STREETWISE BLACKJACK

Streetwise Blackjack

What now, My Love?

By Peter Ruchman

     If you've read my two most recent series covering the history of blackjack counting and how the attitudes of the casinos towards it have changed through the years, you might have understood that we are currently going through a period of transition (Please refer to the last six columns.) As a perennial student of history and one who is stuck on the notion that in order to understand the present it is necessary to reflect on the past, I have tried to offer a concise and comprehensive reference.
     This transition is extraordinary when you step back and look at the whole picture, knowing how we got here. It is a fact of life that the only constant is change. That Las Vegas has altered its direction, shifting from a town which grew up and embraced the gambling lifestyle to one marketing itself as an entertainment destination for those who place fine dining above a great table game is obvious. Just look around town when you fly in or drive around.
     The fact that there are casinos scattered from the Canadian border to Gulfport Mississippi, and New York State to California, thirty states in all, has a lot to do with this sea change. Las Vegas has had to re-invent itself once again to compete with the market. To say it has met with spectacular success is a gross understatement as almost 34 million people came through the city last year as tourists, making Las Vegas the single-most visited place on earth, surpassing Mecca This year promises to break last year's record.
     Do these people come here to gamble? Yes ... and no. Many play during their vacations and conventions. But what do they play, how much do they play, and how long do they play? These are the crucial questions. The figures don't lie. For the most part, they play quarter slot machine for two-three hours per day. There was a time when slots were an afterthought and craps ruled the city's casinos. Blackjack was a game for the wives of the male-dominated crapshooters as well. Then Ed Thorp wrote his book Beat the Dealer and begat a blackjack revolution. It became the most popular casino game as Thorp started people along the road to understanding that it could be beaten. The casino has been trying to stem the tide since. Las Vegas at the turn of the 21st century is a very different place than it was fifteen to twenty-five years ago.
     All of these transformations are going on while blackjack is changing as well. If you live in the Detroit area and play in the casinos, you probably already know that EVERY blackjack table comes complete with an automatic shuffling shoe. To paraphrase George Devol who wrote about gambling life on the Mississippi one hundred-fifty years ago, it may not be great, but it's the only game in town. It appears that we are all headed for the same dilemma as George: Do we need to be in action and face daunting odds, do we change to other casino activities, or do we stop playing altogether?
     Las Vegas has been headed in this direction for a long time. The automatic shuffling shoes are distributed throughout the city in many of the larger casinos. The casinos have achieved their desired affect‹the professional card counters have stayed away. Most recognize the danger signs without a flashing red light. If it is the only game in town, they ain't bitin'.
     For now, it isn't. Most of these new shoes have met with a good amount of resistance at the upper levels of casino play, the green chip or $25 minimum bet and over. Those players tend to be more sophisticated and have indicated sufficient opposition for the time being to warrant caution on the part of the casinos. But how long will this situation last? Current trends indicate that it is only a matter of time before Las Vegas replicates Detroit, and there is a big black box sitting on the table of every blackjack game, throughout the major resort corridor. The alternative? Choose a place off the beaten path without one of these infernal instruments sitting by your side. Just one problem to consider. You still have to deal with the confounding rules and attitudes rampant in the industry. Remember, you are being profiled from the minute you sit down. It won't take more than a few minutes for someone on the casino management team to ask if you'd like to rated. I didn't say "raided," but "rated." That means you will be put into the casino's system and evaluated from that point on. The amount of your buy-in, your initial bet, your average bet, how long you play, and what type of player you are all factored onto a card with your personal information. This information is then plugged into a central computer and given to the marketing department to place you on the mailing list. In return you are issued a casino player's card with your name and a serial number. It is expected that you will present the card whenever you play. Depending on your evaluation, you will be offered a wide array of enticing promotions, ranging from a free buffet for two to the Full Monty -- Comp-1 RFB: Highest level, room, food and beverage available with airfare both ways. It all depends on how you play.
     The flip side is when you decline the rating card. That sends the floor supervisory personnel scurrying like an alarm. Part of their job is to determine who you are. If you don't wish to be rated, it begs the question, "Why?" Are you a pro? A certified card counter?! Are you trying to slip under the casino radar screen? Are you a con or a cheat? Are you wanted for a crime? When you choose not to accept the offer to be rated, you are, in effect, sending up a signal flare to the casino's front line: the floor supervisors. They are going to monitor your play even more intently than they might otherwise. This can be done either quietly or with a "floor" hanging on your arm like some form of flesh-eating disease..
     There are actually places left in the world that don't offer these "player cards." Some of the older downtown Las Vegas casinos don't use them, but most of these places fall under the general description of "grind joints." The players who frequent them are playing for very low stakes, grinding out a gambling life. The casino also grinds the tenders of those who push the envelope. The most frequently heard remark when they back you off the table is, "Mr. Smith, you are just too good for us at blackjack. You can play any game you desire, but no more 21 -- understood?"
     Once this has happened, it's time to leave. Don't test fate or thumb your nose. They have the right to do this. If you protest or put up a fight, you can be arrested for trespassing. It's perfectly legal. You are in their house, you have to play by their rules.
     So what is a poor blackjack player to do? Are there alternatives to this unfortunate scene? Stay tuned next week for, "As the Table Turns..."