I experienced an AP epiphany reading Michael Kaplan’s fascinating book, Advantage Players, and realized what I am and what I’m not.
Advantage players are literally in a world of their own making. The intensity, intelligence, and dedication to be in that rarefied club, then actually succeeding in breaking the bank, leave me shaking my head. Wow.
James Grosjean has my total admiration. His intense dedication to extensive research, analysis, and discovery and the incredible lengths he goes to implement these massively complex plays (I was going to say strategy, but that’s like comparing an organ grinder to an orchestral movement) are amazing.
My goal is not to leave with all the banana ($1,000) and chocolate ($25,000) chips or be invited to six-figure comped parties at Hakkasan, then hopefully getting outta town with all the loot and ID intact.
That club, while tipping my hat to it and learning what I can from their exploits, isn’t me. I’m not an “advantage playuh.”
I’m a value player, where LR x MV x LP = +$
My goal? Play with the Lowest Risk extracting Maximum Value as Long as Possible (staying well below the radar, then leaving satisfied and hopefully) Net Positive in cash dollars. And overall, I succeed.
We each have our own levels of risk and reward. Yours may be $50 or $500 or $50,000 to my $1/$5/$25. Whatever the level ,I tip my hardly under the radar very colorful “cat in the hat” to you.
But no matter what level you’re playing at, you’re in the game.
BTW, my experiences led me to work with one advantage player who was surreptitiously using electronics to record data in a Vegas casino and asked if I’d assist him. I said absolutely not. I like my life and had zero interest ending up in a desert prison for using electronics in a Nevada casino to affect a game.
The goal of my roulette project (using Non-Linear Dynamic Recurrence Theory) was creating a strategy without electronics. My program (not a “system,” mind you) was based on Thorpe’s card-counting strategy card concept, but applied to roulette — to ID when roulette’s extreme variance favors me. I continued to use it after we parted ways.
What I learned from that and other Vegas adventures, AP is way above my risk tolerance and “playgrade,” like my black-chip-and-higher card-counting bud.
Again, I’m not a playuh. Except on the dance floor. Channeling Cyndi Lauper or Bruno or MJ, “I just wanna have fun.” That’s my goal.
Yes, like APs, I love the research, hunt, and discovery, but my end game is to “play long time,” minimizing risk, extracting value from the tables and the resorts, restaurants, clubs, all in the interest of having a good time. And for free or as close to it I can get.
I’ve loved “playing Vegas” for 35 years. Hopefully, I will for 25 more. What’s your level? Your goals? Whatever they are, know thyself. Now … let’s play.