by John Stathis
[Editor’s Note: This was a comment we liked so much that we turned it into a blog post. You can find more more information on John Stathis at his YouTube channel.]
While I was working at the Sahara Reno in August 1978, a cheer was heared among the pit when it was announced that blackjack legend Ken Uston was beat up by security at the Mapes Money Tree. Didn’t know who Uston was until the pit bosses claimed he was a cheat and deserved the thumping. Others said he was a card counter and this was a message to card counters all over the world. This perked my interest in card counting and the challenge it provides.
On an another occasion at Harolds Club, a pit boss gave me a tap on the shoulder while dealing craps and instructed me to deal 21 to a high roller who was winning big. The whale turned out to be blackjack legend Ken Uston who was playing $500 chips and torching the table. The superstitious pit felt that a craps dealer can put an end to Uston’s winning streak. I happened to be on a winning run for the house and beat him until he finally surrendered after losing much of his winnings back. Maybe the other dealers weren’t protecting the game such as exposing hole cards and delivering tells to Uston when checking for blackjacks. In Uston’s book “Million Dollar Blackjack” he refers to “Barbara, the Harolds Club front-loader” (front loader – a careless dealer who exposes the hole card in the process of dealing) and maybe I was sent to replace Barbara who was dumping house money.
I dealt to the Amazing Kreskin and was wondering if Kreskin could read my mind while peeking under a ten card or ace, looking for the dreaded dealer blackjack. Kreskin said he does not read minds and plays blackjack to unwind after a show. He also said that Harrah’s barred him from playing blackjack and was welcome at Harolds Club playing this small amount.
The Amazing Kreskin is a true blackjack aficionado and from my own empirical analysis, one of the best 21 players in the world. He uses playing cards for a living as a mentalist and probably is as close to Ray from the movie “Rainman” in his ability to remember cards as anyone in the world.
While dealing craps in Las Vegas in 1980, a casino called The Treasury (now Oyo) on Tropicana Avenue displayed Uston’s name on its marquee. He was giving lessons on card counting at this casino! Did he sell his soul to the enemy or want to see his name in lights? Is card counting bunk and a scam was my first impression during the sight of this marquee.
Recalling Kreskin’s skill at winning at blackjack has stuck to this day. Kreskin did not use weak dealers to gain an advantage and probably used his knowledge of excess aces and tens to win. Bet with your head instead of over it and don’t worry about “cheaters justice” (from the movie Casino) because the corporations running casinos now are smart enough to avoid the old tactics.
Never miss another post
FYI, Both Ken Uston and The Amazing Kreskin were born on Jan. 12, 1935!
Both Uston and Kreskin were born on the same day and year! Jan. 12, 1935
Ask Eddie T is anyone still gets a beating. The difference today is he’ll win a six figure judgement
Goose, who is Eddie T? Is it someone we should know about?
Read about James Grojean’s arrest and jail stay for hole carding in 2000 at “Arnold Snyder’s Blackjack Forum Online” here at LVA. Instead of a beating at Caesars Palace they asked Las Vegas Metro to hold Grosjean for several days since his booking was a Friday and had to wait to see a Judge on Monday. That was the new normal until Grosjean stopped casinos from this treatment.
Kreskin brought his show to my college in the early ’70s. He brought a bunch of people up to try to hypnotize them. Didn’t work on me. But he had some people doing some funny stuff!
“Read about James Grojean’s arrest and jail stay for hole carding in 2000 at “Arnold Snyder’s Blackjack Forum Online” here at LVA. Instead of a beating at Caesars Palace they asked Las Vegas Metro to hold Grosjean for several days since his booking was a Friday and had to wait to see a Judge on Monday. That was the new normal until Grosjean stopped casinos from this treatment.”
If I remember correctly, they were accused of card bending/marking.
If Kreskin’s hypnotism didn’t work on Blair Rodman I wonder if Kreskin had some props in the audience? I don’t know how the Blackjack games were in 1980 but I’m sure the Blackjack games were much different than they are today with probably more Single Deck Blackjack games available. In 1980 did Blackjack dealers deal out the majority of a deck or decks of cards before a reshuffle? I would have to guess that Kreskin was using some kind of card counting system along with his memory recall abilities.
I dealt single deck blackjack and gave 75-80% penetration to all including Uston, Keskin and all players in the late 1970’s. Mostly dealt craps during my casino dealing career but felt like relief pitcher at blackjack to put out fires. When dealing to Kreskin, I thought of another card when looking under 10 or ace to test his mind reading ability.