Concentrating in a Casino
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June 11th, 2013 at 4:20:03 PM
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This a real bugaboo for me. The method I use when
I play takes a lot of concentration. Its easy when I'm
in my home office, but in a casino, playing for money
its a different story.
I'm wondering how much of our ability to concentrate
goes out the window in a casino environment. Its not
so much the noise as it is the visual stimulation. I can
feel it when I'm sitting there, I'm guessing at least 30%
of my ability to concentrate leaves me involuntarily.
You can't duplicate this at home. You can't turn the TV
up turn the radio on at the same time. 90% of our input
to the brain is visual, what we see is a constant distraction.
Dealer movements, pit and player movement, the lights
from the slots constantly flashing, waitresses always walking
by. And add to that the stress of betting real money, and it
might be more than 30%.
I play takes a lot of concentration. Its easy when I'm
in my home office, but in a casino, playing for money
its a different story.
I'm wondering how much of our ability to concentrate
goes out the window in a casino environment. Its not
so much the noise as it is the visual stimulation. I can
feel it when I'm sitting there, I'm guessing at least 30%
of my ability to concentrate leaves me involuntarily.
You can't duplicate this at home. You can't turn the TV
up turn the radio on at the same time. 90% of our input
to the brain is visual, what we see is a constant distraction.
Dealer movements, pit and player movement, the lights
from the slots constantly flashing, waitresses always walking
by. And add to that the stress of betting real money, and it
might be more than 30%.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
June 11th, 2013 at 4:55:23 PM
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The atmosphere is so charged .......impossible for me to relax in a casino without a beer at my side. Since I don't play AP blackjack or poker, there is no need for me to concentrate. Red/Black, Player/Banker, Pass/Don't pass doesn't require a lot of concentration.
Each day is better than the next
June 11th, 2013 at 4:56:12 PM
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Loud music, the din of coins hitting metal trays (even if its recorded), bells, whistles.
... not to mention the other types of distracting influences such as half naked young women
and Tray Lizards with free drinks.
There is music and merriment in the air and everybody is happy... of course it is hard to concentrate.
There are various stories about BJ teams having trained members with buckets of ice or cold water
and of having put cold macaroni down the blouses of their female members while playing very
unpopular music through a maladjusted speaker system. Probably the stories are largely false but
I'm sure they are not entirely without some merit to them.
I lose all my concentration and that is before the free drinks start to arrive, so its hopeless for me to
try to remember about port is on the left and starboard is on the right.
... not to mention the other types of distracting influences such as half naked young women
and Tray Lizards with free drinks.
There is music and merriment in the air and everybody is happy... of course it is hard to concentrate.
There are various stories about BJ teams having trained members with buckets of ice or cold water
and of having put cold macaroni down the blouses of their female members while playing very
unpopular music through a maladjusted speaker system. Probably the stories are largely false but
I'm sure they are not entirely without some merit to them.
I lose all my concentration and that is before the free drinks start to arrive, so its hopeless for me to
try to remember about port is on the left and starboard is on the right.
June 11th, 2013 at 5:11:49 PM
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It turns out that the part of our brain that we use
for concentration is the same part we use to sort
out visual stimulation.
'Excess visual input fills up working memory, the process in which information is temporarily stored in the brain. The amount of free working memory affects the level of concentration, so as the memory fills up it becomes more difficult to ignore distractions."
"The areas in the brain that are believed to be associated with image processing showed greater activity under conditions of high working memory, implying that visual distraction was greater the more the working memory was occupied." In other words, the more you are trying to concentrate on something, the greater impact visual distraction has on you.
"You should try to avoid taxing mental tasks when dealing with visual environments that include distracting objects." http://student.bmj.com/student/view-article.html?id=sbmj010492b
Well there you go. Visual stimulation fills our working memory and
vastly reduces our ability to concentrate. I can feel it as soon as I
sit down and have been aware of it for decades. There's nothing you
can do about it except have as little to concentrate on as possible.
Make your play as automatic as you can, like a golfer in a money
tournament.
for concentration is the same part we use to sort
out visual stimulation.
'Excess visual input fills up working memory, the process in which information is temporarily stored in the brain. The amount of free working memory affects the level of concentration, so as the memory fills up it becomes more difficult to ignore distractions."
"The areas in the brain that are believed to be associated with image processing showed greater activity under conditions of high working memory, implying that visual distraction was greater the more the working memory was occupied." In other words, the more you are trying to concentrate on something, the greater impact visual distraction has on you.
"You should try to avoid taxing mental tasks when dealing with visual environments that include distracting objects." http://student.bmj.com/student/view-article.html?id=sbmj010492b
Well there you go. Visual stimulation fills our working memory and
vastly reduces our ability to concentrate. I can feel it as soon as I
sit down and have been aware of it for decades. There's nothing you
can do about it except have as little to concentrate on as possible.
Make your play as automatic as you can, like a golfer in a money
tournament.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
June 11th, 2013 at 5:29:33 PM
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Sounds reasonable - reducing the need to concentrate by way of rote practice is probably the most important goal to master. Besides, it will make you look less like an AP if you don't have to remain so focused.
While on the path to concentration-free enlightenment, try training (on a laptop?) in similar environments. A busy café with live music. A bar full of young people (cover your laptop, and don't leave it unattended!) The main gathering area during the day at your nearest college campus on a nice day. The bigger the campus, the better, but any will do. A nightclub with seating relatively near the bar and/or the dance floor.
When I was in school, I always studied in relatively quiet conditions, which were similar to those during exams. If your "exams" are in bustling casinos, then study accordingly!
Best of luck!
While on the path to concentration-free enlightenment, try training (on a laptop?) in similar environments. A busy café with live music. A bar full of young people (cover your laptop, and don't leave it unattended!) The main gathering area during the day at your nearest college campus on a nice day. The bigger the campus, the better, but any will do. A nightclub with seating relatively near the bar and/or the dance floor.
When I was in school, I always studied in relatively quiet conditions, which were similar to those during exams. If your "exams" are in bustling casinos, then study accordingly!
Best of luck!
Expectation is the root of all heartache.
June 11th, 2013 at 5:41:51 PM
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My only problem in a casino is when a cocktail waitress or a casino employees interrupts me during video poker play and I am about to make a hold. Several times the distraction has caused me to make the wrong hold. I can't blame the employee. It's my own fault. But it has happened.
June 11th, 2013 at 6:14:12 PM
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Counting cards sounds like a big problem if there are too many distractions, but for video poker I never had a situation where my concentration was broken. It's all the same thing every hand and strategy never changes unless it is a progressive so it's not too bad.
"Man Babes" #AxelFabulous
June 11th, 2013 at 6:59:51 PM
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And me, the dice sitter, throwing a seven as the tray lizard walks by.
When a rock is thrown into a pack of dogs, the one that yells the loudest is the one who got hit.
June 11th, 2013 at 7:11:51 PM
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Quote: djatcCounting cards sounds like a big problem if there are too many distractions, but for video poker I never had a situation where my concentration was broken. It's all the same thing every hand and strategy never changes unless it is a progressive so it's not too bad.
I lose concentration sometimes if I get chatty with my playing neighbors, or they get chatty with me. I like "social interaction" though so if I make a mistake because of it, I really don't care. Even though I care about the math and like doing the math even, I'm still a rec player and know it.
June 11th, 2013 at 8:53:35 PM
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Quote: EvenBobThis a real bugaboo for me. The method I use when
I play takes a lot of concentration. Its easy when I'm
in my home office, but in a casino, playing for money
its a different story.
I'm wondering how much of our ability to concentrate
goes out the window in a casino environment. Its not
so much the noise as it is the visual stimulation. I can
feel it when I'm sitting there, I'm guessing at least 30%
of my ability to concentrate leaves me involuntarily.
You can't duplicate this at home. You can't turn the TV
up turn the radio on at the same time. 90% of our input
to the brain is visual, what we see is a constant distraction.
Dealer movements, pit and player movement, the lights
from the slots constantly flashing, waitresses always walking
by. And add to that the stress of betting real money, and it
might be more than 30%.
We need to merge this thread with one of the many about how easy it is to be a dealer and watch as hilarity ensues.
June 11th, 2013 at 10:17:13 PM
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EB,
Check your PMs.
Check your PMs.
The Terror of Casinos.
June 12th, 2013 at 12:21:25 PM
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Honestly it's all about practice to me. Get out there and do it, and you'll get better at screening out the distractions, or just dealing with them. My ability to keep the count while getting distracted has increased dramatically over the past 4-6 months as I prepped for my recent Vegas trip by heading to my local casinos at least once a week. I didn't have any problem keeping the count in Vegas and was actually able to make small talk with the other players and the dealers occasionally. That's about my limit though, any conversation that requires critical thinking and usually the count will go out the window.
I have a long way to go, but I feel like I'm just now crossing the threshold into "reasonable skills."
I have a long way to go, but I feel like I'm just now crossing the threshold into "reasonable skills."
"So drink gamble eat f***, because one day you will be dust." -ontariodealer
June 12th, 2013 at 12:32:01 PM
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Though I gave this to EB here is the link to a thread I just posted on improving your game.
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/blackjack/14249-things-i-did-to-improve-my-game/#post248455
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/gambling/blackjack/14249-things-i-did-to-improve-my-game/#post248455
The Terror of Casinos.
June 12th, 2013 at 12:32:06 PM
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Quote: AcesAndEightsMy ability to keep the count while getting distracted
I never had trouble keeping the count, I don't
play BJ anymore. What I do takes a unique set
of decisions on every bet, I miss the nuances
because of the distractions. Its not the end of
the world, just a pain in the rump..
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
June 12th, 2013 at 1:03:51 PM
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Quote: AlanMendelsonMy only problem in a casino is when a cocktail waitress or a casino employees interrupts me during video poker play and I am about to make a hold. Several times the distraction has caused me to make the wrong hold. I can't blame the employee. It's my own fault. But it has happened.
Heh, yes, I've hit the deal button before without picking any cards, as I was on the draw portion and forgot where I was. It is usually a bad result, although I believe I remember getting a full house after throwing away everything.
There's no secret. Just know what you're talking about before you open your mouth.
June 12th, 2013 at 1:15:41 PM
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6-7 years ago the waitresses at Mandalay Bay were
wearing these thong outfits and fishnet stockings
where their entire butt was on display every time
they walked by. Talk about a hard to ignore distraction.
It didn't last because they complained and got the
outfit changed. But it was wonderful while it lasted.
wearing these thong outfits and fishnet stockings
where their entire butt was on display every time
they walked by. Talk about a hard to ignore distraction.
It didn't last because they complained and got the
outfit changed. But it was wonderful while it lasted.
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
June 12th, 2013 at 1:40:00 PM
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deleted
DUHHIIIIIIIII HEARD THAT!
June 12th, 2013 at 2:07:16 PM
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Quote: IbeatyouracesI wonder if they are the same as the outfits the waitresses wore at Motorcity when it opened. Mandalay did own then then.
The fishnets where the wide weave, like 2" squares,
so nothing was left to the imagination. I don't care
who you are, if you're a guy and you're alive, and
a fine 22 year old goes by with he entire rear end
out for a view, you're gonna look. You're compelled
to look. The stocking were like this:
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
June 12th, 2013 at 2:23:34 PM
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Quote: EvenBobI never had trouble keeping the count, I don't
play BJ anymore. What I do takes a unique set
of decisions on every bet, I miss the nuances
because of the distractions. Its not the end of
the world, just a pain in the rump..
Perhaps if you could enlighten us to the specific betting decisions you are making, we could help you come up with ways to screen out the distractions!
(just fishing here, lol.)
"So drink gamble eat f***, because one day you will be dust." -ontariodealer
June 12th, 2013 at 2:50:37 PM
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Quote: AcesAndEightsPerhaps if you could enlighten us to the specific betting decisions you are making
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19790828&id=dy8dAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BZ4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5662,7342447
"It's not called gambling if the math is on your side."
June 12th, 2013 at 2:55:40 PM
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Quote: EvenBobhttp://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19790828&id=dy8dAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BZ4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5662,7342447
I'm a bit insulted, lqtm.
"So drink gamble eat f***, because one day you will be dust." -ontariodealer
June 12th, 2013 at 3:55:33 PM
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Quote: EvenBobhttp://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19790828&id=dy8dAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BZ4EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5662,7342447
holy inflation with the grocery prices.
"Man Babes" #AxelFabulous
June 12th, 2013 at 4:11:57 PM
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When I play my quarterly session of video poker, I usually just tune everyone out...the bad part is, the people who sit next to me ALWAYS smoke...or rather, they let their cigs burn, rather than dragging on them....
Welcome to the Republic of Nevada, where the 13th Amendment doesn't exist.
June 12th, 2013 at 4:22:59 PM
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Unlike in Vegas, here in Southern California it is not uncommon to be the only VP player on a bank of Game Kings. The rest is filled with keno players who chain smoke. Keno is super boring so of course they always try to strike up a conversation. It can be very distracting even when giving lame, thoughtless responses.
100% risk of ruin
