In Blackjack Bluebook 2, Renzey lists a betting strategy for the Mentor count. At the beginning of each shuffle he suggests an "off the top" bet of twice the minimum bet. Is this considered just a comouflage bet? Thanks
If it is a 1D with pos EV off the top it is not for cover. Don't have that book so really should not comment out of context. It is not the only text that suggests this.
If the game is a shoe game, I can only imagine that the higher shuffle bet is cover only. However in single deck, it is sometimes advantageous to bet slightly higher than what a zero count would dictate on the first hand after a shuffle. This too is for camo purposes. Basically if the player can/will only raise his bet in the parlay fashion, he will be able to raise higher if the count goes up after the first round.