With all this info...

[jackpine]

With all this advice on card counting, you would think everyone is doing it. I'll bet more players are counting than you think. I would imagine that in every set of table at any given weekend, there are counters.

[johndoe]

Originally Posted by jackpine

With all this advice on card counting, you would think everyone is doing it. I'll bet more players are counting than you think. I would imagine that in every set of table at any given weekend, there are counters.

No way. I've been playing for quite a while now and I have only once shared a table with someone that I thought might be counting, but even then I wasn't sure.

[UncrownedKing]

I'll bet more players are counting than you think. I would imagine that in every set of table at any given weekend, there are counters.

I agree with the statement above. Remember guys, the best counters are the ones you don't know about. Just because other people at the table aren't playing their counting system perfect or perfect BS, doesn't mean they aren't counting. The art of counting is looking like you are a loser to everyone, including other people at the table. As long as you come out with a marginal profit is what matters.

[SleightOfHand]

Originally Posted by jackpine

With all this advice on card counting, you would think everyone is doing it. I'll bet more players are counting than you think. I would imagine that in every set of table at any given weekend, there are counters.

While there may be a lot of information on the internet, you have to consider the ignorance of people. From what I read, around 1% of people use BS let alone count.

[jackpine]

Originally Posted by UncrownedKing

I agree with the statement above. Remember guys, the best counters are the ones you don't know about. Just because other people at the table aren't playing their counting system perfect or perfect BS, doesn't mean they aren't counting. The art of counting is looking like you are a loser to everyone, including other people at the table. As long as you come out with a marginal profit is what matters.

Do you guys keep your chips visible or pocket them as you win to hide how much your carrying or betting?

[DonR]

Originally Posted by johndoe

No way. I've been playing for quite a while now and I have only once shared a table with someone that I thought might be counting, but even then I wasn't sure.

I spot a counter on almost every visit to a casino. I can tell by their betting ramps, wonging, and sometimes even by their modified playing strategy.

Now, the fact that they are counting does not mean that they are good. Just like UncrownedKing said, a good AP should probably look like a loser, at least most of the time.

I think that there are a lot of people out there, just like myself, who would like to be good at this, but it is far away from being easy. There is a very good reason why only the chosen few succeed in this brutal battle.

[takinfromindians97]

No way any counter should be able to see another counter at his table one way or another your bets should go up and down together most of the time obviously all counts are different and sometimes you can be positive with one count well negative with another (i know this so please dont point it out). But if you are playing at the same table for any amount of time at all you should be able to pick him out by the way he takes insurence and plays his indices and alot of other things should send up flags to another AP. I have been playing for years now and i have only seen a handfull of counters and mainly there were in AC when the four decks came about for a while there.

[EasyRhino]

If they're playing at your table, or if you're observing the bets at another table, it's fairly hard to miss. Even if they're using a count that's very different than yours, there's going to be a substantial correlation in bets.

So it depends on the joint, but counters are pretty uncommon. I mean, it really does take some work and practice to get even the basics down. Half the people think it's impossible and don't try. The other half couldn't figure it out even if they tried.

[Slick Vic]

I'm willing to bet there are a lot of people out there who know the rudimentary knowledge of card counting, if not most people. Most people know that there's a way to beat blackjack. Hell, I remember back when I was 15 or 16 or so watching a 20/20 special about professional gamblers and hearing one of the guys say "when the cards are high, bet big." I can remember trying to use that information during my senior all-night party playing blackjack with prize coupons... lol. (I didn't do so well with it)

Knowing about card counting is not exactly exclusive knowledge. It's gotten somewhat obvious to me when someone who has no clue how to count cards tries to do it at the table. He'll just wait until a few small cards spill out of the shoe and throw down an exorbitant amount of money, only to watch it disappear the next round. He'll have this look on his face that says "why didn't that work?" What he doesn't understand is that card counting is a lot more than just knowing that high cards are good and low cards are bad. That's like expecting to be able to drive a car only knowing that the accelerator speeds the car up and the brakes slow it down. You'll crash and burn very quickly if you don't know the rules of the road, how to steer, use traffic signals, obey signs, etc.

Are there lots of people who try to count? Sure, probably more than we think. Are there lots of people who can actually use card counting to turn it into advantage play. Sure, but for every competent counter, there's probably 10 more that need more practice. I don't think I've seen another counter at the table before that knew what he was doing, or if I have then he was truly worthy of praise for blending in so well.

[Mimosine]

there are many people who can count in their home who can't in a casino.
there are people who haven't practiced enough and make mistakes that they aren't even aware of.
and there are many other components necessary to make a successful counter. one of them is emotional, another is financial.
you can't be a gambler and you have to have a pretty substantial stake in the bank.
if any of these or countless others are off, even the most proficient "counter" is destined for ruin.

i've encountered two or three counters in the past 2 years. one was pretty damn blatant, playing 2X10 to 2X150 for several hours (6D) I was using KO he was using Hi/LO I was playing in his shadow except he always wonged out 1 round before me! --- i though it was Rhino, the other was even worse; The second one i found after a few rounds in this small dumpy joint (2X10 to 2X80 on DD). he was minutes away from a backoff and I didn't want to be there for the backoff. Again I thought it was Rhino, but it wasn't. I've never seen a counter in vegas, though i've only logged probably less than 120 hours there. I've played with thousands of people at this point and found 2 competent counters, one of whom was being overly aggressive at a small sweaty dump with no act. an anecdote, yes, with a little evidence.