Question for Mr. Renzey about his Mentor Count

[Blackjack Bauer]

I just finished reading Blackjack Bluebook II because I'm in search of a count that will be effective for double deck games. So many members of this site have recommended the Mentor Count so I had to research it. I've used hi-lo for the past few years where I know each true count represents about a .5% advantage; therefore I would put my max bets out at a TC of +4 where I have about a 2% advantage (not subtracting for the initial house advantage). In your book you say each mentor true count represents a 1/8% advantage, and your bet ramp for an average 6 deck game with average penetration has a max bet of 10 units going out at a TC of +10. This would only represent a 1.25% advantage (not subtracting for the initial house advantage). Over the past few years I've played with the assumption that this would only be about a 5-6 unit bet. Am I missing something or are you just recommending to be extremely aggressive?

If any members know the answer to my question feel free to respond...I know this is the last day for the message boards so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Friendo]

I am also curious about this: I practiced with Fred Renzey's ramp, and noticed I was throttling up fast, to the point of quintupling my bets on successive hands fairly often.

I have run a few dozen Mentor sims on CVCX and CVData, and I have never seen a ramp, for a spread of 1-8 or more on a shoe, which did not hit maximum bet at between 13 and 19, depending on rules, penetration, and Wonging strategy. For pitch, or lower spreads, it's different: some ramps on CVCX will top out at 12, or, if the rules are really weak, 11.

The ramps in Renzey's book seem to be set to guarantee a sufficient advantage at any game. It's just that they are quite aggressive for shoes with decent rules and penetration.

I recall simming with the given ramps: risk of ruin was higher, as were win rates, but not much in either case. They will get the money.

Picturing Mentor true counts as 1/4 a high-low count value is a serviceable summation of the equivalence between the two.

I'd be interested in hearing Fred Renzey's discussion of these ramps.