Playing blackjack with other counters

There was a recent thread about playing blackjack at a table with other counters, and I got to thinking. In the 26 years that I've been a counter I can only remember one time when a counter was at the table with me. When I'm playing blackjack my attention is mainly on what I'm doing, but you can't help but notice how other people bet and how they play their hands. Many times I've seen players who play a pretty good game and then you see them stand on soft 17 all of the sudden or stand on 15 versus a dealer up-card of 8 in a neutral count. The one time I was playing with a counter occurred around 1999 at Slots of Fun. They had a great single-deck blackjack game back then. We were both moving our money with the count. I casually noticed the suit and could tell that she did not have a clue. Anyway, you'd think after 89 trips to Vegas I would've been playing blackjack at a table with another counter, but I've never recognized it. And I've been looking. Maybe other counters noticed me first and moved on, I don't know. It seems there just aren't that many good basic strategy players out there, let alone card counters. Of course, in my first 10 years of counting I only played SD, and now I play DD--not a lot of counters are found there.

Same thing with video poker. I just never run into any other players. In California, at the Indian casinos, no one has a clue. They play deuces wild and draw four to a queen. Very very seldom I see anyone who has a clue. Of course, I can stand behind someone for a few minutes and know. I watched one old man play perfect NSU for dollars in Fresno, even fine points. Years of playing and I just never see anyone who can play. The casinos have nothing to worry about.

I've only played with other counters a couple times in 10 years as well. Funny enough, m00 from the BJTF was sitting next to me and I figured him out about 3 hands later. We joked about how the pit was clueless and played together for a little while then grabbed some food and discussed different forums/etc. He was a nice guy and it was fun to run in to a comrade.

Run ins can be good or bad though. Some counters get really territorial and scoff at you to leave if they realize you're counting. I've always taken the view that we're on the same team, both playing against the casino. I'm usually a bit more loud and outgoing at the tables, making friends with everyone from 21 to 65 and pits seem to like a table that is all friendly, in which similar bets aren't as much of a sore thumb.

I definitely agree with bobbartop about VP. I swear I don't think I've ever seen anyone play for 5 hands and seem them play all 5 hands correctly.

Quote: Romes

..I definitely agree with bobbartop about VP. I swear I don't think I've ever seen anyone play for 5 hands and seem them play all 5 hands correctly.

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Had a lady a couple machines down from me yesterday wanting to hold four card flush and three card straight flush draws over high pairs in 9/6 JoB.

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

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Had a lady a couple machines down from me yesterday wanting to hold four card flush and three card straight flush draws over high pairs in 9/6 JoB.

I regularly play at a joint that has autohold on many machines. And it is perfect autohold, I've looked at it, it's set perfect. But these old geezers will sit down next to me and naturally click on the most volatile game they can opt for. And then they will sit there and continuously UNHOLD the autohold. lol They know better than the computer. I can't help but stretch my neck to see what they are doing when I see them out of my peripheral vision unholding something. A common one is discarding the low pair from Queens and Threes. They're shooting for them quads, man. Of course, holding Aces and breaking Aces-up is correct sometimes and the autohold will already do that, but not breaking Queens-up. And no one draws five fresh cards, as the autohold is urging them to do when the hand is garbage. Come hell or high water they're going to find SOMETHING to hold, three hearts, three to a straight with one gap, lol, they just HAVE to put their own touch on it. I'm urged to yell, "FOLLOW THE AUTOHOLD YOU OLD FOOL!", but I never say nothing, I mind my own business. It's their money. They're happy.

Quote: bobbartop

I regularly play at a joint that has autohold on many machines. And it is perfect autohold, I've looked at it, it's set perfect. But these old geezers will sit down next to me and naturally click on the most volatile game they can opt for. And then they will sit there and continuously UNHOLD the autohold. lol They know better than the computer. I can't help but stretch my neck to see what they are doing when I see them out of my peripheral vision unholding something. A common one is discarding the low pair from Queens and Threes. They're shooting for them quads, man. Of course, holding Aces and breaking Aces-up is correct sometimes and the autohold will already do that, but not breaking Queens-up. And no one draws five fresh cards, as the autohold is urging them to do when the hand is garbage. Come hell or high water they're going to find SOMETHING to hold, three hearts, three to a straight with one gap, lol, they just HAVE to put their own touch on it. I'm urged to yell, "FOLLOW THE AUTOHOLD YOU OLD FOOL!", but I never say nothing, I mind my own business. It's their money. They're happy.

Motorcity used to have one auto hold spin poker machine. The 9/6 JoB holds weren't quite optimal.

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

Motorcity used to have one auto hold spin poker machine. The 9/6 JoB holds weren't quite optimal.

In some Indian places where I have seen these especially, I'm guessing management thinks their customers are unsophisticated and want to treat vp like a slot machine, just press the button, press the button. In my opinion, encouraging players to learn video poker strategy is tantamount to player development. If you win over a slot player and convert him to a fan of VP, you've probably won him as a player for life. He'll play forever now, instead of going bust on slots and finding another hobby.