Two casino supervisory books designed to sharpen skills

25 September 2008

By Howard Schwartz

Mike Joseph has been in casino management for more than 20 years, as a supervisor, a casino manager and now, as a gaming consultant. The Las Vegas resident (originally from Chicago), has two books which should help anyone new to surveillance or management.

They are Casino Pit Management and Supervisor Training Manual ($79.95, 8x11 plastic spiralbound, 126 pages) and his Card Counting Course: For the Casino Pit Boss and Floor Supervisor ($54.95, 8x11 plastic spiralbound, 98 pages).

The training manual was published in 2000, but was not marketed publicly, so it's the first time we at Gambler's Book Shop have seen it in this format. It's designed to help an individual survive and sharpen skills in regard to supervision of dealers, detection of cheating and basically to identify problems, solve them and thus protect the house. Included are sections on dealer responsibilities, watching for the "comp abuser," and other duties required to be an excellent supervisor. These include things such as making change, handling situations like a drink spilled at a game, what to do when "money plays" and properly watching dealers who might be working in collusion with a player. There are a variety of oddball situations a beginning and even an experienced dealer might mishandle, things like cards dropped inside the pit behind the table, foreign cheque change or a misread player hand signal. The book outlines the example and explains how it should be handled according to procedure.

What is the correct practice to follow when a player needs a marker, and what about marker redemption? Is there such a thing as a game protection checklist for 21 dealers? (Yes, there is, and the book shows you the list.) The same applies to the list of responsibilities for craps and roulette. The book also answers a key question on "why supervisors sweat the money."

Joseph's work can certainly help those in the industry, but it will probably also sell to those players who want to know what the house is looking for in regard to counters or those with "sleight of hand" skills. One section even outlines almost two-dozen ways playing cards can be marked; another one details how management must think like a cheat to catch one; one more shows moves even a fixed camera cannot pick up.

When to raise table minimums and raising table maximums are included in the book along with the 10 best bets casino offer to players including their house edge. The book is packed with checklists and guidelines of responsibility for 21, craps and roulette floor supervisors and has solid guidelines for improving customer service.

Joseph's Card Counting Course for the Casino Pit Boss and Floor Supervisor also covers a lot of territory -- some new, some old, depending on dealer experience. It'll also be an eye-opener for the aspiring professional counter. Included in the book are advantages for the house vs. the player; which counting systems are better than others and why; "tells" of a counter; casino counter measures; table conditions a pro looks for; when the casino is most vulnerable; team play and how rules impact a player's advantage.

The book details 13 card-counting systems; counting a single-deck or a six-deck shoe; the money management system most counters use when using the running count.