What level are you at?

[aussiecounter]

Hi guys.

I was using the name "liber8_d" before, but I decided to re-register with a more suitable name. :D

I'm another wannabe card counter, from the Sydney area.

I've been trying to learn Basic Strategy on and off for a few months now, and dabbling in learning to count. By this I mean flicking through a deck as fast as I can while counting using hi-lo.

In the last two weeks I've decided to take it more serious, with the goal of actually being able to use this developing "skill".
I've polished my counting, and now I can count a deck out single draw in 24 seconds average, which I used to do in about 35 when I had just gotten the hang of it). From what I've read this seems to be good enough, or at least signify that my brain recognises the values quick enough for me to be able to count properly in real conditions.
My BS is almost there, but I do still make a few errors. I'm currently using the blackjackinfo.com Basic Strategy trainer, which seems pretty good.
I've only recently started to actually count the cards while using the BS trainer, and I seem to be able to do it ok so far(I know its not meant for, or ideal for that).

My immediate plans at this moment are to continue as is, practicing as much as I can and work on the in game counting. I'm going to buy and read Bringing Down the House(just for fun) and Wong's Professional Blackjack to start.
I'm also looking at getting a more complete Card Counting program, Casino Verite's or something like that, I'll have to look into it a bit more.

Anyway, I hope that we can get this section of the forum to be a bit more active, because it would be good to chat with other Aussies and hopefully share experiences etc.
I'll be sending PMs and/or emails to the few people who have posted here already to bring you back in.

Cheers.

[Jeff Dubya]

I have the palm pilot program, I have ordered the book (K-O) and I have a basic understanding of how it all works. However, as emphasised by other players in these very forums, I am trying to make my basic strategy perfect before I make the jump.

It's coming...

[nightfoxx]

hello all,
i agree that we need to get this area of the forum more active again, however i think that the main reason that the "real" aussie counters don't post here is because they post at this site... www.blackjack-masters.com , a site for the company blackjack masters run by Andrew W Scott a veterin aussie card counter who is banned from all aussie casino's and now makes a living from playing high stakes over seas and teaching ppl to card count here in australia... his courses are rather expensive but his expected winnings page for the aussie casino's are very impressive and i'm considering buying his basic course kits 1 & 2, which costs $990. this is a fair bit of cash to me since i am only a uni student, and also considering that he recommends a minimum bankroll of $12 000, giving only a 3% risk of ruin (very good). once you buy his courses or kits you get access to a special student forum where you can get specifc help etc, however they also have a public forum... free to sign up where ppl can ask more generic questions. this forum is good because it deals specifically with australian conditions and games that this forum and other sights and books don't look at.

but, having said all this praise, i took the expected earnings for adelaide casino (my local) and emailed them to the seller of a blackjack software progam (also blackjack player) who ran a simulation for me- he beleives that the expected earnings are not possible to acheive. i also made a thread in.. i think it was "general blackjack" on this forum asking if anyone could confirm that those earnings were possible and got no real answer, so if anyone could have a look and give me their thoughts that would be greatly appreciated.

with respect to my skills, i'v have: bringing down the house, proffessional blackjack, worlds greatest blackjack book, million dollar blackjack, quick guide to winning blackjack, play blackjack like the pro's and arnold snyders new book which a lent to someone one and can't remember the name of... think its twentieth century blackjack... but can't remember. these books were all really helpful and i was able to get most of them off ebay for around 10-20 bucks each (good value). however, as i mentioned, they don't cover australian blackjack only US and some UK.

i have also almost got basic strategy taken care of, just a few decisions to do with double downs and splits that i have to master. i can consistenly count down a deck accurately in 20 secs... my best is 16, but heres the catch... when i try to count down 8 decks in a row (i bought some casino cards and a dealers shoe) i rarely come out with the correct count at the end... usually off by about 2 or 3, but sometimes as much as 7/8, which would be very bad in a real life situation... so i know i need to keep practicing.

however given the fact that i am just a student, and don't have much money, even if i were to perfect my skills or buy this course ($990) it would be ages until i would be able to get a $12000 bankroll together, so blackjack has taken a backseat for now as one of my hobbies as i play poker more often these days. but there is another option, there is a type of team play (discussed in some books including arnold snyders new book) where 2 or more people 'play to a joint bank,' that is if they need a $12 000 bank maybe four people chip in $3000 each and they can each individually play as if they had the 12 000 behind them, then at the end of a certain period the team pools the wins and divides them equally amoungst the four players. this type of team play has its pro's and cons, but it what i am currently lookings at doing sometime in the near future...

if anyone has any questions etc you can email me at morick_sa_2003@hotmail.com or add me to your msn messenger list and i'll do my best to answer or point you to a source that i know of the could help you. i hope all of the above makes sense, i can't be bothered proof reading back over it as i have a 1500 word essay to write that i haven't started and is due tomorrow

again, keep posting here, keep this forum alive

thanks

nightfoxx

[aussiecounter]

So it sounds like you guys are on a similar track to me. Just doing what you can to sharpen up the skills and knowledge before making a serious attempt at card counting.

I've been trying to find Professional Blackjack just at local bookstores but I've had no luck. Only place that has it is Dymocks Online/City, but I think I may get it from this site's bookshop, as I'm looking at buying Casino Verite as well.

My 'skills' have been a little neglected lately; I haven't been using the BS trainer much, but I've been doing the 'count through' a bit. I'm down to around 20 seconds consistently now.

Nightfoxx, my personal opinion would be not to buy that course. I don't see how there is $990 worth of info he could teach you. The only valuable info he could tell you is the casino rules and conditions etc, the rest is available for free here and other places.
I think you should just keep plugging away with reading up and practicing the Basic Strategy and counting, and then go for a trip into the casino and just see how you go playing with Basic Strategy, while checking out the table conditions.

I've only been to Star City a few times, and only played Blackjack once, when I came out $100 ahead at a $10 minimum table after more than two hours. I started with $100(I had more ready, but didn't need it), and I just used rough Basic Strategy.

Have you guys been to a casino and played blackjack? How many times? If you haven't, I would highly recommend you put aside $100 or so and have a go. It will motivate you. If you win, you'll be hooked, but if you lose it'll probably just motivate you to learn to count properly so you can go back and get your money back plus.
I went with my brother and sister and our partners, and we all pretty well had a ball. I think my brother was getting pissed at me winning at the blackjack, until the bugger hit it lucky on the Rapid Roulette or whatever its called.

Keep up the chat here guys, and if you find any good places for info on aussie casinos, let us all know.