Blackjack: Don’t dress the part
OK, so there’s no avoiding it. Black Jack Card counting happens, it’s technically legal, and is one of the only real ways to maximize your advantage as a player at the casino. And while not in the same boat as shoplifting or mugging someone, you somehow feel like you have to “get away” with something if you try it at an establishment.
Well, you’re not imagining things, you do. Otherwise you’ll get thrown out, banned or worse. So here are some tips, outside of the card counting strategy itself, to keep you under the radar and in the black as much as possible.
First, make like the good civilian. Believe me, I hate small talk – hate it – as much as the next person, but talking it up with the dealers and the pit crew is the best way to “humanize” yourself in their eyes. As much as you might differentiate the two, these people are just like cops. They tend to see people in black and white, and if you talk ‘em up and tell them about your kids birthdays enough, they will subconsciously see you as a normal person having a good time, one that couldn’t be capable of counting cards. Certainly not at the same time you’re trying to talk to them about nonsense – which requires a special talent of concentration in and of itself.
Second, don’t freak out. If you see a dude in a suit walking over in your general direction, just keep playing blackjack online. Hell, order another drink. Here’s the thing – if they’ve made you, you’re screwed anyway. But if they haven’t, or they’re just testing you, the worst thing you can do is act like you’re doing something wrong. Technically, you’re not a cheater until you’ve been caught. Hear the phone right? It’s not for you and it’s not about you. If the eye in the sky suspects you’re a bad guy, they’re not calling the pit first. Odds are you won’t know until someone taps you on the shoulder and/or nails you with a stun gun.
Sticking on the subject of being observant, much like an eclipse, don’t look directly at the person looking at you, but make sure you get a good glimpse when you can. And if they’re looking at you while talking to someone on the phone, that could very well mean they are, in fact, talking about you. People tend to do that, it’s hard to conceal. They may be describing you and your location in the casino.