Knowing when to leave the table
A hot dealer is a metaphysical event, I believe. It makes no sense any other way. Some dealers stay hot all the time. Others come to work hot, then cool off later in the day. Some never seem to have a hot, even a hot hour.
When I'm deciding what table to play I look at the dealer's tray. If it's overflowing it might be the players are not good ones, but it probably means the dealer's been hot or that it's simply a hot table. If I sit down at it, I do so without letting myself get comfy until I see what the table's doing. I'll stay three hands of minimum bet no-win before I try a strategy to bust the dealer run. I try that six more hands, and if it doesn't work, I leave the table, provided the entire table's losing.
That's roughly what I do when there's a change of dealers, also. The burn card can change things, particularly one-on-one when dealers change. But if I can't break the run one-on-one I'll get up with my chips, go to the refreshment bar, whatever, then return to the table and tell the dealer to burn a card, try again.
But if the dealer stays hot, or the table's hot, or you're just having a bad day, you might as well change tables or go fishing.
Choosing a table
It's worth hanging around watching the play a few hands before you jump in. Look at the tray. An empty tray is always a good sign. Watch to see whether the dealer's busting when he ought to bust. Watch to see how the other players are playing their hands. Look at the chips in front of them.
But another thing I look for when I'm picking a table is the players. If there's a loudmouth, full of lively talk and advice, someone who yells, Double Down! when the other players are making up their minds, I ask myself whether I want to sit at the table with this guy.
If there's someone on third, I watch his play pretty carefully. I don't play for the table, but if the guy on third who isn't me isn't a table player, I usually won't play with him on third.... which is to say, if he plays the way I do...... I like a consistent, predictable player on third base if it isn't me.
When to quit
An acquaintance of mine, Tony, old-time blackjack dealer, card gambler who's worked casinos everywhere for 40 years managed to put together $100K for a snatch and grab operation in Vegas.... he had a friend much like himself with another $100K as part of the operation, both seasoned for life players.
The third part of the operation was a mutual friend of both, a dealer in Vegas. These guys were planning to retire off this trip. They had every reason to believe they would. They all knew the ropes.
When two experienced players know what cards are going to hit next, still can't win, it's time to go watch the naked dancing girls or something. But it took them too long to set up this exact circumstance. It was a one time deal.... If those two particular players sat down at with that particular dealer..... well, it just couldn't be repeated.
So, Tony and his accomplices played out the whole deadly routine..... died and went to heaven moneywise on that table, that setup.....all that saving, all that planning and scheming down the drain, and three guys broke. Guys who should have known there's a time when it's best just to cut your losses.
Jack