Benefits of Tokes

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By Stanford Wong

Some blackjack players disagree with me; they think they get value for their tokes. See, for example, Ian Andersen's Turning the Tables on Las Vegas.

Here is a Daniel Forbes contribution:

 
My plane back was scheduled to depart late morning and I debated further play as I arose. After washing up and shaving, I returned to the Sahara to play once again at what was by then early Friday morning.

I settled in at one of the single-deck games ($25 minimum) and spread from $25 to whatever I could get away with. An attractive young woman was playing at third base; she was the only other player . It occurred to me she might have been a counter, but a deck or two later confirmed she was not. I slowly drilled the casino as she lost. Not long after, a clean-faced young man sat down and placed two $50 bets. After a few hands, it was obvious he was counting. I began to show him my cards immediately, and he shortly thereafter reciprocated. Because I was more than able and all too willing to bet 2 x $150 or more at positive counts, we began sharing any and all information available to us. Then it happened.

While most counters refuse to toke (I love Griffin 's counter/canoe joke), I am of the Andersen school. The dealers changed; our new dealer was a young man. After a few hands, he began blind-discarding (when the dealer busted, players' hands were scooped up without being turned face up first). I was not sure whether this practice was aimed at me or not, but the other counter walked immediately. A few hands later, I put up a toke for the dealer, and the blind discarding practice stopped. I went on to a $700 win.

Lest we debate endlessly the taking question, I will confess to over-taking. I do spend a great deal of time on junkets, sucking up what freebies are available. I guess the taking habit comes from trying to show the money means little to me. And the results have paid off, I think. I will admit it is useless if the dealer does not check hole cards under 10s except for cover (except I do think I have purchased a few deeper cuts from knowing dealers), but as the counter/canoe joke indicates it is probably great for cover.

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