Card Counting - Camouflage

Because the casinos implement countermeasures, this creates a cat-and-mouse game where card counters have to hide their counting from the casino. These days, it isn't enough to simply be able to do the math. The techniques that a player uses to do this are known as "camouflage". Here are a ways to camouflage card counting.

  • Use levels in your bet spread. By using levels in your bet spread (instead of just switching off between betting really small and really large), it will look like you are a progression player. So, instead of looking like a talented player, you will look like a pseudo-talented player.

  • Have a keno ticket. You could have it at the table and fill it out to make it look like you are going to play - or you could actually give it to a keno runner and play a game or two for minimal money.

  • Asking questions. Asking the dealer questions will make it look like you don't know how to play very well.

  • Appear to be drinking. You could either have an alcoholic drink which you don't actually drink or you could have a drink that looks like alcohol.

  • Being social. You will be less likely to be tagged as a card counter if you spend time talking to other players.

  • Go play video poker. If you go stick in a couple of quarters into a video poker or slot machine, casino surveillance will be less confident that you are a card counter because advantage players don't usually waste their time on money-losing games. This trick is especially useful if you have been counting and you are sure that you were getting heat or being watched by the eye-in-the-sky.

  • Use a simple counting system. It will be easier to camouflage if you aren't concentrating on doing the math involved in a complex counting system.

  • Make mistakes on purpose. If you want to look like a bad player then make a mistake on a relatively easy hand. If you want to look like an intermediate player then make mistakes on the specific hands where basic strategy deviates because of card counting.

As a cautionary note, you shouldn't spend so much of your energy hiding your counting that you lose your edge.

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HPG ADMIN on May 8, 2013