mindplay

Any results to report about mindplay at El Dorado in Reno (or elsewhere)?

...against the Gaming Control Board, the company that makes Mindplay, and the casinos that are using the cheating device (Eldorado Reno, Las Vegas Hilton, and Tahoe Crystal Bay).

Can't say more right now.

Looks like something out of Star Trek. I think the software could be fooled by any of the good AP on this board. Sounds more like it's trying to sucker the casinos. Now that would be a nice turn.

Sounds more like it's trying to sucker the casinos.

The Mindplay cheating device is presently priced at about $20,000 per table. Yes, I agree that the inventors are trying to make it appear that it'll do more than it really will. It's sales puffery, much like the creeps at Griffin, Biometrica, etc., who intentionally spread misinformation, panic, exaggeration, and general paranoia in order to sell their products and dubious "services."

The Mindplay cheating device is primarily designed to reduce the number of employees necessary to conduct a game. The floor people and pit bosses are the ones who should be worried about the invention -- the aim is to eliminate their jobs. Even without the cheating capabilities that it presently contains, I'm sure the peddlers of the device would try to convince the casinos that they can save money by purchasing the system.

It is an illegal device. Dealers universally hate it. It triples (at least) the training period for break-ins. It looks diabolical and only the most innocent ignore how intrusive it is. The Hilton regularly has half its tables closed down and bored dealers with no players. It is ripe for retirement and hopefully the new owners will realize that in a competitive environment it is a total sinkhole for profitability. It requires constant supervision and makes for a very grim environment.

I had the distinct privilege of playing their tables for a couple of hours with malevolent intent. I changed spots, moved chips to other tables, regularly jumped back and forth to multiple hands and generally did everything I could to spotlight the inadequacies of this system to control and monitor play. It became one of my treasured memories of this last vist. I peppered them with questions and comments on the weird nature of Mindplay and how it slows down the game to a crawl. I opined that it could eliminate the need for pit personnel to do more than approve fills and clean ashtrays. I laughed when it got confused about who's on first and at how much it costs to install. When they burned six cards, I badgered them for an explanation. I pointed out how mechanical and suspicious the game of 21 had become to the ploppies I played with. I was a world class nuisance and when they tried to defend their installation, I loudly disagreed with their comments and left saying if this was all they had to offer, I was never going to come back to their stupid casino. I took a couple of civilians with me.

When I sympathized with the dealers I got a better cut and even with the idiot camouflage I used still beat them at their own game over a lengthy period.

It definitely does not signal the end of advantage play. It is costing them a bundle. I am just a dummy, so a better player could really wreak havoc with it. I think most people who have to work with it think they've been stuck with a lemon.

It scares the hell out of me.