Best Basic Strategy Trainer

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vonQuux

Well-Known Member
#1
#1
I use blackjackinfo.com's Blackjack Strategy Trainer religiously. A minimum of :30 a day, usually closer to :90, sometimes even more than that.

The interface is clean, the cards are large. I can control the size of the shoe, S17/H17, doubling options, DAS, NS/ES/LS and whether insurance is offered. It'll even tell you when you make a BS mistake (or turn it off if you'd prefer).

It's darn near perfect. I say "near" because it doesn't allow me to peek at the RC/TC from time to time to make sure I'm not making errors. I asked the author if he intended to add it and he did mention it was on the wish list.

While I'm waiting for this amazing app to go that last step, is anyone aware of a thin (online) client or mac application that will be every bit as good as BJI's tool but also add RC/TC support?

It's killing me because right now, counting errors are probably the only thing stopping me from walking into a casino. I was considering Blackjack Gold but I really, REALLY do not like the setup. The cards are absolutely tiny.

TIA,
vQ
 
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rollem411

Well-Known Member
#2
#2
I would suggest buying 6 or 8 decks and playing the game at your kitchen table or whatever. Also, I bought an automatic shuffler for about $15. It keeps the cards nice and crisp for deck estimation when converting to TC. I never practiced online so I can't help you there, but this was just a suggestion.
 
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vonQuux

Well-Known Member
#3
#3
rollem411 said:
I would suggest buying 6 or 8 decks and playing the game at your kitchen table or whatever. Also, I bought an automatic shuffler for about $15. It keeps the cards nice and crisp for deck estimation when converting to TC. I never practiced online so I can't help you there, but this was just a suggestion.
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I actually did precisely this. Even went so far as to pick up some nice clay chips. Unfortunately, this requires that every so often I go back through the discard pile and recount which is a tremendous pain in the ***. It's also prone to errors itself.

Christ on a cracker, I really wish BST allowed a peek at TC...

vQ
 
C

Canceler

Well-Known Member
#4
#4
Making things too complicated...

vonQuux said:
...this requires that every so often I go back through the discard pile and recount...
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Why? It's a simple matter to see at the end of the shoe if your count is on. If you lose the count midway through, just start over.
 
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vonQuux

Well-Known Member
#5
#5
Canceler said:
Why? It's a simple matter to see at the end of the shoe if your count is on. If you lose the count midway through, just start over.
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Losing count is one thing, thinking I have the right count (but being wrong) is another. And it's that latter problem that seems to be giving me fits.

vQ
 
C

Canceler

Well-Known Member
#6
#6
vonQuux said:
Losing count is one thing, thinking I have the right count (but being wrong) is another. And it's that latter problem that seems to be giving me fits.
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This is where the confidence comes in. Just keep going to the end, where it's easy to see if you're off.

To cut down on the suspense, I would recommend using just two decks, instead of 6 or 8. My feeling is that you can either keep an accurate count, or you can't. If you can consistently be right over two decks, more decks shouldn't be a problem.
 
V

vonQuux

Well-Known Member
#7
#7
Canceler said:
This is where the confidence comes in. Just keep going to the end, where it's easy to see if you're off.

To cut down on the suspense, I would recommend using just two decks, instead of 6 or 8. My feeling is that you can either keep an accurate count, or you can't. If you can consistently be right over two decks, more decks shouldn't be a problem.
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I don't know why this is but every time I ask "How do I do A," it seems like I get a ton of responses that say, "Don't do A, do B." In another forum I wanted to know the mathematical point at which bad counting is worse than no counting. I get answers like "keep practicing" which might be useful but not what I was asking.

And it's driving me nuts.

I want to do this in software because software offers certain advantages. No decks to carry around, the ability to track how many hands I've played, how many of those hands I've won or lost, warn me when I've made a BS error, immediate feedback on counting deviation, select decks in a shoe, incorporate various rules, etc.

So ...please, if anyone happens to know of a software tool that'll do this, I'd definitely appreciate a reply.

vQ

PS: While I am frustrated by this phenomena, this isn't intended as a flame. I just don't know how to express my dilemma any other way.
 
blackjack avenger

blackjack avenger

Well-Known Member
#8
#8
We Wonder Why?

New Players come to this site and ask help from experienced players. The new players come here, they are not made to post here. Yet, when several experienced players say do A and not B why is it that the new inexperienced players don't listen?

for training software qfit may be the place to go.
 
V

vonQuux

Well-Known Member
#9
#9
blackjack avenger said:
New Players come to this site and ask help from experienced players. The new players come here, they are not made to post here. Yet, when several experienced players say do A and not B why is it that the new inexperienced players don't listen?
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What bugs me is that there is an assumption that I haven't thought these things out and there's a reason why I'm asking for the thing I'm asking for.

But I can see your point. In another thread, someone asked about "automatic shuffling machines" when they perhaps meant "continuous shuffling machines." If the question was answered exactly as posed, the person might wind up thinking they had the right answer which could be disastrous.

It's just frustrating when it's the other way around. Again, I wasn't trying to be a douche, I just can't think of a gentler way to say "this is what I'm looking for, specifically."

blackjack avenger said:
for training software qfit may be the place to go.
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His software doesn't run on OS X.

Which is why I asked for a thin/OS X client. =P

Seriously tho, I do appreciate 90% of the replies I get. I don't want to come off otherwise.

vQ
 
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madpete

New Member
#10
#10
I use Super BlackJack v5.8.0 by Crazy Hermit games and quite like it.
I'm not affiliated with it in any way and in fact got it on a popular torrent site, but the features are as follows:
-User defined basic strategy
-User defined house rules (including rules for many popular casinos)
-User defined counting systems (Hi-Lo provided)
-User defined penetration
-Counting trainer (flash cards either 1s interval or user controlled with optional hide TC)
-BS trainer either sequential or random
-Single spot game with BS advice and user can turn on or hide: count/hand value.

The only downside is that you only get to play one hand at a time, but other than that I like it.
Hope it helps!
 
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