comps and anonymity

i haven't played anywhere other than tunica but i'm assuming things work similarly in most places.
it seems that if i want to become a skilled AP i need to be concerned with not becoming known. but if i want to take advantage of comps then i have to sign in with some sort of players card. to get a card i have to show a valid ID with all of my personal info on it. so it seems like i would be better off not signing in and not worrying about comps.
on the other hand, refusing to sign in and being disinterested in comps could be suspicious. so what does one do? sign in and hope that you can disguise your action well enough that the bosses don't notice, try and procure fake identification to sign in with, or just pay for your food yourself?

you would usually just do this:

sign in and disguise your action well enough that the bosses don't notice.

Biggest problem I have while a player card is in use is that it doesn't allow me nearly as much freedom to table hop, aka "wonging".
Sometimes I just don't use it.

It all depends on your level of action. If a food comp could alter your expectation significantly, by all means play within the system but limit yourself to shorter sessions. If you are playing mid to high green, a meal probably isn't worth the loss of anonymity.

ok, but what if you plan to start off redchipping it for a while, and then moving up to the green chip level? at the higher level is it possible to regain the anonymity you gave up at the lower level? maybe you would say that, if i did my job well at the lower level then i wouldn't have to worry about it.

thanks to you and stealthbomber for your advice.
i'm new to most of this.

to obtain comps in alternate names/identities. It is not as easy to obtain a players card without I.D as it once was but there are ways and means ;)

On the simplest level get a friend to get you a players card, granted it may not be easy to cash them in but again there are always means to an end.

On a closing note, although some others probably do I never play ( too much anyhows ) in a house when they are comping me.

Good point.
It has been my experience that the houses that will comp the red chip player are somewhat more heaty to the green chipper. In other words the "dives" are not accustomed to seeing bigger action and do not welcome it. They may not sweat the player (if his act is good enough) but they will sweat none the less (possibly for their jobs). Incidentally these places will also bar a red chipper.
If you live in a locale that has only a few casinos, then they probably have bigger action than you. These are the places that may be hard to get comps from, as a red chipper. You may have to become "a regular" before you start getting meal comps easily.
So now what do you do when you move up to higher betting levels. Nothing! You are established at this casino as a regular. You need to make sure your act is good. If your action becomes the biggest in the joint you probably won't live long unless you emplore some creative camo.
Anonymity is only successful if you have options. If you only have one casino to play in, your only hope for anonymity is to play very infrequently. This is no fun. If you have options, spread around as a red chipper. Be anonymous. Continue to be anonymous as a green chipper. If you want comps as a red chipper, play in lower limit casinos.
BTW fake id's are bad news.

i live near tunica, and will play primarily there.
there are at least ten, maybe eleven, casinos there, so i have options. there are definitly a couple of dives (bally's) but there are some boats that see some real action as well.

also, this may be changing, but i've never had a problem getting comps even at the red chip level. most of the people i know who go down there get comped, often for two people, without being regulars and playing low stakes.

i'm not sure why fake i.d.s would be such a bad idea, but i'm willing to take your word for it. it seems like my best options now are to never sign in and to move around from casino to casino a lot to increase longevity, or to behave like a normal player, sign in and get comps, and just hope my act is good enough to avoid notice.

thanks to all.

are bad news because any worthy i.d is government issued and to fake it would be to break laws that can carry very heavy penalty, and for what ? A comp ? It's just not worth the risk.

playing using someone else's player's card? Builds comps for them, if they do the same for you. Disassociates your name with your face. Not illegal so far as I know.

i had actually thought of getting several differwent cards through different friends and having maybe two that i use at one casino, and two that i use at another casino, etc. changing up play time and dealer's shifts continuously. the problem is, if they were to get suspicious and ask to check my ID, which they have the right to do at anytime, and then compare that ID (my drivers license) with the card i've signed in under, then they've got me nailed. sure, it may not be illegal, but they might decide to keep a closer eye on me.

of course, i am new to most of this, so i am just hypothesizing.
any advice or information is greatly appreciated.

I do not believe the casinos have _any_ right to ask for ID. Or they have the right to ask, you have the right to refuse. You have to show ID to real law enforcement, but not to casino personnel.

At least that is the law as it exists in Mississippi. I assume Vegas (Nevada) is the same... I certainly can't walk up to you on the street and demand your ID. If you come into my yard, I can ask for it and ask you to leave if you don't produce it, but you are not breaking any law I know of by refusing...

You have a right to refuse ID but they can also refuse your comp if you do not comply with the terms they set....If you trust your friend and you are not known by sight at this casino you might just loan them your credit card to check in with this has worked for me on occasion. SM

For some strange reason when I'm losing I then remember to hand my card to the PC and remind them of how much I'm in for. Just say, "Sorry I forgot to give you this earlier". ;-)

That is a great point Stealth. Do your initial buy-in, if you start winning remain anonymous. If you have to buy-in again, make sure you show your card and let them know you have already bought in.

He doesn't play at that house on the trip that he is staying there. On the next trip, he will probably stay at one of the places he played previously. He will then play at the joint that he avoided initially.

If I recieve a mailer or have enough comps on my card, I will not play in that house whilst there as their guest.

however it is an idea definately worth repeating.

The other way of using somebody elses card is to build up the comps on that card and cash them in when in the company of that friend at a later date. It helps moreso if the friend os not an A.P