The First Annual Halloween Blackjack Ball and "21.Com" Grudge Match

Yes, this announcement is almost exactly 9 months too early. But rather than make this a surprise 6 months later when my plans start to show, I want to share the joy of conception with all of you. Video will be shown at the party.

For about two years now, I've wanted to have an egalitarian blackjack party that everyone could safely attend and celebrate our mutual love of the game. No elitism, no vitriol, no disdain for the "common" counter, and no blacklists based on petty personal jealousies. In other words, this party is for EVERYONE: Winged Monkeys, Moonies, City Government Officials, everyone. This isn't RGE's party for "our" people, but my personal effort to start a new tradition with everyone in the community that also coincides with my favorite holiday.

As such, please consider making plans to join us in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 29th, for the First Annual Halloween Blackjack Ball and "21.Com" Grudge Match. Time and location TBA. There will be a nominal door charge to cover the cost of the space, food, soft drinks, and entertainment. This is a not-for-profit event. 18 and older only, please, as I hope to book some vintage, cabaret-style entertainment...

Given the season, the crucial element of anonymity, and the fact that some of you are just plain ugly, costumes or disguises will be REQUIRED. To reward you for your efforts, there will be a contest for best costume... and worst disguise. Hint: If you're going for the worst disguise prize, take a look at a few episodes of the "World Series of Blackjack"...

And now the part you've been wondering about, the Halloween Blackjack Ball will also host the first annual "21.Com" Grudge Match, where teams from all of the major blackjack websites represented will be invited to compete in various blackjack and card manipulation skill tests to see which site will reign supreme as the "21.Com" Grudge Match Champions for the coming year. All losers will be required to link to the winner's site with the text "We got our butts whipped by..." I'm just kidding of course, since we all know AdvantagePlayer.com doesn't link to other sites. :) But we will make sure there is impartial judging (perhaps one judge from each site), and that this will be a fun and fair competition.

Finally, crass commercialism will not only be allowed, but is highly encouraged, at this event. Authors should bring copies of their products to sign, sell, and promote, and everyone is encouraged to pimp their favorite site or product in whatever manner they choose.

So please, if you love blackjack and want to spend a fun evening with a bunch of other people who love blackjack... and who also spend WAY too much time on the Internet, make plans to be in Vegas on Halloween weekend. We'll post more details and ideas as the months progress.

Good Cards,

V

Sounds pretty fun to me. Halloween! The perfect night to be in a disguise too.

At midnight we then can all walk the strip and picket in front of the casinos that are still dumping 6:5 and other scams on the general public.

I have been invited to one GC Party (could not attend due to work schedule), and hope to be invited to more of same. However, between the combination of frequent posts (some even TOO stupid for a PC to make), combined with meeting other GC'ers via internet and/or Tourney's, at least I have a few that could "vouch for me" at BJ.21.

Used to post often at rge.21...got p/o'd at D.S. when he flamed me for using "Schoblete" as a reference, and have rarely returned since.

I consider CC.com my "BJ Home"...I stumbled into it as about the 10th "poster", and then intentionally posted stuff to "get things started". Several from this site could again, "vouch for me".

BJ-Forum On-Line....or BJF-OFF-Line....I got disenchanted with the on/off stuff, and quite simply have not "checked it out" recently.

CC.Cafe over on Yahoo....being computer illiterate, just too hard to follow.

Etc., etc......

Would certainly love to meet and even test skill against other CC's/AP's, even if "in costume".

Would question things such as:

(1) Who decides with which "GROUP" each of us is assigned, in that, most of us will belong to several?

(2) Scenario is complex in that a "KNOWN PC" at site "A" could easily slip into said function as an "EXPERT CC" from site "B"...How do you/we determine which is which?

(3) What defines "Costume"???

I think I will show up in a SUIT plus a cheap name badge pinned to the left breast pocket, along with #2 Security Guards in uniform, start TAPPING Everybody, then collect the chips.

GRIN!

phantom007.

> (1) Who decides with which "GROUP" each of us is assigned, in that, most of us will belong to several?

That's up to you. Think of yourself as being like an East European basketball player living and playing in the U.S. during the Olympics. When the pressure is on, and you have to choose you're going to represent, you have to go with your heart. :)

>(2) Scenario is complex in that a "KNOWN PC" at site "A" could easily slip into said function as an "EXPERT CC" from site "B"...How do you/we determine which is which?

We will throw out any hostile casino personnel or investigative agents that we're able to identify, but the only way to have something open like this is for each individual attendee to take prudent precautionary measure. Be careful who you say what to, wear a disguise or costume, and take a taxi or rental car to and from the party. Or borrow your neighbor's plates, whatever works. :) (that's a joke)

> (3) What defines "Costume"???

Costume or disguise. Whatever you think you need to do in order to be unrecognizable when you're at the tables.

For some people, this may mean coming in no disguise, since they may always play in disguise. :)

> I think I will show up in a SUIT plus a cheap name badge pinned to the left breast pocket, along with #2 Security Guards in uniform, start TAPPING Everybody, then collect the chips.

That would be funny as hell. I think someone should come as human sized Casey myself. :)

The facts are that there is no way to make ANY gathering, public or private, completely secure. It's also a fact that "organized" surveillance of AP gatherings are ultra-rare or nonexistent, in that they are not cost effective or profitable, and are also open to a lot of liability. The true danger is the rogue, overzealous surveillance employee or detective, and we know who most of those are. We're more likely to have pit critters who AP on the side or just like "us" show up.

Be properly paranoid, but don't let that stop you from having a lot of fun and making new, potentially profitable contacts.

Good Cards,

V

We will throw out any hostile casino personnel

Would you allow casino personnel if you don't consider them "hostile"? How do you define "hostile"?

We had this debate on AP.com a little while ago, although I forget which page it was on.

There are many casino employees and consultants that are not only friendly towards AP but well-known and high-respected APs themselves, such as Michael Shackleford (consultant) and Max Rubin (works for Barona as a consultant), whose premier party, the Blackjack Ball, is the inspiration for this effort.

Further, if you spend any time on the local Vegas AP party circuit, you will meet individuals from all levels of casino employment that are APs or are friendly towards (and often admiring of) APs. These are great contacts to have, since they are often in a different loop than you are.

Conversely, there are numerous APs in the AP community that out other players on a regular basis in the name of competition or sometimes outright spite. Happens all of the time.

Now you may disagree and just write off anyone that works for a casino, and that's not a bad strategy at all. I respect that. But it's not an accurate reflection of who is truly dangerous and who is safe. Locals, in particular, have a lot to gain from learning how this town really works. The true enemy are the corporate policy makers, the enemies within our ranks, and the occasional, but very real, casino employee who makes it a religious duty to catch APS. Everyone else is just doing there job, and you don't know what they're really thinking unless you know them. That's why casino comportment is so important. Being friendly and positive with the people you deal with at the casinos can do wonders for your lifespan.

Regarding this party, the theme of it is openness and camaraderie. Truly paranoid types should NOT come. I misspoke in saying that I will remove any known casino personal, since we all should be in some kind of disguise or costume. If we get enough interest there may be security in terms of a rent-a-cop just in case something gets out of hand, but otherwise, there is no security in the sense that some casino employee would attend. So if that is your criteria for safety, by all means do not attend.

That said, the point of this party is openness and comradery, and in being open it may evolve into something I haven't imagined yet, and I'm open to that.

Good Cards,

V

In my mind, hostile players are more of a problem than hostile casino personnel. Having been taught at an early stage that paranoia is a valuable attribute of casino play; I have always avoided BJ soirees. I did attend the Blackjack Ball in January. I thoroughly enjoyed running into people I had known for numerous years. But since then, over a dozen malicious posts have been made containing clues to my physical appearance. Not from any of the several casino consultants at the Ball, but from a player at the Ball known for outing other players. Casino employees are angels compared to a player that would out another player. I learned my lesson and will never again attend the BJ Ball. The concept of inviting a person to a BJ party that has posted pictures of multiple other players on the Internet staggers the imagination.

Having said that, the idea of a Halloween party is really clever. If I can think of a good disguise, this is an opportunity I won't be able to resist.

The gathering of professional players in disguises having fun, giving interviews, giving advise and squaring off at the BJ tables could be a future televised show. Talk about reality TV! This has potential.

After it's over, we walk down the strip holding signs like: "DON'T PLAY 6:5 BJ RIPOFF". Put it all on TV!

Disguise yourself as a pool table...

but...

don't get your balls racked... :)

the comments made regarding your hairstyle doesn't giveaway anything to the casinos...unless you grow an afro and shave "Qfit Software is #1" in the back of your head.

it is only I that know the extent of the damage and only I that should decide what should and should not be released about my appearance, aliases and act. Other players simply have no business making that decision for me. And it is well known that the person making these posts has stalked people to photograph them and out them. This very page had to be shut down and reconfigured to use passwords because of his acts against players. Now that he has been given his own forum on another site; I maintain that he is a worse danger to APs than any Griffin agent.

Authors should bring copies of their products to sign, sell, and promote, and everyone is encouraged to pimp their favorite site or product in whatever manner they choose.

Can I bring The Big Red Book?

While it would be fun to go under the Halloween costume circumstances, those serious about longevity need to consider the risks, if any. In my case I am a known public figure and must always wear disguises anyway. I guess I would need to make a disguise for my disguise! I have never appeared at any of these get togethers and have thus avoided potential problems, but it does sound like a fun time.

I mean with the very long sleeves.

No teasing. Unworthy of you.

Since Max Rubin hosts a well-known annual Blackjack Ball, wouldn't it make sense to have a less similar name for your party as to not confuse the two? I understand yours is set for Halloween, but still the titles are similar.

miss brown