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Review by Arnold Snyder

Blackjack Expert and creator of
Blackjack Forum Online

How to Beat Casino Surveillance: An Insider's Secrets for Card Counters by Vinny DeCarlo, is a new e-book published by Henry Tamburin's Research Services Unlimited. It's 81 pages, and at an introductory price of $79, that makes the cost almost $1 per page. On June 1, the price goes up to $99, more than a buck a page.

Is it worth it? Only if you are a card counter, and especially if you are a card counter in Las Vegas.

Vinny DeCarlo claims to have 27 years experience in casino management and to have worked as a consultant to the top six casino owners and/or operators. The introduction to this book is written by Max Rubin, who himself has some 30 years or so in the industry, working on both sides of the table, and if Vinny's okay with Max, far be it from me to question Vinny's credentials. The book definitely has the ring of truth to it and there's an awful lot of inside information on the workings of specific Vegas casinos that I haven't seen anywhere, ever. The author also has a wild sense of humor. From Max's Intro: “...[DeCarlo] succinctly points out all of the leaks in the dysfunctional joints and he shows you how to whack them with glee. Having access to this is the kind of intel that is unprecedented in the annals of card counting, and if you're a serious player, you need this book.”

The first ten pages provide general information on how to play under the radar and how to diffuse a backoff, with 20 “power plays” to keep you in action. Following this, there are full reports on 27 different Las Vegas casinos. If you play with any regularity at any of these joints, and especially if you play at high stakes, you will likely find this e-book easily worth the price. The casinos with full reports are: Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Circus Circus, Excalibur, Green Valley Ranch, Hard Rock, M Resort, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, Mirage, Monte Carlo, NY NY, Orleans, Palace Station, Palms, Paris, Planet Hollywood, Red Rock, Rio, Sahara, Stratosphere, Treasure Island, Tropicana, Wynn/Encore, and Venetian/Palazzo. Most reports are 2 or 3 pages each, and discuss in detail the pit and surveillance staffs, their weaknesses, and the best strategies for attacking them and getting away with it.

I would rate this book as must reading for any serious advantage player in Las Vegas. This is the best book on surveillance since Cellini's 2003 Card Counter's Guide to Casino Surveillance.

My advice: Save yourself $20 and get it before June 1 when the price goes up. You can purchase it from: www.bjinsider.com/cs