Originally Posted by RS__ View Post
RE: Recognizing the same player -- sure I'd probably recognize the guy if he came in three days in a row and played on my table each time.

But if a guy came in on a Friday at 9pm, he very well may go unnoticed. Next week he plays on Tuesday at 3pm, I'm not gonna see him because that's a different shift. Next week he plays Thursday evening, and if he's lucky, that's my day off....or else if I am there, then he needs to sit at my table in order for me to possibly notice him. Even if I do recognize him, that doesn't mean much if I don't even suspect him of card-counting. And if I do suspect him of counting, I actually need to give a shit and do something about it. If he is suspected of counting, they're generally going to want to have surveillance run the tapes, and given how he plays short sessions, they very well may have the attitude of, "Who gives a shit? He plays for 30-60 minutes at a time, he's polite, and doesn't camp out all day long. I'm only going to worry about it if it's obvious he's counting, and I don't even know if he is. Too much work."

Many floor people don't really give a shit about their job. They'd rather turn a blind eye if they can than have to deal with a situation.
Excellent post RS. Great insight from a former dealer.

As a card counter, the dealers are not my biggest concern. Sure I have had a few that have 'ratted' on me, especially early on. But for the most part, my impression of most dealers is they are just "average joe's" wanting to get through their shift and get home, or the bar, or where ever they are going after work. You learn to read the few that might be a problem.

That phrase that RS used about turning a blind eye, I call that "the path of least resistance". And not only is it common among dealers, but it is pretty common among pit personnel. Backing off a player is not something most pit critters want to do and go looking for. It can make them look bad at the table in front of other patron. And at most places it is just extra work as they may have to report the action.

What they don't want is someone camping out for hours or walking away with a huge win that they have to answer for. Short sessions solves the first problem and minimizes the second. Sure there still will be some big wins, but much less frequently that if someone camped out for 4 hours.

And this is actually a scenario where familiarity works in the players favor. I mean Alan is right in that while I take steps to minimize playing too frequently with same dealers and pit, I am sure some recognize me. I sometimes see that look or recognition, even with pit folks. But they know that in 20 minutes, a half hour, 45 minutes at most (shoe game), I am gone out of their hair, with them having had to do nothing. Again...that is known as the path of least resistance and it is a human trait. Given a choice, most people choose that path whether they know it or not.

This is also where reading people, comes into play. You learn to do this. Mostly what you are looking for is that person where your play has for whatever reason, gone outside their comfort level. You learn to see the signs. Because a backoff NEVER occurs out of the blue. There are always signs. Sometimes as a player we miss those signs, but there are always warning signs.