Blackjack - Why does luck change with the dealer?

Back in the 70's when I first started going to Vegas, the changes in luck in Blackjack with a dealer change weren't always random. I witnessed a casino altering their regular dealer rotation to put a mechanic in to deal the game. She was palming cards. She was good enough at palming cards and faking a shoe draw to fool the players sitting in front of her, but standing back and a little to the side, I could see what was really happening. She was brought in to take down a friend who was up. I whispered to him that it was time to leave. He played about 6 more hands, losing all of them, and walked away. He was more than a little pissed off when I told him why I told him to quit playing, but any protest back then wouldn't have been healthy...

I personally still feel that there are "mechanics" employed by the casinos. And I don't think it is a case of "selective memory" on my part. Therefore, when I have been winning and a new dealer arrives and I suddenly begin losing, I leave. Many times I have left and went back to the same table, saw the same players who tell me they should of left when I did because they can't win a hand. Derive your own conclusions.

Blackjack is like Video Poker - there is only one way to play each and every hand. Whether or not the guy in front of you is an idiot who hits 19 or holds on 11 - it is irrelevant to the overall game and to the odds - as is the changing of the dealer. But it is always REALLY good to have someone to blame!

Tim:

In the short run you can have a bad run of cards but in reality it all works out in the long run.

I too, experienced a "seconds desler" many years ago at Lake Tahoe (30 years ago). I was betting big in the single deck days. I was winning!!! I was up about $6000 when a new dealer shows up. Young (maybe 23) blond cute with a ponytail. I noticed that she was out of the standard dealer uniform and had no name tag.

I cut my bets back to $25 and played a while, mabye 8 hands and didn't win a one!! I quit here and move my game across the street.

I started betting big again and winning. After about 10 minutes guess who showed up? The same chick. The regular rotation dealer was relieved. I again lowered my bet to $25 and lost 7 out of 8 hands against her. My wife said you could tell she delt seconds if you stood at a 45 degree angle to the blackjack table.

I believe the casinos were sending a subtle hint that day. Don't play blackjack here and win.

On the way out of town we stopped at a very small northshore casino and sat at a blackjack table. We had changed to grungy travel clothes. The dealer must have thought we were very poor. He said very quietly after 5 loosing hands, "You don't want to play here." My wife thought he was dealing seconds as well. We took his advice after 5 more hands and left.

These were my only two bonafide experience with mechanics as dealers. I don't think there are too many anymore, or at least I havn't run into them.

I'm sure there are still mechanics out there, but I doubt that a reputable place in Vegas would bother nowadays. Most people play poorly and will willingly play 6:5 games anyway, and they'd be closed down by the Gaming Control Board if caught. Seems like bad business.

If you have played much, you have noticed the roller coaster ride whether the dealer changes or not. Good swing to bad to good.................I was playing at Red Rock the other day and had BJ on the first hand. I gave the dealer $10 and I walked with $105. Made sense to me. Dealer seemed to be happy. I was happy because it was a dealer I like. Now, the suit who had rated me might think differently. Anyone know if the pb's share the tips at stations?

Yes, Blackjack can definitely be a roller coaster ride and so I do think that it is a good idea to be adequately bankrolled for each playing session that you have.

At a $5 table, I prefer having a $100 playing session Loss Limit. That can often keep me in the game long enough for things to turn around.

Now as for tipping, I'm pretty sure that the pit boss appreciates it (although I don't know if the PBs share the tips), since it can keep the dealers happy and it becomes more incentive for Dealers to stay even with relatively low pay. And so tipping might very well benefit players from the Pit's perspective! But do keep in mind that the Dealers are providing a "service" kind of like the cocktail waitresses.

RecVPPlayer

My understanding is that PBs are considered "executives" (albeit low level ones) and do NOT share in tips. I seem to remember a big stink a few years back, believe it was at Venetian, when they tried to include PBs in the tip pool.

It was at the Wynn...and the PBs do share the tips there.

I stand corrected. Anyone know if it is standard policy at other properties/chains?