zen count

[avs21]

I'm thinking of switching to zen from hi-lo. This might sound stupid, but Arnold Snyder's book Blackbelt In Blackjack. Is the index numbers in the back for Zen, running count/ decks remaining times 4: or running count/ decks remaining? Is Zen the most advanced strategy without an ace side count?

[Automatic Monkey]

Zen is not the most advanced single parameter strategy. Depending on what you are playing, Zen might actually be a downgrade from High-Low, as Zen will underperform High-Low in most shoe games where you use a very large spread (sorry ZG!). You will receive a mere 10% improvement in win rate by switching to RPC which is level 2 like Zen is, and nothing significant by switching to anything more complicated than that. This applies to large spread shoe only, Zen and ace neutral counts show their power in SD and DD games where you need more finesse than brute force.

I myself use Zen for Blackjack Switch, where the devalued ace more accurately represents the value of the ace in this game which pays 1:1 on naturals.

[avs21]

I am going to be playing majority of the time shoe games. Sticking with hi-lo lite would be the best path? Does the RPC have indexes for multi-deck?

thank you

[Automatic Monkey]

Sure, the indices for RPC are very close to double those of High-Low. There isn't that much of a difference; the RPC tags are {-2,1,2,2,2,2,1,0,0,-2), so all you are doing is trading half of the 2's for half of the 7's.

[zengrifter]

Originally Posted by avs21

Is the index numbers in the back for Zen, running count/ decks remaining times 4: or running count/ decks remaining?

Its RC/DR/4 - QUARTER DECKS REMAINING! zg

[zengrifter]

Originally Posted by avs21

Does the RPC have indexes for multi-deck?

You NEVER need to learn specific seperate indices for multi-deck. Read my interview page 4. zg

[avs21]

thank you for the help

[PokerJunky]

I have recently switched from Hi-Opt I to Zen and been have a brutal stretch of losses playing 6 deck games. I understand that running a simo that Zen and Hi-Lo is superior to Hi-Opt I. I have played Hi-Lo and, in general, noticed that I would tend to bump my bets towards the latter half of the shoe (less variation). With the Zen Count, this can happen much sooner. The issue I am having is that I do not win a mjaority of the hands and find myself deep in the hole after the shoe is complete.

Has anyone had problems with Zen where you are bumping you bets on early in a shoe game and ended up taking some brutal losses? (I have played approximately 20,000 hands)

[avs21]

Did you learn most or all of the indixes?

[zengrifter]

Originally Posted by PokerJunky

Has anyone had problems with Zen where you are bumping you bets on early in a shoe game and ended up taking some brutal losses? (I have played approximately 20,000 hands)

...One is natural variance, the other being counting errors, or both. zg