Luck, perhaps
I am the first to agree. I fully realize that my recent trips, for the most part have been, unusually good. May not be the best way to play, but I get alot more agressive on lower high true counts, say +3, or 4, when I am on house money. I try not to get greedy or play dangerously when I have a good shoe. I Get up and leave when ahead. I have left tables mid deck or shoe after winning a good split of double down if my stack has grown substantially, even with a great count. Too many times, seeming impossible dealer hands occur, regardless of count. The highest bet of the night, suddenly turns into a double down, with 20, against the dealer six, followed by the unthinkable 5, then King. I don't know about anyone else, but that steams me so badly I get reckless and have literally given back one or two thousand, and totally lost count, . . .often leaving a once triple stack, broke. If I'm up a little for the table, I will often raise my bet the full 5 units (on black) or 10 (on green) on a +3 or 4. At or below my original table stack, I don't "gamble" at all. I use the basic hi-low count with side Ace count, with conservative betting adjustments. I will quite often leave the table, or change casinos and scale down table minimums after loosing 15 or 20 units, following all the BS and counting rules. It happens.
Card counting is much easier for me to talk about, than actually do. Last time I was in the Borgata at 2 am on a Saturday Morning, they actually had naked show girls 'body painted' parading around, causing everyone to loose count, or worse! At the risk of having sexual orientation questioned, like it matters, I refussed to even look; the true count was +6 and I had a pink chip out. The reality is, that's hard to do. About four years ago, when I stopped drinks free comps due a bad series of run ins with the law, I soon discovered that I was often winning more than loosing, just trying to keep a vauge count. After I read Bringing Down the House, I really tightened up. This has allowed me the benifit to try much better games in Vegas, found more in "the pits" or Freemont. I refuse to play in teams as I am sure that will draw the inevetable "heat." My little 1 or 1 1/2% real advantage play is enough for me.
Additionally, with the time restictions of 10 to 15 total gaming hours available comfortably on a weekend when I either drive or fly 6 hours one way, I have been inclined to base my bank role on one gaming session, 50 or 60 betting units. Yes, I have lost this in the first hour or play, but maybe one out of 3 times.
Finally, for the most part, I make no adjustment for eledged casino heat (except Freemont), where it is real. Playing bigger Casinos, at higher tables on a crowded night, my little bankroll or play draws little or no attention. "Heat" can be real, but at a $100 table, buying in at five or ten chips at a time draws no attention what so ever, when the guys on either side of me are calling in 3 & 4 thousand dollar markers to continue playing, who cares if my five blacks are now 15. I prefer to play head to head with the dealer, but that does draw attention. I have grown comfortable playing at partial or full tables. My bets are usually the smallest at the table. I try to fly under the radar.
Fully realizing that some may read my posts and dismiss them as story telling, My recent gaming experiences have been very real, and I am not story telling. Since I really started tightening my count a few months ago, I paid off all credit card debt, and acquired one and only one margin account of 10K at Mandala Bay, against my better judgement, with my improved FICO score. I have not used it, yet.
BS, counting and betting rules are fairly standard. We all have the books and charts. My rules are simple:
1. stay sobor
2. balance fear and greed
3. actually KEEP COUNT! and follow the correct BS for the game your playing.
4. Anyone can loose occationally under the best conditions; don't hesitate to leave when ahead.
5. play higher tables with a shorter stack, under the radar, buy in for smaller amounts, I don't loose as much when I buy fewer chips at a time and the table goes south.
6. Don't mix counting systems. stay consistant. I use hi-low with A side count. To try changing would cost me dearly during the transition. Regardless of counting system, stay with it.
7. I am fully prepared to loose my total bankroll before I leave my home. If I can't pay all bills a month in advance and still have a bankroll, I DON"T GO!
8. And stay off plastic, no brainer.
Rambled on to long, but just my thoughts.