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[alrelax]

Almost 2 weeks ago I had a good, short session I wrote about.  I tried to detail out my mind frame and reasoning for kind of a unprecedented short positive play time. 

Well, kind of happened once again with 10 hands.  Different casino in a different city.  I go there but not regularly.  I was bored last night and went.

Grabbed Hmoney and took off.  A couple of hours later we were there.  Waited a short bit of time for one of their active tables to finish up the shoe and everyone takes a break.  Some go to other tables and others go out for a walk or play slots, etc.  I throw my $25k up on the table and Hmoney sets his $10k up.  The dealer is very skilled and quick, counts it up with the pit supervisor standing there and gets it done in about 7-8 minutes.  I am already CTR'd there, so no big deal. 

As I talked about with my buddy on the way out there, you have to have lots and lots of respect for the game. The volatility and the downsides etc. If you're not constantly thinking about that, it will get you when you lose a few hands especially playing the bigger money.

We talked about and drummed it in ourselves, that we have to stay away from the desires. But, be totally conscious of the game and the presentments as they are occurring or we will miss them.

REALITY—-POSSIBILITY—-REALITY

I seldom drink at the table but this time I ordered a Cognac XO with brewed coffee and coffee liqueur.  Before the shoe started the waitress was back with my drink.  She wanted $45.00 and the floor person motioned to her that she was going to write a comp for it.  I tipped the waitress and the shoe was almost ready to start.

First hand I wagered $2k bankers.  3/2 players and 7/6 bankers, players flopped an 8,  Tie hand.

Stayed $2k bankers.  7/2 players and a 5/2 bankers. 

Stayed bankers with a negpro of $4k.  9/7 players and a 9/A bankers.  (I hate a two card 6 for players when I am on the bankers with less than 6 opening.  I rather it be a 7, beat 7s more than 6s it seems like). Bankers flopped a 2.

Stayed bankers with another negpro (and I seldom ever do more than 2 negpro's) but I did.  Fighting off the frustration and emotions, I didn't feel any so I told myself, just do it.  $8k on the bankers.  Players 2/3 and bankers Q/3.  Players flopped an 8 and another tie. 

Stayed bankers with $8k on bankers base wager and $100 on F7 wager.  10/5 players and 3/K bankers.  Players flop a 10 and bankers flopped a 4 for a F7 win of $4k. 

Stayed bankers with $8k.  2/4 on players and 4/4 on bankers. 

Stayed bankers with $8k.  5/J on players and 4/5 on bankers. 

Now up $14k and Hmoney up around $5k, feeling pretty good and confident.  We look at each other and agree, one more wager. 

Well now everyone is wagering on bankers and I'm sure it's because of the past several hands.  Wagers are getting larger and larger all the way around the table.  Most are around $500-$2k, except one other and myself.  The other has table max and I match it.  I put $200 up for a dealers wager/tip next to mine and the dealer calls the floor over.  Asks if that's okay since it technically puts me over table max.  The floor says I can't do it.  So I take $200 off my wager and say, it's all good.  I grab 5 black chips and put them on all the other banker wagers and announce, now the dealers have $1,400 riding on the hand.  There is one person wagering players not feeding into all of this, easy to tell.

The dealer finally deals.  5/5 for the players and A/9 for the bankers.  Players flop a K.  Of course I announce, "A-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9".  Card dealt to us and we flop a friggen Q!  Tie hand.

The game slows down.  I look around the table, ask everyone if they are all good with sticking on the Bankers and everyone is.  The one person pulls his wager down from the players side.  Table is all bankers.  2/5 for the players and bankers return a 10/7.  Another friggen tie! 

Once again, I asked everyone and everyone wanted to stick with the bankers.  Cards dealt.  No one on players once again.  I tell the dealer to give the bankers cards to Hmoney and he flops an Ace.  He tells the dealer to turn one card.  A king is exposed for the players side.  Hmoney peeks and he mumbles, it's a 3 line card (6-7 or a snowman).  Hmoney tells the dealer to flip the other card.  A 10 card is flopped.  Now this couldn't have been scripted any better!  The song 'Rock the Casbah' by The Clash is playing overhead.  I tell Hmoney in a loud voice, "By order of the Prophet—-come on Sharif earn your pay!  Do it Sharif!"  And Hmoney after much ado, flops a good looking 8.  $10k hand minus the $700 in dealer wagers I put up.  You know we are not 'whales' and a $10k hand won, is nice.  Smiles and high fives all the way around. 

As A.J. Cooper said, played by Tom Selkeck in the TV series Las Vegas; "Every plan has an inherent degree of risk. But risk is the price you pay for opportunity".

It was a cool 10 hands even with the -$6k down in the beginning, that could have easily jumped to -$14k. 


Reference Notes on Score Card.  Down on the bottom left side are my first 4 hands noted.  On the right side are hands 5-10 noted. 

[alrelax]

Reference the start of the shoe and the beginning of our wagering.  There is certainly an unknown.  Where we are all oblivious to thoughts and reasonings, which in baccarat (IMO) both help as well as hurt us.  The problem is, when and for how long do you believe in those thoughts and reasonings?? 

When it's there, it is there.  When it's not, it is not.  Simple.  Of course, but not always at the table.  That is why so many and I mean the highest majority will never be able to really bang the casino and hold their winnings.  They are always under the premise, that they can define what is going to happen.  And the highest percentage of their play time, they grind themselves down even if they start to win. 

I used to say the following.  If you are on a wide open flat range of highway land and there is nothing present, you can easily speed for a short distance with very little to no chance of getting caught.  However, go out to the Highway and speed for say 25 miles, your chances of getting caught are much greater. 

Waiting for something to happen is key, at least the way I play the game.  I have to remove myself physically from the game if losing to avoid emotional and the frustration of feeling like I have to employ "Have To" bets.  The "Have To's" will hurt you bad! 

On paper, on RNG testing simulators, on practice games, etc., it is different than B&M play by far.  The chips in front on you, your real earned money at risk, the atmosphere, your feelings and most of all-your desires!  They all compound how most of us decide and wager. 

That is why I write about consciousness awareness and being there physically but removing yourself from the aura of the game (including losses). 

Having a drawdown of your risk capital (buy-in) is vital to the millionth degree!  And you must be comfortable with it, truly 100% comfortable.  You must also have a stop win.  Whereas, you dedicate a defined portion of your wins that will allow you the chance for additional winning without jeopardizing your entire amount won.

Finally, you must understand how to 'Reset' and be able to control urges to get back out there and engage again.