Got burned hard using Hi-Lo count

[solidus4008]

Placed a 50 dollar bet based on TC and got dealt a 10 (yay) and a 2 (****).
Dealer shows a 9 so I hit and get an Ace (13) and i hit again and get another Ace (14) and I hit again and get a 10 (bust). Very pissed off.

That damn Ace!

Any suggestions? Should I side count Aces so I don't get burned when the count is high. I realized that it shouldn't suprise me that I got aces based on the count but it really pissed me off.

[callipygian]

Originally Posted by solidus4008

Any suggestions?

Stop thinking you're going to win every single hand when the count is high. That only happens in the movies.

At a true count of +16 (!!!) you will still lose more hands than you win. Only a true counts of +18 (!!!) or higher will you actually win more hands than you lose.

At a true count of +5, you'll be winning about 44% of your hands and losing about 48%. However, you'll win more of your doubled and split bets, which will make up the difference.

[cardcounter0]

wait, you played a single hand of bj with a high TC and lost? what?

According to the movie "21", you are supposed to win everytime.

maybe you mis-counted.

[unknown_aussie]

I have been quite fortunate. Like the movie (I haven't even seen it), when I put max bet, 50 units, or sometimes 2 hands of 50 units, I win. It was ridiculous. I had 9, on true count 5, doubled and got a 3, vs a 3. Dealer pulls out a 7, then 2, 2, T :D

[Canceler]

For me, the original post raised all kinds of possible questions and comments. But, rather than get into that, I’m going to assume he was just looking for a way to vent a little frustration. Which is, I think, a valid use of these forums. I mean, who else is going to understand when we talk about blackjack?

[blackjack avenger]

If you play enough you will have many, many hands similar and worse.

I was playing multiple action. The dealer had a 5 showing so I am doubling and splitting and the dealer pulls 21, 3 hands in a row to take about 10 large bets, every hand lost.

I was playing 2 hands of regular BJ. I lost all bets for 6 rounds in a row. The dealer was horrified as was I

Another? I was playing one hand and when I won I would spread to 2 hands which I would lose. I repeated till end of shoe and was crushed, all the bets were medium large.

Endless stories of losing multiple splits and doubles.

I have actually won some hands also

[unknown_aussie]

These stories are nice, let it out people. (I only started recently, got nothing to share)

[Doofus]

When you lose, you are going to lose in high counts. It's really simple when you think about it. In negative counts you are either not playing or are playing only one unit. But when the count goes high, you push out 6, 8, 10, 20 units. And as has been pointed out, the ratio of wins to losses is still slightly against you except in the most absurdly high counts.

Slowly I am learning this lesson - but damn, it still stings when I lost big bets in high counts. "IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO WORK THAT WAY!" But it does. Heh heh heh.

Bottom line for me - you have to have the bankroll to continue to push out big bets in big counts, even though you're getting killed. If you can't do this, you are not an Advantage Player.

[jack,jackson]

Originally Posted by unknown_aussie

These stories are nice, let it out people. (I only started recently, got nothing to share)

Same here! Mommy!

[Mimosine]

Originally Posted by Doofus

When you lose, you are going to lose in high counts.

plain and simple. it happens all the times, be thankful if you go into a high count and lose hand over fist, only to reach in your wallet and buy in multiple times as you lose $100 after $100, yet somehow manage in the last two hands to break even.

you're going to lose and lose bad in high counts, if you can stomach it, and not react to it, then you'll get through it. if you can't you'll either quit when you should stay, or overbet when you should tone it down.