It's his job to get the money into his wallet as quickly as he can before the game vanishes.
In the mid-seventies, around the time that Uston was being hailed as a blackjack celebrity [ celebrity (def): a person famous for being well-known ], one of the TV networks had an hour-long special on the twenty-one game. The show featured guest appearances by John Scarne, Lawrence Revere, Ken Uston, Ian Anderson and Steve Wynn. They did not appear en masse.
The first segment was John Scarne's. He apparently insisted upon appearing alone as his writings on twenty-one were universally panned. I had seen him on the old Tonight show with Jack Paar. Jack had asked him if it were true that the casino twenty-one game could be beaten. Scarne responded that any such information would lose value if widely known and would not expound further. I hoped that he would this night be more forthcoming, as the secret was now clearly out of the bag, but I was disappointed as he didn't speak a word upon blackjack, and instead gave the host a demonstration of Three Card Monte (!).
Next were Uston and Revere, appearing together. Revere didn't look at all well and, apparently, was in chemotherapy for a metastasizing cancer. Kenny mentioned that sometimes perfect play meant such weird departures like splitting 22 or 33 against a ten. Revere went apoplectic, proclaiming that only a moron would believe such a thing. Kenny rolled his eyes but did not respond. Kenny was right, of course, such a departure requiring all eight 8s and 9s present at the half-deck level with a slightly elevated ten density. If Uston were working on his pioneer computer work he could only know that single deck departures like hitting 17 v A, doubling 12 v 456, standing on stiffs v 7 and splitting little v T were what perfect play meant.
Next was Ian Anderson. He (assuming it WAS he) was a thin-framed youngish guy with tawny-colored hair. He wore a short beard that looked like it was glued on with rubber cement. When he spoke he could be barely understood. He spoke softly and apparently had some appliance in his mouth to disguise his voice. And he wasn�t there long.
Last to appear was Steve Wynn. The first words from him were that the previous guest (Ian) was a felon who should be prosecuted for soliciting hole card information from the Nugget's blackjack dealers. Younger players may not be fully aware that prior to Forte's Read the Dealer, the dealers looked at the down card every time the up card was a ten or ace. Anderson explained the implications of this quite clearly in his first book, and Mr. Wynn took very strong (moral?) exception. Later, Wynn explained that he moved into the casino business as a natural extension of his family�s ties to the bingo industry in California. Later I'd heard his father was a bookie, but I have no clue if it's true and don't care, in any event.
A weird thing happened a few weeks later. I was in the Maxim hotel, (home of the Griffin agency) leaning on an idle craps table gazing toward the blackjack pit and wondering if I should sit at one of the single deck games. Leaning on the other end of the table was a thin-framed youngish guy with tawny-colored hair and a short beard that looked rubber cemented on (!). He was leaning there seeming to be pondering the same thing.
Anderson? The same disguise beard he�d used on TV? I'll never know.
That is exactly what I like to say.
You thought you were helping other CCs... by telling them not to be greedy and played small for longivity? CC means different for each person. You use it making..?.. a year, Math Boy..?.. a year, I ..?.. a year. I won $30k last month, $3M in 12 years... which was..?.. months/years you make? The point is: you have only one life to live. If you use the same skill make less money... you are less valueable than those who make more or make the same amount at less time thus they can use the extra time enjoy life more while you spend time grinding the game.
I like that. If my choice is between burning a bridge and make $1,000 versus leaving the bridge for others to make $10,000. I WILL BURN THE BRIDG... and you will not???????????????
If you saw the spreads or techniques I use and the profits from an average day's play, that ranges from 3 to 5 bills, sometimes less or more, can one really call that 'skid Row'?
Don't even think I appear as the 'convential counter'. That style is as well etched in the EYE'S observational methods as the gorge in the Grand Canyon or the Snake River.
How come I never see these mythical counters who bet $25 or $100 minimums on a regular basis in Reno? I mean get a room, and spend 3 9 months here. You Can't, Can you? The extra greedy if allowed to take it too far, would make Reno a desert SINGLE-DECK-WISE, it that they would dry up the town to the point of Reno's casinos would go 'totally shoe' as well. Doesn't sound too professional to me(???)
They must appear periodicly like ZORRO or SUPERMAN to avoid detection! Of course I'd possibly never run into them if they were here only two days out of the year?
I understand as Uston had a 'cover job' with Wall Street, as I understand from someone who used to be on his team, that one could continually play at those limits.
I mean I have a fantasy to one day play in the rooms with the whales also.
But that requires creating a 'real clever mystique'; one that on the computer checks out to being in a certain occupation and income brackett.
But how does one check into a hotel, give an ID, that makes one appear legit; instead of alerting the gaming industry that BJ is how you solely derive your income?
My point is: look at Vegas, most of you have had to adapt to 4 - 8 decks.
Why did that come about?
Could it be that Vegas has had so many counters who have pushed it too hard that the industry in Vegas does not want the counter to have a chance?
The BRIDGE I'm refering too, is the SD and the rule changes and new inovations that threaten the player.
Many who have psted here in the recent past remark that BJ may be a 'dying game'.
Well I doubt it as of yet, but I'd hate to see 4-8 decks on an auto-matic shuffler after each round; with the PIT all over you if you more that 'flat bet'!
And don't say with technology moving the way it is, it can't happen.
Too many tourists with the observed 'PT Barnunm sucker mentality' are proving they'ed support the game by playing 6 to 5 BJ and look at the tourist ploppies who crowd the multideck games.
I'd rather see BJ players hit the tables for 3 - 10 bills a day, than face a nightmare like Reno one day becoming 'Shoe City' and 6 to 5 BJ everywhere.
The most professional blackjack player in the world still loses a great deal of sessions. 300-500 a day is on a winning day. How much do you lose on a losing day? What's your stake? Do you go to the ATM and get more if you lose?
300-500/day skid row? The amount of money is in the eye of the beholder. A 21 year old who is brand new to gambling might say 100 bucks per WEEK is big cash, whereas a seasoned player with many years under his belt and a big bankroll would say 10,000 per day is average. The point I was making, if you'll read my post again, is that "Professional" means living off your Blackjack play. "Amateur" means supplementing your income with blackjack money.
"The most professional blackjack player in the world still loses a great deal of sessions. 300-500 a day is on a winning day. How much do you lose on a losing day? What's your stake? Do you go to the ATM and get more if you lose?"
Months ago I had losing days, not anymore; that's in the past. Something I've been studying for over two years has given me an invisible EDGE!
Many have emailed me at:
They know what my edge is now. Whether their skeptisism will allow them to go out on that limb and only play when they are going to win is up to them.
Copernicus, Kepler, and Ptolemy all used it in their scientific approach to life and understanding mathematics and how things add up!
"300-500/day skid row? The amount of money is in the eye of the beholder. A 21 year old who is brand new to gambling might say 100 bucks per WEEK is big cash, whereas a seasoned player with many years under his belt and a big bankroll would say 10,000 per day is average. The point I was making, if you'll read my post again, is that "Professional" means living off your Blackjack play. "Amateur" means supplementing your income with blackjack money."
You or me or anybody else CAN NOT pull down 10 grand a day in Reno, for weeks and weeks. It's just too small of a town. One has to siphon $100 here, $200 there, maybe $50 over here! Try making even $3000 per day in Reno for a solid month, and then you'll wonder how they knew who you were when you haven't been in the casino 30 minutes. The cameras have film footage of you they show all over town if you become a 'casino mark'.
Math Boy, I'm not familiar with all of your posts, so I was wondering what your balckjack qualifications were.
What games do you play?
What limits?
Where do you play?
How often?
Which counting system?
Bankroll?
How much do you earn per year?
Any barrings?
Thanks for any info that you may wish to provide.
evolution. There are many uncotrolable factors. My advices and what I am doing noe, is going to the places which are not as advances as LV, make as much as possible. While you are playing slowly and try to protect the good games at Reno. There are dozens people like me burning good games in the world...
I went playing over 500 different casinos.
when at the Western Village, they got so upset when I would win anywhere from $40 - 200 per day on frequent visits.
I feel heat just as I sit down from the 50 year old curley haired PB there. If he is there, I feel I can only play about 15 minutes. Maybe he just uses a look like he can kill you, but really hasn't a clue as to whether or not you're counting.
