageous, chances are any counter who is on the game will be relatively flat in betting. Sure, there are some tell-tale signs that can lead you to making a quick educated guess, but why waste your time playing “Peekaboo, I see you”? Now you have the situation where the count justifies your entering the game and all of a sudden another player’s bet jumps up. All of a sudden you’re on the receiving end of some dirty looks from this person. Whose table is it? Again, there are no rules, so there is no right or wrong. This already-seated player is thinking, “I’m at the table already, therefore I have rights to the table,” whereas the backcounting player is thinking, “I’ve been backcounting this game for 30 minutes and this player just arrived 10 minutes ago, so I own it.” Clever players can develop some creative ways to deal with such situations.

20 Blackjack and the Internet This chapter isn’t about actually playing blackjack at an Internet casino (although you can). Discussed here are various sources of online information and some precautions you should think about exercising. Like all subjects, a world of information on many aspects of blackjack is available on the Net. Some History One of the earliest online sources of blackjack information was the Usenet Newsgroup rec.gambling, formed in late 1989. It was a gamblingoriented bulletin board where visitors posted questions, ideas, and theories of any sort. After first addressing all forms of gambling in one place, the volume of messages grew to the point where it was necessary to split the newsgroup into different gambling-related categories. In 1995, blackjack players gathered at rec.gambling.blackjack. In November 1997, a moderated newsgroup enabled designated moderators to monitor all posts to the bulletin board and reject those considered inappropriate. This group, with its dedicated and high-quality participants, was very popular for a while. But as the Internet gained prominence, many new sites were formed. While there are several blackjack-related sites on the Internet today, the following are the most popular at the time of this writing. Some of these provide links to other such sites. Additionally, many casinos have their own websites, which can also provide lots of useful information. BJ21.com After participating on the RG Newsgroups for a short while, in 1996 blackjack author and expert Stanford Wong put together a well-organized bulletin board-type website called BJ21.com. The site quickly expanded into private sections (available by paid membership) and grew to more than 2,000 members, in addition to several hundred visitors and contributors to

the free sections. BJ21.com has grown to now host several bulletin boards, where information on blackjack conditions at casinos throughout the country can be accessed. This is a great place to get answers to basic questions from a large cross-section of theorists and players. Wong’s monthly newsletter, Current Blackjack News, is also available by accessing the BJ21.com website via paid subscription. Blackjacktheforum.com Software developer and blackjack author Norm Wattenberger runs this comprehensive website, which has lively forums and an active chat room with occasional guest experts as hosts. Participation on the site is free, requiring only initial registration. Blackjackforumonline.com Loyal readers of Blackjack Forum were pleased to see Bishop Arnold Snyder back on the scene with the launch of his blackjackforumonline.com. Visitors can access a treasure trove of articles from past issues of Blackjack Forum, along with message forums, including a members-only player’s forum. LasVegasAdvisor.com Anthony Curtis has been publishing the Las Vegas Advisor newsletter for more than 25 years, providing readers with information on the best deals in Sin City. In a rapidly changing environment, this online resource turns you onto incentives as they happen. The website has complete visitor information for accommodations, dining, transportation, shows, gambling, and just about anything Vegas-centric. There are also forums where visitors of all levels of casino knowledge engage in discussions on all things casinorelated. At this writing, there are plans for a big redevelopment of the site, which will include a much-heightened emphasis on gambling information and strategies, formed in conjunction with highly respected gambling expert James Grosjean and others from LVA’s deep pool of gambling authors.

Security Tips for Participating in Blackjack-Related Websites Contributing Information

It’s good to gather up every tidbit of information you can find, as you never know what you might come across. Some of the best information can come from the most unlikely sources. But if you contribute information to gambling websites, I recommend that you be careful about including specific information about what you, specifically, did during a trip or play. Some players feel it’s fine to give details about rules, penetration, etc., but anything specific that may link you to a given table, during a given shift, on a given day may lead to someone (maybe from a casino) figuring out who you are. On a website where anyone can have (or pay for) access, you never know who’s reading the posts. Exercise the necessary caution. Most contributors use pseudonyms when posting to maintain anonymity. But remember that when you post something about a specific event, it’s very easy for the casino to say, “Let’s go to the videotape.” Preserving good situations is also a concern. While it’s nice to have a network of players who provide information about great game opportunities, it can prove unwise to share too much with a large audience. When information about something particularly good gets out onto the Net, it often leads to a flood of players converging on a game all at once. When a casino running a good game or promotion suddenly sees a bunch of unknown faces betting big bucks, those good situations tend to deteriorate quickly. You may also encounter players offering to sell information about profitable games. Keep in mind that if someone is making money by providing information about an exploitable situation, you’re probably not the only person buying it. Remember: If two people know a secret, it’s no longer a secret! The Best Players You Don’t Know Remember that in order to be a successful player, you must remain unknown. That goes for socializing with other card counters. If you’re uncertain who has access to certain websites, exercise caution with regard to whom you communicate with. Keep a low profile and be wary about conveying information about yourself. It gets lonely playing solo, especially during a losing trip. If you’re fortunate enough to get into the right

network, you can find your way onto a successful team where you’ll have other players around. But make sure it’s the right network, meaning one with other low-profile players, who also aren’t known, haven’t been barred, and certainly do not appear in the infamous photo album known as the Griffin Book, or other databases of player photos/profiles that are accessible by casinos. Playing Blackjack on the Internet Online gaming grew quickly around the world and is now a multibillion-dollar industry. However, as a result of government efforts to contain it, online gambling is nowhere near as accessible in the U.S. as it is in other countries. Online poker is making breakthroughs in the U.S. and gambling of all types, including blackjack, will likely follow. Except on rare occasions, the methods for gaining an advantage outlined in this book won’t work when playing blackjack online. Some players, however, have discovered another way to outsmart the online casinos. It’s called “bonus-hustling.” Scouting, record-keeping, and playing applicable basic strategy for the game at hand are some of the keys to success in online bonus hunting. The out-of-print Crushing the Internet Casinos by Barry Meadow is one of the best sources for information on this topic, even though many of the specific opportunities it references no longer exist. In addition to playing blackjack against an online casino, you can also match your tournament skills against other players, and profitable situations can be found in online tournament play (see the next chapter for information on playing blackjack tournaments online).

21 Blackjack Tournaments On a September afternoon in 2004, after returning to my office following lunch with a colleague, I retrieved the following phone message: “Rick. It’s Max Rubin. We want to know if you’re interested in playing in the second World Series of Blackjack. First prize is two hundred and fifty grand. It’s going to be filmed and televised on GSN. Call me back.” I returned Max’s call, and after he told me it would be okay to wear a subtle disguise, I agreed to participate. I’ve played a few tournaments and held my own, but I’m far from being a tournament expert. I figured that in order to give myself a fighting chance against a strong field of tournament talent, I needed to tap into some resources. The first thing I did was dig out my copy of Stanford Wong’s book, Casino Tournament Strategy. I went through the section on blackjack tournaments and took some notes. Next, I cruised onto Ken Smith’s website, blackjacktournaments.com, and found a wealth of current information on tournament strategies. I printed about a dozen pages of material and went through it, highlighting numerous points. The third step was to seek out some expert tutelage. I contacted my good friend Mr. Lucky, who’s played in many tournaments and won a few along the way. Lucky referred me to someone whom he hailed as the best in the business: S. Yama. I phoned Mr. Yama, who was extremely generous in sharing information. The final part of my training involved studying the opposition. A friend had tapes from the past year’s tournament, and I reviewed them several times. Since I knew many of the participants would be returning to the

tables this year, I wanted to get a feel for each one’s style. Competitors in most sporting events study films of their opponents, so why not here? This was very helpful. The two missing components were some form of practice software geared for blackjack tournaments and live practice, either online or in a casino. Though both of these are available, time didn’t permit me to avail myself of them before playing. The tournament format consisted of eight preliminary rounds of five players each. The preliminary rounds consisted of 25 hands. The winner of each table progressed to the semi-finals and second-place finishers went into a wild-card round. In the semi-finals, the top two finishers from each of the two tables advanced to the final table. The tournament was held at the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas. Shortly after arrival, I met up with some other participants, a few of whom I already knew and others whom I was meeting for the first time. A preliminary round had just ended, and everyone was congratulating Viktor Nacht, who had just won, with Mickey Rosa taking second place. Mickey was a bit hurried, as he had to jump right into the wild-card round moments later. I wished him luck, but he didn’t get past the tough opposition. My opponents were author and gambling expert Henry Tamburin; Nancy Kubasek, an experienced tournament player; Kami Lis, a highly skilled professional player; and Michael Konik, another author and gambling expert. The only returning player from the first tournament was Michael. He’s a very aggressive player who comes out swinging for the fences. More than one person told me I had a tough table, as all four opponents were skilled tournament players. A few changes to my appearance—on with my Oxxford suit and a pair of shades—and next thing I knew I was in seat number two with Henry on my right and Nancy, wearing a blue wig, to my left. Wired for sound and with lights blaring and cameras rolling, we were underway. I started off betting the minimum. Michael, as predicted, came out strong. He was the one player I was most worried about, since his aggressive style could get

him a big lead fast. But it turned out that the opposite occurred, as Michael busted out on hand 12. Once Michael left the table, I immediately recalculated what my betting position would be on the final hand. Although Kami had the lead, it turned out that I was in the best betting position. If no one else busted prior to the final hand, I’d be the last to act on the end, which is a powerful spot to be in. Having observed my three remaining opponents over the first 12 hands, my take was that they weren’t aggressive players. Based on that assumption, I decided it would be best to make an aggressive move at an early opportunity. On hand 15, when I was second to act following Henry, I came out with a moderate-sized bet, which lost. My next move came two hands later, when I was last to act. I put up a large bet and this time I won and took the lead. I was feeling strong, but still had eight hands to go. The lead bounced back to Kami on hand 20, and on hand 22 I put out a large bet and reclaimed the lead. That didn’t last long, as Kami took it from me on the next hand. I was the first to bet on hand 24 and decided to go with the minimum. Afterwards, several experts expressed their belief that I should have gone for the lead, as it would have been a huge advantage to go into the final hand with the chip lead and being last to bet. Betting in front of me on the final hand, Nancy bet the max and Kami made an extremely well-calculated wager. I went with the minimum, hoping for a “lose-lose” result, which would have given me the win. My bet also made it necessary for Nancy to win a double to beat me for the wildcard spot. The dealer showed an ace up and, even though she didn’t have the natural, things were looking good for me. Nancy doubled down her maximum bet and I realized then that I should have known that she would double no matter what. With the ace up, the dealer was still a favorite to beat the table. However, she had to hit and busted the hand, dropping me to third place. I was out of the tournament, having been outplayed on the last hand. The fact is, the cream should, and usually does, rise in blackjack tournaments. This means that you can enjoy a significant advantage playing

them if you practice and become skilled. Tournament play is also fun, and in today’s TV environment, it offers the opportunity for additional lines of positive EV. For example, as this book goes to press, I’ve been invited to compete in the first Ultimate Blackjack Tour (UBT), a televised tournament with a new playing format and a prize pool of $1.4 million. The downside to tournament play is that you become highly visible by playing them—especially when you win. Disguises help, but the most successful players in the televised events figure to shorten their playing careers (in outside play) as a consequence. Still, the potential profits from big-time tournament play may make this an acceptable trade for you. Due to the rise in popularity of blackjack tournaments, you can pursue several sources of information to learn to play them well. In the end, though, there’s no substitute for experience. You simply can’t become a winning tournament player without playing tournaments.

Fundamentals The most important fundamental concepts of tournament play are relatively easy to learn. 1 . Bet your money—Winning a tournament requires that you reach a specified goal regarding your chip count relative to that of your opponents. The best way to do this is to use all of your available chips to accumulate more. It’s imperative that you get as many of your chips into play as possible during the short period of play. Don’t try to get fancy at the expense of achieving this goal. As the pros say, “When in doubt, put it out.” 2 . Consider position—As in most games, position is very important. Be aware of where you’ll bet on the final hand and play accordingly. If you’ll be betting first or near first, be even more aggressive. The closer you’ll be to betting last, the more you can afford to be out of position at the end. This is because you can play off the bets of your opponents. But be careful; you have to know what you’re doing to take advantage of this. Beginners should be aggressive regardless of position (see next). 3. Position yourself—The rule of thumb is to be in the position you need to be in to advance or win going into the last hand. Even if you have perfect

position on the end, all players—and especially beginners—are much better off being in the lead with one hand to play. Bet in a manner that optimizes your chances of getting to this spot, then be prepared to bet the maximum on the end. 4. Be alert in the play—Tournaments are mostly about betting, but they’re also about how you play your hand. Card counting isn’t important, given the short duration of play; it’s okay to play your hands according to basic strategy. But not always. If you’re playing alertly, you’ll notice key situations where you must play your hand contrary to basic to give yourself a chance. A perfect example is Nancy Kubasek’s last-hand double down described earlier in this chapter. 5 . Consider equity—Equity is the relationship between the amount of money collected in entry fees and the amount returned in prize money. Most blackjack tournaments are 100% equity (or better). If you play many tournaments with less than even equity, it will take its toll. Tournament expert Ken Einiger won the World Series of Blackjack II and promptly wrote his book Play to Win. PTW covers these fundamental concepts (and others) in much greater detail. It also explains tournamentplay considerations from the ground up—how to find them, enter them, prepare for them, etc. Play to Win is a must-read for anyone entering this arena.

Advanced Play Study and practice are what it takes to advance to the expert level as a tournament player. I’ve already mentioned Stanford Wong’s book, Casino Tournament Strategy. It provides an in-depth treatment of last-hand scenarios. It’s technical, but essential to winning play. Wong also has a software program called Tournament Blackjack. It’s decent, but I expect other programs to surface in the near future. Also be on the lookout for the book Hollywood Blackjack, by Hollywood Dave Stann, a colorful participant on the tournament circuit, who took second place in the inaugural World Series of Blackjack. On the Web, Ken Smith’s blackjacktournaments.com, which I cited earlier, is an excellent source of information. Another is Anthony Curtis’

LasVegasAdvisor.com. The LVA site has a message board devoted to the UBT, which also generates discussions on other aspects of tournament play. LVA also maintains lists of upcoming tournaments and valuable analysis of the big TV tournaments written by Anthony Curtis. As I’ve mentioned, you can’t become a great tournament player without practicing in real tournaments. Almost all of the major casino destinations have casinos that run mini tournaments. Usually costing $20 or $25 to enter, these minis are where you improve and enhance your game. LasVegasAdvisor.com keeps an up-to-date list of such tournaments in Las Vegas and has plans to expand its coverage. You can also play blackjack tournaments at selected sites online—either on full-fledged money sites, or on subscription services, such as ClubWPT.com. This and other subscription services provide an excellent way to learn the ropes of blackjack (and poker) tournaments without risking a lot of money. In these clubs, you pay one monthly fee to become a member, which qualifies you to play as many tournaments as you want for prizes, cash, and even seats to major events, but there are no additional entry fees or buy-ins, so your losses are capped.

22 The Comp Game and Travel Strategies The Allure The casinos, having a built-in advantage in just about every game they offer, know that they’ll win money from the players in the long run. The key is to keep them at the tables. One method of doing so is to offer comps. Depending on the amount one is wagering, the casino offers meals, rooms, and more to demonstrate that they value the player’s business. What they really mean is that they’re welcoming the player to lose more money at their tables. People easily fall into the trap of thinking they’re getting something for nothing. Typical story. A man has been playing blackjack in a casino, betting $100 a hand. He’s been at it for about two hours when his wife stops by the table. She asks, “Are you winning?” He responds, “I’m up about $500.” She then says, “Well, let’s go then.” He tells her, “I just ordered a drink; we can leave after I get it.” Fifteen minutes later his drink arrives, but not before he loses $1,000. Instead of leaving the table a $500 winner, he ended up a $500 loser, but he got his free drink! Play on Your Own Terms Players don’t stop to consider what they’re risking to get a freebie, which wouldn’t really cost much upon closer inspection. When playing for a specific comp, it’s important to know how long you must play and what your average bet must be in order to get that comp in that particular casino. The criteria for comp eligibility vary from casino to casino. If you’re going to Las Vegas during a time of year when room rates are low, you’d be better off paying the $40 per night, rather than betting higher than you normally would or playing longer just to get the room for free. If you don’t normally eat large meals, paying for the $10–$20 buffet may suit your needs, instead of playing at the table an additional 30 minutes just for a free meal, when a

game has deteriorated. A typical situation is where a player asks a floorperson for a comp. The floorperson responds, “You’ve only been playing for forty-five minutes. See me in another hour and I’ll see what I can do.” Most players fall into this trap and end up losing more bets just to get their free meal. That is why it is imperative to play on your own terms. Do Your Homework There are ways to save money and get comps without even placing a wager in a casino. It all starts when you first decide to take your trip.

Airfare Frequent Flier Programs It’s a good strategy to do your air travel using one specific airline. You can accumulate points in that airline’s frequent-flier program and eventually get a free airline ticket. The target number most airlines use to qualify for a free round-trip flight anywhere in the continental United States is 25,000. However, you don’t need to actually fly 25,000 miles to achieve this. Some shortcuts are: • When first joining the airline’s frequent-flier program, you usually get an enrollment bonus in points. • Some airlines offer bonus points for travel at different times of the year or to select destinations. • Some airlines offer bonus points when purchasing your ticket with a credit card or other payment method (e.g., electronic ticketing). • When staying at a hotel or renting a car, find out which hotels or car rental companies are partners with the airline. By using the partners, you earn points on your airline frequent-flier account. • Some credit cards have programs in which, for every dollar you spend using that credit card, you earn points on your airline frequent-flier account. • Your telephone long-distance service provider may have a program under which your long-distance expenses can earn points on your

airline frequent-flier account. • Various retailers have similar programs that can also earn you points, such as ordering flowers or custom shirts. Check the different airlines’ programs to see how you can achieve maximum benefits. Overbooked Flights If you once again do a little homework, you can get a free airline ticket by using some creativity. Airlines often overbook flights by selling more seats than are actually available, which allows for some “no-shows” along the way. At times, they end up having to turn away passengers from a specific flight prior to boarding. When this happens, they usually put the passenger on the next scheduled flight out to that destination and offer a form of compensation for this inconvenience. This compensation can be a free round-trip airline ticket for a future date. Here’s how to optimize your chances of getting bumped: Check the airline’s schedule and make sure that they offer two or more flights the same day, within a few hours of each another. Call the airline to check for availability on the early flights out. If there’s limited availability, book it. It doesn’t matter if the same situation exists on the later flight(s), because if you are “bounced” from the first flight, you will be almost guaranteed first priority to get on the next available flight. As an added bonus, if only first-class seats are available, guess who may get it? Party on! When you arrive at the gate to check in for your scheduled flight (try to arrive at least one hour prior), ask the attendant if the flight is overbooked. If so, offer to volunteer your seat, only if you’ll be confirmed on the next available flight and might be compensated with a free round-trip ticket for a future flight. If you’re creative enough and do your homework, you can, in theory, fly every other flight for free. Package Deals

When shopping around for the best airfares, you’ll usually bump up against some restrictions, such as you need to stay over a Saturday and book at least 14 days in advance. Many airlines have a “vacation package desk.” Booking your trip through them, you can end up paying less in airfare than you normally would. The casino/hotels make rooms available for such discounted airfare/hotel packages. Here’s a recent example of such a savings: Checking the airlines for round-trip airfare from New York to Las Vegas for a two-night stay, I found the following. Lowest available airfare per person: $298—late-night flights $360—normal flights Room Rates: $0—(comped) After checking with this same airline’s vacation package desk, I was quoted the following deal: Airfare + two nights hotel per person: $302—late-night flights $321—normal flights Yes, you read that correctly. By booking through the airline’s vacation package desk, I ended up with not only a lower airfare, but the room also included, giving me the ability to save my comp for a later date. When booking your trip through the airline’s vacation package desk, it’s not necessary to stay over a Saturday. For the absolute lowest rates, restrict your travel to Sunday through Thursday and take those dreadful late-night flights (departing from the West Coast around midnight for arrival in East Coast cities around sunrise, referred to as “red-eyes”), if you can deal with them. You can extend your stay to more than two nights without paying more for the package and use your comp for those additional nights. When

booking a hotel/air package, as long as you book the hotel for minimum of two nights, you can book the flights for any days, without the restriction of booking the additional hotel nights through them. You can also book a “fly/drive” package, where you’re not required to book a hotel at all. In this method, the airline vacation package desk will get you the same super-discounted airfare, along with a car rental included in the price. If you already have a room comp for your stay and want to rent a car, this is a good deal. If you don’t want the car rental, you’re under no obligation to actually pick up the car. Just book the package with the car rental included and never pick up the car! You still get the low package airfare price, with the car rental price included. Now that we have some strategies to get you to your destination, let’s discuss a little more about getting the best deal on rooms.

Saving Money on Hotel Rooms For popular casino cities such as Reno and Lake Tahoe, check the Sunday issue of the San Francisco Chronicle’s “Date-book” section and for Las Vegas, check the Los Angeles Times’ “Calendar” section, which lists current room specials in various casinos. If you have Internet access, you can surf numerous websites that may list special deals for hotel rooms in casino towns. Call various casinos in the city you’re planning to visit and ask for a casino host. Tell the host you’re a rated player at (name a few casinos) and interested in checking out his club. Then ask if a room can be arranged for you. Chances are you’ll be offered a room at casino rate (a good discounted rate) with the understanding that at the end of your visit, he’ll evaluate your play to determine if your action warrants a full room comp. Check for a coupon in funbooks (coupon books given out by casinos) you may have from a previous visit, which may contain special room discounts or two-nights-for-the-price-of-one specials. Booking directly through the hotel reservations desk will usually result in being quoted the highest room rate.

Complimentaries Basic Comps These are comps that can be obtained without even giving your name to be rated to a pit person. Parking—In most casinos, parking is free. You can self-park or use the valet. If you use the valet, you have to tip appropriately. In some places, you may need to have your parking ticket validated at the cashier’s cage of the casino. Cocktails/Beverages—Shortly after you sit down at a table, a cocktail server will approach you and ask if you’d like to order a beverage. It’s that simple and there’s no minimum betting requirement. It’s customary to tip the server. Line Passes—If you’re seeing a show or going to pay for a meal at the buffet/coffee shop without having qualified for a comp, you can ask for a line pass, which allows you to go in the “invited-guests” line without having to wait in long lines. The pit is usually very generous in giving line passes, as they want you back at the tables as soon as possible, and helping you avoid waiting on long lines accomplishes this. Rating Slips When you sit down at a table, a pit person normally asks you if you wish to be rated. This is the process whereby the casino keeps track of the amount of money you buy in for, your average bet, length of time you play, and your win/loss. Based on this information, the casino may extend you comps of different levels. Meals—If you sit down at a table and play for an hour, you can normally get a meal comp for two. Depending on the casino, the amount you bet will determine whether you get a comp for the buffet or coffee shop. Comps for gourmet restaurants usually require a higher bet level and more playing time at the tables. At some casinos in Las Vegas, Reno, and elsewhere, a player can score a meal comp for one hour of $5 average betting. You usually have to ask for a comp, so do it. At times it will be offered to you. Always accept it even if you don’t plan on using it immediately.

Normally, meal comps are valid for 24 hours; you’ll probably plan on eating at some point during that time. After you’ve played for an hour, always ask for a meal comp, if you haven’t already been offered one. Even if you don’t plan on using it immediately, ask anyway for the same reason as stated above. Always ask for a comp for two to the coffee shop (unless your betting qualifies for a gourmet room). If the pit person replies that your play doesn’t qualify yet, ask if you can get the buffet for two, or the buffet or coffee shop for one. A little negotiating usually gets you something. Rooms—The best method for getting a comped room is to ensure it’s arranged prior to your arrival at the casino. This can be accomplished based on your previous play in that casino and executed in a variety of ways. If you’re staying as a guest with someone else who already has a comped room, you have the opportunity to establish yourself as a player in that casino or several casinos to set up future comped rooms. While the person who’s being comped has a certain playing requirement to fulfill in order to be invited back for a subsequent comp, you’re a new player; the casino should look at you as a potential regular. Casinos have different criteria based on play whereby they can extend a room comp. For a standard room, you can score a free one-night room for roughly four hours of play, betting as low as a $25 average bet in some places. When you’re traveling with another and can stay in the same hotel room, it’s best to do so. Both of you are being rated separately and the comped room is being applied against only one of your accounts. In the event the comped player is unable, for any reason, to satisfy the play requirements to qualify for a subsequent comp, the other player may be able to qualify. Spread your action around town. Don’t initially limit your action to any one casino. Play in various clubs, get on all the mailing lists, and then determine which place treats you the best. You may receive invitations in the mail for free rooms. Once you settle on a place or two where you are comfortable playing and staying, get to know a casino host and pit boss there. Get friendly with

them. Take their business cards, when offered. When planning your next visit, phone them to see if they can arrange for a room for you. When you phone for a room in advance and are told that they are unable to comp you a room, as you didn’t give enough action, ask if your previous play qualifies for a room at “casino rate.” They may offer this to you anyway. Take it, as casino rate can be half the price of the rate regular hotel guests might pay. They may also tell you that “If your play qualifies for a room comp, we will adjust your bill when you check out.” Limiting your play to just this casino is fine. If you plan on spreading your action amongst several casinos, just take the casino rate and pay it without expecting any further discounts, but if you’ve given some action to the casino, you may want to ask anyway at the end of your stay. If you are not established in a casino where you are staying, but you are being rated and betting within the guidelines that may qualify for a room comp, let the pit know that you are a hotel guest there. After you’ve been playing for a few hours, ask if they can take care of your room. You may get your room comped or perhaps get it discounted to casino rate. If there are two of you staying in the same room, see if your total play combined might qualify for a room comp or discounted rate. Room, Food & Beverage (“RFB”) If you are an established player betting well within the casino guidelines for such comps, you will be invited to stay as an “RFB Guest” of the casino. As an RFB guest, you get your room comped (“R”), along with all food, which can be room service or any of the restaurants (“F”), and drinks, bottles of wine, champagne at all bars, restaurants or orders from room service (“B”). In many casinos, to qualify for such an RFB comp, a player would need to play for four hours per day at an average bet of $150 per hand. If you and the other person staying with you aren’t big drinkers, you may be able to negotiate an RFB comp without the “B.” By doing so, you may be able to score the comp despite betting a little less than the standard RFB requirement. Even if you like to drink a bit, you can order your drinks while playing (preferably toward the end of your playing sessions, so as to

not hinder your playing ability). If you’re a non-discriminating diner, you may be able to further negotiate your comp by having the casino limit your food comps to a certain dollar amount. Such negotiated comps fall under the category of Room, Food, Limited (“RFL”). Airline-Ticket Reimbursement As you become an established player in a casino, you may qualify for reimbursement of the cost of your airline tickets. If your casino host doesn’t offer this to you, you can ask. Although your play may not warrant a total reimbursement for the ticket(s), you may qualify for a partial rebate. A $200 average bet is probably the minimum to qualify for some sort of airfare rebate. When calculating a player’s eligibility for a comp such as airfare reimbursement, the casino may have some additional criteria that must be met, such as a minimum requirement for hours played. In the past, the common requirement was a minimum of 12 hours play. Other requirements may be a minimum amount of front money on deposit or a minimum credit line. Many casinos reimburse airfare only for players who stay at the hotel. Sometimes, a player comes out betting heavy and loses all his front money before reaching the minimum hourly requirement. In this case, the casino may elect to reimburse based on actual loss, provided certain criteria are met. Take a situation where a player puts $20,000 on deposit at the start of a three-day stay. Airfare reimbursement at this casino requires a minimum of 12 hours play at a minimum average bet of $200. After playing nine hours, the player loses $16,000 with a recorded $500 average bet. In this case, although the player didn’t meet the terms for reimbursement based on theoretical loss (he’s light on hours played), he may be eligible for airfare reimbursement based on his actual loss of $16,000 regardless of hours played and average bet size. If the casino’s policy is to reimburse 10% of a player’s actual loss toward the cost of airline tickets, this player is eligible for up to $1,600. The next step is for the player to present copies of his ticket and the ticket of his traveling companion, if applicable, to determine the total reimbursement. If he presents tickets totaling only $400, then that’s all he’ll receive. If the tickets total $2,400, all he’ll get is $1,600, representing a partial

airfare reimbursement. However, a creative player can maximize his benefit here. In addition to an example provided later in this chapter, the subject is covered well in Max Rubin’s book Comp City, as well as in Ian Andersen’s Burning the Tables in Las Vegas. Let’s take a closer look at the two above scenarios. If your airline tickets are less than your eligible reimbursement amount, there are various techniques for coming up with a second set of tickets to get the higher value. Basically, purchase and fly on the less-expensive tickets, while also buying fully refundable first-class tickets with another airline. Present the higher-value tickets for reimbursement, subsequently turning them in to the airline for a refund. Of course, there are precautions to consider, such as if you are being picked up and dropped off at the airport by a casino limousine. Of course, you want to avoid this, but for image purposes, you may need to improvise so you’re dropped in one place and have time to get to where you really need to be. It’s not difficult. Be prepared for anything, even a casino host riding along in the limo, taking your tickets, and assisting with your check-in at the airline counter. Oops! If casino records show your cumulative loss as being lower than the price of your airline tickets, you can fix that. A quick session transferring chips with a partner, as outlined in Chapter 14, can show a higher loss without much effort. See the section “Disguising Wins And Hiding Chips.” An American Express Platinum cardholder went on a business trip to an overseas destination with casinos offering decent blackjack. One of the benefits of the platinum card is that you get a free companion ticket when purchasing a business or first-class ticket on designated airlines. In addition to his full-time job, this guy was a part-time blackjack player working on a team. He used the free ticket to take a teammate along and used vacation time to extend the trip for casino play. The price of the paid airline ticket was about $8,500. Although the companion ticket on this program is free (except for the taxes), it’s an airline requirement for auditing purposes that the full airfare is shown on the ticket. After giving sufficient action to his host casino, he presented two first-class tickets, each showing a cost of $8,500, and received $17,000 cash. Since he was on a business trip, his company paid for his $8,500 ticket, leaving his team with only the expense

of the taxes and other fees (roughly $400) for the otherwise free companion ticket. The $17,000 was considered team money in accordance with their regulations. A teammate was playing at a casino and losing. Although his numbers didn’t qualify for airfare reimbursement, he managed to schmooze the host and, on settling his account, received a cash equivalent for the price of his ticket. With time to burn before departure, he played one final session. He won big, turning his losing trip into a winner. It was nice timing on his part, though it didn’t please his host any! Airline-ticket reimbursement is a comp where the casino is actually giving you cash, which they really don’t like to do. As an advantage player, it’s your job to do your homework and learn the best routes to get the casinos to dip into their cash boxes.

Loss-Rebate Programs Casinos have been offering loss rebates for many years, but they don’t go around advertising it. Though a loss rebate is one of the strongest marketing weapons in a casino arsenal, it can, at times, provide knowledgeable players with the ammunition to turn a losing game into a winning one. Several variables are involved in how rebate programs are structured by the casinos. We’ll start by looking at how a loss rebate works in its simplest form. Let’s say you’re offered the opportunity to wager $100 on each flip in a series of coin tosses, where you win even money on each winning wager and lose even money on each losing wager, but after X number of flips, you receive a 10% rebate on the losing wagers. For example, if you bet on 10 flips, winning five and losing five, you’ll be paid a total of $500 (5 x $100) and also pay out $500 (5 x $100), thus breaking even on the game. But then the loss rebate enters the equation, and you receive $50, representing the agreed upon 10% rebate on each of your losing wagers (5 x $10). If it were only that simple! In today’s cutthroat environment, competition for the highest-level players has grown to a point where one casino has to offer something more than the next in order to win the business. Players, in turn, are becoming more educated and are now shopping around for the best deal. It’s no

longer just about the biggest and most elaborate hotel suites, gourmet restaurants, top entertainment, private jets, and free gifts (such as expensive jewelry and shopping sprees), it’s also about negotiating the best loss-rebate deal. I’ve used the word “negotiating” here for two reasons. First, although the casino has a benchmark for its typical loss rebate, it’s always negotiable. Second, the profile of the typical high-level player is that of a successful highly competitive player. The nature of business deals in which such an individual engages often involves a high level of negotiating. It’s gotten to the point where negotiating has become a competitive sport in many business cultures. Therefore, when negotiating a loss rebate with a casino, many players view it as a game in which their goal is to beat the casino into a deal that’s better than the standard offer. It happens all the time, but the most famous example of a big win materializing from a negotiated deal occurred in Atlantic City in 2011, when a finance expert named Don Johnson beat a couple of casinos there for several million dollars. Johnson was a good player, but his win was more attributable to the skillful manner in which he set up his deal, which allowed him to bet large amounts knowing the refund was pending if he lost. As it worked out, he won. Better yet! To get the most value out of a loss rebate, an advantage player would like to make one and only one bet. If the bet wins, he leaves. If it loses, he collects the rebate and leaves. Imagine being able to do this once per day indefinitely! But the casinos are aware that their theoretical advantage is based on a great number of wagering decisions and as a result, they usually require a certain volume of bets before a player qualifies for a loss rebate. Since the player is required to put a lot of money in action, he needs to be aware of the important variables. 1. The house advantage when flat betting and playing perfect basic strategy is the first thing that needs to be considered. You want to play in a game offering the most player-favorable conditions. In addition to negotiating a higher loss rebate, Don Johnson managed to get some Atlantic City casinos to modify their blackjack rules and increase their table maximums just for him, in exchange for giving them an agreed-upon level

of play. 2. Based on the rebate deal, a betting and playing strategy must be devised that preserves a player advantage beyond the point the casino establishes as the minimum-play amount. A typical scenario might be that a player is required to deposit $500,000 in front money and play it through a minimum of five times to be eligible for a rebate on losses. The strategy needs to ensure that he’s playing at an advantage after putting this amount of money in action with the rebate considered. But here’s the important part: You have to do this without looking like a card counter or an otherwise similarly competent player. You also have to know how to run the numbers to determine if you have to move your bets too much to preserve an edge, thereby needing a better loss rebate to participate if you do. Since you’ll experience some winning trips, a key element in incorporating a loss-rebate strategy into your game is determining at what point of a win a player should quit and call it a trip. Knowing the proper stopping point is a key element in forming an optimal strategy. Currently, nothing on the market can formulate these strategies, but Norm Wattenberger, creator of the Casino Verite software products, is developing such a tool. 3. Loss rebates work best as stand-alone programs that don’t incorporate other complimentary offers. If comps such as room, food, beverage, shows, and airfare are applied toward the loss rebate, it decreases the amount of cash you can walk with. The best programs offer a loss rebate and complimentaries independent of one another. For example, a program might require $100,000 in front money or a credit line that’s turned over a minimum of five times for a 15% rebate on losses. Additionally, complimentaries are added in based on .25% of the total action wagered for the trip. With this program, you get the comps as outlined, win or lose, and if the criteria are met to justify a loss rebate, you get that in cash—in addition to the comps. 4. Determine if the loss rebate is based on a minimum loss amount—you need to know all of the parameters of the deal and what’s required of you before you start. 5. Determine how soon a new “trip” can commence after settlement of a

prior trip. In theory, if a player comes in on a Friday and meets the minimum requirement for a loss rebate by Saturday, he can conclude his trip, collect the rebate, check out of the casino, then check back in and start a new trip immediately. This isn’t the most convenient application, but it can be done. 6. What method do the pit and cashier use to monitor/record table results for each session? If the casino uses specific chips for the purpose of tracking rebate players, it gives them a better tool for accurately monitoring win/loss. Some casinos assign a floor person to record every bet made by a player on a rebate program. Yes, you read that correctly—your own personal floorperson records the result of every hand you play. In all cases, it’s important to verify what the floorperson’s results show at the end of each session. If you lost big, it’s imperative that the loss is recorded accurately. Rolling-Chip Rebate Programs “Rolling-chip” programs are common in Asian casinos. Since the basis of these programs is the use of non-cash chips, we first need to differentiate between the two popular forms offered by casinos. Action Chips—Cannot be exchanged for cash and can be used for table play only. An action chip is good for a one-time bet. Win or lose, the chip is collected by the dealer. For example, if you bet a $100 action chip and win, the dealer takes the chip and pays you with a $100 cash chip. Non-Negotiable Chips—Just as with action chips, non-negotiables cannot be exchanged for cash. The difference is that a non-negotiable chip is played until it loses. If you bet a $100 non-negotiable chip and win, the dealer pays with a $100 cash chip, but does not collect the non-negotiable chip. You can then play the same non-negotiable chip over and over until it loses. Non-negotiable chips are obviously more valuable than action chips. There are also other considerations that affect their value: How does the casino treat bets with either of these chips when a wager results in a tie? If the chip is collected on ties, it decreases its value. Are you restricted to even-money wagers or can you bet these chips on

propositions with higher payouts? Mathematically, the chips are worth more on bets with higher payouts, e.g., 35-1 on a roulette number straight up or 8-1 on the baccarat tie bet. Your expected return is higher on the longshot wagers, although the variance when playing them goes up, creating more risk. Are naturals paid at 3-2 or are the payouts restricted to even money? If payouts on naturals are restricted to even money, the value of the chips is decreased. Can the chips be used for insurance, surrender, splits, and double downs? Being allowed to use the chips for all playing options increases their value. How does the casino staff (pit and cashier) monitor results? If the casino closely monitors your play and results, it reduces the opportunities for teammates to exchange chips. Loss-rebate programs can be very valuable for players. Since the programs vary by casino, all of the scenarios cannot be addressed here. However, creative players have been successful in exploiting loss rebates for years and programs of varying value are there for the taking, especially when you employ creative methods. A Creative Loss Rebate If your level of play doesn’t qualify for a loss rebate, you can create your own. In his book Comp City, Max Rubin talks about players who maximize airfare reimbursement using various techniques. For example, some casinos will reimburse up to 10% of a player’s actual loss, but apply it only toward the cost of airline tickets. As suggested by Max, a player can purchase and present a set of fully refundable airline tickets valued in the neighborhood of 10% of his front money, while actually traveling via less-expensive tickets. Now, whether a true loss or an exaggerated loss has been recorded by the casino, the player has, in essence, created his own loss-rebate program.

Other Comps Other comps you can score are free golf, show tickets, fight tickets, and

tickets to other special events. When you’re playing, ask a pit person or casino host if you qualify for such comps. If they say you don’t currently qualify, find out the criteria for the comp you want.

Some Final Tips on Scoring Comps When you first sit down to play and the pit person is filling out your rating slip, make your first few bets higher than normal. This may help get you a higher rating. After the pit person leaves, you can lower your bet. If the pit person returns, you may wish to raise your bet again. Use this method if you’re playing strictly for comps. When combining card counting with playing for comps, you’ll need to consider what the count is when the pit person visits the table. If the count is high, there’s no problem making that big bet. However, if the count is low, you may want to consider taking a restroom break to avoid exposing a smaller bet and jeopardizing your rating. You can also use your own creativity to figure out reasons to sit out a hand or two when being observed during a poor count. Play in a pit where the floorpeople have several tables to monitor. They won’t have the time or luxury to monitor any one table closely. This takes some pre-scouting. If you’re playing strictly for comps, look for shoe games with a slow dealer, poor penetration, and a full table with slow players. While such games are undesirable for card counters, the slow pace of such games gives a player looking to score comps the luxury of playing fewer hands per hour, thus risking less money. If playing strictly for comps, try to schedule your play shortly before the playing cards at that table will be changed. This procedure provides about 10–15 minutes of down time for which you’ll receive credit, without having to place a bet. This commonly occurs around the changing of shifts. • Ask for your desired comp. • Ask in a nice way and smile. • Ask as though you know you’re entitled to the comp. Whether you’re counting cards or not, the comps are there for the asking. It’s up to you to get them. It can be as simple as asking.

23 Airline Travel Security For international travel, laws define what you can and can’t do in terms of carrying money. If you fail to follow them, you could be subjected to arrest and confiscation of your cash. When traveling overseas, if you have no alternative but to carry cash, I strongly advise that you familiarize yourself with and strictly adhere to the laws of the countries you’re visiting, as well as U.S. laws regarding transport of currencies. When traveling within the United States, there are no restrictions on the amount of currency one may carry, at the time of this writing. However, there have been reports of individuals who have been victimized under the guise of “suspicious activity” for carrying what was considered large amounts of cash. Beware Local Law Enforcement Upon passing through airport security, if you’re pulled aside by reason of suspicion (justified or unjustified), you’ll immediately be turned over by airport security to local police. The federal authorities won’t be in the picture yet. This is where the problems have arisen. In some jurisdictions, individuals who have been detained as a result of carrying large sums of cash claim that all their cash was confiscated, but the total amount officially reported as confiscated was less than what was truly taken. In other words, the victim claimed the cops stole the money. Protective Measures If at all possible, try to find an alternative to carrying cash. Carrying travelers’ checks for domestic travel can work. Even if you’re playing under an alias at a given casino and several casinos are in the area, you can usually go next door to cash your travelers’ checks. If you’re using your real name and are comfortable with having a Currency Transaction Report (“CTR”) filed in your name for a cash transaction in excess of $10,000, it may be a

good idea to wire money in or use similar means. I have not verified whether these are workable, but they are suggestions from a reliable source: Have your attorney and/or accountant write a letter indicating that you plan to carry (exact amount of cash), and such amount has been officially recorded. If you really want to go overboard (remember, paranoia can save lives!), have the actual denominations and serial numbers of the bills included. Note: This will be in sync with what you carry on your departing flight. After a win/loss, you’ll have different amounts and different bills/serial numbers. You can attach amended records to this letter and the letter can be worded as such to allow for this latitude. Carry a certified copy of your most recent tax return, highlighting the areas that demonstrate gambling activities. This should divert any attention from an illegal activity to that of legal gambling, as documented. If you’ve withdrawn in excess of $10K in cash from your bank, as you know, they file a CTR with the U.S. Treasury Department. While many banks claim they’re not supposed to give you a copy of this report, you can sometimes get an uninformed clerk to give you one (it happens more often than not). Carry this with you to demonstrate that you legally obtained the subject cash. In absence of this, you may even ask a bank officer to draft a letter certifying that the amount of cash (which should correspond to the amount on your person at the time of your departing flight) was withdrawn from that financial institution. For your return flight where the amounts are different, if you’re playing under your real name, have no problem with CTRs, ratings, and other forms of related disclosure, ask your host for a letter indicating the dates you played and your win/loss. Note: If you’ve been hiding chips, it’s best not to cash in all of your chips, so the amount of cash you’re carrying corresponds with your documentation. Unfortunately, if you’re playing under an alias, it weakens your position. Carrying IDs under aliases will make authorities suspicious, should they find them. It may help to have your attorney include in the letter something to this effect, referencing the aliases used, so it’s on record. What you’re trying to demonstrate here is that you’re not looking to hide

anything from the government, but wish to maintain your privacy in respect to the casinos, while engaging in perfectly legal activities. Sorry, I have nothing better, but if you’re using an alias and carrying cash, you’re skating on thin ice! Someone suggested this … carry a Bible, pictures of your mother, grandmother, kids, dog and/or cat. If you’re pulled in as suspicious, you want to present yourself as “the boy (or girl) next door,” as opposed to some slickster. Who ever said gamblers weren’t religious? Also, I don’t recommend you attempt to skirt the CTR issue. There are two things in life that I’m afraid of: sewer rats and the IRS! If you try to play with the IRS and get caught, in all likelihood, your life will be ruined. There are legal ways to work the system, which you should research. I don’t know how the above holds up legally, but my thought is, if you’re detained and questioned by local cops who have any inclination to try skimming some cash, these precautions may make them think twice about pulling anything.

24 Blackjack Outside the U.S. Casinos dealing blackjack can be found in many countries around the globe. Blackjack opportunities do exist around the world, but a player needs to do additional homework to identify potentially profitable situations. Also, the games can be a bit different from those found in the U.S., based on several variables, which can be both good and bad. Different Rules The most common rule you will find in play outside the USA is the “nohole-card” rule. This is where the dealer does not take a second card (hole card) until all players have played their hands. In many places, there’s an additional spin on this rule, where after a double down or split, when the dealer’s second card makes a blackjack, the player loses both the initial wager and the amount put up for the double down or split. When playing with this rule, you need to adjust your basic strategy as follows: 1. 11 vs. T 2. 11 vs. A 3. A,A vs. A 4. 8,8 vs. T 5. 8,8 vs. A

Hit instead of Double Hit instead of Double Hit instead of Split Hit instead of Split Hit instead of Split

Bet Spreads, Penetration, and Heat Players can get away with higher bet spreads in many countries outside the U.S. If you possess a strong bankroll, you can increase your edge by spreading your bets accordingly. While a typical game found in casinos throughout Europe is a 6-decker with less than desirable rules, such a bet spread may overcome this type of game. Penetration can vary widely, just as it does within the U.S. casinos. As always, this factor should be the key to determining whether a game is

worth playing. While it’s difficult to gauge the extent of heat in casinos abroad, it’s evident in many places that American players at a blackjack table arouse suspicions, especially if they happen to be winning big. Such casinos immediately label American players as card counters on sight. It’s just a reputation! Finding Good Games You may at some point come across a game with great rules. This, along with other variables such as penetration and the ability to use a large bet spread, can provide a player with a super opportunity. You won’t have to worry about word getting out about such a game and dozens of players burning it out in a matter of days. While this happens often enough in the U.S., abroad one can enjoy the luxury of having found a hidden treasure and playing it without worrying about the masses. Identification and Barring In the U.S. you can legally get rated under an alias. When playing in a casino abroad, you usually need to show a passport as identification. While people are known to obtain passports under false names, it’s a crime that you don’t want to get caught committing in a foreign country. With that in mind, you should check in under your real name using your real passport. Another consideration is that in the event a foreign casino becomes suspicious of you, it might check with some U.S. casinos and give them this real name. If you’ve been playing in the U.S. under an alias, those U.S. casinos won’t have a record of you, but may be able to identify a photo of you. Get creative, but stay within legal boundaries. Safety Exercise care when carrying large sums of money and traveling abroad. It’s advisable to carry most in travelers’ checks, while keeping hard currencies secured on your person at all times, using a money belt or other discreet method. Be aware of the exchange rates when converting your U.S. dollars into the local currency. While many travelers make use of hotel safes, it’s recommended to

exercise caution, especially if you’re staying at a smaller hotel. In this case, it may be more prudent to keep the money on you, rather than in a hotel safe. Electronic Pen-Pals Some players worldwide participate regularly in some of the blackjack websites and communicate with one another. Such players have reciprocally hosted one another during visits to their respective countries. Having a local player guiding you around in a foreign country is an invaluable asset. Currency Laws Be aware of the various regulations with respect to bringing currencies into or out of the country. Failure to follow the proper procedures can result in having all your money confiscated, in addition to your being detained.

Foreign Currency Exchange (“FX”) 101 For the examples in this chapter, we will use U.S. dollars and the euro (€). General Info If you check a local financial newspaper listing exchange rates, you might see the euro trading at .9059, which is the amount in euro you’d receive for one U.S. dollar. Alongside, you might also see a rate quoted as 1.10387, indicating that you’d receive US$1.10 for one euro. Translated to our purposes: SCENARIO “A”—You have US$100,000 and purchase euro at a rate of .9059. You arrive at your European destination with €90,590. After a break-even play, you return home with €90,950 and you purchase US$ at a rate of 1.10387 and receive US$100,000 in exchange. In reality, the above scenario is not common, since the rates quoted are considered just a “quote.” The banks adjust these rates in a manner that enables them to make a profit from both sides of the transaction (the purchase and the sale). Using the “for-information-purposes-only” rate in the above example, a more realistic translation would be as follows:

SCENARIO “B”—You have US$100,000 and purchase Euro at a rate of .8950 (1.117). You arrive at your European destination with €89,500. After a break-even play, you return home with €89,500 and you purchase US$ at a rate of 1.099 (.9100) and receive US$98,360.50 in exchange. You played a break-even game, but lost US$1,639.50 due to the cost of exchanging currency. Based on the above transactions, here is how the exchange rate chart would appear: Quote:

.9059

1.10387

Buy:

.8950

1.117

Sell:

.9100

1.099

Note: In the event only currencies are listed in one of these columns, you can determine the flipside by dividing 1 by the quoted rate (e.g., 1/.9059 = 1.10387; or 1/1.10387 = .9059). Method to Minimize Loss on Currency Exchange Best Method—Some casinos provide a nice service, where you wire US$ to their account held in their local bank. They establish a rate for your buyin, which is locked in. If you play a break-even game, your exchange transactions would resemble Scenario “A” above. In my past trips, this service was extended to me without any commission. If you end your play with a win, your winnings are converted at a spot rate (the rate at the moment the bank wires the funds back to your U.S. account). This can work to your advantage or disadvantage (usually the latter), depending on the strength of the currency involved at that time. When you’re receiving reimbursement for airfare, they use a spot rate to convert the amount you give the receipt (the US$ amount) and convert it to a euro amount. When funds are wired back to you, they will be once again converted back to US$ the day they are wired to your account back home. You’ll want to ensure the rate used is the same in both of these steps and that it’s done when you settle.

One hint: When you settle up your account, do so on a banking day (not a Saturday or Sunday), and do it first thing in the morning. That way you can have them confirm the rate used for all these purposes and all the conversions will be performed that day.

25 Basics of Zone Tracking There may be just a handful of players truly skilled enough to achieve long-term success in the art of “zone tracking.” Also known as “shuffle tracking,” while many take a crack at it, most are unsuccessful. The easiest aspect of zone tracking is the ability to make an error. There are simply too many ways a player can miscalculate. Errors are far more common and far more costly than those related to straight card-counting. If I ran a casino, I would implement a simple enough shuffle where the wannabe zone trackers would come out of the woodwork. These are the players from whom the casino will make the most money when they make mistakes that give the casino an even bigger advantage than it already possesses. The players who can flawlessly track a shuffle will be few and far between, and not nearly enough to raise a concern. The sharper casinos are beginning to realize this and are looking to speed things up to improve their bottom line. In early 2002, I was remotely involved with a group, co-led by an individual who, at that time, I considered the most brilliant zone tracker I’d encountered. This is someone who put forth the highest level of intensity, dedication, and sacrifice to achieve an inordinate level of excellence. Due to my limited availability, I wasn’t privy to the actual methods used by this master, except for one small refinement in the method I was using to track a specific shuffle. I’m grateful for this little insight, and out of respect I won’t pass on what I learned from this individual. The secrets are kept well guarded. I parted company with this group and continued to work on fine-tuning my zone-tracking methods. A couple of months later, I had the good fortune of meeting up with another gifted individual in the unlikeliest place. This person not only took the skills of zone tracking, along with other advanced methods, to levels beyond, but also proved to be quite generous with sharing knowledge. I was amazed at the surgical approach used to

analyze various casino shuffle procedures, including the inner workings of several commercial shuffle machines. While this individual was quite open and sharing with the methods used, I was asked not to write about these details. I will honor my promise. The methods presented here are very basic. Although they’ve already been discussed in some of the blackjack literature, the intent is to present them in a most easy-to-learn manner. The mathematics of card counting assumes a random shuffle process that provides a thorough mixing of all the cards. However, expert studies show that random shuffles in casinos today are the exception rather than the rule. It would take too much time to shuffle so precisely. The less time a casino spends on the shuffle, the more it spends time dealing, resulting in more profit. Since few players can take advantage of a non-random shuffle, it makes sense for the casinos to spend as little time as possible doing this, regardless of how poorly the cards are mixed. When “slugs” of cards are less than thoroughly distributed due to a nonrandom shuffle, an astute tracker can identify the positions in the shoe where the slugs reside. If a “segment” is rich in high cards, the tracker cuts this segment into play and bets with an advantage off the top. On the other hand, if a segment has excess low cards, the tracker cuts this segment out of play. The most important skill required to succeed in zone tracking is visually following the cards being tracked. This means estimating the size of a segment in a discard tray, the size of the segment as grabbed by the dealer while performing the shuffle, and the size of the final segment where your targeted group of cards ends up after the shuffle.

Step-by-Step Training Method to Develop the Skills In this section, I provide you with some basics on the skill of zone tracking. I recommend that you use the information here strictly as a foundation for further training before attempting to go out in the casinos to try your hand at it. Extensive research has been performed on the topic, some with advanced mathematical formulas. The methods presented here are an attempt to simplify the process, using one simple shuffle. You’re

provided with enough material to determine whether or not to continue with further study. This chapter is far from being a complete course, but it’s an excellent primer. Sources for additional training will be presented at the conclusion of this chapter. Note: When referring to different counts in the exercises throughout the chapter, we’ll be using the Hi-Lo counting system. We will further work under the assumption that the penetration level in the 6-deck game being played is 1½ decks cut off.

Identifying Segment Sizes If you’ve been employing a balanced card-counting system with truecount conversion, you should be able to determine segment sizes by looking at a stack in the discard tray. The following drills will enhance your skills: Drill Number One 1. Training for a 6-deck shoe game, take 6 decks of casino-quality cards and number them from 1 to 312 on the face of each card. 2. Place the stack in order in a 6-deck discard tray. 3. Determine the midway point in the stack and place a cut-card in that spot. Take a look at the face of the card above the cut-card and see what number it shows. If you cut to card number 156, congratulations! Repeat this exercise until you’re consistently within three cards. Note: When performing this exercise, try to take the stack of cards out of the discard tray, holding it on the table in the manner a dealer would when presenting it to a player to cut. This works best if you’re training with a partner and you can take turns with this exercise. 4. Determine a point that you believe is one deck from the bottom up and place a cut-card in that spot. Take a look at the face of the card above the cut-card and see what number it shows. You want to be consistently within three cards of number 52. 5. Continue with steps 3 and 4, going for half-deck cuts, 1½-deck cuts, and 2-deck cuts. Drill Number Two

1. Using the same “numbered-order” stack from drill number one in a 6deck discard tray, randomly grab a pile of cards from the stack. Place the pile grabbed on the table and determine its approximate size. For example: If you think it resembles the size of a 2-deck pile, indicate whether it’s over or under 2 decks and by how many cards. 2. Repeat steps 1, making certain to mix up the random size of your “picks.”

Learning Cut-Off Tracking In this step, you apply a simple shuffle as an introduction to Cut-Off Tracking. Drill Number Three 1. Training for a 6-deck shoe game, take 6 decks of casino-quality cards and count off 78 cards. This pile will represent 1½ decks of “cutoffs,” which we will attempt to follow through a simple shuffle routine. 2. Take the remaining 4½ decks and place them in your discard tray. 3. Using a black marker, color one side of the edges only of the pile of 78 cards. 4. Place this colored pile on top of the cards already situated in the discard tray, with the colored edges facing you (see Illustration 1).

5. Break the 6-deck stack into two equal 3-deck piles. Let’s call the pile on the right “Pile A,” which will contain the cards with the colored edge, representing the 1½ deck cutoffs. The other pile will be “Pile B” (see

Illustration 2).

6. Grab 39 cards (¾ deck) from Pile A, then grab the same amount from Pile B, “riffle” them together, then place the riffled cards in a prominent spot between the two original piles, thus creating a third pile, which we will call the “final stack” (see Illustration 3).

7. Repeat Step 6 three more times so all the cards have been shuffled to complete the final stack (see Illustration 4).

Result—The bottom half of the 6-deck final stack contains the entire 1½ deck of cutoffs, as represented by the marked edges. Information You Will Possess—If you’ve maintained a running count throughout the shoe, you’ll know the value of the cutoffs as well. For example, if at the end of the shoe, your running count is +9, then you know

the 1½ decks of cutoffs have a value of -9. How to Use this Information—With knowledge that the bottom half of the final stack contains extra high cards, by placing the cut-card at the midway point of the stack, you’ll bring this preferable 3-deck segment to the top. A simple method to play through this 3-deck segment is to determine your adjusted running count at the start of the shoe based on your information. Here’s a procedure for doing so: Look at the 6 decks in terms of four segments of 1½-decks each. One segment contains the cutoffs with a known value of -9. This known segment, as a result of the shuffle, was merged with a second segment of unknown value. Since the total value of all three unknown segments is +9, we can make a rough estimation and spread this +9 equally among the three segments, providing us with an estimated value of +3 per segment. If we’re using this +3 estimate as the value for the segment merged with the cutoffs (-9), we add +3 to -9, resulting in -6. Therefore we can adjust our running count at the start of the shoe to +6, betting and playing accordingly throughout the three decks. Recap on Estimating the Value of the Unknown Segment Being Merged with a Known Tracked Segment—Determine the size of the segment you’re tracking (1½ deck). Then figure out the total value of all unknown segments (+9). Now determine what portion of all the unknown segments is being merged with the segment you are tracking (1½ out of 4½ decks or one-third). Divide the count of all the unknown segments by the portion of that total being merged (9/3 = 3). Add the result of Step 4 to the count of your known segment and use this to determine the count to use at the start of the shoe (9) + (+3) = -6. Since the segment contains a value of -6, you start play with a count of +6.

Learning Segment Location In this step, you will use the same shuffle as in Step 2 to begin with a simple form of segment location.

Drill Number Four 1. Using the same 6 decks of cards from drill number three, take the 78 cards with the edges marked and break them into two equal piles of 39 cards each. 2. From the remaining 4½ decks, count off 78 cards and place them in the shoe. These non-colored cards will represent the cutoffs. 3. Take one pile of 39 cards with the colored edges facing you and place them in the discard tray. This pile will represent the first ¾-deck dealt from the previous shoe. This segment is called the “bottoms,” which is what we’re tracking in this drill. 4. Place the remaining pile of non-colored cards (3 decks) on top of the 39 colored cards in the discard tray. 5. Take the remaining pile of 39 cards with the colored edges facing away from you and place them on top of the stack in the discard tray. 6. Take the 1½ decks of cutoffs from the shoe and place these on top of the stack in the discard tray. Illustration 5 shows what the pre-shuffle stack will look like.

7. Break the 6-deck stack into two equal 3-deck piles. “Pile A” on the left, from the player’s view, will contain the cards with the colored edge, representing the ¾-deck bottoms. The other pile will be “Pile B” (see Illustration 6).

8. Grab 39 cards (¾-deck) from Pile A, then grab the same amount from Pile B, riffle them together, and place the riffled cards in a prominent spot between the two piles, creating your final stack. 9. Repeat Step 8 three more times, so all the cards have been shuffled to complete the final stack (see Illustration 7).

Result—The 1½-deck segment located on the top of the post-shuffle file contains all the bottoms, as represented by the marked edges. Information You Will Possess—If you’ve maintained a running count of the first ¾-deck, you’ll know the value of 50% of the cards within the top 1½-deck segment. Let’s assume your running count for the ¾-deck is +7. How to Use this Information—With knowledge that the top 1½-deck segment of the final stack contains extra low cards, by placing the cut-card at the 1½-deck point from the top of the stack, you bring this non-preferable 1½-deck segment to the very bottom, thus cutting the segment with the extra low cards out of play. A simple method to play through the shoe is to determine your adjusted running count at the start of the shoe based on your information. Here is a procedure to do so:

Look at the 6 decks in terms of 8 segments of ¾-decks each. One segment contains the bottom ¾-deck with a known value of +7, which means the remaining 7 segments contain a total value of -7. Since your known segment was merged with a second segment of unknown value, you can divide the value of the total unknown segments (7) by the number of unknown segments (7), resulting in -1. If we use this -1 estimate as a value for the segment merged with the bottoms (+7), we add -1 to +7 and adjust our running count at the start of the shoe to +6 (since we are cutting these cards out of play), betting and playing accordingly throughout the shoe. Note: As you progress in your training, you’ll be exposed to methods and formulas much stronger than this simplified method. The method presented here is a good starting point and is workable. Recap on Estimating the Value of the Unknown Segment Being Merged with a Known Tracked Segment—Determine the size of the segment you are tracking (¾ deck). Now determine the number of unknown segments (7). Now determine the total count of all unknown segments, which is the offset to that of your known segment count (-7). Divide the count of all the unknown segments by the total number of unknown segments (-7/7 = -1). Add this result to the count of your known segment, using this count at the start of the shoe (+7 + (-1) = +6). Let’s take a scenario where the bottoms you’re tracking contain extra high cards. Information You’ll Possess—Let’s assume your running count for the ¾deck is -7. How to Use this Information—With knowledge that the top 1½-deck segment of the final stack contains extra high cards, by placing the cut-card at the 1-deck point (usually the minimum number of cards you’ll be permitted to cut) from the bottom of the stack, you will bring that one deck of unknown cards to the top of the stack. Your preferable 1½-deck segment containing the bottoms will be located immediately following that one-deck of unknown cards. There are a few ways you can strategically approach this.

One simple method is to play through the first deck betting the minimum, then when one deck has been played, you’ll have reached your segment containing the extra high cards. Using the above procedure for determining the value of a segment, you’d play through this 1½-deck segment starting with a running count of +6, betting and playing accordingly. Drill Number Five 1. Using the same 6 decks of cards from drill number three, take the 78 cards with the edges marked and break them into two equal piles of 39 cards each. 2. From the remaining 4½-decks, count off 78 cards, and place those cards in the shoe. These non-colored cards will represent the cutoffs. 3. Take one pile of 39 cards with the colored edges facing away from you and place them in the discard tray. 4. Place the remaining pile of non-colored cards (3 decks) on top of the first 39 cards in the discard tray. 5. Take the remaining pile of 39 cards with the colored edges facing you, and place them on top of the stack in the discard tray. This pile will represent the last ¾-deck dealt from the previous shoe. This segment is called the “tops,” which is what we’re tracking in this drill. 6. Take the 1½ decks of cutoffs from the shoe, and break them into two equal piles of 39 cards. 7. Take one of the ¾-deck cutoff piles and “plug” it at least one deck down from the top of the stack in the discard tray (see Illustration 8). Note: We’re using a different method of cutoff placement here called “cutoff plugging,” where in the previous drills we used a method call “cutoff topping.”

8. Take the remaining ¾-deck cutoff pile and “plug” it at least one deck up from the bottom of the stack in the discard tray (see Illustration 9).

9. Illustration 10 shows what the pre-shuffle stack will look like in the discard tray.

10. Break the 6-deck stack into two equal 3-deck piles. “Pile A” on the right, from the player’s view, will contain the cards with the colored edge, representing the ¾-deck tops. The other pile will be “Pile B” (see

Illustration 11).

11. Grab 39 cards (¾-deck) from Pile A, then grab the same amount from Pile B, riffle them together, then place the riffled cards in a prominent spot between the two piles, creating your final stack. 12. Repeat Step 11, so all the cards have been shuffled three more times and the final stack is complete (see Illustration 12).

Result—The 1½-deck segment located on the bottom of the post-shuffle stack contains all the tops, as represented by the marked edges. Note: In a real-world environment, the above scenario won’t be as exact as presented. You’ll need to estimate when the first round of the tops will be dealt in relation to the appearance of the cut-card, notwithstanding how many more cards are dealt to complete the round as the cut-card appears. Information You’ll Possess—If you’ve maintained a running count of the last ¾-deck dealt, you’ll know the value of 50% of the cards within the bottom 1½-deck segment. Let’s assume your running count for the ¾-deck is -7.

How to Use this Information—With knowledge that the bottom 1½-deck segment of the final stack contains extra high cards, by placing the cut-card at the 1½-deck point from the bottom of the stack, you’ll bring this preferable 1½-deck segment to the top, thus cutting the segment with extra high cards immediately into play. A simple method to play through this 1½-deck segment is to determine your adjusted running count for this segment in the manner described in drill number four.

Learning Multi-Segment Location In this step, you’ll see the same shuffle as in the previous steps with a variation of the plugging method, while tracking more than one segment during the shuffle. Drill Number Six 1. Using the same 6 decks of cards from drill number three, take the 78 cards with the edges marked and break them into two equal piles of 39 cards each. 2. From the remaining 4½-decks, count off 78 cards and place those cards in the shoe. These non-colored cards will represent the cutoffs. 3. Take one pile of 39 cards with the colored edges facing you and place them in the discard tray. This segment of bottoms is one of the segments we are tracking in this drill. 4. Place the remaining pile of non- colored cards (3 decks) on top of the 39 colored cards in the discard tray. 5. Take the remaining pile of 39 cards with the colored edges facing you and place them on top of the stack in the discard tray. This segment of tops is the other segment we’re tracking in this drill. 6. Take the 1½-decks of cutoffs from the shoe and plug them in entirety directly in the middle of the stack in the discard tray (see Illustration 13).

7. Illustration 14 shows what the pre-shuffle stack will look like.

8. Break the 6-deck stack into two equal 3-deck piles. “Pile A” on the left, from the player’s view, will contain the cards with the colored edge, representing the ¾-deck bottoms. “Pile B” on the right will contain cards with the colored edge representing the ¾-deck tops (see Illustration 15).

9. Grab 39 cards (¾-deck) from Pile A, then grab the same amount from Pile B, riffle them together, and place them in a prominent spot between the two piles, creating your final stack.

10. Repeat Step 9 three more times, so all cards have been shuffled and the final stack is complete (see Illustration 16).

Result—The 1½-deck segment located on the top of the post-shuffle stack contains all the bottoms, as represented by the marked edges, while the 1½-deck segment located on the bottom of the post-shuffle stack contains all the tops, as represented by the marked edges. Information You’ll Possess—If you’ve maintained a running count of the first ¾-deck dealt, you’ll know the value of 50% of the cards within the top 1½-deck segment and if you’ve maintained a running count of the last ¾deck dealt, you’ll know the value of 50% of the cards within the bottom 1½deck segment. Hold on a minute! Take a look at Illustrations 13 and 14. Notice how in Illustration 13 the entire 1½ decks of cutoffs are plugged entirely dead center? Now look at Illustration 15 again, where the stack is split into two equal piles. Half of the cutoffs are on the top of the pile opposite the tops and the other half is on the bottom of the pile opposite the bottoms. Considering this, the top 1½-deck segment of the post-shuffle stack will contain the ¾-deck of the bottoms, merged with a ¾-deck segment, which is actually 50% of the cutoffs. The bottom 1½-deck segment of the post-shuffle stack will contain the ¾-deck of the tops, merged with a ¾-deck segment, which is the other 50% of the cutoffs. Let’s say that the bottom ¾-deck segment has a value of -8, as does the top ¾-deck segment. Consider an end-of-shoe running count of +10, which gives your cutoffs a value of -10. Fifty percent of -10 is -5. Adding -5 to each of the top and the bottom ¾-deck segments respectively gives you a count

of -13 for each of those 1½-deck segments. As a result, you know the value of 50% of the entire post shuffle stack. This provides you with the ability to perform what is called “Best-Half Tracking.”

Summary The intent of this chapter was to provide a basic foundation for the reader wanting to learn how to track shuffle zones. Many players have studied and applied this skill for many years. Such practitioners reading this chapter would shake their heads in unison, thinking, “This is only the tip of the iceberg.” They’re correct. The top zone trackers I’ve had the privilege to know all put in years of study and live play to achieve a level of excellence. I feel it’s important to acknowledge this and advise you not to risk money attempting to track shuffle zones in live casino play without more training than what’s presented here. For the purpose of this chapter, we used one simple shuffle. When identifying a shuffle, one of the first things you do is map it on paper to determine and verify that it can tracked. We didn’t cover this aspect, but the resources listed below provide the necessary details on mapping shuffles. In the examples, I used scenarios given a perfect world. You’ll find, more often than not, a dealer who varies the size of the picks. You’ll need to know how to adjust for it. In the training exercises, we assume the cut-card is exactly at the 1½-deck point. You’ll need to adjust for that. These are just some of the many considerations you need to address if you wish to continue studying zone-tracking. The next recommended step in training for zone tracking is to read Shuffle Tracking for Beginners by George C. An easy-to-follow book, this is a nice progression from what you read in this chapter. Arnold Snyder’s Blackbelt in Blackjack also has a chapter devoted to shuffle tracking. For the real nuts-and-bolts on the subject, study The Shuffle Tracker’s Cookbook, by Arnold Snyder and published by Huntington Press, which combines the Shuffle Tracking Series that appeared in Snyder’s Blackjack

Forum (Fall ‘94, Winter ‘94, and Spring ‘95 issues, respectively). If you still want more after reading all the above, go onto the Internet and locate The Blackjack Shuffle Tracking Treatise, (1990, 1991) by Michael R. Hall. At the time of this writing, it’s available for viewing at: bjmath.com. A good software product to help with your study is CVShuffle. CVShuffle helps you recreate a casino shuffle and identify points within that you may find suitable to track. It also has a practice module to help hone your skills.

26 Location Play Shuffles vary not only from casino to casino, but also from dealer to dealer within the same casino. While observing different types of shuffles, an astute player can identify methods to locate specific cards after the shuffle. Some of the different types of location play are: ace location, aceten combination, string-sequence (several cards in order) location, and zone location. You have to identify certain aspects of the shuffle routine in order to analyze the potential to apply such advantage-play techniques. Shuffles that may be effective for zone tracking might not be effective for location play. For the purpose of this chapter, we focus on the most common form of location play, ace location. When dealt an ace as your first card playing a 6deck game, you have a 50.5% advantage. Having the knowledge “in advance” that your first card will be an ace gives you the opportunity to place a large bet with this big edge.

Introductory Exercise Try this exercise using a complete deck of cards. Step 1. Place the following four cards in this order on a table from left to right: 6♦, 5♥, 4♣, A♠. Step 2. Pick up the cards from the player’s view, left to right (Illustration 1), as most casino dealers would from their view. Next, place those cards intact in a random spot within the deck of cards (Illustration 2).

Step 3. From the top of the deck, flip through the cards one at a time, until you arrive at the 6♦. This is your first “key card.” Flip the next three cards, placing them on the table in order from right to left of your first key card (Note: From the player’s view, this is how the cards will appear as dealt). Notice, from right to left, your three key cards followed by your “target card.” Illustration 3 shows your first key card, the 6♦, followed by your second and third key cards, the 5♥ and 4♣, respectively. Finally, after all three key cards, will be your target card, the A♠.

In this instance, if a round ended with the 4♣ dealt, you’d know that the first card dealt in the next round would be the A♠. You’d want to place a large bet on your hand, knowing the ace is your first card. Wait a minute—we didn’t shuffle the cards! This is a good time to talk about riffling. In a perfect process, cards

riffled from two equal piles would interleaf one from each pile. This would be a “fine riffle.” Considering this, if you took the above scenario, you would have one unknown card between each of your three key cards in front of the ace. Therefore, if the 4♣ is the last card dealt in a round, you know that in the next round the first card dealt will be an unknown card, with the ace immediately following as the second card dealt, considering the unknown card interleaving in the shuffle. To direct that ace into your hand, you will play two spots, placing a large bet on your second spot where the ace should be dealt. You also need to factor in variations in the shuffle process, which lead to more than just one card separating your key cards. Note: The consistency of the fineness of a riffle is highly dealer dependent. While a perfect riffle results in a one-card separation of key cards, you find plenty of variations from this result. This is discussed later in this chapter. In the above example, we used a single deck of cards just to demonstrate the concept of ace location. Since the shuffle process in a single-deck game is normally thorough, we focus our attention on multi-deck (four or more) games for ace location.

The Learning Process A necessary skill for this method of location play is card memorization. The top memory systems are based on the concept of association. Applying this concept to a deck of cards, you would create a name, using phonetics, for each card in the deck. You can go into any bookstore and find a book on memory techniques, such as Learn to Remember by Dominic O’Brien, The Memory Book by Harry Lorayne, and Mega Memory, an audio-cassette program by Kevin Trudeau. My good friend Sal Piacente is one of the most talented card-memory experts out there. He and I were at the Memoriad Competition a couple of years ago, where Sal broke the world record, previously held by Dominic O’Brien, for memorizing the sequence of a shuffled deck of cards. (Sal’s record was topped, 15 minutes later by another participant.) Following is the system Sal uses for card memorization. Let’s start with a chart of

numbers and corresponding phonetic sounds:

This method uses the phonetic alphabet and the first letter of the suit. Let’s look at the 2♣. The first letter of the suit is C (club). The phonetic sound for 2 is N. Taking C and N, we can develop a word such as CaN. For the 6♦, we can use D and SH and come up with DiSH. Now the trick is to use these two words and create a picture or story (use your imagination; the more ridiculous the better) to link the words together. In this example, you can think of a can (2♣) sitting on a dish (6♦). Since the aces are our target cards, we won’t need to include them. But we can’t forget about jacks, queens, and kings. For the jack, we simply refer to the suit. Jack of spades is simply Spade. Jack of clubs is Club. For queens and kings, we apply the first letter of the suit and add a sound that resembles either king or queen. The queen of diamonds is Dream. The king of spades is Sing. We couldn’t find a word beginning with the letter H for queen of hearts, so we simply used Queen. Here’s the list of words Sal uses:

Here’s an imaginative visual to create for a sequence of cards: The HOG (7♥) and the HEN (2♥) were in the CAR (4♣). Drill Number One Step 1. Take 6 decks of cards in a shoe and deal yourself three spots, along with the dealer’s hand. Step 2. Pick up the cards after all spots are played and settled, using the standard casino pick-up order: Remember that a busted hand is picked up and placed in the discard tray immediately following that result. After all spots are played and settled, the players’ cards are picked up from (the players’) left to right in order. As a player’s hand is picked up, the first card dealt to that player ends up on top, with the second card dealt under that, and each subsequent hit card underneath in order. In Illustration 4, the player’s first two cards are the 6♦ and 8♦, respectively, with the first hit card A♣ and the final hit card 5♥. As the dealer picks up each player’s hand, the cards from the player on the far left (third base) end up on top. Then the dealer’s cards are picked up and placed on top of the players’ cards. Place the entire stack of cards used in this round in the discard tray. Note: You need to be aware of variations on this proceedure; visit casinos you plan to play in to observe variations in the way cards are picked up after a round.

Step 3. Continue dealing, until an ace is dealt. Step 4. If the ace is dealt in a spot where, as a result of the standard casino pick-up order, you can observe the three cards on top of that ace, memorize those three cards from top to bottom, using your cardmemorization technique. These will be your three key cards (see Illustration 5).

Step 5. After placing the cards in Step 4 on top of the cards already in the discard tray, take the remaining cards from the shoe and place them on top, resulting in the entire 6 decks residing in the discard tray. Step 6. Without shuffling, place the 6 decks, intact, back in the shoe and start dealing yourself three spots. Step 7. As you play, look for your first key card, watching to see if the second and third key cards follow, with the ace target card appearing right after the third key card (see Illustration 6). Note: Since you’re playing a 6deck game, you’ll encounter times where your first key card may appear, but the second key will not. This is called a “false positive.” This occurs,

because in a 6-deck game, you have six of each card within the decks. You may even encounter times where your first key card will appear along with your second key card, but not the third. This too can be a false positive. Most practitioners agree it’s most accurate to “triple key.”

Step 8. Repeat this drill several times. Note: This is strictly a drill; it doesn’t take the shuffle into consideration. Its purpose, along with drill number two below, is to familiarize the player with the casino dealing and pick-up procedures, along with the memorization techniques applied. Drill Number Two Step 1. Repeat Steps 1–4 in drill number one. Let’s refer to the sequence of three key cards and ace target as “Sequence A.” Step 2. After you place your first set of key cards and ace in the discard tray, continue dealing three spots until a second ace is dealt. Step 3. Memorize this second sequence of three key cards and after picking up the cards from that round, place them in the discard tray. Let’s call these cards “Sequence B.” You’re now training yourself to memorize two sequences to locate two aces. Step 4. Take the remaining cards from the shoe and place them on top of the cards already in the discard tray. Step 5. Without shuffling, place the 6 decks back in the shoe and start dealing three spots.

Step 6. In this instance, Sequence B will be dealt first. As you’re playing, look for the first key card of Sequence B, then see if the second and third key cards follow. Step 7. Continue dealing to yourself, while looking for the first key card of Sequence A. Then see if the second and third key cards follow. Step 8. Repeat this drill several times. Drill Number Three This drill introduces the shuffling effect into our location play. Step 1. Repeat Steps 1–4 in drill number one. Step 2. Illustration 7 shows a sample layout. Leave the cards face up on the table. Then take three additional cards from the shoe and place one of these cards following each of the three key cards (Illustration 8). These represent unknown cards resulting from the single-riffle effect of a shuffle.

Step 3. Using the prescribed pick-up procedure, place the cards from Step 2 on top of those already in the discard tray. Step 4. Take the remaining cards from the shoe and place them on top of those already in the discard tray, resulting in the entire 6 decks residing in the discard tray. Step 5. Without shuffling, place the 6 decks back in the shoe and start dealing three spots.

Illustration 9 provides us with an ideal situation. All three key cards have been dealt in the appropriate order, with one unknown card separating each, as a result of a riffle. The last card dealt in the round is the third key card! Based on this, you’d expect the first card dealt in the next round to be an unknown, followed immediately by your ace target card (see Illustration 10). Armed with this knowledge, you’d place a large bet on your second hand. If you’re successful and the ace lands on that hand, you have

that big 50.5% advantage. Step 6. Repeat this drill several times.

Keep in mind that, in the layout of the drill you just completed, the third key card was in an ideal spot at the end of a round dealt. This won’t always be the case. Based on how many key cards you observe in a round, you may need to change the number of hands you play, along with the hand on which you place your big bet in the following round. After you’re confident with your accuracy in this drill, try to maintain two sequences, similar to drill number two. Think you can go for three? Maybe four? The following chart depicts a pre-shuffle stack of 14 cards, with the A♥ through 6♥ in order from bottom to top and 10 unknown cards on top of these. The post-shuffle stack is the result of a one-riffle shuffle, with a onecard separation between each known card (three key cards and target ace).

Drill Number Four In this drill we will adjust our strategy to accommodate a two-riffle shuffling effect. Step 1. Repeat Steps 1–4 in drill number one. Illustration 11 shows a sample layout.

Step 2. Leave the cards face up on the table. Then take nine more cards from the shoe and place three of them following each of the three key cards (see Illustration 12). These represent unknown cards separating each key card and the ace target card, resulting from the two-riffle effect of a shuffle.

Step 3. Using the prescribed pick-up procedure, place the cards from Step 2 on top of those already in the discard tray. Step 4. Take the remaining cards from the shoe and place them on top of those already in the discard tray, resulting in the entire 6 decks residing in the discard tray.

Step 5. Without shuffling, place the 6 decks back in the shoe and begin dealing three spots. The layout of Illustration 13 shows a round where your key cards appear. All three key cards have been dealt in the appropriate order, with three unknown cards separating each, as a result of two riffles. Your third key card, 4♠ appeared immediately followed by the 4♦, and finally the 9♣, the last card dealt in the round. The 9♣ represents the second of the three unknown cards following your third key card. Therefore, you’d expect the first card dealt in the next round to be the third unknown card, followed immediately by your ace target card (see Illustration 14). With that knowledge, you’d place a large bet on your second hand.

Step 6. Repeat this drill several times. Since there’s a three-card separation between keys, in order to steer the ace target card to your hand and ensure it doesn’t land in the dealer’s hand you need to more actively adjust the number of hands you play. A good method to test your accuracy in this drill is to stop dealing as soon as you see your first key card. Before you flip over each subsequent card, see how accurate you are at predicting whether each card is a key card, an unknown card, or the ace target card. Keep a record of your hits

and misses. Once you’re confident here, you can try for multiple sequences. The chart below, while using different key cards, uses the concept of the post-shuffle stack from drill number three, repeating the same shuffle process a second time. The new post-shuffle stack is the result of a two-riffle shuffle, with a three-card separation between each known card (three key cards and target ace).

How to Bet There’s no real magic here. Always place a bet after you see all three key cards, even if the separation of key cards with unknowns is inconsistent. Don’t get trigger-happy; you should never bet after seeing only two out of three key cards. Always wait for the third key to appear before betting. If you expect an ace as the first card dealt out of a 6-deck shoe—whether you make a maximum bet on one spot, or each of two or three spots—a successful landing will give you a huge advantage. In all of these cases, you should place the maximum bet that your bankroll permits on each spot. If your bankroll permits you to go up to the table maximum, put those chips out there!

Fine Points Knowing What Segments Can Be Sequenced

It’s important to perform some advance scouting of specific dealers, in addition to house shuffle procedures. One crucial element you need to look for is where the dealer places the cutoffs prior to performing the actual shuffle. If you’re aware of specific or approximate locations where the cutoffs are placed, you can avoid going for sequences in those areas. Specifically, you want to be aware of situations where the dealer plugs the cutoffs. After scouting a dealer, you’ll be able to identify the segments that won’t be intermingled with plugs. Those are the segments in which you’ll look for potential sequences.

Let’s say the dealer plugs the entire segment of cutoffs right in the middle of the cards in the discard tray (see Illustration 15). You’ll know not to waste your energy looking for sequences in the approximate area that may break up as a result of such a plug. You may come across a dealer who “triple plugs” the cutoffs, with a third placed one deck below the top, a third in the middle, and a third placed one deck above the bottom (see Illustration 16). In this case, the simplest method to start looking for a sequence would be to do so within the first deck dealt and/or the last deck dealt. These segments would likely not be affected by plugs.

After taking the effect of cutoffs into consideration, you need to be aware of break points, when the dealer separates the pre-shuffle stack into two or more piles. Here you want to identify areas that ensure that an established sequence will not be disturbed by a “pile break.” Conditions of Cards An important factor is the consistency of the interleaving of cards. A finer riffle is the result of cards just put into play. Therefore, a good time to attempt location play is when new decks are being cracked open. If you’re playing with cards that have been in play for an extended period of time, you should be alert for inconsistencies in the number of unknown cards that may land between your individual key cards and the ace target card. By scouting a game prior to actual play, you can notice any inconsistencies in the riffling effects in the shuffle. Most casinos change the decks in their shoe games once daily. If you find out the time of day this change occurs, you can maximize your potential. Directing a Card Let’s take a situation where you’re playing a game when one unknown card separates your key cards and ace target card. You’re playing two spots and the second card dealt to your first spot is your first key card. This means that the next card dealt (second card to your second spot) should be an unknown card, followed by your second key card being dealt as the dealer’s hole card. If you take a hit on your first hand, the card dealt will be an unknown card. You then can expect the next card to be your third key card. If you have a situation where the dealer is showing a ten upcard, and your second key card (the dealer’s hole card) is a 6, if your third key is a ten or

other card that will bust the dealer, you can direct that bust card to the dealer by not taking any further hit cards. This is just one of many examples of how you can direct cards to the dealer, as well as keep specific cards away from the dealer. If you’re playing with one or more partners at the table, this helps facilitate playing additional spots to further ensure a target ace card is directed away from the dealer. European No-Hole-Card One of the significant differences of blackjack games offered in European casinos is that the dealer does not take a hole card. The players each receive two cards, while the dealer takes only one card dealt face-up. The dealer doesn’t give himself the second card until all the players complete the play of their respective hands. This can provide a location player with additional possibilities for identifying a card about to be dealt and determining whether or not it can help or hurt the dealer’s hand. Let’s take a situation where you’re playing three spots, with large bets on the first two and a small bet on the third. The dealer is showing a ten and your third hand is a total of 14. Your basic strategy play would be to take a hit card. However, let’s assume your two of three key cards appeared, along with an unknown card following the second key. If your third key card is a 6, which likely is going to appear next, you would sacrifice taking the card, standing on your 14 instead. In doing so, you direct the 6 into the dealer’s hand, for a two-card total of 16, thereby increasing the chance of the dealer busting. When incorporating this form of strategy, you place a table minimum bet on the third spot. By making plays on that hand that may sacrifice losing your table minimum bet, you’re increasing the chance of winning or “saving” your other two large bets. Dealers A key to finding a desirable game for location play is identifying a consistent dealer. A consistent dealer is one who consistently performs a “fine riffle.” This type of dealer is consistent in the size of segment picks and placement of plugs. A sloppy dealer can provide more opportunities, provided that dealer is consistently sloppy!

If you encounter a sloppy dealer, you may notice a “clumping” effect, where you have the opportunity to identify a sequence that may remain intact with no cards riffled amidst the known sequence. Some dealers have a tendency to favor either their left or right hand. Common effects of hand-favoring are: A dealer favoring the left hand has a tendency to grab more cards in the left hand, resulting in some cards riffled from that hand to remain clumped. A dealer favoring the left hand may still grab an equal number of cards in both hands, but during the riffle applies stronger left-thumb pressure, causing the cards from the left hand to drop at a faster rate than those from the right hand. This results in some defects in the riffling, which need to be identified. An imperfect riffle can result in excess separation of your key cards. When playing against such a dealer, it’s helpful to have one or more partners at the table providing more spots where the ace can land. A dealer favoring the left hand also causes the card(s) from the left hand to drop first during the riffling process.

Summary Similar to the previous chapter, the information presented here is far from sufficient to lead a player to go out and attempt location play at the tables. You may recall my mentioning that very few players can successfully track shuffles. Well, even fewer have the ability to consistently and accurately play a winning game using location-play strategies. The exercises presented are based on ideal circumstances. However, there are just too many variations to consider and be prepared for. This skill set is very complex, which is why few players attempt it. Suppose you follow sequences for two aces and before the end of the shoe, a new dealer comes in who, during the shuffle process, breaks up one or more of your sequences. What if you miscalculate and the ace ends up in the dealer’s hand? You’re now at a 37% disadvantage! You may even come across a situation where you successfully get your ace, but the dealer gets a second unknown ace. Think about what else can go wrong and be prepared for such events. Remember, this chapter contains the bare basics only.

Unfortunately, there are no published resources I’m aware of that provide the necessary advanced training on this topic.

The Purple Zone

27 Introduction to Team Play Based on several factors, once you enter the Purple Zone, playing solo limits your opportunities. You may find it more profitable and desirable to join forces with one or more skilled players, forming a team.

Comparisions of Solo vs. Team Play Exposure Players involved in high-stakes blackjack have a limited number of places that will accept their level of action, which can lead to overplaying and raising the odds of getting barred. A team can minimize exposure by rotating schedules. Limited Bankroll and Bet Range Suppose a solo player has a bankroll of $10,000. On a team, you can have 10 players each contributing $10,000, creating a bankroll of $100,000. Thus, if you’re setting your maximum bet as a percentage of your bankroll, each of you can bet 10 times higher than you would if playing solo. Of course, winnings are divided 10 ways, but the fluctuations inherent in the game are greatly attenuated and you’re still winning 10 times as much as you would playing solo. Fluctuations and Negative Swings A solo player can run into a negative swing that can completely wipe out an entire bankroll. Many players who attempt to count cards playing solo don’t last a year before throwing in the towel. Playing with a team, one member can have a bad session, while three others may have winning sessions. The swings are more manageable in team play. Limited Number of Playing Hours The solo player has the ability to put in only a limited number of hours

each day. Let’s say a solo player puts in eight hours each day. A team with 10 players each putting in the same eight-hour day is getting a total of 80 hours of play each day. Here’s a set of sample numbers: Solo Player

Team of 10 Players

Bank:

$10,000

$100,000

Maximum Bet:

$100

$1,000

Average Bet (Estimate):

$20

$200

Hands Dealt Per Hour:

70

70

Total Action1:

$1,400

$14,000 (for 1 player per hour)

Win Rate Per Hour2:

$14

$140 (for one player)

Hours of Play Daily:

8

80 (for the team)

Total Daily Win per player:

$112

$1,120

Total Expected Daily Win:

$112

$11,200 (for the team)

Like Minds Wanted There’s also the intangible benefit of the motivational support you get from playing with others versus playing solo. It’s a fact that life as a card counter can be very lonely. Chances are that the people with whom you are close (family, friends, coworkers) cannot begin to relate to what you’re doing. When you’re elated about a big win and want to relate all the intricate details to someone, you can’t. After running into a really bad session, no one can understand and sympathize with you. There’s no one with whom you can talk things through to see what may have gone wrong (if anything), no one to motivate you to get back out there and play on. Joining up with others who are involved in card counting provides you with the sounding board you really need at times. You’ve been counting cards at blackjack for a while and may have been successful. You’ve read many of the books, including those written by Ken Uston, and now have an interest in team play. You want to waltz into a casino and start slamming down table-limit bets, win tons of money, and stroke your ego to boot. This is common among younger players just starting out or having played for only a short while. You can spot these guys a mile away.

I too read Ken Uston’s Million Dollar Blackjack in the early 1980s, and at the time caught a small dose of that fever. I was working full-time at a good-paying job and could only take weekend trips to Atlantic City or a couple of week-long trips to Las Vegas or other destinations during the course of the year. After mastering the Uston APC, I started playing solo and winning at a respectable rate. Then I hit my first extended losing streak. It was back to the books for a refresher course. I realized that the negative swing I’d just experienced was quite common. I needed to get used to it and respect it. The main problem I was experiencing was that I had nobody to talk to about the game! I hoped to have the opportunity to hook up with a team at some point, where I could bet higher and reduce the variance one experiences as a solo player. I was fortunate when I was recruited onto a high-stakes team in 1985.

My First Team I’d been card counting for almost three years. On a trip to Las Vegas, I was playing in a casino for moderate stakes with no difficulty. There was another fellow at the table, a European I’ll call Andrew, and we got to talking about skiing in the Swiss Alps and other places in Europe. He was playing higher stakes than I was. The conversation was interesting, and since I had the ability to talk while maintaining the count, I was doing so. Andrew got a comp for lunch and invited me to join him. Since I was about ready to break, myself, I accepted his offer. Over lunch we continued discussing European ski areas when out of the clear blue he asked me, “What count are you using?” Completely caught off guard, I sat silent for several seconds. Then sensing my resistance, Andrew volunteered: “I use the Revere Count.” I then told him, “I use the Uston Advanced Point Count.” I asked him: “How did you know I was counting? Was I that obvious?” He responded, “No, you were covering your skills very well. It’s just that being a counter, I am very aware of other counters at the table, and I know what to look for.” He went on to tell me that he’d been playing for 10 years worldwide. He then asked, “Are you playing with anyone else?” I responded, “If you’re asking whether I’m playing with a team, no, I’m not.

Just myself. How about you?” That’s when Andrew told me about the team he was playing with. He was a member of a team consisting of roughly 20 players, active worldwide. Its method of operation was a bit different than those I’d read about up to that point. I envisioned a counter seated at a table, flat betting the table minimum, signaling in a “big player” or BP (who took signals and placed large bets) when the count got high, and continuing to signal the big player how much to bet according to the count and how to play the hands. The BP avoided any suspicion, as he didn’t have to pay attention to the cards and could drink alcohol at the game. The big-player concept was originally devised by Al Francesco (pseudonym) and first made public in Ken Uston’s book titled The Big Player. The method applied by Andrew’s team was similar, except the counters weren’t seated at the table. Rather, they stood behind it, while maintaining the count. The big players were signaled in on positive counts, then signaled to leave during negative counts. Since the team was large enough and had counters stationed behind several tables, the big players would usually be able to get a signal and bounce from table to table, playing only positive counts. I found this method interesting, as the team was wagering only in situations when the player had the advantage, and never playing at a disadvantage. Andrew said, “I just arrived in town today and am getting a little time in on my own, but some of our team will be arriving this evening.” He then offered, “We’re always looking for good counters and if you’d like I could introduce you to the team manager.” I replied, “Sure, I’d be interested, but I have a full-time job and don’t know how much time I’d have available. How much money would I have to kick in?” “That can all be worked out, as we have a few players who also play only part-time, and you can contribute as much as you want to the bank, or contribute nothing. We do like everyone to put in a little something, though.”

We then talked a bit more and Andrew told me that he’d mention me to the team manager. If he were interested in meeting me, it would be set up, provided I was interested. I arranged to meet Andrew for a drink later that evening. I was intrigued, as I’d read about how teams are able to lay down huge bets and make all kinds of money, but I never expected to have the opportunity to play on one. Then I started to wonder if maybe Andrew was trying to con me. My head was spinning. Later that evening, I met up with Andrew and he informed me that the team manager, “Reggie,” was interested in meeting me. He said, “We could go up to his room right now if you like.” Even though I was a bit cautious, I said, “Let’s go.” We went over to the hotel where Reggie was staying and entered his room. Reggie looked to be in his early 40s and was also European. He didn’t waste any time. As soon as we were introduced, he immediately sat me down, tossed a deck of cards on the table, pulled out one card, and said, “Andrew tells me you use the Uston APC. Using your count, I want you to count down this deck and tell me the value of the card that I pulled. Ready? Go.” I counted down in a bit over 30 seconds, but got the value of the card correct. Reggie said, “Try again, I know you can do better than that.” I counted down again. This time I finished in less than 25 seconds. Reggie had me count down a few more times, until he seemed convinced that I was quick and accurate enough. Then, he dealt me some hands, which he had me play using basic strategy. He dealt very fast and wanted me making my decisions just as fast. Next, he tossed some chips on the table and said, “Now play the hands using basic strategy and make your bets according to the count.” We did this for about 15 minutes, until he tested me on my accuracy in converting running count to true and maintaining a side count of aces. I felt confident with the results.

Reggie then asked, “Do you know all the play variations for the Uston APC?” I said, “Yeah.” “Do you happen to have your flash cards or chart with you?” “No, but I do have them in my hotel room.” “How much longer do you plan on being in town?” I told him I’d be around for three more days. “What are your plans for the next three days?” I told him, “Put in as many hours of play as I can.” Reggie then offered, “Why don’t you go back to your hotel, get your flash cards, and bring them back here? If you know your indices as well as you say you do, perhaps we can make the next three days a bit more interesting for you.” I agreed. “Okay, I’ll be right back.” When I left, I was excited, but extremely nervous. It looked like I’d receive an offer to play on their team. But could these guys be trusted? I didn’t know what to think. Then I thought again that Andrew had mentioned I wouldn’t be required to lay out any money. When I got back to the hotel room, Reggie drilled me on the playvariation flash cards and I guess I passed the audition, as Reggie then said, “Okay, time to get you working.” He explained the method his team used, which corresponded to what Andrew had outlined earlier in the day. “We’re a winning team,” he told me confidently. “This trip we’ll be in town for two weeks, playing to a two hundred thousand dollar bank. If and when we double the bank, we distribute the winnings and start a new bank. I’ll train you as a ‘backcounter,’ passing signals, and you’ll be paid on an hourly basis.” Reggie showed me the formula for how the “hourly counter’s rate” was determined: 25% of the total win was distributed to counters in proportion to their hours of play. For example, if the team doubled the bank (won $200,000) in 400 counter hours:

If I could put in 24 hours of play over the next three days, I stood to make $3,000! At that point I’d never made that much money for three days of anything. If the bank doubled in less time, I’d make even more. I figured that the only thing I’d have to lose is time. So I said to Reggie, “Count me in. What’s next?” Reggie said, “I’ve got to leave for a couple of hours. Andrew will run you through our signals, which are easy to follow. When I return, we’ll run through them again. Then get some rest and we’ll meet back here sometime in the morning. At that time we’ll go over the signals some more and by then the rest of the team should be here.” Reggie left and Andrew and I went over the signals for the next couple of hours. When Reggie returned, he put me through some drills with the signals and told me I was doing well. That made me feel good, because up until then, Reggie had made no comment on my ability. The next morning, I returned to the hotel room. I was introduced to five other team members. Sitting in a circle, we went through an ongoing series of drills. We passed around decks of cards, counting them down. We passed around flash cards to quiz one another on play variations and dealt out hands where we would quickly need to place our bets in accordance with the count. We paired off and worked on passing signals. By the time we ordered in for lunch, the complete group was present, 14 players in total. After lunch, Reggie held a meeting and passed out the assignments for the evening’s sessions. The previous evening, when Reggie left Andrew and me to practice, he’d gone off to scout a few casinos and noted in the assignments specific dealers to look for and to avoid. I wasn’t assigned any playing duties for the evening, as I’d been instructed simply to observe the operation. The setup had nine players stationed at various tables throughout a large casino during the evening. We left to take a break and relax a bit, with instructions to meet for dinner and some quick runthroughs before the 9 p.m. session. The members of the team didn’t all use the same count systems. One additional advantage in having all members of a team use the same system is that a counter can signal in another member and signal what the exact

count is, avoiding the need to further signal how much to bet and how to play the hands. After dinner, some last-minute practice, and a brief meeting, we left for the target casino in five-minute intervals. My instructions were to sit by the bar, which overlooked the gaming pit, and watch the signals being passed. I was also instructed to watch the actions of the pit, specifically looking for any signs that a pit person might have caught on to the team. I was the first to enter the casino. There was a nice enough crowd, but the tables weren’t all full. I found a seat at the bar that enabled me to get a clear view of the entire pit. I watched our first backcounter, Michelle, enter and station herself behind a table; then the nine other backcounters arrived at staggered times, each at a different table. I didn’t notice any of our five big players there yet, until I saw a backcounter flash the signal for a big player to enter a game. Then, from behind a bank of slot machines, one of our big players slid over to the table. Already in possession of chips, he placed a bet of several black $100 chips. The dealer looked over to the floorperson, who nodded and walked over to watch the game. While this was going on, I saw another backcounter flash a signal, whereupon another of our BPs jumped in on the game. After about 20 minutes our entire team was working the floor. Some of the points I noticed were: A couple of the backcounters occasionally leaned over to chat with a total stranger seated and playing at the table. I figured this move was to blend in a bit more and not appear too obvious standing behind a table. Backcounters traded off tables periodically, so as not to look obvious standing in one place for too long. Backcounters positioned themselves opposite an empty seat at the table, to enable the big player to have a clear view of the signals passed. The session lasted for almost 90 minutes, as I watched each backcounter routinely giving the “end-of-session” signal. Then it was off to a second casino, where I was instructed to station myself in the keno parlor, which gave me a clear view of the action. The operation ran in the same fashion as before, except it was a bit shorter, lasting a little more than one hour. I noticed some more attention from the pit in this session.

After the second session, we all met back at the hotel. Everyone was present, except for Reggie. The five big players were completing their win/loss session sheets. One of the members, Jill, was responsible for keeping the master records. While all the tallying was going on, we were discussing the sessions, comparing notes about the pit, certain dealers, and general observations. Shortly thereafter, Reggie returned and immediately asked Jill where we stood. Jill announced that we were up $11,000. Reggie seemed pleased. He said he’d work on the assignments for the next day and distribute them during our 4 p.m. meeting tomorrow. We’d do four one-hour sessions scheduled in large crowded casinos with multiple pits and lots of tables. Reggie asked me, “What do you think of the operation so far?” I answered, “It’s amazing. You guys have it down to a science.” He asked, “So you think you’re ready to give it a try?” I agreed. Reggie then told me, “Good, you’re on the schedule for tomorrow.” We filtered out of the hotel room and I went to my room to get some sleep. The next day, we met again for our afternoon meeting, ordering in an early dinner. The setup was a little different from the day before. We were 15 players, myself included, and Reggie thought we could increase our win rate by getting more money on the tables. He proposed to do this by having eight backcounters and seven big players. Reggie further said that he would backcount, but if his table were cold, he’d put chips into play periodically at another table as a big player. This started to sound a bit confusing, but then it clicked and sounded like it could work. At 6:15 it was time for me to head out. I had my assignment sheet, which listed some preferred dealers. I arrived at the casino, which had mostly 6deck games, along with a half dozen 4-deckers. I found one of the dealers on the list working a 6-deck table with a $100 minimum and a $5,000 maximum and three empty seats. I stationed myself right there, watching the pit. I noticed they all seemed busy, as the place was getting crowded. Soon enough, all eight of our backcounters, Reggie included, were in the

casino, stationed at various tables. It was almost 7 p.m., time for our big players to start arriving, and the dealer at my table was about to shuffle. But before he did, a relief dealer replaced him. I didn’t know what to do, so I just stood there, watching this relief dealer shuffle, hoping the cut card would be placed somewhere to indicate favorable penetration. It was placed one deck from the back, which was actually better than the previous dealer. I was relieved. After two shoes were dealt out, I didn’t get a favorable enough count to signal anyone over. On the third shoe, I finally caught a high count and gave the signal for a big player to enter the game. Kevin jumped in with four purple $500 chips and drew a total of 9 against a dealer’s upcard of 6. He placed four more purple chips for a double down, and drew a ten for a total of 19. My heart was pounding, as the dealer turned over a hole card of a ten, then drew an ace for a 17. Kevin had $8,000 on the table, collected $6,000, and left the $2,000 bet, as I signaled him to do so. He was next dealt a hand of 20 against a dealer’s ten. The hand ended as a push. In that process the count dropped, so I signaled Kevin to leave the table. He grabbed his chips and left without a word. That shoe ended, and as the dealer went through the shuffle routine, I thought it worked out well. I signaled Kevin in for two more hands and we won $4,000 more. It was getting near the time we were scheduled to end the session and there was probably time for one more shoe. Midway through the shoe, the count was again favorable and I went for the signal. No one came into the game. I looked around and didn’t see any of our team members around. I looked at my watch and saw it was 8 p.m. and everyone had probably filtered out, so I headed to the next casino on the list. Things went smoothly and I was subtle in my passing of signals. What stood out most were the times I had to wait patiently until a favorable count came around. We weren’t playing as many hands per hour, but we weren’t playing any hands in negative or neutral counts, where the house has an advantage. When we gathered back in Reggie’s hotel room, we calculated our win for the night at $19,000. Adding that to the previous day’s win, we were up a total of $30,000. Reggie told me that I did well, as did a few of the big players who responded to my signals. I played the next day, then had to get

back home. A week later, I was informed that the team had doubled the bank and I was sent my counter’s wage. I continued to play with this team for a bit less than a year. We played in Las Vegas, northern Nevada, Atlantic City, and the Caribbean. Then they went on to play around the world, which required a fulltime commitment. I wasn’t in a position to leave my regular job and career at that time, so we parted company. Over the years, I’ve played on various teams of different sizes and bankrolls. The one key factor in whether a team is right for you or you are right for that team is identifying the objectives of everyone involved. Different players have different goals. Some teams have a revolving door of players. These teams play to maximum expectation and they take no prisoners. As a result, players become subject to overexposure and are likely to end up getting barred on sight. When this happens, a player has a lot of difficulty being able to play for any length of time and quits. This is fine for someone looking to make a few quick dollars without the desire of making a career of playing blackjack. It works well with some teams that make a practice of recruiting such players. On the other hand, players looking to maintain longevity need to be certain that the method of play the team requires permits certain forms of camouflage to minimize detection. Team play works. When approached in the proper manner, it’s strong, which is why casinos are afraid of teams. The team, with several players, can put more hours of more money in action, which adds up to faster and higher earnings than a solo player can achieve. Up until recently, every team bank that I’ve been part of has been profitable. I could sit here and start bragging about the successes and how great things have been, but I think it’s more important to insert a healthy dose of reality and illustrate the worst I’ve experienced. The last team I personally organized was a losing financial effort. As the Boy Scout Motto goes, “Be Prepared.” There hasn’t been a book that actually details the play of a blackjack team in the form of a diary. Stuart Perry authored the Las Vegas Blackjack Diary in 1994 (self-published in 1995 and last revised by ConJelCo in 1997), in which he detailed two months of solo play. Barry Meadow has also written a book, Blackjack Autumn (Huntington Press, 2000), about his

adventures playing blackjack in every casino in Nevada. Many lessons were learned from Stuart and Barry’s books. My initial idea was to record the progress of my most recent team in diary form. For those having any interest in team play, this would have shown the ups and downs, highlighting some of the mistakes we made. However, I decided against the project in such a format out of respect for my teammates. There really wasn’t an accurate way to document activities for an entire book without giving up personal details. That’s a no-no. I eventually decided on a different approach. The goal of the Purple Zone is to provide a guideline for anyone interested in forming or participating in a professional blackjack team. Also included is an outline for putting together a team manual. Let’s start off with some choice sections from a recent personal team diary, noting that many details have been changed to omit personal information about the team members.

28 Notes from a Team Diary A Morning One January I’m sitting in Terminal B at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, giving myself a mental beating. We’ve just completed the opening trip of our six-month-long team bank and it was quite a roller-coaster ride. We experienced a huge swing in the team bankroll, where we won 30% of our target within the initial 24 hours of play, only to revert back to square one by the end of day five. These swings are normal, but still frustrating. On top of this, there were organizational problems, which could have been avoided if I’d taken some simple measures. This, too, is frustrating, because I have 11 other teammates depending on me to ensure that all bases are covered. Last year was exceptionally profitable. On three of the four major banks we formed, we won 50%, while breaking even on the fourth. I’m hoping our formula for success carries over into this New Year. A February Weekend Nicky has been holding steady throughout the trip, as he’s been in the black the entire time. He experienced his first barring last night. When he recited for me the sequence of events, I noted some warning signs that Nicky didn’t pick up on. Fortunately, he used an alias at this casino and played for only 45 minutes. The four of us on this trip got together for our 3 p.m. meeting and compared the results so far. We were down for the trip and in need of putting some big numbers on the board. I sent Ursula out with Nicky to play in the same clubs. The two of them haven’t really gotten to know each another yet, so I thought it a good idea to have them spend a little time together. I went with Rory, where we decided to get creative and try out some routines while playing the exceptionally deep-dealt games. We already had some signals worked out, so we spent a little time reworking

them for the task at hand. Over the past day, I’d pegged certain dealers, against whom our routines would be most effective. They worked well. I had Rory playing only a short while in each place. I stayed 10 to 15 minutes after I signaled him to leave, to avoid any possible suspicion of our being together. As we went off to a new casino, things seemed to work more smoothly. At last stop, we kept the session going a little longer. The place was starting to get crowded, which prompted me to push the envelope a bit farther. We still remained unnoticed. We both ended up winning some money in those four sessions. Side note: Rory contacted me about a year ago, indicating that he had a small team going and was looking to get ideas from me. We wound up exploring the idea of merging our two teams at some point down the road. However, Rory, who is dependent on blackjack play as his primary source of income, decided to play for us, in addition to continuing to run his own team separate from ours. As a result, Rory would extend his time on our organized team trips, and at the conclusion of play for us, he would commence play for his own group. More February Play Vic and Serge drove from Los Angeles to Las Vegas yesterday. When I phoned them this morning, Serge was up a nice amount and Vic was down a small number. Looks like they got off to a good start. Later that afternoon, Vic started a downward slide that would eventually unnerve him. After an hour session at one casino, he dropped a session bankroll. Then, at the next scheduled club, he went through another session bankroll in 30 minutes. At that point he had to meet up with Serge to get more cash. Serge, on the other hand, was winning consistently. After their brief meeting and cash exchange, Vic hit a casino for a couple of hours, dropping an additional few thousand. Vic felt he was getting a quality game there and after a short break, he returned to the same tables. Continuing to lose, he called it quits for the day, completely frustrated. Serge’s day went better; he scored a nice net win. However, Vic’s losses put the overall team net result for the trip thus far in the red. The following day I phoned Vic and he gave me the bad news. He was

bummed out about things and told me he no longer wanted to play. He was even thinking of withdrawing from the team altogether. Vic is a very talented player and I’m quite certain he was just going through one of the negative swings we all experience at one time or another. Vic joined the team in September, and prior to that he was betting only red ($5) chips. Now as a member of our team, he has spent the past six months betting black ($100) and purple ($500) chips. On the September trip Vic came out a winner. Since then, he’s been having a negative swing, which is something very new to him. Considering the dollar amounts involved, I know how someone his age can feel after the losses he’s just had. I spent about an hour on the phone with Vic, trying to motivate him to go back out there and play some more. I’m confident enough in his level of honesty and skill that I know it’s just a matter of time before things turn around for him. I told him we’ve all been through this and he should pick out a place that he feels most comfortable with and play a session at reduced stakes, just to get his confidence back—see how things go, then move on to another place. He was not sold on my pep talk. I told him to wait until Serge returned and to see how he felt then. Vic said he would do that and phone me later to give me an update. Later that day, Vic finally got in touch with me and he decided not to play any more on the trip, with his end result a loss of more than $10,000. Serge won some more and his final results were $8,000+. Between the two of them, the team lost $2,000 for the trip. Our net for the bank so far is up about $9,000. Speaking to Vic, I told him a couple of stories of how I experienced bad swings years back and thought of quitting. I got him to laugh when I told the story of a really rough time I had about eight years ago, when I found myself walking between casinos in Lake Tahoe, mumbling that I probably needed to just quit and call 1-800-GAMBLER. I suggested to Vic that after he had a few days of rest, he might consider joining Rory in Las Vegas this coming weekend. He said he’d let me know in a couple of days if he’ll do so. April As a result of the recent extreme drop in our bankroll, Serge elected to

exercise his option and withdraw from the team, receiving the value of his investment at the present time, which was less than the initial amount. As part of the team agreement, we offered “shares” of Serge’s investment up for purchase to whoever was interested in such a purchase. We ended up having five of us purchase five equal shares, paying Serge the present value of his investment and giving each of us one-fifth value of his initial investment amount. It seemed like a good bargain at the time. May Walking down center Strip, I spotted Ursula playing in her favorite casino. When she noticed me, she cashed out and discreetly (we hope) followed me into the casino next door, which was considered a “safe place” (one where we could be seen together). We met up on the street, then walked across into another “safe” casino, and, as we were walking through, we became suspicious of a young fellow who seemed to be following us. On the way to the casino next door, we noticed he was still behind us. At that point, Ursula and I stopped and let him walk past us. We then hid from his view and watched as he stopped a little farther ahead. He started talking to a woman seated on a bench. We waited a few moments, then I had Ursula walk on one side, while I walked on the other. As I approached him, I walked directly at him, then proceeded to sit down on the bench right near him. I stayed there for two or three minutes, then got up and proceeded to our destination. Were we being followed or are we getting a little too paranoid? June Our initial arrangement was to run the bank until the end of May, then regroup. However, since we were still in the red, we took a vote to extend this existing bank until October. The problem I’m experiencing is that the players have been losing their motivation to get out and play. Unless we get people out there, it’s going to be a long road until we can turn things around. Already, I’ve had to play more hours than I intended, and it’s taking its toll on me. A Thursday in July Rory and Ursula arrived in Vegas last night. During a phone call from

Ursula this morning, she informed me that she lost $4,500 after three hours of play in one casino. She was not having problems with the pit and was able to get away with more than a sufficient bet spread. I told her to take a break, then go back out to play during the remainder of graveyard shift, since her action has been well accepted there. A couple of hours later, Ursula phoned and informed me that she lost an additional $2,500. She was low on bankroll, so I told her to take a break and wait until shift change, then play with a lower maximum bet. She hadn’t yet been able to meet up with Rory. I phoned in time for the team meeting, where Ursula, Rory, and Vic were all present. Ursula had lost the remainder of her bankroll. Rory lost $5,000 and Vic was the big winner, having not played a hand. With Ursula’s $8,000 loss and Rory’s $5,000 loss, the team was down $13,000 for the trip, and the overall team bank was now back down $24,000. We needed to address the problem of available cash. Among the three of them, there was only a total of $10,000. Devon was scheduled to arrive shortly with roughly $9,000. I instructed them to go out and play, with each of them taking $3,000. I further asked them to play in casinos within close proximity of one another and arrange to meet immediately after the initial session played in the event further redistribution of cash was necessary. That Friday I’m scheduled to take a week off from work. Even though the team is in Vegas, I deliberately didn’t make plans to join the trip. I have several reasons for this. First, just about all of my free vacation time has been utilized for blackjack play. I’m in desperate need of at least a couple of days of plain old rest and relaxation. A second reason is that I wanted to give Rory an opportunity to run the team trip independently, so I could evaluate if he’s qualified to do so on a regular basis. My big dilemma the past couple of days has been trying to figure out what spa I should go to for a short visit. It looks like this will no longer be a problem, following a phone call from Vic this morning. He informed me that he had lost $5,300, Rory lost another $3,000 and Ursula lost another $2,000. The results of Devon and Regina were still unknown. With these new numbers, we were now down more than 50% of our bank. Also, the available cash was a crucial issue at this point. I

decided to make efforts to find a flight out to Vegas on Sunday morning and stay through the remainder of the trip, until Wednesday. I would bring the team cash I had in my possession and could advance the members additional funds out of my personal money, which I had readily available. If we needed to tap into this reserve cash, the team would reimburse me at a later date. In addition to that, I could always utilize my credit lines at four casinos. I started checking on these possibilities, but would wait until further word at the team meeting in a couple of hours. At the team meeting, the good news was that there were no further disasters. Ursula had won a small amount and the others were break-even. We were still not making any major strides to eliminate this deficit, so I would continue pursuing my efforts to find flights to Vegas. I instructed the team to play an assigned group of strategically located casinos and to stay within close proximity of one another. After each one-hour session, they should arrange to meet and redistribute funds as needed. I would check in with them six hours from now for an update. I sent an email message to the remaining members of the team, who weren’t present on the trip. To: All Team Members I wish I had some good news to report, but I don’t. Team is down $20K for the trip and that now puts us in the neighborhood of down 50% of our starting bank. I’ve been in regular contact with the players in Las Vegas and here are the measures taken: Bet levels have been cut by 50%. There is a limited amount of team cash available in Las Vegas right now, so the players’ schedules have been realigned enabling them to be in close proximity to one another, where cash transfers are easy. An additional daily meeting has been scheduled to keep close tabs on progress or any further disasters. On-the-spot testing was performed, and I recommended that each player be observed by a teammate for a brief session. I’ve been in touch with Harry, who can have cash available to wire via

Western Union tomorrow (Saturday). Ursula will be in direct contact with Harry in the event that this is necessary. This coming week, I am on vacation and haven’t made any plans. I just finished booking a last-minute flight to Las Vegas Sunday night, returning Wednesday morning. I will bring whatever team cash I have with me and, if necessary, advance more of my own cash, to be later reimbursed by the team. If necessary, I also have credit lines with four casinos under my real name. I will keep you all informed regularly. That Sunday Evening My flight leaves at 9:15 p.m., arriving in Las Vegas at 11:30 p.m. I’m getting in a bit of practice before leaving. I received a report from Ursula that there’s no major change in the position of the bank. Vic got backed off while playing at a popular casino. He’s frustrated and leaving today. I was hoping that he’d stay another day so I could play a bit with him. He’s been playing in Las Vegas more than he should and probably over-exposing himself in certain casinos. We’ll need to consider this in future scheduling. As to Vic’s barring, he played two sessions at the casino and they asked for his ID in both sessions. Vic gets asked for ID quite often, as he has a rather youthful appearance. By doing that they got his name, so he gave them his player’s card as well to try for some comps, which he never ended up getting anyway. The first session was an hour long and he ended up with a moderate win using no cover. He spread aggressively, got no heat, and left extremely happy, as this was one of the two winning sessions he had this trip. This occurred on day shift. He went back there a day later on swing shift and after five minutes he was down a bit and bought in for more chips. Using no cover at all, he caught a max-bet blackjack and dropped his bet as the count dropped. He jumped his bets according to the count and ended up dropping the rest of his chips. He promptly bought in for more. At a high count he lost a max bet. After playing a few more hands, he noticed a casino employee in a suit standing very close to him. After finishing a hand, the guy said, “OK, enough, Mr. Vic. You’re a very good player and I have to back you off from playing blackjack here. You can

play any other game, but not twenty-one.” Vic put on his confused look, as though he didn’t understand and said, “No more?” The guy replied, “Yes, you’re just too good.” Vic replied “I’m not good! I just lost a ton of money.” He said, “Even so …” and with that Vic left. Vic provided the guy’s name and description for the rest of the team. He’d stayed there for an hour and five minutes exactly. His host friend was there, and they talked during the session. He never saw it coming, as no one appeared to be watching him play and the only phone call he noticed was when he changed tables to the pit across from that table. They appeared to call only to give them his name. Ursula played at the casino where Vic was barred, the same night, for about one hour (8–9 p.m.). She had no heat whatsoever, betting rather aggressively. She was jumping bets, but carefully. When she changed pits a few times, she noticed a particular man floating around the pits, but never looking at her. A host introduced himself to her and gave her a dinner comp. She won a small amount. This evening she went back. She knew Vic had been backed off, but wasn’t nervous at all. So she played and changed tables three times within the hour (as the table got crowded). She noticed the same man from the previous night as he glanced her way a few times. As she was losing (about $12K at this point on the trip), she was less careful about using cover. She jumped her bets quite a bit and was lowering her bet at the start of a shuffle on many occasions, when she thought no one was looking. She wasn’t very talkative, as she normally is, due to her discouragement at that point. After about 45 minutes of play, a casino employee in a suit (not the same man who’d been watching her), approached and asked her to step back from the table, as he needed to talk to her in private. He then told Ursula that her play was being observed and was too strong. He further said that she was not welcome any longer to gamble in their casino. She smiled, out of nervousness, and said, “Okay.” He smiled back knowingly. At this point she was down slightly for the session. She was very pit aware the whole time and didn’t see any of the typical signs. There were no visible phone calls that seemed neither caused by her presence, nor was there any huddling of the pit bosses. Apparently the review is being performed solely from the eye. While all this was occurring, I arrived at the TWA terminal at JFK

International Airport, which resembles a space station from a sci-fi movie. At the gate to the left of where my flight would be leaving from, a flight was scheduled to depart for Tel Aviv, Israel, while on the gate to the right, a flight was routed to Amman, Jordan. All is quiet in the Middle East. My flight was full of folks heading to Las Vegas for an 8-Ball Pool Tournament. They were quite rowdy, but I still managed to sleep through most of the flight. I arrived on time and hopped a taxi to a casino where Ursula managed a comp on my behalf for a $950-a-night high-roller suite on a top floor, which would be home for me that evening. Upon my arrival, she briefed me on her barring. That Monday I woke up around 5:30 a.m. and went over to a nearby casino to get in some graveyard play. The place was empty and I spread moderately with no attention from the pit. After playing for two hours and winning a small amount, I took a break and got a breakfast comp. After a quick breakfast, I played another one-hour session, losing slightly. The team meeting was scheduled for 11 a.m., so I left. At this meeting, the team was down over $30,000 for the trip alone, which meant that our team bank was down over 50%. Things were not looking too good. Devon and Regina had flights scheduled for 4 p.m., so we agreed to play and meet again at 2 p.m. I then returned to play some more at the same casino during day shift. During a two-hour session, I spread a bit more aggressively with no heat again. I changed tables a few times and ended up at a table with a rather obvious counter, who I immediately realized was a member of Rory’s other team from up north. He seemed to be doing well and left the table after winning on a big bet. I dropped a small amount that session. At our 2 p.m. meeting we divided the remaining cash between Ursula, Rory, and me. We were still in a tough position, but at least the three of us would have enough cash to play on at our revised bet levels. I had lunch at a “safe place” with Rory, Ursula, and Miguel (the guy from Rory’s other team). During lunch, Rory informed us that he too was backed off at the same casino as Vic and Ursula. I was concerned that the three of them, having all been backed off within a 24-hour period, may have been put together as a team. However, after further debriefing Rory and

Ursula, I was confident that this was not the case. After lunch, I took a taxi over to an off-Strip casino. When I got inside, I found one double-deck game open with two other players. I sat down and aggressively spread for one hour of play, where I scored a nice win. I then returned to one of the casinos where I’d played earlier, still holding some of their chips, and won some more in one hour of play. I was now up a nice amount for the trip. I hoped Ursula and Rory had done well too. After checking into a different casino/hotel, Ursula scored a nice win and was paid with $5,000 chips among her winnings. We were concerned about these high-denomination chips raising red flags when we were cashing out. Rory lost only a small amount, so we were indeed making a comeback. Ursula scored a dinner comp at this casino, where we ran up a moderate tab. Since I didn’t plan on any further play that evening, I polished off a bottle of sake. Mid-September We haven’t played since the trip two weeks ago. The overall position of the team is that we’re down just under 50 percent of our starting bank. The team as a whole has played 1,007 hours with six of us having put in more than 100 hours each. Of everyone’s individual results, Vic and Rory are down close to $30,000 each. Anticipating that some of the team members might question the level of honesty of these two individuals, I made the suggestion that perhaps we could subject both of them to lie-detector tests. Personally, I trust both of them and would be very surprised if they were being dishonest in their dealings with the team. However, I do feel it is a good idea to have them both take these tests. By doing so, we would hope to clear up any questions the others might have on this issue, thus permitting us to go forward. The fact that I initiated this action would put everyone a bit more at ease because, as manager, I’m taking the necessary steps to protect everyone’s investment. It would also alert the others that at any given time, any team member could be subject to the same test. A few of the others didn’t feel that the tests were necessary, while two of the players were very much in favor of initiating them. I decided to propose an alternative action. I made some inquiries on getting a referral to someone living in Las Vegas who’d be interested in

assisting us in monitoring the play of a couple of players. I was referred to an individual whom I have contacted. When I reported this to the others, one player in particular was still insistent on subjecting the two players to the lie detector. This resulted in some back-and-forth arguing, which was a bit distracting. Although I felt strongly about my initial intentions, I’ve given things further thought and now feel that subjecting players to a liedetector test prematurely could do more harm than good. It could open the door for others on the team to initiate “witch hunts” anytime a player might happen to experience a bad negative swing. This would not be healthy for the future of the team. We ended up scheduling both Vic and Rory for polygraphs. Vic’s proved successful, demonstrating that he was following procedures and was honest in his reporting. Rory hasn’t gone for his test yet, as the examiner had to reschedule. An October Wednesday Just prior to leaving for the airport, I received word that Rory came up “clean” on his polygraph test. A Saturday in Early December Vic, Rory, and Alex are playing together. I received a phone call from Rory last night, informing me that they lost enough money to cut the bet levels. We’re in a state of disaster: If we continue to lose, it won’t make sense to play any further. It’s hard for me to believe that, as a team, we have put in more than 1,200 hours and lost over 75% of our starting bank. I have plans to be in Las Vegas over New Year’s and the way things are going, it looks as though we will not have any team bank remaining to play on. January The team bankroll ended up in a pitiful position. At that point we decided it wasn’t worthwhile to continue playing. We made an arrangement to invest the remaining funds of our bank into Rory’s team bank, which was quite healthy at the time. At that point, our team would end and Rory would run the show. If anyone wanted to play for his team,

that player would need to pass Rory’s testing requirements. That includes me as well. I was hoping to take this time as a break from extensive playing, as I would spend the next six months planning for a summer team bank. I’m hoping for the summer bank to be well-planned and to actually be a test run for a long-term team. I have managed to recruit some others as “assistant managers,” which will take some of the day-to-day strain off me. April Rory’s team, which had been successful over the past year, ended up losing practically the entire bankroll following our investment. I wasn’t closely involved with the operations of this team, as I only did some light playing and provided a little guidance to some players along the way. This team also disbanded. Unfortunately, this recent effort was unsuccessful. Many lessons were learned from this experience and are related in the following chapters of the Purple Zone. Note: The Purple Zone section of this book was published earlier as Blackjack Blueprint: How to Operate a Blackjack Team. Which leads me to share a funny story. Three years after this team disbanded, I referred four players (Brett, Patrick, Rory, and Vic) to a group I’d played with earlier. The two managers of that group were experiencing some apprehension about Vic as a player. One of the managers read BJ Blueprint, especially the references to Vic, who was dismissed from that team shortly thereafter. To this day Vic kids me that the reason he was kicked off that team was because of my book!

29 Getting to Know You We started with 12 enthusiastic players and a healthy bankroll. Sixteen months later, the team was out of business and the majority of the players were disillusioned. I hope the following material provides guidance for anyone interested in team play and especially in organizing a team. The Initial Approach In this day and age, many acquaintances are made via blackjack-related Internet websites. In addition to a few players I’ve known personally, I’ve met some players on the Internet and have corresponded only via email. I initially approached the players I had in mind by sending each a private email invitation. In this initial message, I stated, “I’m thinking of starting a team and thought you might be interested.” I further stated that we’d start off at small stakes to get comfortable with one another initially, then take it from there. At first, I didn’t mention who else I had in mind. Once a player expressed an interest in joining the team, I asked permission to include that person’s name on a “team distribution list,” so then and only then, everyone would know who else was involved. The Team Distribution List The next step was to put together a “team distribution email list” where I listed everyone’s email address and could send any message just once instead of nine times to each member. This also let all members know who else was on the team. The first message outlined what I had in mind for the team, the formula for distributing the winnings, and the time frame estimated for when we should be in a position to take an initial team trip with a joint bank. This first message led to many interactions via email, with most members exchanging ideas and thoughts. A Private Team Chat Room While the team distribution mailing was working well, the obvious next

step was to get everyone together in one place to conduct a live team meeting. This was not an easy task, since the players were scattered around the country, holding full-time responsibilities other than playing professional blackjack. To set up an initial meeting where each member could be present, I arranged with the host of a website to use a private chat room, available only to the team. In the next message, I suggested that we schedule a real-time team meeting via the private chat room and asked everyone to list three dates and times when each would be available. After deciding on the set time and date, we held a very productive chat, where we exchanged more ideas and clarified some pending issues. A few subsequent sessions were held. The Trust Issue Here we were, a team with 10 people, many of whom had never met or even spoken on the phone, and we were considering pooling funds to play blackjack together. This was my first consideration, and I was well aware that all the others felt the same way. We needed controls that would put everyone at ease and methods where everyone’s risk would be minimal. First, in the selection of the other nine, I tried to be as careful as I could in judging character. However, I needed to take everyone else’s concerns into consideration. Although I was confident in my judgment of the others, they may have had reservations in their judgments of one another, as well as in their judgments of me. To provide a bit more comfort, I outlined the following points to ensure everyone that I was taking measures in an attempt to keep things honest. The initial team plays would take place only while the entire team was present. Some teams use an approach that permits members to play in different cities and report results. I didn’t even consider this. If a member were present, that member would have quick knowledge of the position of the team bank. For the initial team trip, I proposed that all members be required to invest an equal amount of money to the team bank. The individual investment proposed was a moderate amount that I considered appropriate for an initial team trip of members who had never

played together before. The bulk of the team bank would be maintained in a safe-deposit box in a hotel in which we didn’t plan on playing. We arranged that the box could be accessed only with two team members present. Upon depositing or withdrawing any funds from the box, both members were required to sign off, verifying the amounts. I indicated that I wasn’t in any hurry to hit the tables. I felt that everyone needed to be thoroughly tested and observed in actual casino play to get an idea of our respective abilities. I set a tentative date several months away to give enough time to put together a solid approach. The above points helped to put everyone a bit more at ease. Along the Way … After a short period, two players, who weren’t able to make a commitment to keep up with the immediate program, dropped out. It was agreed to keep them in mind for possible future additions to the team, but for the initial trip, we were down to eight players. Matching the Faces with the Keystrokes We arranged to have our first live meeting in a casino town over the course of a four-day weekend. We held a meeting and discussed team matters. We then went through the process of testing one another on basic strategy and various counting drills. Next, we set up a schedule where we went off to the casinos to play (on our own individual banks) in one-hour intervals. We went in pairs and switched off with each other in an hour, when changing casinos. The purpose of this was to allow everyone to get more comfortable playing with one another, as well as just generally getting to know one another. This really worked out well. This initial informal gettogether was good, as I was confident in most of the others’ abilities, and I trusted they were confident of mine. Final Notes: Meeting Players via the Internet and Other Security Matters Exercise care when first communicating with someone over the Internet. Don’t reveal too many facts about yourself at first. Treat this developing relationship similarly to any other type of relationship you might enter into

(personal, business, etc.). As you get more comfortable with the other(s), you can gradually share more about yourself, as long as you’re also receiving more in return. For the most part, whatever someone tells you via e-communications, take with a grain of salt. It’s easy for someone to sit down in front of his computer, gather his thoughts, and write a great “résumé.” However, once you meet someone in person, you may find that much of what he has written may turn out to be exaggeration. It’s too easy for someone with a huge ego to amplify his own abilities. Many many people do this on a regular basis. In the various Internet blackjack neighborhoods, I’ve encountered a few individuals who led me to believe that they had years of experience playing large stakes, when in reality they were just talking a big game. While it’s easy to “talk the talk,” you want players who can “walk the walk.” If you’re interested in recruiting for your team or joining a team, put the word out carefully by stating that you’re “considering forming a team” or “may consider joining a team.” I suggest this method, because if you give the indication that you are forming a team and someone wants to join whom you eventually decide you don’t want as a member, you can avoid creating bad feelings by stating you’re “still considering.” When you progress to exchanging phone numbers and move on to live voices, exercise care, at first, in what phone number you provide the person(s) with. I usually give out a cell-phone number. Another point to be aware of is that nowadays many people have Caller ID. If you call someone, the phone number from which you’re initiating the call will likely appear on that person’s Caller ID Box. To avoid this, check with your local phone company for instructions on how to block your phone number from appearing on the receiver’s ID Box. When meeting people live in a neutral place, don’t initially tell anyone where you’re staying. State that you haven’t made reservations, and will, probably, see a casino host when you arrive. You can also state that you’ll be staying at one of several places. This way, if the person turns out to be someone you’re uncomfortable with, you have a better chance of avoiding him (sound like dating?).

When you do meet someone live, you want to observe him play and have him observe you play. It’s important to establish immediately a mutual respect for playing abilities. In summary, the Internet is a good place to meet and join forces with other players. While there are some good players out there looking to do so, there are probably more inadequate people typing into their computers. If you exercise care and common sense, you’ll probably find the quality contacts.

30 Team Leadership Management In order for a team to be successful, it’s essential to have strong management. A good way to assure this is to have one person in charge of the team’s day-to-day operations. The manager must possess strong organizational, leadership, motivational, and planning skills. A team manager should be prepared to be on call 24/7. There will be times when a player is in action and runs into a problem, which could be a need for cash. There’s a chance that a player in this situation will need to phone the manager at some late hour. Sorry, but it’s part of the job. It’s also important that everyone on the team have the utmost faith in the manager. Everyone involved must trust the manager’s judgment in all matters. This is especially important in the manager’s decision on selecting players. He or she must be 100% reliable. Players and investors need to know that the manager is on top of things. As a result, a manager should be in contact with everyone involved on a regular basis. A manager who possesses a laid-back attitude of not contacting folks unless they initiate the contact first is headed for disaster. Initiating and maintaining constant contact creates a high level of comfort for all involved. A manager should be entitled to some form of compensation in line with the duties performed. Such compensation should be agreed upon, which neither overcompensates nor underpays the manager. Some Methods of Management Compensation Flat rate, which can be a set dollar amount, payable either on the frontend, back-end, or in intervals. Flat hourly rate, where the manager must account for hours devoted to team business.

Commission percentage upon conclusion of a winning bank. If the team experiences a losing bank, the manager receives nothing. (I believe that this method isn’t fair, as it’s purely “result-driven.”) A portion of each investment is allocated as an investment on behalf of the manager. In this method, an investor submitting $20,000 may have $500 or an agreed-upon amount taken out up front, which becomes the manager’s compensation in the form of an investment on the manager’s behalf. If 10 investors each put in $20,000, this amounts to a $5,000 investment for the manager. If the agreed-upon amount is $1,000, then the manager has a $10,000 “free-roll.” Percentage of adjusted hourly expected value (“EV”) of all players. Percentage of adjusted hourly EV of all players, with win-bonus incentive, such as the following: 5% of adjusted hourly EV of all players. 5% bonus on overall win at year-end. A win-bonus share in the amount of 25% of the win in excess of the established total team adjusted hourly EV, provided the investor’s return is at least 50% of the total win after salaries, bonuses, and expenses. Note: You can make it a further requirement for distribution of this bonus that the overall team EV be exceeded and the total hours played by all players meet or exceed the hours committed as a whole.

Example of Win-Bonus Total EV “goal” = $5,000,000. Actual win = $7,000,000 ($2,000,000 in excess of EV). Salaries, bonuses, expenses = $2,000,000. Gross Return to Investor = $5,000,000. 25% of $2,000,000 = $500,000 (bonus to manager). Net to Investor = $4,500,000 (approx. 65% of actual win).

Note: These are just a few examples of some methods to compensate a manager. You can get creative within any one method, as well as combine any or all of these methods in a total compensation package.

Egos, Egos, and More Egos Who is the best player on the team? Your response should be “Who cares?” It doesn’t matter, as long as each player is competent and meeting the team standards. How do you measure a “best” player, anyway? Is it the player using the most expert-level count system? Is it the player who has the record for alltime biggest session win? Is it the player who can count down a deck in the fastest time? Is it the player who has never been barred and has the greatest act? All this is meaningless. Every player on the team has a significant role in achieving the ultimate success. It’s the job of the manager to identify each player’s strengths and weaknesses, putting them to use in a manner where strengths are maximized and weaknesses are minimized. A problem that frequently arises on teams is that a player feels more experienced or plays a stronger overall game than others do and feels he should receive a higher salary as a result. While this is a bit distracting and can create bad feelings, there’s some merit to the concept. One common solution is to base a percentage of the winnings on how much a player has individually won. The problem with this is that players hit a negative swing regardless of how strong or weak they are, and this method fails to rightfully reward those deserving. Another solution is to measure the EV of each player and devise a method of compensation based on such measurement. With the use of simulators, this is possible (be aware that it may be difficult to accurately measure the effects of multiple strategies). This enables players playing at different bet levels to be compensated accordingly. Overall, while players should be encouraged to strive for excellence in play, competition amongst players is not beneficial to a team working toward a common goal and should be discouraged. A strong leader/manager should possess the necessary skills to form a cohesive and non-competitive group.

31 Methods of Player Compensation Whether dealing with a combination of two or 20 players and investors, one of the biggest decisions you need to make is how to compensate players for services performed and when. While being far from complete, the following are some methods used by teams over the years.

Method A 50/50 Split of Winnings with Frequent Distributions Let’s take a scenario where you have a two-person team, with one investor and one player. The investor fronts $100,000 and the player agrees to make five trips, totaling 100 hours, with the winnings distributed at the end of each trip. The agreement is for the winnings to be split equally between investor and player. Here are the results:

Bottom Line: Player received compensation of $21,000. The overall bank shows a win of $5,000, but after paying the player, the investor is left with only $84,000 or a $16,000 loss after salaries.

Method B 50/50 Split of Winnings with One Distribution Let’s take this same scenario with a different payment scheme; we’ll use the same scenario as in Method A, except with the winnings distributed after the completion of the 5 trips:

Total net win of $5,000 is divided equally between player and investor. Bottom Line: Player received compensation of $2,500, and the investor earned $2,500 as a result of the player’s efforts. Quite a difference between these two methods. How can one determine a fair compromise? The first thing that comes to mind is that the hours of play for a five-trip bank may not be sufficient to provide a fair enough opportunity for the investor to overcome the inherent short-term variance. A solution here would be to extend the length of play before any winnings are distributed. CVCX software, by QFIT, is a superb tool to determine the chance of achieving a specified goal after a desired number of hours.

Method C Multi-Player-Invested Bank, Expenses and Management Commission Deducted from Gross Win. Net Win 50% Investor/50% Player Based on Hours. This method, as depicted in the chart below, resembles the above two methods, with added provisions for player expenses, along with a 10% manager commission deducted from the gross win. Here, all the players are also investors. It could be a requirement that all players also be investors. If all player/investors are required to invest the same amount and play a certain numbers of hours (not the case here), then the frequency of distributing the winnings doesn’t have an effect on any one participant. One disadvantage of this method comes into play if you have noninvesting players and end up with a losing bank: The players will end up playing with no compensation. Another issue to address when considering this method is whether or not all the players are playing at a level generating the same hourly win rate. If you have one player betting at a range of $50 to $600, while another

player is betting $100 to $1,200, the latter player is obviously playing at a higher win rate and should be compensated for that. This method, as it’s presented, would not be workable for such situations. One thing you can consider when determining the hourly rate is to “discount” that pay rate for those playing at lower levels. The methods described further down may provide some additional solutions.

Method D Multi-Player-Invested Bank, Expenses and Manager’s Commission Deducted from Gross Win. Net Win: 50% Investor/25% Player Based on Hours/25% Player Based on Win. This method was used by some of Ken Uston’s teams. There’s been quite a bit of debate over the years about players receiving compensation based on how much they win. Don Schlesinger, for one, is strongly opposed to the practice of rewarding players on short-term win results. On a couple of my teams, I attempted to strike a balance by using a 50% investor/40% player based on hours/10% player based on win formula. As in Method C, here all the players are investors as well. The same advantages/disadvantages indicated in that method apply.

Method E Player Paid Hourly Wage, No Share Based on Win In this method, the investor pays the player on an hourly basis. The hourly rate is determined as a percentage of the EV of the game. Let’s say, after plugging the numbers into CVCX, it’s determined that a player’s EV based on perfect play for a particular game is $1,200 per hour. The next step is to provide an allowance for less-than-perfect play. Will the player employ any camouflage plays in a manner that would reduce the $1,200 per hour? If so, and you have the means to evaluate the cost of such plays, you can deduct this from the hourly EV. If the player is observed (or reports) making an error, the cost of that one error in play can be deducted as well. One way to fine-tune things is to deduct 10%–20% from the calculated EV based on the overall skill level of the player, to allow for any errors or camouflage plays. To determine the percent allowance, you can use a grading system based on the player’s testing results. Let’s say you decide to allow for 10%. Now your adjusted EV is $1,080 per hour. Another factor you may elect to add into the equation is expenses. If the

nature of the play doesn’t provide for reimbursement by a casino, you may want to consider any expenses (e.g., travel) as a cost and deduct from the hourly EV. If a player is paying $500 for a plane ticket and another $500 for room and meals, you have $1,000 in expenses for the trip. If the trip is estimated for 20 hours of play, divide the total expenses by the number of hours and deduct that amount from the hourly EV. Example: $1,000/20 = $50. Deduct $50 from your previously adjusted EV of $1,080, and your new adjusted EV is $1,030. You decide to pay the player a percentage of this adjusted EV. If you decide to pay 25% of adjusted hourly EV, the player receives an hourly wage of $257.50. In this method, the player gets paid regardless of the results. If after 100 hours, the results are negative, the player will have still wages totaling $25,750. On the other hand, if the player scores a $100,000 win after 10 hours of play, the player receives only 10 hours of pay, totaling $2,575, while the remaining $97,425 goes to the investor.

Method F Player Receives Combination of Hourly Wage + Win Incentive Bonus By decreasing the hourly rate paid to players, this method provides the investor with some protection, where compensation to players is in a graduated manner based on time commitments, while providing good incentives for the player(s) and the manager (as applicable). However, the investor could still end up at a disadvantage, having paid salaries, after realizing a losing bank. Step 1: A total team bankroll is determined for a one-year cycle (this could be changed). Step 2: Each player is asked to commit to a certain number of hours for the year, venues of choice for play, game types, and stakes. Step 3: Based on the above, each player’s EV is determined, along with estimated expenses involved with the proposed play, creating an adjusted EV figure. Step 4: Based on overall EV and committed hours, each player’s pay

scale can be established as follows: Hourly adjusted EV is determined and player receives 10% of that EV, along with 5% of each trip win until 50% of the committed hours are played. After 50% of committed hours are played, player’s hourly pay increases to 15% of the adjusted EV and trip win percentage increases to 10%. Note: Increasing the percentage here helps provide motivation in the event a player is burning out.

Player Bonuses Single Player Bonus (best suited in situations where one player is working for an investor or group of investors)—If a player meets or exceeds total adjusted EV and meets or exceeds the committed hours, a calculation will determine if the player’s total pay amounts to less than 25% of actual win. If so, the difference in that amount (bringing the figure to 25% of actual win) will be determined and player will receive 50% of that as a bonus. Example: Player commits to play 200 hours at an adjusted EV of $1,500 per hour, for total adjusted EV goal of $300,000. Player goes 200 hours and wins $350,000. Based on pay schedule, player receives $ 62,500. 25% of $350,000 (actual win) is $87,500. Difference in pay ($87,500 – $62,500) is $25,000. 50% of $25,000 is $12,500, representing a “performance bonus” for the player. Multi-Player “Team” Bonus (best suited for multi-players working for an investor or group of investors)—If the overall team EV is met or exceeded and the total hours played by all players meet or exceed the hours committed as a whole, a calculation will be performed to determine whether the total pay remitted to all players, out-of-pocket expenses, and manager commission amounts to less than 40% of total actual team win. If so, the difference in that amount (that would bring the figure to 40% of actual win) will be

determined and all players will divide 50% of that figure. The allotment of this bonus among players will be based purely on hours played regardless of EV or actual wins. Example: Investor paid out a total of $240,000 to all players in compensation based on the standard pay schedule. Investor reimbursed players a total of $10,000 for expenses. Investor paid manager $100,000. Total actual win is $1,000,000. Total out-of-pocket by investor is $350,000. 40% of $1,000,000 (actual win) is $400,000. Difference ($400,000–$350,000) is $50,000. 50% of $50,000 is $25,000, representing a “performance “bonus” to be divided by all players (or only those players who met their time commitments). This bonus can be calculated by hours played or percentage of win. You have options! The additional $25,000 could go to the manager as a “manager bonus,” it could be distributed to players in accordance with any number of formulas, or it could be retained by the investor. Note: A problem with overall “team” bonuses is that players showing winning results feel more deserving than those showing losing results.

Method G This is actually a complement to the above methods that are pertinent to a long-term bank, where the investor can realize some return on a monthly or quarterly basis. In this method, each month or quarter, the investor receives a percentage of the value of the bank. After this disbursement, the funds available for play are decreased, which may decrease the bet range. If you’re paying players based on EV, decreasing the bet range decreases the hourly rate. An example: On January 1, a starting bank is $1,000,000. The terms provide for the investor to receive a 1% interest distribution on the first of each month, calculated on the value of the bank on that date. On

February 1, based on the player results, less expenses and player wages, the bank is at $900,000. Hence, on February 1, $9,000 is distributed to the investor and the new value of the bank is $891,000. Here, the investor can still end up taking a loss in addition to shelling out wages to players. However, by withdrawing a percentage on a monthly or quarterly basis, the investor’s blow is softened in the event of an overall loss. Although the players receive hourly wages, this pay rate can be subject to a decrease if the hourly EV is reduced as a result of the investor. In any event, the players receive compensation.

Penalties Player Penalties If a certain goal is determined or a certain number of hours to which a player must commit is established, that player is penalized if these hours are not met. The penalty can be in the form of a discounted amount of the hourly wage the player would receive if the required number of hours were achieved. Investor Penalties When dealing with more than one investor, if a single investor elects to bail out prior to the agreed-upon conclusion of a bank, he receives the entitled share of the bank at that time, less a penalty. This can represent an overall loss for such investor. One option for the team is to permit others to buy out the shares of the departing investor. This enables the bank to operate at the same level. This section presents just some of the methods that can be used to compensate players on a team. It should provide some good ideas for those involved in team play to come up with a method that works best for that particular group. Remember, what works for one group may not work for another.

32 Living with Losses Some Reasons for Red Ink Stealing from Within This can put a team out of business. Not only actually having a dishonest person on the team, but the mere suspicion that there may be a dishonest person on the team, can destroy that team. The larger the team, the more suspicions, especially during a time when the team may be in a losing position. It’s common for players to start pointing fingers when a team is experiencing extended losing periods. Motivation to Steal #1—It’s too easy and the money is there. If you take someone who’s not used to dealing with large amounts of cash and put that money in the individual’s hands, the temptation is often hard to resist. Recommendation—It’s important to know each person you’re dealing with as an individual and not solely as a player. Spend a few months getting to know the person before actually putting money in his or her hands. The person should realize that the potential to honestly earn a consistent amount of money on a long-term basis is far more attractive than running the risk of a being caught stealing and losing this opportunity. Motivation to Steal #2—When a team is in a losing position, suspicions and accusations may fly around. It’s possible that a player who’s been winning may begin to think, “I’m the only one winning. Something is wrong. Someone must be stealing, so I’m going to start keeping some winnings for myself as protection from any stealing.” Recommendations—The manager of the team should encourage all players to get to know one another. Arrange schedules where players mix and match, so that no two players are attached at the hip (at least in the beginning). This is especially crucial if all the players on the team are

investors. You want to know who’s running around with your money! If players know one another, it’s less tempting to accuse someone of stealing on the basis of “I don’t know this person.” Exercise caution when a player is barred in a particular casino. You don’t want to have him or her contaminate your “good” players just for the sake of mixing and matching. Motivation to Steal #3—When a player shares his time playing for the team and for himself, he or she may attempt to allot all wins to his own individual play and all losses to team play. Recommendation—Do not allow non-team play. If this is not possible, ensure that hours of team play and non-team play are clearly defined prior to any play. Protective Measures Administer random polygraph tests. Although such tests are not 100% foolproof, it’s a good idea that players know they may be subject to one at any given time, especially if players take the test on the spot, without advance notice. Have players monitored by unknown parties. A player can be monitored during a random session where an observer notes his buy-in and win/loss, and watches if he pockets chips. The player should report how much in chips was pocketed, if done so to deceive the pit. If your team concept and style warrant, arrange for players to play in pairs or groups. This facilitates self-monitoring. Limit the amount of cash any one player may have access to. Ensure that two people each record every cash transaction. The best way to provide comfort in the honesty of players is to devote the time in getting to know one another and promoting interaction among everyone involved, prior to intermingling funds. Outside Theft A player is the victim of a robbery. It should be no surprise that when an individual is seen handling large amounts of cash, he or she can be a target for theft.

Recommendation—Educate players on safety and security procedures when cashing out and leaving a casino. Players should be especially alert in self-parking garages, elevators, and other remote places. Players should restrict their routes to well-populated areas. A good rule to impose is that all players use money belts. Scheduling frequent meetings also facilitates players’ transferring cash to a team manager for safekeeping, thus minimizing the period of time any player is holding excess team funds. Seizure of Funds by Police or Other Authorities In airports and customs, large quantities of cash draw extreme suspicion from authorities. Although the authorities have the power to do as they please in this respect and it’s considered to be within the letter of the law, this is actually theft. Recommendation—Never put cash through the x-ray machines; carry it on your body. A tax return showing your income from gambling or other cash business can be helpful if you’re stopped. Otherwise, be prepared to spend significant quantities of time and money getting your cash back. House Cheating Although this is uncommon in today’s environment, players should be aware of such possibilities. The most common method of cheating by a casino is that of a dealer shuffling away positive decks early, while dealing deeper into negative decks. This is known as “preferential shuffling” and has not yet been considered illegal. Recommendation—Players should familiarize themselves with methods of cheating to increase awareness of such practices. Steve Forte’s video series is a good source, as is Bill Zender’s book, How to Detect Casino Cheating at Blackjack. Poor Quality of Play This is the most common reason a team may experience losses outside of what are considered the normal fluctuations. Quality of play is a vast area, which encompasses several variables needed to achieve successful play. A player is making errors in live play, despite having passed a thorough testing of mechanical skills.

Recommendation—Many players perform perfectly in “kitchen-table” testing, yet fall apart playing for real money with all the distractions of the casino. There’s no substitute for live experience and each player should be observed in live play for a defined period of time, before he’s permitted to play unsupervised. It’s also a good idea to tell players they should report any errors committed that they’re aware of. A player is making excessive cover bets and plays to avoid detection. This is very common and quite costly. However, it may be necessary at times. The problem is when players inaccurately interpret certain actions made by pit personnel, which they perceive as heat, and immediately react by laying down cover. Recommendation—Educate players on how to identify certain actions by pit personnel, illustrating how to or how not to react. Provide various methods of what’s considered acceptable cover and determine the cost of each. Recommend that players simply leave a casino when they feel under intense scrutiny, rather than using cover and basically throwing away money. A player is scared to place big bets when the count justifies doing so. This is common when players who are used to playing solo at low stakes join a high-stakes team. Many players, myself included, have stood there with hands trembling and heart racing the first time we’ve placed a big bet. Many players also get spooked after experiencing a big negative swing and become hesitant to place proper bets in fear of losing more. Recommendation—Don’t just throw a player in there betting big money. Ease him into things with an incremental increase in stakes. It’s also a good idea to have observe the player during the first few sessions of high-stakes play. Prepare players to eventually experience negative swings. Provide the necessary support for players who are new to high-stakes play. A player is exercising poor judgment in game selection. Many players enter a casino and don’t properly evaluate the game conditions at hand. A common mistake is to lower one’s standards of what’s considered an acceptable game, just because the player is “already there.” Whether it’s substandard penetration, number of players at the table, or any other criteria, lowering

of a set standard is an overall lowering of the team’s quality of play. It also violates the assumptions of any simulations and may, additionally, lead to false reporting of play. Recommendation—During the initial observation period, deliberately take the player into a casino with poor games, instructing him to find an acceptable game. The player, if on top of things, should walk out of the casino without placing a bet. Outline what the team criteria are for acceptable playing conditions. Whenever possible, schedule play in an area where several casinos are within a short distance of one another to give enough opportunities to find acceptable game conditions. A player is excessively concerned with obtaining comps. This is common, and players may spend time in less-than-desirable games in order to score better comps. In addition, a player may overplay a particular casino, regardless of the game quality, resulting in overexposure in that one place. Recommendation—Implement a comp-pooling system, whereby all comps must be reported and shared as necessary. Assign players to sessions by using a precise schedule, which must be strictly followed. Educate players on how to work the comp system to their advantage without costing the team money. Have players select casinos that they consider their “home base,” where they wish to stay as a hotel guest. Evaluate that casino’s game conditions and criteria for room comps. Based on such evaluation, determine whether it is acceptable for the player to play in that casino. Poor Expense Management Management of overhead is crucial to a team’s overall profit. It’s essential to incorporate expenses into the projections of estimated profit and determine any areas of cost-savings. Players are excessively tipping dealers. In certain styles of play, tipping may be necessary, whereas other times, there’s no reason to tip. Players may tip a dealer in hopes that the gesture may lead to better game conditions. In most cases, this is a mistake. Another reason a player may tip is that it’s “good cover.” This is acceptable, providing the player is clever enough to know when to tip and not do so too often.

Recommendation—Clearly outline that players using a certain style of play are not permitted to tip, if this fits into the team objective. For the style of play where tipping is necessary, provide an outline of how much tipping is permissible. Players incur excessive expenses. The biggest expense is probably airfare. Players using a certain style of play may be eligible for reimbursement of such airfare as a casino comp, but many others are not and this can add significantly to expenses. Recommendation—Minimize air travel by scheduling trips for an extended period to get maximum number of hours of play for the trip. Educate players on the various methods to obtain airfare reimbursement as a casino comp. Establish a comp-sharing/pooling policy to ensure that players with extra room or meal comps pass them on to those who come up short. Centralize the booking of airfares to ensure the person making the arrangements is capable of booking the best rates. Schedule playing sessions where car-rental or taxicab expenses are minimal. Motivating players to keep their costs down is probably most effective. This can be done by subtracting travel expenses from their play EV. Team incurs excessive costs in administering polygraph tests to players. Whether it’s at the request of an investor, player, or at the sole discretion of the manager, subjecting a player to a polygraph test is something that may come up. Once this occurs, it can lead to finger-pointing and the next thing you know every player on the team is taking a polygraph test at roughly $300 a pop! Recommendation—Use live-player monitoring instead of polygraphs. This is far more useful where a player can be monitored for quality of play in addition to honesty of reporting results. It’s much more cost effective as well. You can have someone monitor a player at $50 an hour. When players travel for overseas play, exchange rates in conversion of currency prove costly for the team. At times players may quickly exchange currency without knowledge of what might be considered a reasonable exchange rate. Recommendation—Minimize converting foreign currency, especially if

you plan to schedule play in the related country in the near future. Each time you convert currency, you pay a premium. Ensure all players engaging in international play are kept updated on daily exchange rates, as well as preferred places to conduct any necessary conversions. If one possesses the skill in gauging the currency market, entering into a forward contract for the desired currency may be an option. Many foreign casinos change their casino chips and local currency back at the same rate charged against the original dollar buy-in. The length of time they will hold your dollars varies from location to location, ranging from the same day to weeks. Ask about their policies in advance. Difference of Objectives What’s the objective of the team? It’s common to have a team with a blend of both part-time and full-time players. Some players are dependent on winnings to support themselves, while others view any winnings as supplemental income. While each player may have his own individual purpose for playing on a team, it must be stressed and agreed that the team objectives come first. A player is becoming an “hours hog.” This is more common with full-time players who depend on winnings as a primary source of income. The player feels he should get in as many hours as possible to benefit from a higher percentage of the players’ share of winnings. This is dangerous, because such a player may be prone to playing in substandard conditions, playing when tired, or overplaying a session. Such actions can prove to be costly to a team. Recommendations—Include guidelines for maximum number of hours any player can operate during the course of one day; the number of hours of play without a mandatory break; number of play days without a day off. Establish up-front how many estimated hours of play each player wishes to commit for play during the course of the bank. A player wants the distribution of winnings more frequently. A player dependent on such distribution of winnings as a source of income experiences financial strains during losing periods. This can cause difficulties all around, since the excess pressure on such a player can have

an effect on his performance. Recommendations—Set up banks where the distribution dates are not too far in advance. Work closely with players to ensure that the terms enable everyone to meet his personal financial obligations. A team may even work out a program where a player indicating a temporary “hardship” can receive an advance from the overall team bank. The best method is for the manager to discuss any concerns with each player prior to formal commitments. A compensation scheme in which the player receives a fixed percentage of the EV for each play made, combined with a sliding percentage of the overall outcome (based on individual results), is a possibility. The salary should be enough to continue to motivate the player to play, while the percentage keeps his incentive for quality play up. A player joins the team with the personal objective of learning as much as possible about team operations and blackjack in general. This is fine and encouraged. However, players have to pay their dues first. Teams have worked hard in devising winning methods and are smart not to give away all the trade secrets to some newcomer who hasn’t proven himself. A player whose main objective is to learn can prove to be disruptive to the progress of a team; where the team is poised for action, he may be more interested in sitting down to discuss theory. Recommendations—Educating players is the key to a successful team. However, it must be the manager who decides when a player is ready to progress to the next plateau. Players should be informed that they won’t receive instruction on a specific method simply out of curiosity. It’s in the best interest for teams to instruct players on advanced methods only when they’ll apply them while playing for the team. Upon joining the team, manager and player should sit down and outline what’s required of the player, as well as what he’d like to gain out of being on the team. Both should agree on goals for the player to meet and a progression into learning advanced methods, only after the player has proven himself. Members of the team have differences in the level of risk they’re comfortable with. Some players are more comfortable with playing at a higher level of risk to create the opportunity to earn more money faster. Others might prefer a more conservative approach, sacrificing the higher earning

opportunity for a lower risk factor. It’s important for all members on the team to be in agreement on the way the bet levels are established with respect to earnings and risk. Recommendations—Unfortunately, there’s little room for compromise here. If players have different objectives, someone will be unhappy. If a player is willing to accept a higher risk level in an attempt to increase potential earnings, he’ll become impatient if the others decide to play at a more conservative level. A more conservative player will be nervous playing to a higher risk level. In both cases, it’s probably best that a player not comfortable with the established levels of play not participate. Lack of Motivation The team is experiencing a negative swing and players lack the motivation to get out and play. This is a most understandable cause for bringing down the spirits of team members. Everyone goes out there and plays his heart out for hours and hours, with the team bank ending up in the red. When players on a team lose their motivation to play, others may also adopt the attitude of “why bother?” Recommendations—The team manager should possess strong motivational skills. If such skills are lacking, numerous books, audiotapes, videotapes, and seminars can provide the tools to develop them. Take the time to ensure that all players are educated as to the inherent fluctuations of the game. Prepare everyone for such swings. When a player loses motivation, arrange for him to go out and partner with a player who possesses an optimistic view of things. The most important thing for a team manager is no matter how rough the waters get, never panic. Inefficient Means of Transferring Cash When a team grows in size, so does the need for moving money among players. If players are in action in different parts of the country or world, this can get tricky. The last thing you want to happen is to have a player running short of team bankroll during a trip. Recommendations—Use the proper tools (e.g., Blackjack Risk Manager 2002 software) to determine how much bankroll each player will require, then provide an extra cushion. Make it policy that each player in action report

results regularly. Maintain a listing of banks and Western Union offices or similar places where an individual can receive a cash wire transfer. Find out in advance all related fees, procedures, and hours of operation. Develop relationships with other teams and players so that you can perform virtual transfers around the world.

33 Outline for a Team Manual 1. CONFIDENTIAL NATURE OF CONTENTS If you’re sensitive to a high level of confidentiality, this should be the first thing mentioned. Suggested Wording: This manual is a confidential document and may not be shown to anyone else. It should be kept in a safe place at all times. Do not bring it on team trips. The manual is team property and subject to return on demand. No material in part or whole may be reproduced.

2. ESTABLISHMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF TEAM POLICIES Responsibilities of each player. What happens if a policy needs to be changed? Is it a unilateral decision or decision by vote? There should be a method in place for distributing funds at any given point, should a player or investor need or wish to withdraw.

3. MANAGER’S ROLE Duties and responsibilities need to be outlined (e.g., scheduling, bookkeeping, testing, making travel arrangements for players). What is the manager’s salary? Is it a percentage of winnings or a flat fee? What happens if the team manager resigns? Can the team manager be dismissed by a vote of others?

4. MEMBERSHIP How are players selected? Are references required? Are credit checks, background checks, and/or polygraph tests

performed? Are there a minimum number of hours a player must commit to play? Penalties for not meeting this criterion? Will investments be restricted to players only or will non-playing investors be permitted to participate? Will all players be required to invest a minimum amount? What could lead to suspension/dismissal of a player? Are warnings given? If so, how many? Are performance reviews conducted?

5. TESTING Are all players required to play the same count system? Is there a minimum number of play indices required? Are players required to be able to play all types of games (single-deck, multi-deck)? Are written tests going to be given for basic strategy? Other skills? General knowledge? Outline the specific testing routine, grading system, and what is considered passing. If a candidate fails a test, is there a form of re-test? Will a candidate be interviewed and accepted by the team manager only, or may other players vote? Will testing be performed on an ongoing basis? Scheduled or surprise testing? How often? If the team will be using signals as part of its play, how will this be tested? Will live play observation be conducted of a candidate? Is there a rating sheet to grade the candidate? The following is a sample live-play evaluation form for a candidate:

Candidate Live-Play Evaluation Form Instructions: Based on your observation of candidate’s live play, indicate your score on each category based on the following point system: 1 = Hopeless 2 = Needs Work 3 = Average 4 = Above Average 5 = Excellent Dependability: Candidate is punctual. Shows up when he/she commits to. Starts and ends session at times committed. Score: _________ Comments: Appearance: Candidate looks/dresses in accordance with stakes played and casino/town playing in. Score: _________ Comments: Game Selection: Candidate uses time upon arrival at casino to quickly but effectively evaluate game situation and makes a competent choice of game to play or determines conditions are unplayable and does not sit down to play. Score: _________ Comments: Technical Proficiency: Candidate is accurate during live play. If any decisions are questionable, please note them in comments section. After discussion with candidate, it may be determined that such plays were justified. Score: _________ Comments: Interactions at Table: Candidate is taking proper measures not to look/act like a typical counter. Indicate Yes/No on the following observations: Candidate orders a beverage of some sort Candidate talks to dealer, pit, and other players Candidate doesn’t wait until last minute to place bet

Score: _________ Comments: Awareness: Candidate identifies any close scrutiny and takes appropriate measures. Candidate is aware of countermeasures employed by pit/dealer and reacts accordingly. Score: _________ Comments: Follows Game Plan: Candidate’s live play is in accordance with what’s outlined in the team game plan. Score: _________ Comments: The following is a sample “system-and-game-plan” form that a candidate may complete:

System-and-Game-Plan Form

Count System Point Values: 2= 3= 4= 5= 6= 7= 8=

9= T= A= If Using True Count Conversion, You Divide by Full Decks: ____ 1/2 Decks: ____ Other: ____. If Using Ace Side Count, Value Assigned to Ace Is: _____. List Play Variations Used for Game Played: Dealer Shows:

Your Hand:

At Count of:

Variation Is:

Simulation Results (to be completed by Evaluator):

6. PROCEDURES FOR ACTUAL TEAM PLAY Is team play authorized only when a group of players is available for a “group trip”? Are players permitted to play without other teammates present? If so, how much advance notice is the player required to give the manager? How is team cash passed from player to player? How often is a player required to report results? Are casinos to play determined by a manager in a schedule or does the player select? What is considered a session bankroll? Is there a certain loss amount where a player is required to halt play and report in? Is there a minimum/maximum amount of cash a player is permitted to carry? What is the policy on use of “cover” for bets and plays? What should a player do in the event of a barring? Define rules on communicating or not communicating with teammates in casinos. Is there a maximum number of hours a player is permitted to play each

day? Is there a maximum number of hours a player is permitted to play without a break? Is there a maximum number of days a player is permitted to play without a day off? What is team policy on alcohol consumption? Outline policy on cashing or not cashing out chips. Is there a standard form for reporting, or can a player use his own? The following is a sample report form:

Player’s Trip Report

7. VARIOUS TACTICS THAT MAY BE APPLIED Note: This area is subject to preferences based on the knowledge and experience of team management. Since tactics used by many teams and individuals are not made public, this will be respected. GAME SELECTION What criteria determine a playable game? Is there a penetration point defined as acceptable vs. unacceptable? Is there a limit of number of players or spots being played at a table to consider a game playable? Are teammates permitted to play together at the same table? Same casino at the same time? If a player is authorized to play an acceptable game at lower than the agreed-upon bet levels, for whatever reason, how will such player be compensated? MONEY MANAGEMENT AND BETTING

Is the betting scheme denominated in dollars or units? If units, how is the unit size determined? Will the unit size change? If so, how often? How will overall risk of ruin be determined? How often will bet levels be reconfigured? How will information be most effectively communicated to players with respect to bet-level changes? COMPS Is player allowed to keep his own comps or must he surrender them to the team for allocation? Are players permitted to eat together? Is there a policy prohibiting players from overplaying a casino in an attempt to qualify for a certain comp? How are cashback vouchers handled? Team money or player’s own? If a player receives an invitation to a free tournament, does he/she play for team or self? If player receives airfare reimbursement, who keeps the hard cash? If a player receives special-event tickets and can sell them at a profit, who is entitled to the cash? Are players required to accept teammates as roommate(s), as a method to share comped rooms? TIPPING Are players allowed to tip dealer? Is there a limit on how much a player may tip dealer? Are cocktail waitress, valet parking, and other employee tips considered a team or a player expense? Outline a precise policy of tipping practices. Outline various methods and tricks where tipping may be used as a

tactic during play. Keep records of all tips in session reports. CASHING OUT Outline procedure for players to verify cashouts before leaving cashier’s window. Stress that players should convert all smaller denomination bills into 100s. Ensure players are aware of reporting requirements for specific cash-out amounts and that players comply with such regulations to avoid breaking any laws. SIGNALS If signals are going to be used, outline them. How often will signals be changed? Outline methods to ensure signals are subtle.

8. EXPENSES Is player responsible for traveling expenses (air, hotel, and car rentals)? What are considered team expenses? How and when will a player be reimbursed for expenses incurred? Are receipts required for everything or only above certain amounts? Are room comps pooled among players? The following is an example of some expenses a team may incur: Overnight courier services, bank fees to obtain cashier’s checks, money orders, wiring of funds or travelers’ checks to facilitate transferring monies for team purposes. Polygraph testing. Employing persons to monitor players in action. Opening checking accounts and safe-deposit rentals as deemed

necessary. Phone calls. Recruiting new players. Recruiting spotters and/or BPs.

9. SAFETY AND SECURITY Where will team funds be secured? Who will have access to these funds? Will funds be secured in a manner in which no one person has sole access? How often will audits be conducted? Will verifications of all transfers be maintained in the form of signed receipts? What requirements do individual players comply with in securing team cash held? What happens if a player loses team cash or is robbed? Outline procedures players should follow when cashing out large amounts at cashier cage. Outline procedures players should follow when leaving a casino to ensure they are not being followed. What will prompt a player to be required to submit to polygraph testing? Outline policies for keeping team paperwork outside of hotel rooms. Outline policies for not communicating via hotel room phones. Outline policies for using wireless phones in and around casinos in a manner in which the phone number is not displayed for surveillance cameras to read. Outline policies for not discussing team matters outside of the team. Outline policies for what information, in written form, should or should

not be carried on a player’s person. Outline proper procedures (within the letter of the law) a player should follow if an attempt is made by a casino employee to detain the player.

10. DISTRIBUTION OF WINNINGS How and when will winnings be distributed? A set date? A set monetary goal? A set number of hours played in total? Are expenses deducted from the gross win? Is manager’s commission deducted before or after expenses? What is the percentage paid to investors? How are players compensated for play? Based on hours played? Based on amount won? A combination of both? Are there any penalties applied for any reason? Who is responsible for taxes? How is this provided for in the scheme of things?

11. QUALITY CONTROL How are players being monitored? How are results being documented and evaluated? Are players and/or investors receiving periodic reports? If so, how often? Will additional training and development be provided? Monitoring Performance Through the use of spreadsheet programs, such as Lotus 123 and Excel, you have the ability to customize charts and graphs, which can illustrate various factors, while reviewing a player’s overall performance. Such use can be applied based on the desired results. Below is an example of a report generated from an Excel spreadsheet, converted into graph form, to illustrate the difference in swings two players experience and how each reacts to a big losing session. The following graphs depict the results of two different players throughout the course of 12 play sessions. For the purpose of effect, both

players experienced identical results throughout the first six sessions. The difference in results is evident following session #6, which is where both players experienced their biggest losing session. Up until that point, both players appeared to be experiencing swings inherent in proper play. However, while Player #1 continued to experience such swings following the session #6 loss, Player #2 appears to have “tightened up” on his play. This is evident in looking at the “flat” line of win/loss of the last six sessions of Player #2. Looking at this, one may deduce that Player #2 could very well have been spooked by the large loss experienced in session #6 and became reluctant to place the proper big bets when the situation called for it.

34 Down Memory Lane This chapter is dedicated to the five original members of the last team on which I formally acted as a manager. The six of us have been together in this journey for three years and although we didn’t reach our ultimate goals, the early stages of our efforts were successful. This is a reflection on our very first play together, way back when. We were all ready to combine our efforts as a team. The plan was to meet in Las Vegas and play over a five-day period. Brett and Leon would arrive in town first on Tuesday. Patrick and I would arrive on Wednesday. Harry was coming into town on Thursday, and Ursula was getting in on Friday morning. At this point, not every member of the group had met one another. Brett and I had met each of the others. Harry met everyone except for Leon and Ursula. Patrick never met Ursula or Leon. To avoid complications, I created a schedule of casinos for each player, and times of play. This would avoid having any two players in the same place at the same time. Patrick and I ended up on the same flight Wednesday evening. I managed to get an upgrade into first class, while Patrick was in coach. Since the seat next to me was empty, Patrick cruised over, only to have the flight attendant inform him that he couldn’t sit there. Here’s poor Patrick getting backed off before the plane even lands! The setup we decided on was for each player to play solo in accordance with a schedule of casinos and times of play. A player would finish a session in a given casino as a teammate was ready to commence play in that same casino. This arrangement facilitated exchange of information, in addition to any necessary cash transfers. I started play Thursday morning with a one-hour session, losing a session bankroll. At the end of my session, I saw Leon entering the casino

right on schedule. He gave me a signal to meet him outside. He informed me that he lost most of his allotted team bankroll the day before and needed more cash. I gave him one session bankroll to play with, along with a change in the schedule, which enabled him to meet up with Patrick in hopes of getting some additional cash if necessary. I was about to leave when Leon gave me some more bad news. Brett also had a losing day and was in need of more cash. On that note, I drove to the hotel where Brett was staying to give him some cash. Not a good start for this new team: three of us losing and Patrick’s results unknown. I played until our first scheduled meeting, but my net result didn’t improve. Patrick was winning, but Brett, Leon, and I showed negative results that put us at a 25% loss of our initial bank. The good news was that we found out about a promotion being offered by a casino. If you had a special coupon, you received a two-to-one payoff for a natural. The restriction was that a player could use only one coupon per day. Of course, we found ways to get around that and ended up having a little contest among ourselves to see who could get away with using the most coupons. I slipped in six during one shift. I also used my charm to get a huge stack of the coupons from the nice lady giving them out and I distributed them to my teammates. I still lost! My next task was to pick up Harry and his wife, Jeanette, at the airport. Harry and I got to know each other over the six months prior to this trip, and when he saw my smile as he got off the plane, his first words were, “I hope that’s a happy smile.” He knew it wasn’t. The following morning, my losing streak continued and our afternoon meeting revealed that out of the five of us present, Patrick was the only one with positive numbers. Ursula walked into the meeting immediately after arriving in town to find the team down 50% of the starting bank. I could see the questionable look on her face, but she maintained a positive attitude. This was her first-ever visit to Las Vegas, let alone playing on a count team. After making a few revisions, we continued with the structured schedule, a method that led Leon to dub the structure affectionately as “Rick’s Sweat Shop.” After an initial losing session the next morning, I finally caught fire and

put together a string of winning sessions. By the end of the evening, my net loss as of the previous day was cut in half. At the evening meeting, the others also reported winning numbers that put us close to even. My “sweatshop” schedule was working well; when players met up entering/exiting a casino, knowledge of a teammate’s winning session created motivation all around. The next day, I was still on a roll. All my sessions ended in wins, which put my personal net result at a nice win. At our late-afternoon meeting, the others also reported some nice wins, which put us ahead for the trip. We decided to have each player go out to play in a casino of his/her own choice for one more session before our final meeting, where we would wrap things up. I went to play at my “home-base” casino and was having a nice session when I noticed a floorperson whispering to the shift manager and motioning two tables away from me. I discreetly looked over there and noticed Ursula playing at that table. At first I was thinking how we should have informed each other of what casino we would each go to, to avoid having more than one player in the same place. At the same time, I noticed another floorperson starting to watch me a bit too closely for comfort. I left the table and went to the restroom to determine what to do about alerting Ursula. After arriving at the table, I could see the shift manager watching Ursula from a distance. Ursula seemed a bit too focused on the cards and oblivious to what was really happening. I watched as she jumped her bet and the shift manager walked up to the table, picked up the discards, and started to flip through them. I immediately gave the “heat signal” to Ursula, but she didn’t seem to catch on. Since I was concerned about the heat I was getting earlier, I decided it was best to leave there and see if I could locate a teammate to return and attempt to warn Ursula. I walked across the street to a casino where I suspected Patrick would be and, after spotting him, I signaled him to follow me outside. Once outside, I quickly blurted out, “You’ve got to get across the street and get Ursula out of there.” Patrick responded, “Why?” I then informed him: “She jumped her bet and the shift manager went through the discards. I gave her the heat signal, but she didn’t catch it, and I was worried about getting heat myself.”

On that note, Patrick said, “Okay,” then proceeded to run across a major thoroughfare, dodging traffic, in an effort to save a fellow teammate. When he returned, he told me it was too late, that she had been backed off from play. Afterwards, I spent an hour talking with Ursula and realized that she wasn’t really in tune with the warning signs. I was at fault for taking it for granted that she was. She handled the situation well and learned from the experience. Subsequently, I believe this episode made her a stronger player. Our final meeting was a happy occasion, as we recovered from being 50% down of our initial bank to ending up with a 50% net win.

The End Zone

35 Assuming the Role of a High-Stakes Player When playing for high stakes, it’s of the utmost importance that you look and act the role of a player who can afford to gamble with the sums of money that you’ll be putting out. Don’t think you have to completely change your existing image; from experience, doing so comes across as forcing an act or look, so it appears unnatural. What we want to do is identify the qualities of your existing look, attire, and personality that can be made prominent to present the image of a high roller. Once these factors are identified, we accessorize them accordingly to create a sellable product: you as a high roller. Below is an outline detailing the components of what it takes to sell yourself as a high-stakes player.

Attitude Keeping in mind that the typical card counter is in constant fear of being “made,” it’s imperative that you get this “fear factor” out of your head. Stay alert and aware of your surroundings, but approach the game with the attitude that you are in control. You are the customer. As you enter a game, the casino staff views you as a “premium client.” Therefore, it’s crucial that your persona exude the fact that you are. Players in this category are entitled to a certain level of service, and you must subtly convey that you’re aware of this. In this role, you’re someone who has money. Money equals confidence. Every move you make, every statement you utter, every recommendation you offer must be made with confidence. If your appearance is refined, when you ask for something, do so firmly, politely, but with confidence that your request will be honored. Structure your requests in a manner that demonstrates that you know what you’re entitled to and are not asking for anything too out of line. If you’re presenting yourself as a celebrity type, a

shady character, or an obnoxious foreigner, you may be able to get away with a highly aggressive attitude. Example—Don’t ask, “Could I get a dinner comp at …?” Do ask (refined), “Could you arrange dinner for 7 p.m. at…, if available?” Do ask (aggressive): “We’re ready for dinner. I’d appreciate it if you would call (name of maitre d’) up at … and take care of it for us.” See the difference? Rather than asking for something in a manner where you’re indicating you’re unaware that it will be comped, you’re confidently “helping” the employee provide you with what you want. Note: Avoid direct use of the word “comp” when dealing with casino employees. It comes across as bush-league. Example—Don’t ask, “Can I get a comp for …” Do ask: “Can you arrange … for me.” You want to give the impression that the level of service extended by a given casino is of more importance to you than their actual comp program. Homework: Names of employees, chain-of-command, restaurant employee names, restaurant names, menu items, wines, sport games currently being played, betting lines.

Preparation, Homework, and Knowledge The casinos try to find out as much about you as possible. It’s your goal to take control of this situation in a twofold manner. If you’re presenting yourself as a refined gentleman or lady, anticipate potential questions and offer information about yourself that you’ve prepared in advance. You need to live the role that you’re assuming and present yourself in a believable manner. Develop your own profile and have it memorized to the finest detail. While most casino employees in the know will not come across as too intrusive, they’ll still be curious and will try to gather information about you. Make it easy for them on your own terms. During your interactions, determine what the individual may be fishing for

and give it up on your own terms. Throw them a bone! Develop a complete knowledge of the names of the key employees with whom you’ll be dealing, as well as the top executives in the casino. Do your homework and learn as much about these folks as possible. If you learn of a particular interest of a top person, figure a way you can use this to your advantage. Example—The casino manager collects baseball memorabilia. Well, you know what to do from there! The goal here is to endear yourself to people at the highest level, so it’s established on the casino floor and elsewhere that you are in with the big boys. It’s also a good idea to learn the names of restaurant managers, maitre d’s, and other restaurant employees. This is also true for employees of other hotel/casino services of which you might avail yourself (limo drivers, concierge, health club, etc.). Advance knowledge of the casino’s procedure on obtaining identification for a player’s card is extremely valuable. Since chances are you’ll be playing for stakes that will prompt CTR reporting to the U.S. Department of Treasury, you’ll need to use a legal name, along with valid government form of identification. Have all this in order before you start playing. If a pit clerk gets your identification for this purpose, you run the risk of having a photocopy being made, along with all your personal data and photograph. You may try to have this information arranged by a clerk at the player’s club desk, who might not make such a photocopy. If you do this on a trip before you actually play, call a host prior to your next trip to ensure that all the required information is in their database. The bottom line is the casino requires certain information, and you know what that information is. Give them what they need and nothing more. Do it in advance and ensure they have everything they need before you play. You take control of the information provided under your terms.

Eye Contact Contrary to popular belief, this eye-contact phenomenon is overrated. I’m not saying that it doesn’t work, but it’s not something you can rely on.

Hence, a clever individual can use such eye contact to generate false reads. There are dozens of reads on what so-called experts determine certain glances mean, but they’re not always accurate. Your goal is to limit the types of eye contact you project, creating minimal variations and confusing those who rely on eye contact to attempt to read you. Practice your eyecontact techniques in a mirror, on video, and with friends. Evaluate yourself and fine-tune things to achieve the desired results. Here are some methods of eye contact that minimize the ability for others to read you. Hard or Piercing Eye Contact When you’re having a conversation with someone important, yet you want to create an impression of “power,” look hard and directly into the other person’s eyes without looking elsewhere. Wait for the other person to shift eye contact first, but pause for a second or two before making your own shift. Your only shift should be a total exit from the conversation. When you’re playing and such a person starts a conversation with you, you can stop your play and maintain the conversation. If this is a casino employee (most likely), he or she should realize that it’s not good for the casino’s bottom line to keep you away from wagering and will gracefully say, “Excuse me” and leave. Soft Direct Eye Contact When you’re having a conversation with someone important or whom you want to make feel important, look directly into his or her eyes with a gentle ever-so-subtle movement of your eyes. Use slight head nods, coupled with smiles, when the person states something deemed to be of significance. By using this technique, you’re yielding power to the other person without stepping down from your own. You’re acknowledging, while putting the person at ease with you. Here, too, wait for the other to shift eye contact first, but create the exit as a mutual decision. You also want to stop your play and focus when the person starts a conversation with you. No Eye Contact This can be considered rude, dismissive, aloof, or arrogant, among other things. The purpose here is not to even acknowledge the other person’s existence. You’re too busy to be bothered. When you’re playing for high

stakes, other players may try to get friendly with you (for a variety of reasons), but you truly don’t want to have anything to do with them, because they’re taking you away from your focus. When someone approaches your table, don’t even look up. If a player makes a comment or asks a question not specifically directed to you, act as though you didn’t hear it. If you’re asked a direct question, pause for a few seconds (this is annoying to people), then give a direct, short, to-the-point answer or an aloof response in a subtly dismissive manner, without making any eye contact. The trick here is to do this without appearing rude. Sunglasses Unless you have the rock-star or gangster thing going, wearing sunglasses indoors is tricky to pull off. These eye-contact “experts” read sunglasses as hiding something. Knowing that, you can actually use them to your advantage. If you appear at a table sporting shades, you’re giving off a suspicious appearance. When someone appears to speak to you, dramatically remove the shades and shift into hard or piercing eye contact method #1 or #2 (#1 works best for this purpose). What you accomplish here is initially baiting people into thinking one thing, then completely throwing them off scent, where they’re now questioning their ability to read you.

Attire When betting large sums of money, you must dress in a manner that’s representative of someone who can afford to: designer shirts, slacks, and belt for starters. Expensive shoes are essential, as is an expensive watch. Your jewelry should complement the image you’re trying to create. If you want the flashy look, pile on the gold chains and rings. If you’re after a quiet elegant look, a thinner watch (expensive, but not a huge Rolex) would be appropriate. Be familiar with the big designer names. When dealing with style, there are different plateaus. First, you have the trends that mainstream society gets sucked into. You can jump on the bandwagon, purchase all the popular designer names that everyone else is wearing, and you’ll certainly fit right in. You can also set your sights on a higher plateau by avoiding the trendy

names and seeking out brands that are a notch above, which the mainstream has not yet caught up to. These brands don’t advertise heavily, but you’ll find celebrities wearing them. For example, where the mainstream embraces Armani, Gucci, and Prada, you look at other European labels or go the custom-tailored route. You can get away without paying retail. Check out sample sales and outlet centers for some great bargains. In respect to watches, while the mainstream views Rolex as the watch, you may want to look for some other brands and join the major leagues. Here, you don’t have to pay top dollar. Shop around for a pre-owned watch from a reputable dealer or check out some auctions. Also keep in mind that the typical Rolex is thick and bulky. If you have a small wrist, it won’t look good on you.

Appearance Your overall appearance should say “money.” You’re someone who has it and doesn’t worry about spending it. Here are some additional points to add to the total package: Your fingernails should be clean and presentable. A manicure just prior to a trip is essential and quite inexpensive. A suntan delivers the message that you’re fun-loving. You can always take in a few sessions at a tanning salon a week or two prior to a trip. Pay attention to your posture. Stand erect when you’re walking. Avoid slumping over at the tables. When walking in the casino, never look as though you’re rushing to get somewhere. Walk in a slow, deliberate, or carefree manner, depending on the message you’re trying to convey. Don’t always appear to be alone. Have people with you. You want to create the appearance that you’re with family or friends to have a good time.

Purpose Why are you here? You have to create an impression as to your reason

for being here. Are you on business? If so, what business brings you here? Be prepared to discuss it with knowledge and enthusiasm if you’re questioned. You also may want to take a proactive approach and volunteer some information about your business that may confuse or bore the average layperson. Doing so discourages someone to discuss it with you further. You also want to convey the message that you’re here to have fun. You enjoy gambling and other things, such as shows, golf, shopping, etc.

Summary Some blackjack books discuss the “act” element of the play. Over the years, many players have attempted to put on such acts. Most of these players eventual fail in their acting abilities. In order to be successful, you need to actually live your act and believe it yourself. If you’re used to eating at home or at coffee shops, take an evening out at a fine gourmet restaurant. Get accustomed to the atmosphere. Take a walk in some of the finer clothing and jewelry stores (you don’t need to actually make a purchase) to get a feel for the style of people who frequent such places. Remember, if you look back on some of the best film performances, you’ll see that the acting appears to be believable. This is precisely what you’re looking to accomplish. Live your act!

36 Playing Blackjack as a Part-Time Professional Periodically, I encounter players who consider quitting their jobs to play blackjack full-time. When asked my opinion, I normally state that there are several factors to look at before deciding to take the plunge into blackjack as career. Family If you have a spouse and/or children whom your reliable steady income is essential to support, you should forget about full-time blackjack. Company Benefits If your current occupation offers health, retirement, life insurance, and other benefits that you consider important, you’ll need to consider the increased cost of these once you leave your job. Back-Up Plan Is your current profession one that enables you to re-enter the workforce after a year or more of absence? This is something you must consider if playing full-time blackjack doesn’t work out for any reason. Bankroll Do you really have enough savings to carry you through the negative swings that occur? Flexibility Do you have the ability to move from town to town on short notice? A full-time blackjack player may find his action unwelcome in a given town and need to move quickly. Emotion

Do you think you can handle the emotional ups and downs of the game? If you ask any full-time player, you’ll hear of some low points worth considering. On the last day of a playing trip to Las Vegas some years back, I was having dinner with a friend who lives there and plays full-time. This was the end of a losing trip for me and I was singing the blues. I asked my friend what he does when he experiences such losses. He pointed something out that hit the nail right on the head. As a full-timer, he’s out there on a regular basis and experiences such swings more frequently. However, when he has a losing day, he knows he’ll be back out there playing the next day. As a part-time player, when I experience a losing trip, I may not be back out playing for another month or more. The losses linger longer since I’m playing less frequently. Once it clicked, I adjusted my thinking to accept this concept. Part-Time The above are just some of the factors one needs to consider before playing blackjack on a full-time basis. I suspect that most readers will look at these factors and decide, “It’s not for me.” Join the club. That’s what I’ve always said when the thought has crossed my mind. But fear not! If you enjoy playing as I do and want a potential source of supplemental income, consider playing blackjack as a part-time professional. Here are some tips on how to set up shop in your side-profession. Time Available After determining how much paid time off your full-time job allows, you’ll want to decide how much of it you wish to devote to blackjack play. Let’s first look at a player living in Southern California, working at a job that provides Saturday and Sunday off. This player can hop in a car on Friday afternoon and drive four to five hours on average to Las Vegas for the weekend. If you happen to be traveling solo, take a look at current airfares and you could find round-trip flights for less than $100. If you’re expense conscious, consider the number of passengers, then calculate the cost of travel by car as compared to airfare, airport parking, and ground transportation while in Las Vegas. If your bankroll justifies playing at a

level that qualifies for airfare reimbursement (covered later) from a casino, then by all means fly in. This strategy applies to similar geographic situations worldwide. If you’re not fortunate enough to live within striking distance of a casino area for an easy weekend trip, the next consideration is an extended holiday weekend. Let’s say you live in Baltimore, Maryland, and wish to take a trip to Las Vegas. Your job gives you Labor Day Monday off. A good strategy is to take the Friday before as a vacation day. Pack a bag, bring it to work on Thursday, head right to the airport after work, and you’ll be in Las Vegas Thursday night for a four-night stay, catching a return flight home on Monday afternoon. If you’re blessed with ultra-stamina, go ahead a take a red-eye flight back home, departing Las Vegas around midnight. This gets you back around 8 a.m. Tuesday morning and you can head to work straight from the airport. I’ve done this, but it’s been many years since I’ve had the stamina to pull it off. If the nature of your work entails business travel, you can get creative. Let’s say you need to schedule a business trip to Los Angeles. Set it up so that the business trip includes a Friday or Monday. If you need to spend two days in Los Angeles, book your flight for a Wednesday night departure and Sunday afternoon return. You’ve now created a built-in weekend in Las Vegas. San Francisco? How does a weekend in Reno/Lake Tahoe sound? I caution you not to fall into the trap of devoting all your valuable vacation time solely to blackjack play. Even as a part-time player, this can lead to burnout. We all need a balanced lifestyle and that includes good old rest and relaxation. We’re fortunate that some casino towns offer activities away from the gaming tables, providing us with opportunities to combine a vacation with blackjack. If you enjoy winter sports, Lake Tahoe offers some great skiing and enough casinos to keep your chips moving. If you fancy water sports, a trip to the Caribbean may be in order. Diving in the day, blackjack at night. Golf? That’s easy. Las Vegas, for one, offers dozens of courses, in addition to dozens more activities to choose from. When combining vacation and blackjack play, structure your day to mix up your play and other activities.

Low-Stakes Play If you’re betting $5 chips, you want to play casinos that offer the lowestminimum tables, so your bet scheme can fit in as your bankroll permits. If your bet scheme calls for a 1-6 spread and your bankroll permits a top bet of $60, look for a table minimum no higher than $10. You want to try for some of the limited comps available to players at this level. Beverages are free while you’re playing; you need only to tip the server. When you’re ready to finish playing, wait until a point where you have a larger bet up, call over a floorperson, and ask for a buffet comp. If you’re looking for a discount on a room, you’ll most likely score a room at the “casino rate,” which provides for a nice discount. Always check out funbooks where they’re offered. You may find some free offers for shows, rooms, meals, and even free cash. If you plan on playing at this level for a while, it’s a good idea to get rated. When you’re playing for low stakes, most casinos won’t view you as a threat. If your goal is to elevate your level of play, be careful how much information you give about yourself. Moderate-Stakes Play If you’re betting $25 chips, you have more flexibility. You can be more selective in where to play. Since you can play at $25-minimum tables, you have a better chance of finding the less crowded conditions necessary to increase your hourly earning potential. You qualify for better comps at this level. In addition to low-stakes comps, you can also go for meals at the coffee shop, where someone will actually serve you. Depending on the casino, you have the potential of scoring a free room. To maximize your comp potential, I recommend reading three books, all published by Huntington Press: Comp City by Max Rubin, and The Frugal Gambler and More Frugal Gambling by Jean Scott. If you know how to work the system, you should never have to pay for a hotel room or a meal when playing at a casino. High-Stakes Play If you’re betting $100 chips, you’re in a very strong position to get the

most of out your play. First, you have excellent opportunities to play in non-crowded conditions. This hopefully results in your playing more hands at an advantage, giving an attractive earning potential. However, playing at this level increases your exposure to scrutiny by casino personnel. To avoid being detected as a skilled player, you’ll need to be aware of the casino procedures and apply some camouflage techniques to keep a step ahead of them. As a part-time player, you have the ability to do what I call “play the circuit.” This entails spreading out your action among several casinos that offer quality games. If you do this, you minimize your exposure in any one casino, thus minimizing the chances that you will be detected as a skilled player. You create your circuit by listing all the casinos you elect to play in. Let’s say you have six casinos on your list. Considering that the majority of casinos have three different shifts during the business day, you have 18 shifts on your circuit. Remember that you may need a home-base casino to score your room comp. If your instincts are good and you have a good comfort level with a specific casino, consider that as your home base, which you can give enough action to satisfy the level of comps you desire, while minimizing detection. You can continue to test the waters with other casinos, to establish a home base for future trips. Play at this level entitles you to premium comps. Your goal here is to shoot for “RFB plus airfare.” You want the casino to comp your room (R), all meals (F), and beverages (B), referred to as RFB (an RFB player in most cases qualifies for comp show tickets as well). In addition to RFB, you want the casino to reimburse you for your airline ticket(s). Comp City (a must-read for those playing at this level) outlines excellent strategies for securing airfare reimbursement. If you have the bankroll to play at this level, you have the ability to create an expense-paid vacation, while combining it with part-time advantage play in a casino. For a full-time player, blackjack is a main source of income. As a parttime player, you view any gambling earnings as supplementary income. You have a full-time job outside of advantage play, which provides you with a sense of credibility in the minds of casino personnel. You’re their

customer and you’re entitled to a level of service commensurate with your action. Remember, you’re the customer! Bankroll Considerations Several books provide information on how to determine your bankroll and bet levels, with mathematics ranging from simple to complex (at the very least, it’s a good idea to go back to Chapter 12 of this book and reread the section on Money Management). For the foundation of your thinking, there’s no magic in determining what your bankroll should be. I trust the following formula is not too complicated: Funds you can afford to lose = your bankroll. Period. Information Pipeline Since your time for play is limited, too much time spent scouting cuts into your earning potential. Knowledge of quality games is essential; therefore you’re best served by gathering information before your trip. In addition to exchanging information with other players in a cooperative manner, you can subscribe to some sources that specialize in providing game conditions. If you have Internet access and go to trackjack.com, you’ll find information on games offered, which is updated regularly. If you want information about casino offers, and general comp information, check out the Las Vegas Advisor (and LasVegasAdvisor.com), where your subscription includes valuable coupon books, along with invaluable guidance. Taxes Don’t forget to keep accurate records of your wins and losses. You’re required by the government to report this information on your income tax return.

Summary If you have a traditional full-time career, you can play blackjack as a part-time professional to provide a source of supplementary income. In most cases, your earning potential won’t be that of a full-timer playing at a similar level, but there are benefits and there is potential.

37 Resources and Final Notes Recommended Books Las Vegas Blackjack Diary Author Stuart Perry took a bankroll of $20,000 and went off to Las Vegas for two months to play full-time blackjack. This book is a first, where Stuart reports, in detail, every session he played during his two months. To get a bird’s-eye view of life as a full-time blackjack player, read this book. Comp City A most informative and entertaining book by Max Rubin. A former pit boss, Max delves into how casinos’ comp systems work. A master of many moves, Max divulges tricks of the trade and tells how to get the most out of the system. Whale Hunt in the Desert The morning Blackjack Blueprint was scheduled to go to press, I finished reading Deke Castleman’s superb book about the marketing secrets of superhost, Steve Cyr. I had to stop the presses to add this recommendation. Chapter 35 of this book provides the “tip of the iceberg” about high-limit players. If you’re looking for a complete text of how high-limit players live, breathe, eat, and play, why not learn from Steve Cyr, who interfaces with such players on a daily basis. Blackjack Attack: Playing the Pros’ Way This masterpiece is the work of Don Schlesinger, a long-time columnist for Blackjack Forum. The book is a compilation of some of Don’s best articles, with some updates and much brand-new material. There’s also enough information on betting strategies and bankroll requirements to appease the mathematically inclined reader, along with valuable insight from a very well-respected authority on the game.

The Theory of Blackjack This is the book for anyone interested in serious blackjack mathematics and statistics. Mathematics professor Peter Griffin tells it by the numbers. Griffin’s work inspired most of the subsequent research in the mathematics of not only blackjack, but also several other casino games. This book is still considered the foundation in the research of the mathematics of blackjack. Those of you who are into the mathematics and statistics of the game will find this terrific reading. Beyond Counting Those familiar with Peter Griffin’s “Elephant Version” of The Theory of Blackjack would agree that if Peter were still around, after reading James Grosjean’s Beyond Counting, he would have ridden the elephant, pulled up in front of Grosjean’s house, told James to hop aboard, and passed him a Heineken. This book contains tactical information applicable to blackjack and many other casino games, along with the math to support everything written. This guy knows his stuff! The Card Counter’s Guide to Casino Surveillance Authored by Cellini (pseudonym), an actual surveillance agent, this book gives the player a look at the perspective from behind the cameras. Cellini has been in the casino business for many years and reveals much about the inner workings of a casino surveillance department. From a tactical standpoint, the book gives some insight into the methods used by surveillance staff to identify card counters. Reading the book can inspire you to get creative and develop your own methods to beat the system. Burning the Tables in Las Vegas Ian Andersen is my kind of player. In the mid-1970s, he wrote Turning the Tables on Las Vegas, which was a classic work for that time. Ian’s first book takes the player to the tables and explains how to “operate.” Fastforward some 20 plus years and you have his most recent book, which gives some updates on his excellent insight on playing the game. Blackjack and the Law Written by two attorneys familiar with gaming law, I. Nelson Rose and

Robert Loeb, among the many issues the book addresses are your obligations in reporting winnings for tax purposes, the exclusion of skilled players by casinos, and your rights when casinos demand you to show identification or attempt to force you into a back room. Gambling Wizards Richard Munchkin interviewed some of the world’s top professional advantage players and treated us with his 2002 publication. Based on thorough research of the subjects, Munchkin’s book is in a most interesting question-and-answer format, lending insight to the beginnings and adventures of some of these personalities. The Art of the Schmooze: Savvy Social Guide for Getting to the Top Written by two social networkers, Bret Saxon and Steve Stein show their moves. Helpful if you apply the techinques to dealing with casino staff. The Art of War A classic by Sun Tzu and there are several versions out there. If you relate the information provided in this book to your casino play, you’ll find ideas for tactical approaches in the art of deception.

Periodicals Current Blackjack News Published by Stanford Wong’s Pi Yee Press, this monthly newsletter is compiled from information submitted by reporters nationwide, who provide conditions of blackjack games in numerous U.S. casinos. Details include number of tables, rules, and an estimate of the penetration levels at the respective casinos. This newsletter can also be accessed from the bj21.com website. The complete Web address is: bj21.com Blackjack Forum This quarterly publication, the work of Arnold Snyder, is no longer published. But back issues of BJF are readily available and contain articles written on various blackjack issues, which are usually very informative and entertaining.

Software Casino Vérité This program enables the user to practice basic strategy drills, cardcounting drills, and true-count-conversion drills. It also allows you to play games with a variety of different rules. These features, along with many others, make this package a fantastic practice and research tool. Blackjack Risk Manager 2002 This program was developed by John Auston and enables the user to input various count systems, desired rules, number of decks, penetration levels, bankroll, and bet levels to calculate win rates, standard deviation, and risk of ruin. Its features are too numerous even to list here. This is one product no serious player should be without. Statistical Blackjack Analyzer This simulator, developed by Karel Janecek, gives the user the ability to set up any count system, along with tables for play variations, and simulate millions of hands played to determine the strength of the respective system. This program gives the user much flexibility. CAB 2000 Dustin Marks produced this CD, which goes way beyond Chapter 16 of this book. Many cheating moves are demonstrated in an entertaining manner, with the intent of creating an awareness in players.

Final Note I never thought I’d finish writing Blackjack Blueprint! While working on this book, I’ve managed to get out and hit a few casinos along the way. There are still beatable games in many places. It takes some homework to identify them. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to be involved with a network of players who exchange information on gaming conditions. While the opportunities are there, the game is still a tough one to beat. Having the ability to play a technically perfect game is not enough. One must play in quality games or not play at all. It’s essential to avoid detection from surveillance. Discipline is a key element. It’s important to have fun at it, too.

There will usually be one incident that occurs during a trip that you can recall and have a good chuckle over. Now go out and win some money!

Glossary Although this list is far from complete, here are some common terms used in this book, the casino industry, and in blackjack in general. Ace—Can have a value of 1 or 11, depending on the value of other cards in the hand. Ace-Neutralized Count—Aces are assigned a value of zero, and in such counts, a side count of aces would be required for betting purposes. Ace-Reckoned Count—Aces are assigned a value other than zero, and in such counts, a side count of aces is not necessary for betting, but may be used for play variations. Action—Identifies the total amount of money a player wagers during the course of a session. Backcounting—Method where a player stands by a blackjack table or tables without playing, but counting the cards with the intent of jumping into the game once the count becomes favorable. Balanced Count—Count system where the total of all the plus-value cards combined with the total of all minus-value cards equals zero. Barring—Preventing a player from further playing blackjack in a casino, by formal notification from a casino employee. Basic Strategy—Derived set of play decisions that represent the optimal method of play, based solely on the player’s first two cards dealt and the dealer’s upcard. Bet Spread—The range between the player’s minimum and maximum bets. Betting Circle—Spot on the blackjack table directly in front of the player where the bet (wager) is placed. Betting Efficiency—A measurement that shows the power of a cardcounting system for betting purposes.

Burn Card—A card removed from the top of a freshly shuffled deck, indicating that it will not be dealt in play. Bust—To take additional hits so that the cards’ total exceeds 21, resulting in a losing hand. Chip Tray—The tray directly in front of the dealer, used to hold chips, sorted by denomination. Comp—A free product or service extended by the casino to the player. Cut Card—A colored plastic card inserted by the player somewhere within the deck(s) to determine where the dealer will cut; after the cut, the dealer inserts the card to indicate at what point the deck(s) will be reshuffled. In this use it can also be referred to as a shuffle card or stop card. Cutoffs—Unplayed cards remaining in a shoe after the cut card appears. Discard Tray—The tray/holder on the table, to the dealer’s right, where all previously dealt cards and the burn card are placed face down. Double Down—The option for the player to place an additional bet, up to equal in value to the original bet, based on the value of the first two cards dealt. Doubling down is sometimes limited by the casino rules. When doubling down, the player receives only one additional card. Early Surrender—A rule that enables the player to give up one-half of the wager after looking at the first two cards dealt, for an immediate loss. If the dealer has an ace or ten upcard, this option may be exercised before the dealer checks for a natural. Face-Down Game—The player’s first two cards are dealt face down and the player is required to handle the cards. Face-Up Game—The player’s cards are dealt face up and the player is not permitted to handle the cards. First Base—Seat located on the far right of the player’s side of the blackjack table. Hard Hand—A hand where no ace is present or where the ace is present but can be used only as a 1-value card, because if it’s used as 11 it will cause

a bust. Heat—When casino personnel start watching a player very carefully. Hit—Either the player’s request or the dealer’s requirement to be dealt an additional card. Hole Card—One of the dealer’s first two cards, which is dealt face down and not available for the player’s viewing. Insurance—A side wager offered when the dealer’s upcard is an ace. The player has the option of placing up to one-half the value of the original bet, which wins at a 2-1 rate if the dealer’s hole card is a ten, giving the dealer a natural. Winning an insurance bet offsets that of the original wager (losing bet), with the overall result being a push, unless the player has a natural. Insurance Efficiency—Measurement of the power of a card-counting system for insurance decisions. Late Surrender—A rule enabling the player to give up one-half the initial wager after looking at the first two cards dealt, for an immediate loss. However, if the dealer has a natural, the player loses the entire bet. Multi-Level Count—The point values assigned for each card are plus 1, minus 1, zero, as well as higher numbers such as plus 2, minus 2, etc. Marker—Draft signed by a player requesting chips, advanced against either a credit line arranged with the casino or money held on deposit (“front money”). Natural—When the first two cards dealt to a player or dealer are an ace and a ten, paid at a rate of 3-2, unless the dealer also has a natural (also called a “blackjack”). One-Level Count—The point values of each card are assigned plus 1, minus 1, or zero. Pair Split—The ability for the player to place an additional bet equal to that of the original wager when the first two cards dealt are of equal value, thereby splitting the two cards, to create two separate hands. Peek—When the dealer is dealt an ace or ten upcard and manually checks the hole card to determine if the hand is a natural. (Note: Today many

casinos use special “auto-peek” devices built into the table, which automatically read tens or aces. With such devices, dealers no longer manually peek at the hole card.) Penetration—How far down into the deck(s) the dealer deals before shuffling. Picks—The number of cards picked up or grabbed in each hand by a dealer during the shuffle routine. Pitch—Method whereby cards are dealt by the dealer from deck(s) held in the dealer’s hand. Playing Efficiency—Measurement of the power of a card-counting system for “play-of-hands” decisions. Play Variation—Play of a hand that differs from that prescribed by basic strategy, based on use of a count system. Plugging—One of the first steps in the shuffle routine, where the undealt cards (“cutoffs”) from a shoe are placed in various points of the cards in the discard tray. The cutoffs can also be plugged in total in one spot as well. Point Value—Plus number, minus number, or zero, which is assigned to a specific card in the deck (also called “tag value”). Push—When a player’s hand total is equal to the dealer’s total (a “tie”). Rating—Method where the pit keeps track of how much money a player puts into action, mainly for the purpose of offering comps. Riffle—A process of holding a group of cards in both hands during the shuffle process, interlacing both groups, resulting in the creation of one group. Risk of Ruin—The percentage chance of a player’s losing an entire bankroll. Running Count—The cumulative count maintained based on the point values of the cards already dealt. Segment—Area of the dealt cards that a player has focused on for the purpose of tracking in the shuffle process.

Shoe—Device used to hold cards, usually when four or more decks are used. Soft Hand—A hand in which an ace is present and can be counted as 1 or 11. Stand—Either the player’s request or the dealer’s requirement not to be dealt any additional cards. Stiff—A hand totaling 12-16. Ten-Value Card—Tens, jacks, queens, and kings all have a value of ten. Third Base—Seat to the far left of the blackjack table, from the player’s view. Toke—Tips, either given directly to the dealer or in the form of a bet placed on the dealer’s behalf. Toke Box—Small clear box, normally maintained on the left side of the table from the player’s view, with a slot used for the dealer to deposit chips received as tips. True Count—The value determined by a formula of taking the running count and dividing it by the number of undealt decks or half-decks. Unbalanced Count—A count system in which the total of all the plus-value cards combined with the total of all the minus-value cards do not add up to zero. Upcard—One of the dealer’s first two cards, which is dealt face up, available for the player’s viewing.

About the Author Rick “Night Train” Blaine is a career executive with a Fortune 500 company whose hobby for the past 25 years has been beating the casinos at blackjack. Well-versed in all aspects of winning blackjack play, Blaine has excelled both solo and as a blackjack-team player and leader. Blaine has earned a significant (mid-seven-figure) second income and traveled the world playing blackjack. He is particularly well-known in blackjack circles for his ability to teach new players how to beat the game. He lives in New York.

Play Blackjack Like a Pro– Without Becoming One! From the first turn of the card to getting out of a foreign country with a suitcase full of cash, Blackjack Blueprint is the most comprehensive book ever written on learning to play blackjack for profit. This book covers everything from basic strategy to counting cards, from maximizing potential going solo to playing on a blackjack team. Casino comps, tournaments, location play, shuffle tracking, playing in disguise, outwitting the eye in the sky, and other advantage-play techniques—it’s all here. Best of all, the techniques you’ll learn in Blackjack Blueprint can be used part-time as a money-making hobby, just as author Rick Blaine has used them for years while pursuing a career in finance. This revised edition contains new information on getting reimbursed for airline tickets to casino destinations, negotiating and optimizing rebates on gambling losses, hiding chips and disguising wins, security while on blackjack-related websites, mitigating the risk of identity theft by casino and credit-agency employees, and protecting your personal privacy when making large cash transactions at casinos.

Endnotes 1

Average Bet x Hands Dealt Per Hour

2

Total Action x 1%