World's stupidest ploppy

I was playing a game at which surrender is permitted. Alone at the table, no other players.

A new dealer came on. The first time I surrendered a hand, she paid me half my bet but failed to take the bet away -- in other words, I gained 50% of my bet instead of losing 50%.

I thought she just made a one-time mistake. Of course, I kept the money and said nothing.

When the same thing happened twice more, I realized that she probably didn't understand surrender. She probably was a new dealer, because she dealt slowly, and had trouble adding up soft totals. It was surprising that no one was watching the game. Surveillance must have been asleep, too.

I immediately raised my minimum bet from $25 to $90, wanting to keep under $100 because that is the "cheques play" amount at the casino I was in, and I knew that if the floor lady saw what was happening, she would put an end to it. I started flat betting $90, and surrendering almost every stiff hand, and even a few 17's against aces. The dealer also let me surrender against her aces without checking for a 10 underneath first. The first time I had ever played "early surrender," which is not the surrender rule here. Plus, it was early surrender with a 50% positive expectation!

This went on for about half an hour, with the carnage stopping only for a fill (!!). I was afraid that the floor lady might start paying attention now, but she went away right after the fill.

Then, a ploppy sat down to play. On the very first surrender I made, he pointed out the error to the dealer. The dealer then asked the floor lady about surrender, and was informed of the correct procedure. The dealer looked at me as if I had betrayed her. However, she said nothing. I fortunately had been ratholing my chips, though I was the only " suspect" available for the disappearance of a whole rack of green chips. I thought I'd better get out of there before the floor lady figured out how I had been "winning" so much so quickly, and demanded that I return the money.

I tipped the dealer two green chips and left. I didn't cash in my pockets full of chips. I was scared that the floor lady might have surveillance review the tapes. Obviouly, no one had paid attention the whole time or this would never have happened.

I will have friends slowly cash the chips in over the next several weeks, on different shifts, and I won't play at this casino for a long, long time. I hope no one will think that this was a scam between me and the dealer. I had never seen her before in my life.

I guess I got too greedy. I should have left when the ploppy sat down, but who would ever have thought that even a ploppy could be so stupid? He could have just started surrendering like I was, and "won" a lot of money.

Who ever said a ploppy has no effect on anyone's results?

I had never seen her before in my life.

And you may never see her again. Did you ever consider that she may have lost her job because of you?

I guess I got too greedy.

That's an understatement.

I should have left when the ploppy sat down,

No, you should have corrected the situation immediately.

but who would ever have thought that even a ploppy could be so stupid?

Maybe he has ethics (unlike some). I would have done the same.

It's sad to think I live in a world with people like you.

"Maybe he has ethics (unlike some). I would have done the same. "

I say keep the money. Why give up an extra advantage the dealer gave you? Odds arem if you have ethics you won't be gambling in Sin City...

Panama Rick,

Nice to see someone here that would have done the right thing.

There happens to exist a legal maxim that applies to the situation that you describe: "No man shall benefit from his own mistake." Inferentially, this same maxim would seem to condone your behavior and I concur also. Is there any great difference from taking advantage of a sloppy dealer who consistently exposes the hole card? Furthermore, it is not the player's function to police the pit crew; the pit boss was derelict in his duties so the casino had to suffer the consequences. Shame, shame but I would do the same. And as for your ploppy friend, well, that's why they call 'em ploppies!

Taking money from fine, outstanding, ethical, upright, moral institutions like casinos is very sad.

A casino's ethical and moral values would never allow it to pull a fast one on a customer. They would never try to take advantage of a player's situation. Taking money from a casino is almost like robbing the poor box in a church. How sad.

As for the 'dealer may have lost her job because of you' argument, I think it is more likely that she would lose her job, BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT.

If I get some lousy burnt piece of charcoal trying to pass itself off as food in a resturant, should I not complain because the cook might lose his job?

If I buy a car and the wheels fall off, I shouldn't make a stink because some poor slob on the assembly line might lose his job?

The casino was responsible for putting a employee in a position where they didn't know what they were doing, and then failed to supervise the employee. Why is it the player's job to train the casino employees? How much does the casino pay you to train their people? (or should this training be performed free of charge as a charity, in view of the fine social work and contributions the casinos make)

If the casino reports you to the police and hand over video evidence along with the dealer witness. It's only a matter of time before they send a team to your home and arrest you.

You are made. Jailbud.

They would need to prove that the player knew that the surrender procedure was incorrect. He could have thought it was a special promotion. The dealer did it time after time so it wasn't an isolated 'mistake', and the pit boss and eye in the sky never corrected it. Find it hard to believe the court would require the customer to have better knowledge of the casino procedures than it's employees.

You tipped her 2 green?!!! That is like announcing to the world that you were working with her. Almost certainly that will get her fired if they review the tapes, and may make you suspect to a cheating charge. Probably the worst decision you could have made at that moment.

--Mayor

When I was a younger man, I once took a short summer course offerred by the Music Institute of Technology in Los Angeles. (Back then it was merely called GIT.)
So, if you are a student there, which instrument?
I'm betting either kazoo or tamborine.
@^D
Cyclops

The eye doesn't see it, the pit boss doesn't see it, and the dealer doesn't know about it. Nobody is doing their job. But somehow it is always YOU who is responsible and should know better, and liable for some punishment. BULLSHIT.

But, when playing the casino games, I am encouraged to be an oblivious idiot to the house edge and my wallet.

Dave

but don't hate the ploppies . Just invite them to your home poker game.

Keep these ploppy stories coming folks

Great stuff...

my point on the 'moral question' thread above. I think many of the posters here probably feel the same way. I sure hope so. My perception of blackjack is that it is a game, and a challenge, and it is fun. It is not, in my opinion, a license to take advantage of anybody.