Keeping playing sessions short is one of the most valuable rules for longevity. Of course, there are exceptions.

Tips

I have always believed tipping can reduce heat slightly, but have no proof. Professional counters tend to tip little and many not at all. (Except for those on teams that may be a bit looser with tips.) Amateur counters tend to tip more. Use your own judgment. However, be aware of the high cost of tipping. A counter has very little edge with which to work.

 Pit Boss Presence

If the pit boss is watching your table, your actions become more important. In Casino Vérité Blackjack, the following betting penalties are multiplied by a specified factor when the pit boss (PB) is present. The left temperature bar turns deep red to indicate the PB is watching.

Your best move when a pit boss is present is to engage in conversation. This suggests that you are not closely watching the game and allows you to put across the impression that you are a gambler, conventioneer, poor or mediocre player, rich guy who does not care about money, degenerate gambler, harmless vacationer, or whatever other lack of threat you can come up with.

When a PB is present, you are also likely to tone down your betting. However, it can also be an opportunity to make excuses for your betting or playing instead. You might continue to vary your bets but make comments indicating you are following gambler’s logic instead of betting according to the count.

Betting

There are several long-known tip-offs that you are betting like a card counter including:

Ø  Bet more than double the previous bet

Ø  Bet less than half the previous bet

Ø  Increase bet after a loss

Ø  Decrease bet after a win

Ø  Change bet after a push

 © 2009 Norman Wattenberger