Ask Daliman about casino comps.

[Daliman]

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teddy - that HS game was almost certainly some weird BJ variant that must have included some other rule you didn't know about.

some of these games are called Super 21 or Single 21 and stuff like that.

I'm guessing that to make up for the 2:1 BJ payoff that they considered a push to be a loss, or they took all the T's out of the deck like in the Spanish 21 shoe game or something.


The 2:1 blackkjack payoff on a regular single-deck BJ game would give the player an insane advantage even without counting. All of LV would be lined-up for blocks to play this game.
Thus, I'm pretty sure the game must have had some other rule you didn't know about.

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ya, i know about superfun-21 and all that stuff, but i'm nearly positive that the rules were quite advantageous, and there wasn't any $5 cap or anything. this would have been in around 2002 or something, so quite a while ago. Not only that, but playing 2-handed, we would actually get dealt 4 hands before a shuffle, and sometimes 5 when playing headsd-up vs. dealer. It was a great game.

Dali: u really risk a 1-16 spread?? wow, i'm shocked -- jumping from 10 bets to 160 seems like it would get you 86'd from anywhere in a few hours. At the HS they had dozens of Polaroid pictures right behind the tables of everyone they'd barred in the last couple years, and little handwritten notes on each saying what the person had done -- e.g. "$5 / $500 spread" -- either as a warning to would-be counters, or a reminder to pit-bosses of who to look for.

I was sitting at the table playing with one other guy once doing my regular 1-5 spread, and pulling off a decent cover, and after a couple shuffles immediately realized the other guy was a counter too, and doing an absolutely TERRIBLE job of concealing it. He'd press his bets when the count was ++, going from $5 bets to upwards of $80, and immediately back to $5 after a shuffle. He also stared at each card that came out of the deck like it had a hidden picture in it he was trying to decipher. Had to leave that table merely for fear that he'd bring heat on both of us.

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I have a VERY good act, and have even pulled off a 1 to 32 spread in a single deck, ( still my record) at the old Horseshoe back in 2000, going from a $5 bet to two hands of $80 in one deck. Of course, I was leading the table, and then much of the pit in a chorus of "More than Words" by Extreme at the time, but hey, a counter's gotta do what a counter's gotta do. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[ReptileHouse]

One thing's for certain from this thread. I want to play blackjack with Daliman. I haven't counted cards in years, but it sounds like a good enough time that I'd at least brush up on my basic strategy.

Good times, mate, and thanks for a good thread!

[NajdorfDefense]

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I would like to thank/credit Max Rubin for his incredible book, "Comp City", from which I learned a TON of what I know; anyone truly interested in this subject MUST own this book. I own over 300 books on Las Vegas, poker, blackjack, and gambling in general and this is EASILY my favorite.

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[NajdorfDefense]

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daliman - do you make more in your card counting endeavors than you do playing poker? if not, why do you do it - it's so freaking boring.

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I'm pretty much a nit about booking wins in any live gambling endeavor, and if I'm up solidly for a session, I will often quit early, (

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Why on earth would you do this?

[NajdorfDefense]

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have you tried tipping the check-in gal for an upgrade? for 50 or 100 (depending on # of nights) i usually get an upgrade to the basic suite.

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I've read about this on several message boards and actually I've heard it's only $20, referred to as the 'the $20 tip trick' or something like that. It's said to have a very high rate of success.

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I used $40 at the Venetian and got bumped up from basic suite to next level up of balla suite or whatever it's called. Always works.

[NajdorfDefense]

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For the real high rollers....In general if you lose more than $10,000 at any Harrah's property ask for airfare. They'll generally give you up to 10% of your ACTUAL loss for airfare, regardless of whether or not you are staying there (just make sure not to play at any other place after you get comped).

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this is a good tip, however, many places will pay your R-T airfare to get you out to LV in the first place.

[bulldog999]

ok.......total BJ noob here. Is there a good book or website for basic BJ strategy for all the games?

[dogmeat]

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[ I then asked for a limo to pick me up, and she blanched and said she couldn;t approve it since my last trip I only averaged $170 a hand, ( because my wife, dad, grandma, etc were also using my card, bringing my avg bet down).

Funny example you provide - or the host is the nit here. Your total comp is based on your total play.

In other words, the casino won't care if you only average $170 per hand if your wife/dad/grandma are ALSO boosting your hours on game.............surely you know this.

And, were your wife/dad/grandma using your card in the slots - or did not a single floorman approach your wife/grandma about their "male" name, or does MB no longer have names on their player cards or tracking system?

Dogmeat [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[otter]

who is the hottie? everyone suggests wizardofodds.com

[El Diablo]

anti,

"So - what other hotels should we consider that would value a player like me (ie. comp rooms at least), how should I go about switching hotels?"

NYNY and Monte Carlo are two decent places that would prob treat you pretty well for that action. You are prob right around Hard Rock and Palms levels. Probably just slightly under for Mandalay Bay and similar.

To switch, just book a room and go check out in VIP when you're done. If you want, ask a pit boss to send a host over, but that's not even necessary.