Friend or Enemy?

I am a recreational blackjack player that plays about once a month. I usually buy in at $1000 per session and play a $50 to $300 spread. I am familar with most of the count systems, but do not keep an accurate running count. I do fluctuate my bets greatly based on a fairly good idea of the hi vs low cards remaining. However, I rarely change my play from Perfect Basic Strategy. I now play almost exclusively single and double deck games.

Everytime I start playing and winning significantly, I find a Casino Rep or Pit Boss striking up a conversation with me and talking my ear off and asking all kinds of social questions. Is this friendly chatter or a technique to evaluate a players reaction and play changes based on distraction? I have never been backed off, but again I am not the AP most posters here are.

Before commenting, I do plan to hone my skills with the new software available and add the illustrious 18 to my play.

Looks like you are playing some "heavy" action. Casinos certainly wish to befriend their BLACK customers, irrespective of race.

If you are a regular loser, they want to be your best friend! But like you pointed out, especially when you are winning, this sometimes may be a "test", or more likely, they want you so happy that you will not leave their store....until of course, you lose what you are ahead, plus some more.

Lastly, the "Pit" job is often boring, and these folks just may be wanting to shoot the sh#t with a happy customer.

As your skills increase, you will often be able to keep a fairly accurate count even with Pit distractors, Ploppy distractors, Cocktail waitress cleavage, etc.

Try practicing your card drills while your wife or girlfriend is talking non-stop about whatever issue is important for the day, hour, etc. Nod frequently, smile/frown appropriately, and occasionally, ask a semi-relevant question about what has been said. You will be surprised how quickly you can "keep the count", and your significant other will be pleased that you really care about their thoughts...whatever they were!

Only wish to add that if you are moving into SD, MUST get down either Ill. 18 or a -6/+6 PLAY system ASAP....VERY impt. at SD.

phantom007.

There is not really much difference between a beginner counter and a highly skilled one who is using cover, as far as casual observation. They can tell that you are not a complete chump and are someone who could either be a good customer or someone they might need to fear. These questions can help them make such determinations. You should have your answers rehearsed in advance. As you get up to higher stakes they will sometimes look at the town that you claim to be from and send over someone on staff who is quite familiar with the area who will start making small talk about the college sports teams, restaurants, etc, from that area. If you fail this test you could be in trouble. This is why I'm always very reluctant to claim to be from somewhere that I don't know a great deal about.

Scenario: Bunch of low cards come out, you pump your bets, dealer holler checks play, and boss comes over and starts schmoozing?
What you are experiencing is most likely an example of what is called �Soft Heat�.

There are casinos which charge the floor with the responsibility of anti-counter protection. Often, this takes the form of regular Heat. The boss may come over and give you dirty looks, or hawk your game the way a math professor hawks some students who are trying to cheat during a test.

This type of Heat has several obvious disadvantages. One is that ti makes players uncomfortable, and chases away potentially desirable players. Not only the suspected AP, but every one else at that table. I have been in some situations where he Heat was high enough that all the civilians at the table noticed it and commented on it.

An alternative is to come over and try to strike up a friendly conversation with the suspect. Now many counters will find this a distraction, and will resent it. It may become obvious from the conversation that they are devoting a lot of their brain power to keeping a running count. Also, most civilians will be flattered by the attention. If you are actually a desirable player, they have gone a step toward making you feel more important and more comfortable playing there.