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Things Ive Learned
from Dealers I had a
conversation the other day with a dealer from one casino who was playing in a different
city at another house. We instantly
recognized and greeted each other as old friends. Even
though Ive known him for about two years, I never knew Marks last name or much
else about him or his family, other than the fact that his wife was a baccarat dealer in
the same casino. We had a great time
shooting craps and making a pile of money during some terrific rolls. We ended up
having a comped lunch together and discussing all sorts of things. Of course the
subject of dealers tips came up. Ill stop right here to remind you, in case
you were wondering, dealers at casinos DO accept tips. Im a fairly
generous tipper during my rolls. If something
develops, they make out like bandits. If I
cant find my sweet-spot or settle into a focused rhythm, then my loss is also their
loss. Let me also add that I FIRMLY believe inattentive service or surly
dealers deserve to be STIFFED. Mark
agreed that terrible dealers should not be encouraged in any way whatsoever, and that an
occasional comment to the stickman about your dealers ineptitude and the resultant
lack of tipping is one sure-fire way to improve service from the bottom up
instead of vice-versa. He said that break-room chatter and peer pressure
was much more effective than a surly glance from a boxman, or even a written warning from
a pit supervisor. Peer pressure from other dealers usually straightens out all but
the poorest dealers because they understand the basest of motivations: Fear and Greed!
Its the, Hey buddy, youre f---king it up for the rest of us, get
your act together or well get rid of you routine. Knowing how
dealers covet their toke money, I knew he was right.
Our conversation moved onto a couple of dealers that had moves on some of my
complicated bets that amazed even ME! We had
a good laugh over a few other things, and then I said, Ya Know, Ive learned
quite few things from dealers. Mark looked at me with very
open eyes and said, How can that be? Youve obviously been playing for a
long time. Theres no one else Ive ever
seen that can throw the dice like you. What could you possibly learn
from a dealer? It
didnt take me long to list the lessons and their payoffs.
v I learned a very effective
Dont Pass Hedge Method from a dealer at the Stardust. This bet alone has made
me a quite a few dollars over the years. But more importantly, it has saved me
thousands upon thousands of dollars from being lost for keeping me on the profit-side of a
bet at the right time. Ill explain this rather run-of-the-mill approach in my
upcoming Playbook II article.
v I learned the Oriental
Yo-Train Method from (you guessed it) an Oriental dealer at Caesars Palace way back
in 81. I no longer use this method, but
in my high-roller-without-brains-era, this method made me more than enough
money to fuel sillier and riskier bets. This
method will also be in the above-noted article.
v I learned a great lesson from a
Dealer-turned-Boxman-turned-Pit Boss-turned-former-employee at the Frontier. He quickly recognized my ability to throw a lot of
9s. After seeing several of my solo
hands at an empty table, he had the following to say.
Bet exactly as I tell you to for just one hand on just one number (9). If you dont make more money my way than you
would your way, then Ill personally set you up for as many comped diners at
Phils Angus Steak House that you can handle for a lifetime. He combined some interesting double and triple
presses and parlays, with some hopping propositions on the 9. That one hand generated about $3700 MORE than I
would have won with my normal approach. I
dont use his method very often, but when I do, it pays dividends in the EXTREME!
v
I first learned how to tip from a
bonus-sized dealer at the Desert Inn way back in 1978. Ive calculated how much
Ive spent on tips for dealers, and to me, I consider it as part of the expense of
carrying on my business. I also keep track of their winnings as part of my
money-management program. Its one more way that I gauge how their service is,
in relation to my winnings. In an upcoming article, Ill discuss how much
Ive spent on tips since 1991; how much the dealers have earned from those bets, and
the resultant rating of their services in my not-so-humble opinion.
v I learned from one of the Plaza
dealers, a couple of bet variations that reward typically high-vig, low-chance wagers with
a lower house-edge while having the dealers in play at the same time. Ill obviously have this one in Playbook
II.
v Ive also been introduced to a
number of fellow like-minded players by a former dealer-turned-Pit Supervisor
at the Plaza, who currently runs another Gaughan operation in town. This may have
been the most rewarding of all the things that Ive learned from casino
personnel. Any one of the three key individuals that Ive met each contributed
critical portions to my over-all game plan.
Ø One taught me the most effective tracking/trending/betting
formula methods ever devised, and I still use it today.
I am seeking his kind permission to put his method in print for you right
here on Irishsetters site.
Ø Another took me
on a tour of all the different table-felt/underlay variations and combinations around
Vegas. He showed me the subtleties and
nuances of a heretofore unknown part of the game. Until
then, I had only suspected what he later proved to me on that eye-opening tour. Using his information to alter my
Precision-Shooting to adapt to various table conditions improved my game by an average of
8-rolls-per-hand, and I am eternally grateful for his guidance and tutelage.
Ø The third chap that I was introduced
to showed me the smarmy, sleezy, scuzzy side of the degenerate dealer/gambler segment that
makes up a small, but significant chunk of the dealer population in Nevada. Having
learned from the best, I also learned what sink-holes of desperation NOT to fall into from
the worst of players.
Ø And from this former dealer who
introduced me to all these great people, I learned some useful throwing technique
variations. There were a number of tables that the Plaza had in storage in a little
used interior-alley that leads to an authorized personnel only section that
was originally the Union Pacific Railway Station that the Plaza is now a part of.
They had tables of 12-feet all the way to the monster 24-foot variety in storage. I
learned some new things, and I reconfirmed some old things, plus I formed a long-term
friendship with a truly great individual.
v
I also learned from
a dealer at Sams Town how to make tipping contagious while I am shooting.
During a swelteringly-hot roll, I will sometimes place even more small bets for the
dealers in addition to the ones I already have in action. I will challenge other
high-rolling players to match my bet, So that the numbers just keep on
rolling. If no one obliges, Ill say, Are you sure you dont
want this to end
lets get the dealers into the game. If there are
still no takers, Ill take every bet down, remove all odds, then Lay the No-4 or
No-10 for a reasonable sum, them promptly throw a 7-out. It seems
mean-spirited, but if other players are making thousands of dollars with each roll of the
dice, and the dealers are remaining calm, efficient and servicing the hell out of all the
players during all of the heated action, then their services should at least be recognized
by those who can afford to do so. We
finished lunch, and Mark had a sort of shell-shocked look on his face. He said,
I always knew you were a good tipper, but I never knew you took such a professional
approach to the whole thing. I smiled and said, Lets go win some
more money, and maybe a little for the dealers too! His only response was, Giddy-Up!
Good Luck & Good Skill at the Tables
and in Life.
By:
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