> 4. Casinos with the most unwarrented "Heat" you have been
> in?
> Just curious what Casinos have the most "Heat" for
> players?
>
> Personally I find the Hyatt in Lake Tahoe is ridiculous.
> Security will stand over someone playing a crappy slot
> machine. Not to mention they have a low limit single deck
> Blackjack during special events where there is a minimum of
> two suits breathing down the players necks. Most of the time
> they have more security on duty than players in that place.
>
Have never felt "heat" (yet) playing VP, although when I hit my first $5 Royal at Treasure Island, it was a big deal getting paid (open the machine and check it out, review the tape to make sure I didn't do anything illegal, etc.). As I was just switching to VP from blackjack, I was frequently referring to a strategy card when I was unsure of a play, and I was terribly worried that they were going to see that on tape and refuse to pay me, or bar me -- I was still pretty paranoid from my blackjack days.
Playing blackjack, counting cards (you decide if that's "unwarranted" heat), have been barred five places before I gave it up, often when losing (that could, in some people's opinions, make it unwarranted). Barbary Coast was the most rude. Usual "trespass" procedure is for a pit boss to come up behind you, politely ask to speak to you for a minute away from the table, and to then tell you that you may not play blackjack at their casino anymore, but are welcome to play roulette, craps, etc. Once I was even told "you're a little too good for us, and we can't afford to let you play" (it was a smaller strip casino).
At Barbary Coast, I'd played 10 minutes (this was my record for speed of barring!), and the pit boss came to the table FROM the pit (no polite from-behind / away from the table conference), pushed my chips off the betting spot, and said "that was your last bet" -- when I responded with a (legitimately) surprised "what? why?" he just repeated it once with a nasty look. As I recall, I was the only one at the table, which may be why they didn't bother to get me away from the table to bar me.
In England, one "joins" a "private club" to play at a casino. I joined, came back after the required 24 hour wait, and played with rules that were very unfavorable to the player, over 1% house edge for basic strategy without counting, lost, and left after about an hour, with no intention of returning. A couple nights later, my wife and I were walking to our hotel from a play, going near the same casino, so I asked if she wanted to see the place, and when we went in, I was told my membership had been suspended. I asked why, and was told they didn't know, but it had been suspended. This is apparently how English casinos bar players, and I've heard they are all very counter-paranoid. I did request a refund of my membership fee, and after a couple of months, received it.
Other blackjack barrings were in the U.S., all Vegas / Strip casinos, all relatively polite - but firm.
I often "felt" heat when playing at other places, too, where I would pick up on it (pit boss going thru the discards, which can supposedly be to see what the count in that deck is at the time, or dealer whispering to pit boss, or pit boss watching my play too closely for comfort, or pit bosses looking my way and making a phone call - presumably to eye-in-the-sky -- or pit bosses talking to each other and looking my way surreptitiously) and in those cases, I would quit and leave before being barred. There are other possible explanations for all of those things I observed, but as long as suspicion that I was counting was ONE of the possible reasons, I'd get out.
I have returned to every single place that I was barred, if I chose to do so, at some point later in time, and on one of those occasions was clearly recognized by the pit boss (who had dealt to me - two years before!! - when I was originally barred), and at another casino, the same pit boss who had originally barred me came up and took me off the game again (I was playing for a short time while waiting to meet someone). Their recall of my appearance impressed me both times, but especially the one after two years! When I bought in, the dealer called out the amount of my buy-in for the pit boss to give her the go-ahead for the purchase (this is routine), and when he looked at me, he did a quick double-take, at which time I'm sure I was recognized, and also at which time I remembered HIM as well, finished my hand and moved on.
--BG
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