STREETWISE Blackjack

Music to My Ears, Part III

There are three categories of people: Uttama, Madhyama, and Niica [per Sanskrit basically: upper, middle, low'; c = ch].

The Niica category of people are those who do not undertake any work. They think that they are ordinary people and cannot do any work. They are always scared of the probable obstacles they might encounter in their work. They do not undertake any work.

The Madhyama category of people are those who undertake some work but throw up their hands when any problem crops up. They presume that any obstacle that comes in their way is a Himalayan obstacle, and hence they give up their work. They think they will not be able to tackle the problems they face. They are not confident of their abilities.

The Uttama category of people are those who take up a task and are determined to fulfill it. They go on struggling against all odds till they achieve their goal. No problem can defy solution. No difficulty can be greater than their capacity to solve it. They go on fighting against all obstacles. They can face any challenge and meet any predicament. They are determined to achieve their objective, come what may.

I want you to be persons of the Uttama category. You must always think of the goal. Always look to your idea. By spiritual ideation you can get inspiration to adhere to your principles.

Above is reprinted (with permission) a translation of the Sanskrit description of groups in the Indian culture borrowed by me from Carl Masthay of publisher Harcourt Brace. It can be applied to those residing in the casino culture as well. What does this have to do with blackjack and gambling? Everything!

My last several columns have concentrated on philosophical approaches to gambling, more important that the act or any single outcome. Walk into a busy casino on a given Friday or Saturday night (if it ainıt busy then, that establishment has a definite problem) and look around. Youıll see a rising tide of people in various stages of surrendering their hard earned cash. While some are in the initial phase, come 10 or 11 oıclock, many are suffering from acute advanced withdrawal‹anxiously grabbing money from purse, wallet or ATM.

If you could reverse a video and have each watch it, do you think most would feel proud of their actions? Sure, for the majority, they would wish the results were different, but how would they feel about their play? How would they correlate the models listed above with their own behavior? Often, when looking in that reflective surface, the results may not look pretty, but it can be a marvelous learning experience. Then again, many of us simply donıt want to knowŠ

The best gamblers arenıt gamblers at all. They approach the casino experience with forethought, guidelines and principles to which they adhere. They play games in which there is value and a possibility of attaining edges. This comes from a thorough understanding of a gameıs structure, rules, and odds. They understand bankroll control, practice money management. And they have come to accept the undulations and volatility of gambling. Neither shrinking violets nor gladiators at the table, they accept losses and wins with the same respect for the game and players.

The Uttama model is one worth contemplating. Yes, you can go to your favorite casino this weekend, have a few frosties or adult beverages, sit down at the blackjack table and play to your heartıs content. You may get lucky or you may not. You may have a mixed bag of luck, both good and bad. But if you want to elevate your chances of winning, and have a deeper appreciation for the game, Iım suggesting you read some of these books (presented in no particular order): they may just change your life. Remember, blackjack is a complex game played on many different levels. Itıs up to you to choose your own level of participation. Think about it.

Iıve always believed the finest gambling isnıt gambling at all but handicapping, which is an art form. This all bears a close relationship to music. When practiced at itıs highest levels both contain melody, rhythm, thematic structure, an overture and coda, and harmonies.

Listen to the musicŠ

Blackjack Attack by Don Schlesinger. Burning the Tables in Las Vegas by Ian Andersen Professional Blackjack by Stanford Wong Million Dollar Blackjack by Ken Uston Blackbelt in Blackjack by Arnold Snyder Beat the Dealer by Edward Thorp The Theory of Blackjack by Peter Griffin Gravityıs Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon Ulysses by James Joyce The Nick Adams Stories by Ernest Hemingway Light in August by William Faulkner

Any books by Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Lillian Hellman, and Mark Twain

These books are out of print and often hard to find. But they are well worth the effort:

Full Time Gambler by L.G. Holloway The Casino Gamblerıs Guide by Allan Wilsonı Turning the Tables on Las Vegas by Ian Andersen The Big Player by Ken Uston How to Play Winning Blackjack by Julian Braun

And always keep your spirits up.