These Dealers and Ploppies are Killing Me

So I am at my local riverboat and things are going well. This particular dealer is giving pretty good penetration on the 6D shoe. The cards seem to be falling the way they should and I am winning when I'm supposed to.

BUT, not only the ploppies but the gregarious dealer make it hard to do anything right. Everytime someone calls surrender the dealer says "Dont surrender - be a man and go down fighting" (even though he obliges and completes the surrender).

THEN, I hit on a 12 against the dealer 3 and the dealer looks at me like I'm crazy. Of course I pull a 10 and bust and the dealer says "You've GOT to be more careful". Jeez, silly me. I ask him whether you ever hit in that situation, and he says "Now you KNOW that you don't ever hit against my 3...." Not wanting to get into it or make it seem like I know more about blackjack than I am letting on, I just let it go.

THEN the worst thing is this whole "cardflow" thing that dealers and ploppies all subscribe to. It makes it nearly impossible to sit out hands when the count goes bad, and makes it even harder to spread to two hands when times are good. For example, the running count goes up to some crazy level like 25 with more than half the shoe dealt out, so I spread to two hands. Before he even deals, the dealer admonishes me by saying "Now why you gonna go and mess this up when its been working good (sic)" I say that I feel lucky and it is so good that I want to work two hands. Of course, the dealer pulls two face cards and I pull a 16 and an 18. So the rest of the table loses, I lose, and the dealer is smug in knowing that I just "threw off" the cards. Now I am hated at the table and actually choose to sit out a round so that I can "throw the cards back in line".

I know you all experience this, but what are some good things to say to counter all this voodoo crap, especially when it is the DEALER that is saying all this stuff. All the ploppies just nod their heads in agreement with this guy "mmmm hmmmm".

Before you suggest moving to another dealer, I must say that this dealer is relatively unique in his penetration and probably gives, on average, and extra half deck. He was cutting one and a half while some other dealers cut two full decks. Also, this is not Vegas so I don't have 100s of tables to choose from, so playing heads up was not available.

Use the card flow voodoo to your heat-free advantage.

Count goes negative and need to wong out? "Well, I think we need to adjust the flow here, I am going to sit out a few hands."

Count goes way positive? "Well, maybe we need to mess up the flow here, I think I will play two hands."

Count keeps going up? "Well, maybe I should bet a little more, looks like the cards are flowing good."

Count high enough to stand on 12? "Well, I think I better follow the dealer's advice and stand, hitting didn't work too well for me last time."

YeeHaww! I don't know nothing 'bout this blackjack game. (meanwhile, quietly try to rat hole as many chips as you can without being seen so you appear to be a happy loser.)

You need to fortify your attitude:

1. You are the customer. The customer is always right. If the other players don't like it, they can leave the table. If the dealer doesn't like it, then the dealer doesn't like it. So what?

2. It's between you and the cards; NOT between you and the dealer, and NOT between you and the other players.

The play I get the most "grief" on is hitting A7 vs 9, X and A. But why would I let the ignorance of the dealer and/or players make me do otherwise?

Why would you?

One thing you *can* do is to adopt a "super-ploppy" act.

When the dealer tries to tell you not to surrender, just say something like, "I've just got a bad feeling about this," or "You can't help a 16." When he/she/they try to tell you not to hit 12 vs 3 or A7 vs X, just say something like, "I've just got a hunch," or "My gut tells me...." This tactic will usually preclude any future comments/suggestions. They may roll their eyes, but they usually won't say anything.

Nothing you will do will make those a$$holes happy. Next time tell the dealer to shut the f*** up and deal the cards, and if any players give you a hassle tell them if they say one more word that you'll be waiting for them in the parking lot.

I have been there many times.

If you want to play serious and correct look dangerous, scare the others without overt threats.

Sounds like you may be appearing as too nice a guy.

6 deck shoes with Surrender.

Riverboat (will assume crowded conditions at all hours?)

What are the rest of their rules?

Your advice is of course excellent but it seems to me that Hogan is not willing to take these continous humiliations.
So I'd suggest he wait until the dealer busts and than says:
"Why did you hit that sixteen? You must have been last in line when the brains were handed out!"

Francis Salmon

I like that line, Francis. I'll use that tactic next time.

I must say that the positive of this situation is that I don't think there is any way I am gonna get heat.

I actually had a woman dealer one time start telling me about counters. I was playing stupid when I'd lose a hand, saying things like "well, I KNOW that these casinos were built with a lot of money and in the long run I'll lose, but I just enjoy the excitement" Then she starts telling me that there are some people "out in Vegas" that try to count cards and can actually win money. I said "really? come on -- how can you memorize all the cards that are coming out?" and she said "no, they just track all the 10s that come out". Then she said that they never see counters here, cause they are all out in Vegas. I had a little internal chuckle since I was obviously counting, and my bet was moving from $5 to $50. I actually got a blackjack on a $50 bet not long after our conversation, and she said "Wow, you're getting brave!"

Get at 3rd base, wait until dealer has a 6 up, positive count, you have a 16, make sure everyone sees that you have a sixteen. Ask them what you should do. After they all tell you to stand, say, "No, I think I'll hit it". Hope for a 10.

That should clear the table pretty quickly -- what, with you taking the dealers 10 and all.

Make it clear to dealer and the players its your money and your hand and you will play it as you choose.

is what i hear this dealer delivering to YOU right across the table! I must say though, that I am sorry to Hogan cuz' that dealer was out of line.