My first week of counting

I am writing this after a 9 hour graveyard session at a Casino I was visiting for the first time, one of the two around me(Letting other one cool off since I played there 3 nights in a row for 8 hours - these 24 hours were my first 24 hours counting). At my 3rd session ever, someone hit a straight flush with 25 on the side bet and won 2.2k. She slid me 4 greens for being at the table(Talk about positive EV!). I only bought in 300 but had 500 in my pocket. Later in the night, a woman 'visiting' from Tennessee with her husband was at the table. She was 25 years old, and dumb as hell. She needed all the rules explained and took 10 seconds each hand. This slowed things down a lot but since i'm new I liked the extra time to count. She ended up pulling out $60, and hitting a $900 side bet for suited trips or something. also, I missed 3 straight flushes through the 8 hour session, which would of tripled my cash out. It was much more crowded than I expected for 3am. there were two $10 min tables with each having a seat open at all times. I could comfortably wong out for the first time since everyone was jumping around literally turning back to back on the tables so I didn't look suspicious. There were 2 female pit bosses for a WHILE. Around the end, it was a single male pit boss. I believe I generated my first heat because he was staring at me HARD. So I tipped the dealer and headed towards the cage. $600 from $300 buy in.

I'd say that playing eight hours counting at the same casino for three straight nights is a very fast way to make your first 24 hours of counting your LAST 24 hours of counting. What's WRONG with you??

Don

I realize this now and didn't know it was a big deal. I just thought if they haven't backed me off, they didn't know. I went in today to the hot 24 hour casino and the shift manager watched me closely, the PC was rude to me. But as I made an excuse to leave and cashed out, I passed the shift manager doing paperwork in the doorway of a huge room. We made brief eye contact and he continued paperwork. Not sure if that means anything. But he only showed up to do a fill. I also didn't get asked for my ID - the guy just said 'you're good'.

I am going to let that one cool off for a month or more. I will try to blend in at the second loca, and am planning a 1hr 20m trip to a casino a short distance away.

 

"- the guy just said 'you're good.'"

Translation: you're toast!

"I am going to let that one cool off for a month or more."

LOL! Read the third paragraph of BJA3, p. 6. One month, huh? Then, they're going to forget you ever existed?!

Don

Sigh... Welp!

What do you suggest? Hit an runs? I'm graduating college and my bankroll is modest.

Don't rush. Build your BR. But understand that, between hit and run and playing eight hours at a time for three days in a row, there is a happy medium, no?

Don

Play at the stores that have lower limits until your bankroll grows.  Save the big places for later.

Well, Just spent another night of about 4 hours at the second store. Was really busy, the pit was spread thin, and I got a nice little table in the corner with a wall adjacent to it making back counting easier. Not to mention - they don't allow beers at the table. Perfect excuse to back-count while holding a drink. "Just finishing up this drink"(A ploppy was obviously turning towards me and staring at me for hovering behind the table - he continuously turned to look at me - I minimized him to a spec and magnified the count and just stood my ground. This was pretty uncomfortable cause he looked like a very unhappy ploppy LMAO). I overheard the pit talking about ID refusal and I believe another AP was getting heat. Then again, they have never asked me to sign up for a players card - and I even asked if I qualified for any comps to the pit boss and he said 'if you don't come here often you won't get anything on the first night, yeah... it adds up with points' - Didn't even suggest I sign up. But then I got a really quirky dealer. Asked my name... Where i'm from... dealed slower than i'v ever seen - would talk for 4 minutes with his hand on the shoe. When he was done with his story, he would deal - it was just us - heads up for about 25 minutes. I should of obviously got up and left... but was the dealer inquiring about me to ID me? I did not give a fake name...

Sadly my BR is about breakeven and even though i'm grinding I feel like i'm playing an even or negative EV game. Sometimes the heat is so intense I feel like I have to sacrifice the count to look uninterested. This is when I let an entire hand go when the PC's are playing staring contest. 

I am still hopeful and plan to practice between the next session. Perhaps I will practice speed counting and glance timing, as I have found I need to be in control of where my eyes are 100% of the time because PC's are constantly curious what i'm looking at. I wouldn't say I have obvious counting habits, But I do look at the cards. Also, if the next stimulus check passes I will likely include it into the BR.

On a side note, when I graduate this semester I had already planned on leaving the state. I was thinking west, but I think I may just pay off my vehicle so that the only bills I have due is my car insurance, and get the largest BR I can and make some sort of counting circuit... Just absolutely go for it. Burn them as I go... East coast to west - sleeping in my car or comp'd rooms. Straight to Las Vegas. If I have a BR when I get there... then I'll burn it down too. But this is obviously one of the stupidest ideas i'v ever had in my life. 

Hey kid, obviously you don't realize it now.
 As more time passes you will look back and realize
 you were not totally prepared to succeed.
don't be in a hurry, it takes much preparation to succeed

I'm not sure what you mean by "missed three straight flushes" unless you mean some negative ev side bet would have happened to hit 3 times (i saw the extreme 21+3 this past weekend that paid a whopping 30-1 for a straight flush haha)
If that's the case who cares.

Pit bosses staring at you doesn't mean you should "miss the count"
You're probably staring at the cards to get the count-with practice it's easy to do naturally without looking obvious about it. You should be able to hold a conversation and pick the count up with ease.

What are you spreading and how much are you tipping?

I'm all for preparation. I hope it pays off.

While learning try to work on  sessions that make sense.  In the Bellagio or MGM or Caesars you can easily move from pit to pit.   In smaller casinos move from casino to casino.  There is no reason to stay at any table longer than 30 to 45 minutes.  Unless the count stays down and you never change your bet.  In that case when you finally show some bet change haul out of there.  If you play poker take your chips there and buy in there then cash out there when done playing poker.  Poker rooms are great ways to cash in chips.  These are the things to learn early on.  Maybe learn some dump and run.
  
    You are playing with a normal win rate and every so often there pops up a really nice high running count of say +14 (in my case KO).  Double deck game of course.  For a 6 deck game pick a number over 35 early in the deck and 15 or more in the last deck in play.  

    And suppose you bet all the chips you have on the table?  Say $400 or so.  (Why your buy in at the table becomes more important).

    Various things happen next.

    1.  You win, lose or push the bet.

    2.  You get some attention from the pit boss.

    The wins or losses you should handle with a large enough back roll.  The attention will be good or bad.  

    Good if you lose the bet.  Maybe a free steak or a free room

    Occasionally this tests some of your other skills.  If the dealer does not shuffle then let the bet ride including some or all of your winnings.  Use some imagination but remember you are nekkid at communion.  Basically this is a "spread" multiplier.  You can accomplish the same type thing by continuing to enhance your bet if the count continues to climb.
  
    When you either lose or the deck runs out or the count drops precipitously or the pit boss goes catatonic - then pocket your chips and leave the casino.

    Do not stop to cash out.

    Do nothing but leave the casino.  Come back later to cash in your chips.  Preferably on a different shift.  Any such process works much better in the Bellagio (a large casino) then it does at Arizona Charlies (a very small casino).  Spectacular looking plays demand a large stage.  

    If you're going to use this ploy then go back to the betting charts and drop down a level or 2 on the chart to help protect your bankroll.

    Your win rate should escalate but your hourly variance will escalate much more seriously.

    When not to use this process:   after ordering a drink that has not yet been delivered unless you are willing to abandon the drink;  or  when a bathroom break is due;  or there is anything else that might slow up your exit.

    For example did not stop for the security guard to fit you with hand cuffs.

    Do not color up your chips.  That slows your exit.  Maybe better to call this Chunk and Run Fast.

    Do not engage in conversation with anyone on the way out.

    Do not go to your car - best to grab a taxi and return for your car later.  Once you are out of the parking lot figure out your next destination which should not be a casino owned by the same group that owns your last victim.

    Maybe practice scooping up chips, tipping the dealer and hitting the door in 12 seconds or less.  If someone hollers at you be deaf until you are out of the parking lot. 

    If friends are with you but away from the table,  then call them on your cell phone and meet them later.  You have just played very aggressively.  Leave with aggressive haste.

    Years ago when Binion’s was a real casino I met a tax lawyer - Walter - at Binion’s and he set out to drink all the Heinekens in Nevada.  And while we played at a $5 single deck game I had tons of cash so in I bought with $3,500.  Walter mimicked my buyin.  I asked about his mother who had been in a coma and he launched into this story about her leg amputation and how she had just gotten out of the tub and forgot she only had 1 leg - and - he slammed the table - “flat on her —” - and of course he repeated the story 19 times in a voice that got louder each time.  A zone of silence spread around us.  And the dealer shuffled and dealt to 5 players.

    On the first hand the count roared to 25 (Zen count - 2 aces also gone).  I did not believe he would deal another hand but just in case I moved all my chips into the betting spot.  Walter yelled again and also bet all his chips.  Off we go.

    Walter and I each got 1 of the last 2 Aces.  I thought oh - here we go - blackjacks.  Nope - Walter got a small card - I did too - and the dealer dealt himself the last small card left in the deck  - a 6.  If I had the count correct the dealer must bust.  So I doubled and loaned Walter $2,000 so he could double.  And the dealer busted.  The only thing Walter remembers about that evening is when I yelled in his ear - we gotta leave - now.  The next morning he called me in my room asking where all the money came from.  He did not believe the story about us rolling a hooker.

Baddog I'm sure you're not 100% serious, but you don't want to scare the guy! I've been backed off and ejected from casinos more times than I can remember including with some attempts at physical intimidation. But I've never had to rush out of the building or abandon my car or anything hairy like that. Seems like those things could make it worse. If you've just attracted attention you don't want any more attention, so I just do what any other person in the casino would do which is go to the cage and leave in a normal fashion. Look, talk, and act like a civilian.

If you're already in trouble consider that if they lay hands you may have a payoff waiting for you that is better than a natural. That's when you do nothing but leave the building through the nearest exit, but running or any kind of physical or verbal aggression is going to make it harder to prove they had no good reason to do whatever they do and you're cheating yourself out of a settlement. Just don't go anywhere with them where there are no cameras including the bathroom. Make them drag you. Then if they can't prove you were committing a crime or were a threat to them the judge is going to kick their asses all around the courthouse.