Queen of the Ploppies at Sands

After another winning session at Sands Bethlehem, PA, I think I may have found the Queen of the Ploppies!

We've all had the "know it all" Lady at the table, who wears too much makeup or has on too much jewelry for shock value. But this one quite possibly took the cake and ate it too!

She is a somewhat heavy set woman, who would probably be cast in one of Tyler Perry's films and plays the part of a "Mad Black Woman" to a T.

She often forms a partnership with someone of the same ethnicity, as it would seem her funds for BJ are limited and then plays the spot with her winnings to try and accumulate her own chip stack. She is almost always located at 3rd base and debates on whether to hit or stay on nearly every hand of hard 12-15. But usually ends up playing Basic Strat. and acts like SHE was the reason the dealer busted because she "didn't take the brick." or complains "I knew I shoulda hit" when the dealer makes a hand.

My last encounter with her went as follows:

I was up a couple hundred and just going back n forth. She was losing pretty badly, pulling out fresh 20's seemingly every 5 hands. She soon tapped her funds and went to "borrow" money from someone. On one particular hand the dealer was showing a 5, the young man to my right had A-6 and I had 2-6. He asks "Should I double?" I said "Yes, you should" So he does and gets an Ace. I hit my 8 and get a 7. Dealer flips a K and catches a 5... Instantly, Ms. Ploppy jumps and yells at the kid "See, he woulda busted if you just stayed! How old are you?" The youngster says "25" She says, "I've been playin this for 30 years and that move don't work!" He replies "Sorry!"

I immediately tell him "Don't be sorry, you played it right and the dealer just caught lucky, that's all. Had the dealer busted or caught a 2, she'd be quiet and you'd be $40 richer! Just play it properly and the math will work in your favor over time" Sure enough, the dealer busted the next 3 consecutive hands and it was forgotten.

These sort of "lessons" continued for another hour or so and the poor kid went broke soon enough. Meanwhile, I was quietly building my stack and amazingly Ms. Ploppy was too. She had turned 3 Greens she borrowed from someone, into roughly $900 in one shoe. Getting quite a few $100 double downs along the way. She then hit a rough patch of stiff 15's and 16's and lost about $400 in 3 hands. Which could have been half had she surrendered, but according to her "That's a sucker move cuz you lose half the bet!"

She decided to press it all(a little over $550) on one hand and gets a 19. Dealer shows a 4 and I have 13. I signal Stand(Count was +5), dealer turns up a 7... Catches a 3... and then... a 7! Like clockwork, Ms. Ploppy erupts into a tirade about how I should've hit the 13 and I caused her to lose all her money cuz I don't know shit about BJ. I simply retort "How would that 3 help me, I still would have lost to his 18?" She says "It's not about YOU, you gotta play for the table!" To which I retort "No lady, I don't. I'm making money for me, not YOU. Are you going to pay my bills if I lose? NO! That is why I'm cashing out ahead $500 and you just lost it all again, so who's the one who don't know shit about BJ?"

seems to me you should be able to resist arguing with people like this

Debating on whether to hit or stand as she was would slow the game down to where I would probably move or make some plays that would cause her to move. I would not engage her in conversation.

Quote: sodawater

seems to me you should be able to resist arguing with people like this

Wasn't much of an argument, she was broke again and I was up $500.

She left and I hung around for a little while.

And yet some guy will say, " I have no idea why she stabbed me. I was only playing blackjack. "

These people are everywhere. I'm of two minds. I usually prefer to leave them alone, and sometimes I am even entertained by the illogical ramblings of the BJ challenged. It's like a free show. But occasionally, and this sounds like one of those times, you almost have to speak up. Particularly if the ploppy in question is berating others at the table. Or if they ask you for advice...you give it...it doesn't work out and they blame you. So while I would advise someone to keep quiet in the face of bad BJ play. Sometimes the dumba** in question just has it coming.

I just say, "The game would be so much easier if we knew what cards were coming next." And then I disengage. No sense arguing with an idiot, they drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.

A saying comes to mind...."the dogs name is Talmage"

lol, I used this the other night on a guy who didn't have a clue.

My friend who I was with, was just as confuesd as the guy next to me. They both kept asking "what?", and I just kept repeating it. lmao

After that guy left a few hands later, I explained the saying to my friend, he died laughing (not for real, I assure you he is well).

ShiftyRicky,

While I like the "crazy approach"..the problem is most of the ploppies/nuts at the BJ table that I'd like to run, off are either too dumb to realize you are acting crazy and/or are legitimately just as nuts. Ah well...

Quote: ShiftyRicky

A saying comes to mind...."the dogs name is Talmage"

lol, I used this the other night on a guy who didn't have a clue.

My friend who I was with, was just as confuesd as the guy next to me. They both kept asking "what?", and I just kept repeating it. lmao

After that guy left a few hands later, I explained the saying to my friend, he died laughing (not for real, I assure you he is well).

Okay, I'll bite and admit I have no clue what this is in reference to. Would you care to let me die laughing too ?

Clue me in on the joke, too, please.

I don't know sh*t about blackjack so I won't comment about strategy or holds or play or anything on that order. But I just try to avoid any kind of argument with players in a casino. When money is on the line, people get crazy. They start fights, they cause damage, they even kill. Here in LA players have been followed out to the parking lot and been shot and stabbed, or cars have been vandalized.

When I read stories like this I only hope you were not "remembered" and she doesn't come back to give you problems in the future.

edited: I just did a little google search for "dogs" and "talmadge" and got: https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/blackjack/9169-do-card-counters-have-a-sense-of-humor/

Here's a clue : " James Edward Talmage (September 21, 1862 – July 27, 1933) born in Hungerford, Berkshire, England, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1911 until his death in 1933."

I am refering to an older post about how to answer people or deal with obnoxious people.
In that thread the OP said he would just look at them and say "the dogs name is Talmage"
and they would be confused and eventually leave the game. At las leaving you all lone to play.

Quote: BedWetterBetter

After another winning session at Sands Bethlehem, PA, I think I may have found the Queen of the Ploppies!

We've all had the "know it all" Lady at the table, who wears too much makeup or has on too much jewelry for shock value. But this one quite possibly took the cake and ate it too!

She is a somewhat heavy set woman, who would probably be cast in one of Tyler Perry's films and plays the part of a "Mad Black Woman" to a T.

She often forms a partnership with someone of the same ethnicity, as it would seem her funds for BJ are limited and then plays the spot with her winnings to try and accumulate her own chip stack. She is almost always located at 3rd base and debates on whether to hit or stay on nearly every hand of hard 12-15. But usually ends up playing Basic Strat. and acts like SHE was the reason the dealer busted because she "didn't take the brick." or complains "I knew I shoulda hit" when the dealer makes a hand.

My last encounter with her went as follows:

I was up a couple hundred and just going back n forth. She was losing pretty badly, pulling out fresh 20's seemingly every 5 hands. She soon tapped her funds and went to "borrow" money from someone. On one particular hand the dealer was showing a 5, the young man to my right had A-6 and I had 2-6. He asks "Should I double?" I said "Yes, you should" So he does and gets an Ace. I hit my 8 and get a 7. Dealer flips a K and catches a 5... Instantly, Ms. Ploppy jumps and yells at the kid "See, he woulda busted if you just stayed! How old are you?" The youngster says "25" She says, "I've been playin this for 30 years and that move don't work!" He replies "Sorry!"

I immediately tell him "Don't be sorry, you played it right and the dealer just caught lucky, that's all. Had the dealer busted or caught a 2, she'd be quiet and you'd be $40 richer! Just play it properly and the math will work in your favor over time" Sure enough, the dealer busted the next 3 consecutive hands and it was forgotten.

These sort of "lessons" continued for another hour or so and the poor kid went broke soon enough. Meanwhile, I was quietly building my stack and amazingly Ms. Ploppy was too. She had turned 3 Greens she borrowed from someone, into roughly $900 in one shoe. Getting quite a few $100 double downs along the way. She then hit a rough patch of stiff 15's and 16's and lost about $400 in 3 hands. Which could have been half had she surrendered, but according to her "That's a sucker move cuz you lose half the bet!"

She decided to press it all(a little over $550) on one hand and gets a 19. Dealer shows a 4 and I have 13. I signal Stand(Count was +5), dealer turns up a 7... Catches a 3... and then... a 7! Like clockwork, Ms. Ploppy erupts into a tirade about how I should've hit the 13 and I caused her to lose all her money cuz I don't know shit about BJ. I simply retort "How would that 3 help me, I still would have lost to his 18?" She says "It's not about YOU, you gotta play for the table!" To which I retort "No lady, I don't. I'm making money for me, not YOU. Are you going to pay my bills if I lose? NO! That is why I'm cashing out ahead $500 and you just lost it all again, so who's the one who don't know shit about BJ?"

Reminds me of Lula from the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich

Quote: Buzzard

And yet some guy will say, " I have no idea why she stabbed me. I was only playing blackjack. "

Fat chance Buzz, the only knife this lady knows of is a Butter Knife!

As for why didn't I change tables. If you've ever been to Sands, PA. you would know that finding a spot at a $15 BJ table is a task in and of itself. And that it because Sands management intentionally opens a limited amount of BJ tables in the day time, to cause a crowd and have people run over one another to get to an open spot.

You literally have people standing behind you, peaking over your shoulder and hoping you LOSE so they can have your seat!

Then when things calm down towards the evening, they raise those same $15 tables to $25 tables.

It is truly capitalism at its lowest!