Goldberg "work"

If the average casino gambler were to watch Goldberg "work" for a few hours he would be tempted to try his hand at counting; . Goldberg makes it look so easy. He smiles and kibitzes with the dealer and other player’s looks at his watch as if he was bored yawas and stretches, and sips a glass of beer. But that's only on the surface. Actually, Goldberg is concentrating every minute he is playing. Sometimes he'll sleep for sixteen hours after a mentally exhausting session.



Goldberg's greatest asset is control. If he goes badly at one table. He’ll get up and try another, or even another club. Goldberg has told me he, has gone bad many times and has been a couple of thousand dollars loser in a few days. But he has confidence and control of his money and the know-how to overcome his losses. Goldberg's betting method is the secret of his not being detected as a counter. He will make only two types of bets. His opening bet is $20, and that is his smallest bet. If he wins the hand he'll bet $40, and that is the largest bet he will ever make. He stays at the $40 bet until he loses a hand, then Starts at $20 again. Of course, he will double down and split cards if the hand calls for it. And if he starts winning, he will take the chips and put them in his pocket instead of letting them pile up on the table the way most players do to show everybody how much they have won.

Goldberg doesn't want to attract attention and will continue beating the clubs for years to come unless he becomes greedy like most other counters and gives himself away. It is a known fact in the gambling business that counters like to brag about the scores they have made in Nevada clubs and in foreign casinos. They become greedy and egotistical and start telling others how smart they are. Soon these counters are known and are run out of the clubs. Instead of limiting their bets to $40 and grinding out like Goldberg, they try for the big score and jump their bets drastically when the count shows the cards may fall in their favor. But any boss who knows anything about the game can spot this move and soon the counter realizes he's been nailed and leaves meanwhile. Goldberg could be playing a few tables away, smiling, yawning and sipping his beer-and grinding out his $1,000 a week.