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[alrelax]

Well, I was asked and prompted to write something after a PM and a phone call last night.  So, I made some notes and here it is:

First of all, members need to stop their attitudes on here.  If you simply don't like someone, approve of something or care to read something someone writes, myself or others--simply skip over it.  You can also block that person as well.  What is the big deal?  This is a more detailed board and personal than any other out there, which are all tens of thousands of 'hit and run' touristy types and occasional players for the darn near highest majority of their board members.  On the other boards mostly what the highest majority of threads boil down to or get reduced to, is 'he said-she said'.  More of a gossip type, more of a $20.00 upgrade at check in type, more of a had a great burger at so and so place, etc.

Next, the person that PM'd me and the person that called me, both had the same comments after the little bit of sparring that happened yesterday.  Why?  Why did they need to say what they did and maybe you need to throw out there a bit more about yourself and your position on gambling and how you do it.  So I got to thinking last night, okay. 

To me, the board here was never a catch all or a vehicle to learn a holy-grail or how to become a millionaire at the casino by doing 'such and such'.  To me, the board was and is a vehicle to express myself, meet some people and exchange certain ideas and lay a pathway to anyone that is interested in my writing, comments or answers, etc.  I used to engage, one-on-one a bit more a while back.  I don't do it nearly as often for numerous reasons, but mostly it is not conducive to what this board is really about. I have my experience, opinions and protocols, the members here have theirs as well.  The best of us merge, discuss and expand.  Others truly desire to spar, create drama and cause havoc in attempt to grab a position.  Personally, I have no rating system or scale here or any other measurable instrument for my gambling or any other person's gambling. I must say, I am on some other technical trade message boards and there is no where near the amount of in-fighting, demeaning, chastising or attempted humiliation over there at those!  And, they have a several thousand active members posting around 500 plus messages a day, etc.!!!   

About Vic.  Vic gave us the space and the upkeep to have this vehicle.  He is a good guy and not shoving anything down anyone's throats or letting all the advertising and poo-poo on the site such as all the other boards have done.  Vic does not control most anything anyone writes, unless it is clearly in poor taste and against the few rules and regulations he sets forward on his board.  Some desire to take advantage of this but those are usually weeded out fairly quickly and easily dealt with.  If you don't like what Vic set-up and refined, move on--IMO that would be best.  I never understood if you are not happy here, why someone would stay here?? Puzzling.

As far as any member posting something, questions, answers, statements, their experiences, subjects they have found and refined to be of importance to a certain area, etc., etc., try to look at it from where they are coming from.  Who they are, what their position is, how they gamble and all that.  Someone attempted to change my words around on here over the weekend and accused me of being something I was not as well as demeaning and humiliating me about my confidence and ability in the game I play and write about.  Well, I try to write mostly from my experience and knowledge of the game which goes back to right around 1980.  I have played in numerous gaming jurisdictions around the USA.  I have played extensively with the Asian population because my x-wife and current wife is Asian.  I was business partners in the NYC area with a couple of different Asian people, one in the restaurant field and the other in the adult industry.  I have gambled with all types, nationalities of people for decades.  I might know more than others and might know less than some.  I never claimed to be the smartest or the best gambler in the world.  Never ever did I.  I also don't have false perceptions about the game and its ability to make money or take your money.  It is a dangerous game and I will say that many times.  Often misunderstood with some of the things I write because someone figures i lost everything to this game, which is the furthest from the truth.  Personally, I am against anyone drumming into the audience here on this board, how easy the game of baccarat is and how all you have to do is 'follow the leader' or the other one is, 'follow the last decision or wager against the last decision',  and the third one would be, 'buy this system or get this training and make millions'.  They are all false, wrong and fallacies, IMO and in the opinion of almost everyone I ever talked to.

Seems as though, as soon as someone says 'holy-grail' everyone pounces on it.  Usually with more gusto and motivation that more serious topics/threads.  Is this just fun or are we seriously reduced to the sole mission to find the so called holy-grail.  A game that has been around for hundreds of years and in Vegas sometime since being imported from Cuba in the 1950's? 

B&M and On-Line Gambling.  I do not gamble at all on-line.  Never once.  Never will.  I know far too many people that got into that business end of it years ago.  I was approached by numerous ones up to just a couple years ago.  I had information as to how they 'rig' and can alter anything they so desire.  I play only at brick and mortar casinos for that purpose.  I am not addicted and do not have to gamble everyday or on-line throughout the day. 

About what the casino represents.  Casinos mean different things to different people.  Including you, me and other members on this board.  Personally, I am not consumed about someone stacking money in front of them.  I am not impressed at all about what others bring for buy-ins and bank-rolls.  I might mention it at times to highlight something in my writing or story, to explain or express, but seriously, no concern or effect on me whatsoever.  In the past, like in the 80's and 90's, sure, but I learned, doesn't mean jack--might not even be theirs, could very well be on-credit, could very well be drug money, could very well be pooled money, etc., etc., and so on.  Others seem so consumed on and getting to a point within their play, that will put them magically on 'easy street'.  For whatever it is worth.  I have witnessed many win large sums of money, upward of hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars within a night.  Everyone of them that I knew made that accomplishment of winning huge money, have given it back to the casino and numerous times that amount or close to it of their own money trying to relive those wins.  I have won a couple hundred thousand as my largest one night or two day win.  I have won well over $100k and ran out with the wife bought an Escalade thanks to Caesar's Palace in Vegas.  I write to share and I write to explain.  I am proud of what I have done mostly and some of the things I have done or caused while gaming, I am not so proud of.  I have gambled extensively over the years.  The past couple of years I have toned done for many reasons.  One I have a 4 year old little boy now and for the past three years he is active and cannot be without me or his mom.  He doesn't want to sit for a weekend or a week with his grandmother while we go to gamble.  We have tried numerous things and it is just not fair to him.  Gambling will get you, I don't care who you are or what your bankroll is!!!  Gambling will eat you up and literally hurt you if you give it the chance and expose yourself to the downsides of it.  Some might suffer after a couple of years. Some might suffer after 5 years and yet others might suffer those effects after 10 years.  But it will eventually tear you up and spit you out.  Nothing to do with experience or knowledge or bankroll. 

As far as other players laying down money on the table and being impressed or following them because of their substantial chip stacks, etc.  All I can say is to each his own.  Been there and done all that.  A few weeks ago I went with one of my employees whom is into drag cars, huge!  He is good and his rail is super fast!  However, he has a one ton pick up with a trailer and he brings a BBQ and a cooler or two, etc.  His pit is not as fancy as some of those in their $700,000.00 Prevost motor homes with their optional food truck to cater for themselves and their crew, etc., etc.  But my guy blew them into the dust when he ran against one of the money-guys!  What they heck is the difference?  I played with a guy in Vegas for a couple of years, at least every month or every other month.  We even had a car drive us to some of the spots in Southern California at times together and back.  Great times.  He was about a $250k player.  Always having a huge credit line and always having no less than $100k in front of him.  One day he was supposed to be at The Bellagio to meet me.  Turned out he was arrested and processed for bad checks regarding his credit line with one of the major casino chains there in Vegas.  If you don't pay or make arrangements that are mutually agreed to by the casino property, they will automatically deposit a check you agreed to in the credit line and if it doesn't clear, it is a crime, etc.  There are tens of thousands of prosecutions every year, in fact there are so many there is a separate credit line prosecution unit in the Clark County District Attorney's Office.  Impressed with his chip stack, LOL.   

Another thing that was raised here and enormously on another board.  Bank Roll Versus Buy-In.  I only have a Bank Roll for my Vegas, Atlantic City and out of area trips.  For my local casino plays, I have a buy-in.  The buy-in I use has no stop loss.  It is my instant trip risk money.  I have been fairly successful at my local plays.  However, I am in a more rural section of the Midwest and the casinos are approximately 100 miles each way, 200 round trip taking a good 3.5 hours of travel time.  Also we have snow, blizzards and sub zero weather for 4 or 5 months a year, so it all plays a factor.  I have a very handsome employment/partnership deal that is well into the 6 figures mark with numerous benefits that are extremely valuable to me.  I also have another business opportunity forthcoming this year that will be causing a complete change in location, most likely to the west coast of the country. 

As far as the way I gamble.  I have figured out there are numerous factors within baccarat.  I have wrote about them.  The sections, the tuning points, the point values, my plateaus, money management 1/3rds, etc.  The majority of the times I do employ the majority of those and it has enormously helped me.  I have not lost win money once I employed my 1/3rd system and has allowed me to win and play with such a clear mind, there is no comparison from the past decades.  As well, I am totally against all the systems and training that is and has become the talk of the gambling world because of the internet.  It has caused so many people to lose money and as well cause those that follow them, to lose theirs as well.  In baccarat, more so than any other game IMO at the casino, people tend to follow and listen to other players for one reason or another.  I am not totally against that, but those that usually preach at the table are those that usually lose the most.  Not always, but in so many cases and locales.  I have played all over, many many different locales and others on here play one locale and make up their mind as to what is right or wrong and what goes on all over the country.  So far from reality, not even funny!   

About my gambling, whether local or in a large gaming locale.  I play and engage my past, actual instant realization, camaraderie and what the shoe is producing.  I play to win and do not, play to play.  I have certain beliefs based on my experiences.  I know the extreme danger of playing to play and playing to be something I am not.  Been there and done all that.  It will not happen again.  As far as going pro and another member attempting to humiliate myself with statements saying things such as, 'you won't go pro because you are 100% bull', etc., and things along those lines.  With the other areas I covered here, I just have no desire and really never ever did to go pro in anything with gambling.  I always made a good living and had fun working or owning numerous businesses.  I would never change that for life in a casino, never ever.   

Like I said, you can choose what to read, what to believe, what to research and what to enjoy on this board.  Show restraint and exercise your options.  No one is twisting your arm to spar and no one is getting points or rewards for doing the fighting route, attempt at humiliation or any form of chastising.  Because a member does not choose to make a life changing career movement to take up full time gambling, to me that does not prove anything regarding his confidence or knowledge level whatsoever.  If you can honestly point to and single out a member on this board and say, 'you won't go pro because of so and so--and because of that I am calling you 100% bull poo-poo', that is down right childish, foolish and about as silly as picking someone out of a parking lot at a shopping mall, then going up to him and telling them they are dressed wrong for the day.  The statement was also made, "If you don't think you can go professional, stop advising others".  I have stated, to the best of my knowledge, what I thought (and BTW lots of others agree) about playing baccarat pro, full time, every day.  I believe I always gave my opinion and nothing more than my opinion.  That will not change.  Once again, "IMO it is a bad move to play every day, day in and day out for a career".  Doesn't mean that it is not done or cannot be successfully done.  That is my opinion as an experienced long time player.  Properties are uniquely cyclic and almost every locale has players that fade and almost all of them after a number of years will turn over and no longer be playing.  Not that they get rich and quit or move to an island paradise, more like they go broke.  I have numerous family members all over the country in the casino industry.  My daughter was a corporate exec at Seminole in Florida for almost 15 years and now in Vegas.  I have very close friends and family all over in the business.  Couple that with playing in many locales, I have seen it repeatedly.  Vegas, Southern California, Atlantic City, Connecticut and parts of the Midwest.  That is what I base my decision to form my opinion on regarding 'going pro'.  Oh lord, I know people that are great race car drivers, hunters, and sports people.  They all have careers and would never ever change that for many reasons.  Doesn't not make them one bit less knoweldabgle or competent that a pro in their own sport or business, etc.  Not one bit.

I appreciate the people on here and a few are Vic, Ted009, Luengyeh, VoRouge, NathanDetroit, AsymBac Guy, Esoito, Garfield and others...including Gizmotron (but he squared off on me on another board that was mostly about humor, pun and insults--but he is still a great guy in my book).  Liking people or talking with them is no endorsement or approval of their gambling skills or knowledge.  The same as in real life.  One of my neighbors is a law enforcement officer.  I grew up in South Florida in the Miami Vice days of the 1970's and first half of the 1980's.  I was also in law enforcement.  And, in fact, I went down to South Florida in 1996 and every one of my high school class and other numerous friends were either dead from gun battles, drug over doses or just getting out of federal prison from their lengthy RICO and drug cases they caught back at the same time except for 2 out of about 30 I looked up.  Back to my neighbor.  We talk, help each other, loan each other things, etc.  No problem.  But his law enforcement beliefs and actions are not my style or to my taste.  But, I over look that when I see him next to my house, doesn't matter what he does away from the block.  Basically, the same here.  What's the difference if someone slings hamburgers, cleans up haz mat spills or works in a Victoria's Secret store folding G-strings or is a PRO PLAYER?  People are people and you never know who they really are or what they really know. Point being, I could have turned a blind-eye on my neighbor long ago for the beliefs and the assumptions I possess about him regarding his profession.  However, I didn't and I am glad I did not because we have a fairly decent relationship and have helped each other numerous times and shared many things that are positive, beyond a reasonable doubt!  And when you come to think about it, that stuff happens right here on this board.   

My dad told me something that I always remembered.  "A devil you know is much better than dealing with a devil you don't know".