Quote from Skinny in a previous post: "I am not so ready to accept that the crew was trying to give you heat. In the beginning (and sometimes even after a long time) of becoming a controlled shooter most folks think that all eyes are upon them and get paranoid about common occurrences they attribute to the casino going after them."

Skinny always seems to have something interesting to say. And it is much appreciated that he shares those insights. Along with others, they provide great tips on practice, fundamentals and the like. But Skinny touches here on something else.
It is hard enough to deal with the realities of controlled shooting that we do not need to create imagined scenarios. For sure, there are real circumstances of heat at the casino, but I submit to you that those are very easily seen for what they are. When a casino wants to give you heat, it is usually not subtle. They don’t have to be nice about it. There is a difference between a nasty dealer and a nasty dealer who wants to give you heat to affect your throw. It may be subtle, and the effect the same on you the shooter, but there is a difference in my opinion.

I had an experience recently at a casino that I play often at and is considered a good place to play by GTC. It is in AC. I have worked hard to do everything right at this place. Building on the credit earned by other GTC shooters over the years and establishing myself as an individual who is a good player to have at the table.
Anyway, I am shooting and there is a guy to my left that comes up to the table on my left while I am getting ready to come out. He buys in for big money. I take the dice and start shooting. I see that unlike my previous session the dice are looking good in the air and landing nicely. I go on to have a good shoot. Not spectacular but real good. A moneymaker with a lot of repeat numbers. Maybe I am in the 20’s and between throws while waiting for the dice, I feel someone behind me and I can see the dealers are looking past me at someone behind me. I turn around and see two suits. I say nothing, turn back to the table and await the dice. Outwardly I show nothing. But inside I am seething. I can’t believe that this has occurred. I am now trying to do damage control and stay in the zone, but I feel compromised and betrayed by the dealers.
Just then, still while I do not have the dice, one of the suits says to the guy next to me that he has brought in a backpack and this is not allowed in the casino. I glance down to my left and sure enough, there is a backpack on the floor. I did not even notice this when he came in, and apparently neither did the dealers or the pit boss, who is a really good guy and very friendly and supportive. But apparently the eye in the sky saw it. They are now telling the guy he has to take the backpack out of the casino….NOW. The pit boss comes over, sees what is happening, assesses the situation and says to the suits, "OK, but let the guy finish shooting, right after the shoot I will make sure the guy removes the backpack.
Now I understand and am trying to regain my composure. I went on to finish up a good shoot. And the suits stood behind me quiet. I was OK with this because I realized that they were not there to give me heat. At least, not the heat that I was ready to lose my focus for. Now, even though they were not technically there for me, it could have had the same effect as if they were there for me by taking me out of my game. It almost did. The pit boss saved the day in my opinion.
THE POINT IS THAT IT WAS NOT ABOUT ME AT ALL. I JUST ASSUMED IT WAS WHEN I SAW THE TWO SUITS. Sometimes we think we are more important than we are. It was a good lesson to learn.
We have enough to worry about real heat that we don’t need to create imagined heat. Stay in the game, trust the throw, and don’t think that you stick out so much. Lots of players set dice and take a lot longer than you to shoot.

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