Let's go a bit deeper into the possible factors that come into play, consciously or subconsciously:

1)  Interpretations/Misinterpretations

2)  Visions/Beliefs

3)  Feelings/Mindset

4)  Bankroll & Related


#1)   Playing with the Shoe
        [It is always best to 'play the shoe'.  At times it is extremely difficult and almost impossible depending on the other factors occurring, but overall it is always best]

        Stats Trying to Change
        [Once the shoe gets underway an experienced player will be able to visually see that almost every shoe cannot match other ones and while many will set their own stats, others will be a replica of previous shoes.  Keep your mind open to what the shoe is doing-do not say it will stop at so-and-so or try to produce XYC, B's and/or P's.  Be 100% neutral, the shoe is doing all the work and producing all the decisions---you are not!]

        Equals Out/Lopsided
        [To me, this is one of the greatest and easiest traits to follow or not to follow.  The highest bulk of shoes will equal out at the end.  Within a few hands of each other.  But, my advise, is to only use that to gauge your wagers and bear in mind that the side you are about to wager on, could do anything.  Sounds unintelligent of course, but to me it is my tap on the should telling me, no guarantee.  Lopsided shoes do come, although not as often as the equaling out ones, but they certainly do.  To me, after 40 to 55% of the shoe is out, the equaling out is prevalent very so often with the, 20-28, 21-28, 22-28, 22-29, 23-29, 24-29, 25-29, 26-29, 26-30, 26-31, 27-31, 28-31, 29-31, 29-32, 30-32, 31-32, 32-32.  Then something along the lines as, 33-32, 33-33, 34-33, 34-34.  Happens so frequently, don't pay attention to those exact numbers, can be identified in the 20's as well]

 
        Events to Happen
        [Numerous events as we all have discussed on the board.  Some will happen and many will not.  When they do, recognize them and ride what they present.  Don't wait until it is a sure thing in everyone's minds, because only one thing will happen at that point, it will not be a sure thing any longer]

        Events That Happened
        [Events that already happened can repeat themselves, keep an open mind, although when those events are of a longer nature in number of hands, they are less likely to repeat themselves within the shoe]

        Statistical Reliance
        [Kind of related to Stats To Change above, but I am referring more to those players that rely strictly on the numbers as they are presenting themselves in Stats.  Be careful and although I am a fan of wagering within the reliance to produce itself and either 'make-up' or decelerate a certain side, to me this is a good gauge to add to my bag of thoughts]

#2)  Playing for the Cut or the Repeats
       [While it is a strategy of many, be careful as to when you employ this.  I have done well at times with this and it is probably the number thought of 'wager' in this game.  I am referring to wagering for opposite last decision or the repeating win of the B or P once again]

       Chop/Alternating  and  Repeats/Streaks
       [Lots of players lose on the 'chop-chop' wager, meaning-B-P-B-P-B-P-B, etc.  So easy and comes frequently.  Capitalize on it and then stop. Streaks, I am a firm believer of sticking on the streaks or the strong runs until they fall off.  Lost the last wager, it's all good!  I like the strong/streaks, etc., especially after there has been a period of weak sections for quite sometime and then it goes one or two more on the repeat]

       Trends and Patterns
       [Trends and Patterns happen all the time.  Either weak or strong.  There are believers in this and non-believers.  It is easy to say it is all random and no one can tell anything at anytime.  Correct to a certain point, the exact same as you never know where that cop is going to be sitting on the highway with his radar.  Might be there and might not be there.  But we all know, or should know, there is going to be trends and patterns]

       Superstitions
       [Try to avoid them and don't get caught up in them.  Many will announce their own and while some people live by them, they cannot influence the shoe that actually has no part of them]

       Other Players Actions/Wagers
       [There are pros and cons to wagering with or against other players.  I have written about them on this board.  One thing that I am personally a huge fan of is good camaraderie]
 
       Dealers
       [I have written about Dealers in another thread on this board, there are many different types and almost every regular player will attest to that!  Some will be attributed with helping players and others will be chastised for almost never letting players win.  Some are the proverbial 'cooler' and some are down right 'mean'.  Most know what they are doing and there is usually one or two at most properties that always make mistakes.  The list goes on.  IMO, if you don't get along with the way the dealer projects him/herself, don't play, wait for the next dealer, SERIOUSLY!]

       Bank of '3' Shoes (re: similarity)
       [I am sure this is challenged by many, but I have found in groups of 3 shoes at a casino they are usually, more than 50% of the times, similar in nature.  I did not say exact, I said similar.  For myself, I have profited from this and I use it as a guide, not gospel and not science.  That is why so many thing are misinterpreted on here!  And, BTW--I use most things as a 'guide' not as science-a rule-gospel and mechanical systems, there is a huge difference!]

       Downfall/Upside of Available Chip Stack (smaller 100% available/larger w/stop)
       [To me, I see downfalls and upsides to the various chip stack players use.  Some players will downright grind and win small amounts in order to be able to build up their stacks and then cash out chips all along like they never had them there.  Some will buy back in when they lose their smaller stacks and many will not.  But, like I said, there are obvious advantages to many in their stack sizes.  Some players, will have that boost and play better with a larger stack, not many IMO thou.  I play better with a moderate size stack and I like putting higher domination chips away and cashing them out as if the chip never existed and the cash is not available]

#3)  Clear Minded/Clouded-Obscured
        [I seriously believe this is important and utmost from the beginning.  I don't feel enough players really realize this.  Have a clear mind and you will have the ability to fully concentrate and realize what is happening, which at the baccarat table is not always that easy]

        Gut Feelings
        [If you are an experienced player and you 'have seen it all', you have a great value IMO.  I absolutely believe and value a good 'gut-feeling'.  Not those feelings based upon thinking it all though and reasoning, just that good old 'gut-feeling'.  They are there in many and they are very real]

        Open Minded/Closed Minded
        [Kind of similar to 'Clear Minded/Obscured above but just being 100% Open Minded.  In this game more than any other, that is vitally important.  It will help you for so many reasons and allow you to visually see and feel a quick moving game that changes up and has tons and tons of circumstances that either happen or don't happen in each shoe.  That is why it takes a player to really have an Open Mind to play better.  Having a Closed Mind will just have a negative effect, plain and simple]

        Preconceived Protocols Employed
        [Very dangerous in every way!  Your expected systems cannot and will not prevail in this game.  Not really much sense to discussing it, but you will lose much greater than you win.  A few hands here and there might fuel a player's thirst and quest when he gets lucky using this but he will suffer]
           
#4)  Drawdown
       [Don't get confused with 'Stop Loss'.  This should be the maximum decrease you will allow in your wagering attack.  You can still wager, as I said a Drawdown is not a Stop Loss.  However, a player has to be careful as to the amount of his buy-in he is willing to risk and aggressively go after the point where he will hopefully start winning.  For example, I might have a 10 unit Stop Loss for my initial 40 unit buy in.  I might also employ a 15 unit drawdown for my progressions or plain initial win.  Units can be different value for the Stop Loss and the Drawdown]   [Since to me, this is also a very important area, I copied the following from an article about Drawdown:  However, we should estimate and predict correctly the drawdown in our money management decisions.  The betting amount for these losing bets must always be available.  Obviously, our total capital must be much more than the maximum drawdown, so that we don't go bankrupt!In addition, after taking the drawdown into account, there should be enough money to continue betting at the same pace according to our betting system, without any decrease in the bet size.  Moreover, enough capital must be available for the next drawdown curve.]

       Stop Loss
       [Some players have them and some do not.  I take a 'Stop Loss' at meaning--what will I stop my play at during a shoe or section.  Others will say a 'Stop Loss' means--how many hands or how much will they accept losing before they walk away.  Locally where I reside, I play considerable smaller at the local casinos than what I do in Vegas, Southern California or Atlantic City.  So, what I bring is my buy-in, not my gaming bankroll.  I am okay with losing my buy-in if I have a bad night, it is not my bankroll and does not mean I am broke, etc.  Set what you are comfortable with for each]

       Win Management/Reserve
       [It is vitally important that you manage your win money and place something into reserves, not only for your bankroll but for other purposes out side of your bankroll.  It is far too personal for me to tell you what and how, but once you figure it out, your conscious should be happier]

       Money Management
       [I have written about this and mine after I win, is a 1/3rd, 1/3rd, 1/3rd money split to manage my winning and remainder of my buy-in.  I have detailed this in other posts and after playing for many years, this is my single greatest factor that has helped me hold win money]

       Progressions
       [There is a heck of a lot of threads mentioning progressions on this board and every other board.  It is a subjective topic.  I have found that 1-3-2-6 and/or 1-3-2-4 has assisted me tremendously with some flat-betting fitted in-between.  IMP it is extremely difficult to hold win money and build up without some type of progressions.  It does not have to be a set progression, I only employ a set progression now because it helps me stick to it and it is kind of programmed inside of me.  Another one of my greatest factors that has helped me be more successful than losing]

Met someone at the casino last night after the baccarat tournament over at the regular table games section on the main floor.  He was kind of young, probably in his 20's.  He was fuming mad.  I have never seen him before and quite obvious he was new to the game.  He questioned a couple of hands such as Player have the first 2 cards total point value of 6 and the Banker have its first two cards with a total of 7.  And then, when the Players 3rd card was a 7 and the Banker had a two card 6 he yelled at the dealer not to draw.

When the game ended and the dealer was coloring up some chips for players and preparing for the next shoe, etc., this guy tells me how he purchased a system on the internet for about $500.00.  He told me some of the 'moves' it taught him and they were nothing more than someone's fantasy about being able to win anytime with them.  I attempted in brief to tell him, anything could win and anything could lose.  At times there are certainly chances what he told me could prevail and other times--as he just witnessed, those pre-determined wagers would lose.  In short, the so-called system called for wagering on the opposite side after a double of any one side and as well, wager OTL decision when there is greater than 3 single B's and/or P's already on the board.  There were a few other pre-determined wagers he was supposed to make, but every one of them is no more than wishful thinking in the author's opinion.  All packaged up and presented to the novices of the game as gospel and money in the bank. 

McDonald's on the way to a Baccarat Tournament..........

Well, I stopped at a McDonald's along the highway on the way to a Baccarat Tournament I was given a seat at last night.  It was one of those newer style tournaments that have become so popular the last couple of years with most casinos, where as they fund the tournament with actual buy-in money 'fees' and the players are allowed to walk and cash out their chips if they have anything left, etc.  They also give you a certain amount of matching non-negotiable chips strictly for play as well within the round(s).

Anyway, I stop at the Mickey D's to use the restroom and I wanted to grab a snack and about the only thing I will eat at the place is their original Filet of Fish sandwich.  I had an hour to drive or better so I figured it was better than a bag of chips and a candy bar across the street at the gas station.

I ordered the Filet 'Meal' and the teenage kid looks up at me and says what size drink.  I never finish the drink or the fries, so that is why I ordered the 'meal deal' or whatever it is entitled--figuring it was a small drink and fries.  So I said, 'small please'.  He rings it up and it was just slightly over $7.00.  I looked at the menu and it said $5.79 and of course there is tax on that.  I really didn't think much and waited a bit and got the bag to go.  Outside in the car, I figured I was charged wrong, not a big deal, probably a buck at most difference but the way the whole thing went down, was just wrong.  The teen kid, not even a 'thank you', little eye contact, only once, and why was he asking what size drink--the 'value meal' or 'meal deal' comes with a specified size I thought.  I went back in and asked the kid.  He said, I changed the size of the drink so that automatically voids the 'meal deal' and the sandwich was $3.79, the small drink was $1.00 and the med fry was $1.79.  My total was .80 greater than the 'meal deal' which came with a med drink and a med fry.  Since I ordered a small drink, I had to pay extra.  I said to him, 'seriously'?  He looked at me square in the eyes and said, 'yes'.  I asked for the manager and she came over, I started and she interrupted.  She said she was sorry and it happens all the time, not their doing it is Mickey D's policy to ask a customer what size drink they want and then the order automatically changes, etc.  She gave me a free coupon for an entire meal and mentioned, she wished Mickey D's corporate would change that policy. 

So I drove out to the casino and enjoyed my 'free' food of sorts.  I never really pay attention to this stuff because when I go to these kind of places the kids are usually with me and the 2 ten year olds pretty much always want to do the payment transactions the past couple of years.  Of course they do that so they can pocket the change!  Little rascals, they have it all figured out already!

I finished 2nd out of my table and have a spot at one more round before the Chinese New Year big tournament the last Saturday of this month.  Must have been the luck from the fish sandwich!   

One of the food service workers that always had a crush on Waldo, went to visit him in the hospital.  Her name is, 'Peggy Sue' but she is known around the casino as 'Piggy Boo' probably because she is well over 400 pounds and stands about 5'3".  She brought Waldo some candy and as she opened the box to give him some, of course she helped herself to 6 or 7 pieces.........................

Quote from: vo rogue on December 22, 2016, 06:49:45 PM
  BRAVO, BRAVO,  ALRELAX   like the piano man said , "you could be a movie star, if you could get out of this site".
   

Thanks, Vo--but really just comes natural!  LOL, wow--thinking about that statement......

Anyway, Waldo was hit in the parking lot by a snow plow the other night and was rushed to the hospital by Ambulance.  Upon his arrival they took him to the Maternity Unit because they saw his belly (what floor person normally doesn't have a huge belly?) and then transferred him to the E.R.  he was supposed to have past away but was brought back to life, miraculously.

The thread will continue..............................

I tired to figure out albalaha's reasoning but to tell you the truth I also tried to figure out Claudio Osorio and what Jeb Brush and Obama was involved with being part of Innovido.  To me, both are very confusing.

But what do I know?  I am silly and like to being the kids to the live arcades with those redemption counters where the parents spend about $80.00 to get about $4.85 worth of toys that last about 2 days at best. 

Quote from: Albalaha on January 06, 2017, 02:53:13 PM


Few are so harsh that they can not appear realistically or in other words you need lots of extreme badluck to witness them.

For whatever it is worth....badluck (which is not a viable explanation to what happens to players at a casino, but let's just call it that for sake of not arguing) happens all the darn time!  All the time.  So to witness them should be no problem.  But hey, maybe it is the old school people that have played for so many years have no idea......huh? 

You okay?  You don't even stop by and say hi any longer......well, Hi!

Ted009, here is another one I was trying to find the other day for you.

Numerous things don't really apply to on-line, just live casino, but again--I never play on-line.

There is a term around casinos which is called a 'Known Player'.  Basically the term has two meanings.  1) An advantaged player that is either banned from the property or constantly being watched; And, 2) A player already in the data base and also a regular player usually known to all the pit managers and dealers at the table game section he/she regularly plays. 

Let's just talk about #2 here.  The 'known player' could very well be a bit pompous and stubborn at times and really not held against them.  Not obnoxious or rude as a general rule, just overly friendly and is on a more cordial type of 'business friendship' with the floor people, pit managers and most dealers.  Let's just sum it up as most are not a threat to the casino for security reasons, hangs out with a super positive attitude the majority of the times and they are given the latitude to get a little bit out of hand without staff worry whatsoever.

The 'known player' usually gets comps without a question or even account look ups from the floor people and pit managers, always is slipped tickets and other little goodies when a host or other casino personnel is free to pass them out, etc., and always is able to snag a room or a suite from the block that is always reserved by the top hosts and pit managers on high volume sold out weekends. 

The 'known players; also get a bunch of extra lee-way when things are challenged, such as problems on the table, needing a restaurant take out when the posted hours are not the ones coinciding with the request, or say keeping the spa open an extra hour or two or something along those lines. 

Also, the 'known player' would receive a bit extra consideration for such things as, banging the table, throwing a playing card on the floor or raising his voice to counter someone there.  Yes, possibly someone that was not a 'known player' would suffer some kind of negative response from the casino staff for the exact same action performed.  However, the consideration is a professional consideration the same as another private non-casino type of business would give to its regular customers versus one time or 'unknown customers'.  Why?  Because business and patronage is valued, plain and simple. 

OMG, I owned a service business for many years.  I would find myself going out of my way for a regular customer without even thinking.  Not that I was rude or obnoxious as a business owner to a first time or a sporadic customer, but thinking back-just going an extra long mile for the 'known customer'. 

Hope I made my point.  'Known People', 'Known Players', 'Known Customers', 'Known Members(?)'.

Someone PM'd me and brought up, how I have mentioned cashing out and then keeping a couple green chips or a black chip.  Then, on the way back out pass the bac table and throw the green or one black up for one wager.  They questioned this.

You know, I never really thought about it or really why.  I guess it is silly???  IDK?  I really do that more often than not. 

Say I throw up 2 green chips and win, I would immediately stack the win and try once more.  If won I would do once again.  Then I would definitely go cash those out and leave, calling the $400.00 'mad money' or 'pocket money', etc.  Figuring if I lost, I lost $50.00 out of the win, no big deal. 

Ted, not a problem, but like I tried to explain to you yesterday.  It cannot be written or definitively reduced to a few paragraphs.  It is more than that.  Seriously.

There are underlying reasoning's to almost everything.  Some written, some published, some known and yet.....others are not.

Let me give you one great analogy, at least I think it is.

I used to own a tractor trailer shop and a major wrecker service in another part of the country.  I was pretty close to the state police on several levels.  One, I towed for them and I was the only major heavy wrecker service for a huge geographic portion of the region.  I also was right next door to them so we serviced the state patrol cars under contract in our shop.  I also serviced numerous troopers personal cars, etc.  My life was saved by one of the senior ranking troopers who was working a large collision on the interstate one icy winter day and he received life saving award of the year for his action on me. 

One day, I was stopped for doing 8 miles per hour over the commercial truck posted speed limit.  I was given a warning ticket, just have to sign it and turn it back in.  No points, no fine, nothing on your driving record, etc.  No big deal.  Of course, I had to make a big deal over it.  I march next door to the state patrol barracks, past the receptionist and straight into the Captain's office.  Slam the warning paper down on his desk and say, 'WTF man'.  He looks at me, laughs and throws it in his garbage can.  Explains to me, that they have to, after 5 miles per hour they have to pull over.  Each trooper in that state (as most states also have an internal rule/regulation over) decides what speed they will issue a citation up to 16 miles per hour over.  Then from 16 or over, it is a mandatory citation no matter what.  But here is the kicker, they cannot give me a warning for 8 over and write you for 8 over.  If they write at 10 over, everyone they pull over has to get a citation for 10 over.  Stops favors and wrong doing, etc. Speed is logged and the trooper cannot alter it on his radar and computer, etc.  So he didn't pull me over to bust chops, he had to because he was working traffic and it was in excess of 5mph over.  He doesn't choose to write at 8 mph over the posted speed which was obvious.  So the trooper did nothing wrong.  The only way around it is not to pull someone over and say, if anything was ever brought up, it would have been unsafe to conduct a traffic stop.  Also turned out a superior was with the trooper that day and he had to or he would not even have pulled over the truck I was driving and could have just explained to the superior that he knew me, no chance of drunk driving, approved state police rotation wrecker detail people, etc., etc.  But he figured it wasn't all worth anything being said.  So he did the pull-over and issued the warning already calculating there was going to be no citation issued.

Wow, after all that.  I wasn't privy to all those details when he was writing me a warning notice and I took it all the wrong way.  But there was his own rules and regulations regarding what he was doing.

So once again, some known and some not known.  We learn as we go along. 

Ted, this is one of the posts I made I was talking about.  Hope you understand it.  If you can't reach me hear by PM, email me if you have questions. 

 
So, I have it on good info that, Waldo went out to get into his car to home last night when you got off shift.  He noticed a card under his windshield wiper and pulled it off.  Inside his car he looked at it.  It was a card from 'Suzie Q' and escort.  Waldo sat and pondered on it.  On the way home he thought about calling the number but wanted to get home to catch the latest episode of, 'Where the Aliens Land At' on TV.  He put the card away and said to himself he could call tomorrow.

Okay, so today Thursday is my Friday this week......................

Coming in this morning to my office, about a 15 mile drive, I have concluded the following:

The term, "A dollar and a dream" is for the foolish only or the extremely lucky, not for anyone else whatsoever......When you hear that or anything like it--go ahead and save up 2 times and buy a king sized candy bar with what you would have spent that dollar on that would have failed to obtain your dream!

I have to drive through a smaller town with the typical downtown section to get from my house to the highway that leads out of town to where my business is.  There is your typical side streets that cross the one main street running through downtown.  There are about 10 streets crossing that main street and there are stop signs at all the side streets and about 4 on the main street.  If you are on the main street travelling the cars crossing are supposed to wait until it is clear............that is what I thought.  However, these days for some strange reason......it goes like this.  The car on the main street with the clear right-of-way gets close to the side street where there is a car waiting.  The driver on the side street waits and waits and waits until the car with the right-of-way on the main street gets relatively close, just close enough where if the driver pulled out from the side street to cross main street, the vehicle already on main street would have to jam on its brakes.  Exactly.  And that is what they do now more than ever.  WTF?  A game I don't know about???

Instructions.  Last night I put together two things I brought.  Both items had instructions, although not terrible complicated, the instructions used to be helpful when something was supposed to be inserted and assembled prior to another part or section of the item.  Now, I believe that instructions are just one person's opinion of how to do it.  Clearly wrong in both cases last night. 

Okay, carry on.