Help me grow some balls.

[ninous26]

Well, first off I'd like to introduce myself.. I'm Nino, and I'm new here. I just registered because I went to the casino for the first time in my life and played live which is a big thing for me.

Heres my backround: I've been playing blackjack since I was 6.. All for fun and I've done it for money online. I'd like to call my brother a pro because hes won thousands in blackjack just off basic strategy.. If not for him I would not be here right now.

Anyway, my brother has taught me LOTS about blackjack.. He's retired from the game ( banned himself from casinos here in AZ).

So I ended up going to the casino today with my best friend.. All I brought was 100 dollars cash and my ID. Left my wallet in the car. I was kind of nervous at first, I got yelled at a few times by the dealer for not making hand signals but I quickly caught on.

Here's the problem.. I'll end up playing on a "hot" table as you would call it and I would start making good small portions.. I mean I would start winning 5-6 hands in a row. After making a profit of 80 dollars from a hot table I would get scared I would lose it all and I would get up and leave when I should have stayed and won more money. I'd end up going to a cold table and lose all my winnings.. This went back and forth all night then I decided to call it quits when I reached a 300 dollar profit.


Needless to say I was really happy for winning 300 dollars for my very first time in a live casino. I'm just feeling a little stupid knowing that I could have won a lot more... Out of nervousness I forgot a lot of the things that my bro taught me. I did tip the dealers though, which they really appreciated.

Can anyone give me advice on self control and not getting scared off of losing my profits? When is a good time to walk away? When the dealer shuffles? How can you tell if the table is getting cold? I need help on not being so impulsive and indecisive.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Harman]

Do you count the cards? I think we need to speak with your brother if he has made all this money without counting. Of course, if you are not counting, you should set yourself a limit. Say your 100 dollars. If you double it you should leave, if you lose it all you should leave. Are you actually using a system or just BS? What are the 'tips' your brother has given you?

 

[ninous26]

Bro cannot know about this.. He actually quit so I do not fall in his footsteps, I'd get killed if he found out I was doing this... I don't count nor "cheat"/ increase my advantages in anyway.. I just play pure strategy, and if I really want to take a gamble I make guesses.

My brother just always taught me to have nerves of steal and to never lose focus- easier said than done by a first timer.

He also had a lot of superstitious beliefs when playing BJ that have been passed down to me (i.e. when on a good streak NEVER count how much chips you have infront of you to see how much you're up. It changes your thoughts and can throw you off focus). Pretty much stuff like that. I've also been told that sometimes the dealer just cannot be beat as he has lost thousands by the dealer constantly getting 21's on his 19's and 20's.

Difference between me and him is that I know when to call it quits.. He was a gambler and would just keep going and going until someone forced him to stop.

I walked in that casino with the intention of losing no more than 100 dollars, doubling up and leaving. I got a good streak on some split hands and doubling down which caused me to triple up but I left.

I want help from you guys on how to maintain a strong focus and not get scared and leaving. I want to go into a casino with a maximum of 200 dollars and walking out with a cool 1000 dollars.

Only reason I joined here was for some help.. I'd get my a$$ beat if my brother found out I was doing this.

I know there are some guru's here with decades of experience:cool2:

 

[QFIT]

Stop playing immediately. Forget all concepts of hot and cold tables, and don't listen to a word your brother says. Get some good books. Try Knock-Out Blackjack first. It is brief, to the point and explains the flaws behind common gambling myths.

 

[21forme]

Stop playing immediately. Forget all concepts of hot and cold tables, and don't listen to a word your brother says. Get some good books. Try Knock-Out Blackjack first. It is brief, to the point and explains the flaws behind common gambling myths.

What he said!

 

[Brutus]

( banned himself from casinos here in AZ).

I dont recall anyone being banned in AZ. where are you playing?

Can anyone give me advice on self control

dont eat mexican food before hitting the tables.

QFIT is right about reading some books. only thing I would suggest differently, is to play basic strategy and flat bet table minimum say 5-10 bucks. this will give you some casino exp. dont be a chump and tell everyone at the table that you know b.s. or that you are reading up on the blackjack subject, or that your brother was a professional gambler.

 

[Harman]

your best bet is to find a game with the rules stated here :grin:

http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bjbse.php?numdecks=1+deck&soft17=s17&dbl=all&das=yes&surr=es&peek=yes

 

[GeorgeD]

I don't mean to call your Bro a liar, but do you really think he was winning thousands at casinos playing just BS and then banned himself and warned you not to play. If he was always winning, why wouldn't he have kept playing. More likely he won the thousands he told you about and lost thousands more he DIDN'T talk about. That's typically the way it goes in the long run for a BS player. Then again, possible he won, just not very likely.

Your first experience at the casino ... being nervous, sometimes thrilled when winning, walking away overall a winner, but thinking you can win more .... sounds an awful lot like the way compulsive gamblers describe their early gambling experiences. Besides that, a "quit when you lose or win $X" just plain doesn't work. How do you know you won't lose $X for 10 visits in a row? Then feeling you're "due to win" it's easy to go back in your wallet, to the ATM or even come back soon with more money to "take your revenge". All sounds dangerous to me.

Don't mean to rain on your parade, but if you insist on playing anyway, first do what was recommended about reading books and then practice, practice, practice at home before you go back to a casino. Even then be careful, BE VERY CAREFUL. You'll stop being nervous after a few sessions, but the hardest part about being an Advantage Player is keeping your head about yourself and always following the correct strategy and your plan. Equally hard is dealing with big swings ... win $2000, lose $3000 without either thinking you got it made or steaming such that you play stupid trying to regain your losses.

Last of all, AP or not if you find yourself losing money you can't afford to lose and that you haven't earmarked as your bankroll the RUN, don't walk aut of the casino and don't return.

I'll get off my soapbox for a while.

Well, first off I'd like to introduce myself.. I'm Nino, and I'm new here. I just registered because I went to the casino for the first time in my life and played live which is a big thing for me.

Heres my backround: I've been playing blackjack since I was 6.. All for fun and I've done it for money online. I'd like to call my brother a pro because hes won thousands in blackjack just off basic strategy.. If not for him I would not be here right now.

Anyway, my brother has taught me LOTS about blackjack.. He's retired from the game ( banned himself from casinos here in AZ).

So I ended up going to the casino today with my best friend.. All I brought was 100 dollars cash and my ID. Left my wallet in the car. I was kind of nervous at first, I got yelled at a few times by the dealer for not making hand signals but I quickly caught on.

Here's the problem.. I'll end up playing on a "hot" table as you would call it and I would start making good small portions.. I mean I would start winning 5-6 hands in a row. After making a profit of 80 dollars from a hot table I would get scared I would lose it all and I would get up and leave when I should have stayed and won more money. I'd end up going to a cold table and lose all my winnings.. This went back and forth all night then I decided to call it quits when I reached a 300 dollar profit.


Needless to say I was really happy for winning 300 dollars for my very first time in a live casino. I'm just feeling a little stupid knowing that I could have won a lot more... Out of nervousness I forgot a lot of the things that my bro taught me. I did tip the dealers though, which they really appreciated.

Can anyone give me advice on self control and not getting scared off of losing my profits? When is a good time to walk away? When the dealer shuffles? How can you tell if the table is getting cold? I need help on not being so impulsive and indecisive.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[ihate17]

Grow some knowledge and then worry about balls

Like everyone here is saying, get a few good books and toss both your brother's and your own superstitions out the window. Hot, cold dealer/table really does not exist. Sure you may win X hands in a row but there is no way of recognizing either when a streak will begin or end till it starts or stops, and you will be favored to lose the next hand every time.
Basic strategy is just a way to cut down the amount you lose over time and from your posts it seems your brother really does not quite even do this. If you want to win at blackjack then learn basic strategy perfectly till it is all automatic. Then learn a counting system and indices. Indices are plays where you deviate from basic strategy because of the count. Once you have that down pat through months of practice at home, then it is time to go to the casino and grow those so called balls because to be a successful counter you need to be able to throw big bets on the table when the count says too, EVEN IF THE CASINO IS KICKING YOUR BUTT. Not that surprising but that is where many a novice counter fails.

Also read some of the old posts here concerning new players, superstitious players and voodoo systems. In other words learn things both to do and not to do.

ihate17

 

[ninous26]

Banned in casinos in AZ for some gambling addiction thing... He was starting his own business and did not want to end up in casino's risking his money... I'm in no way BSing you guys... I've seen him win 3000 dollars at a time online, and I've seen him get raped. Overall he's made a good chunk.

Thank you for your advice on reading books. I may look into card counting in the future but I know all basic strategy off the top of my head... I play for fun everyday w/ my bro and I do a good chunk of online playing.

I really do believe in hot and cold tables... Last night was a perfect example. Some shoes the cards were just coming and coming and I was loving it. Then there were some shoes where I was being dealt a bunch of 16's and a lot of the times I was stuck on 17.

I HATE 17'S:whip:

 

[InPlay]

Bro cannot know about this.. He actually quit so I do not fall in his footsteps, I'd get killed if he found out I was doing this... I don't count nor "cheat"/ increase my advantages in anyway.. I just play pure strategy, and if I really want to take a gamble I make guesses.

My brother just always taught me to have nerves of steal and to never lose focus- easier said than done by a first timer.

He also had a lot of superstitious beliefs when playing BJ that have been passed down to me (i.e. when on a good streak NEVER count how much chips you have infront of you to see how much you're up. It changes your thoughts and can throw you off focus). Pretty much stuff like that. I've also been told that sometimes the dealer just cannot be beat as he has lost thousands by the dealer constantly getting 21's on his 19's and 20's.

Difference between me and him is that I know when to call it quits.. He was a gambler and would just keep going and going until someone forced him to stop.

I walked in that casino with the intention of losing no more than 100 dollars, doubling up and leaving. I got a good streak on some split hands and doubling down which caused me to triple up but I left.

I want help from you guys on how to maintain a strong focus and not get scared and leaving. I want to go into a casino with a maximum of 200 dollars and walking out with a cool 1000 dollars.

Only reason I joined here was for some help.. I'd get my a$$ beat if my brother found out I was doing this.

I know there are some guru's here with decades of experience:cool2:

Your brother was just a complusive degenerate gambler who hid his losses from you. He paint a picture of roses for your benefir when really it was a pit of doom. He banned himself so he would not lose any more money. Check his credit card balance and his bank account and you will know the real story. Nobody banned himself from the casino if they are winning.

 

[EasyRhino]

"Pit of doom"? Melodramatic, but perhaps accurate.

Difference between me and him is that I know when to call it quits.

This already has the makings of an after-school special. "Balls" are not something you should be after in this regard, instead, I think running for the door might be a better idea.

It sounds like your brother is full of ****. The only way he could have actually won money is if he didn't play enough to reach the long run, and got lucky. But he probably lost, hence the self-exclusion list.

Let's not put too fine a point on this: Gambling is stupid. At its best, it's a recreational enterprise that's a waste of time and money, much like hookers and blow. At its worst, it grinds people to dust.

And let's not even bother with advantage play, becaise it's also stupid, as it requires a) skill, b) self-control, and c) bankroll and risk management of such a level that if you can pull AP off successfully, there are probably a lot of better things you can do with your time. Instead, most wannabe APs just end up dashing themselves against the rocks due to any of those three factors.

 

[ninous26]

Nah, he's definitely up in winnings.. I've seen the cash before. He's started a new chapter in life.

Was a highschool drop out and was not heading anywhere. He finally had access to his college fund my mom had saved up for him... He opened up his new restaurant and he is succeeding hardcore in life right now. Looking to get married and have kids.

You guys are making it seem like once your in the game of blackjack you can't escape... Well he did escape and the blackjack days are behind him.. He makes plenty of money in his new treasure.

Me on the other hand. I'm just money hungry, I can accept losses. I took the advice from my brother to walking into a casino being comfortable with losing whatever you walked in with. At first I was down from 100 to my last 15 dollars, I kept cool and did not worry or sweat it.. I ended up walking out iwth 400 cash in my pocket.

Anyways please enough of him. I'm really looking forward to learning more on this site and I already have with searching around. Counting cards is going to be a big step for me and I will give it a go. Only downside is that I am going to Indian Casino's and I heard they are pretty iffy when it comes to you winning. Actually, I could have SWORE that yesterday I was being followed out. 2 guards came and started "patrolling" as soon as we walked out and the walked all the way to where I parked.

 

[Shwam]

So your brother just made thousands of dollars at a disadvantage?
You turned $15 into $400 at a disadvantage and was 'followed out' by guys?

I'm not going to bother opening this thread again (even though i barely post.)

 

[zengrifter]

Bro cannot know about this.. He actually quit so I do not fall in his footsteps, I'd get killed if he found out I was doing this... I don't count nor "cheat"/ increase my advantages in anyway.. I just play pure strategy, and if I really want to take a gamble I make guesses.

My brother just always taught me to have nerves of steal and to never lose focus- easier said than done by a first timer.

He also had a lot of superstitious beliefs when playing BJ that have been passed down to me (i.e. when on a good streak NEVER count how much chips you have infront of you to see how much you're up. It changes your thoughts and can throw you off focus). Pretty much stuff like that. I've also been told that sometimes the dealer just cannot be beat as he has lost thousands by the dealer constantly getting 21's on his 19's and 20's.

Difference between me and him is that I know when to call it quits.. He was a gambler and would just keep going and going until someone forced him to stop.

I walked in that casino with the intention of losing no more than 100 dollars, doubling up and leaving. I got a good streak on some split hands and doubling down which caused me to triple up but I left.

I want help from you guys on how to maintain a strong focus and not get scared and leaving. I want to go into a casino with a maximum of 200 dollars and walking out with a cool 1000 dollars.

Only reason I joined here was for some help.. I'd get my a$$ beat if my brother found out I was doing this.

I know there are some guru's here with decades of experience:cool2:

Do you know basic strategy? zg

 

[InPlay]

"Pit of doom"? Melodramatic, but perhaps accurate.

Let's not put too fine a point on this: Gambling is stupid. At its best, it's a recreational enterprise that's a waste of time and money, much like hookers and blow. At its worst, it grinds people to dust.

Let's just look at the hookers and blow. What would you rather be doing for fun ? Recreational of course.

 

[InPlay]

Nah, he's definitely up in winnings.. I've seen the cash before. He's started a new chapter in life.

Was a highschool drop out and was not heading anywhere. He finally had access to his college fund my mom had saved up for him... He opened up his new restaurant and he is succeeding hardcore in life right now. Looking to get married and have kids.

You guys are making it seem like once your in the game of blackjack you can't escape... Well he did escape and the blackjack days are behind him.. He makes plenty of money in his new treasure.

Me on the other hand. I'm just money hungry, I can accept losses. I took the advice from my brother to walking into a casino being comfortable with losing whatever you walked in with. At first I was down from 100 to my last 15 dollars, I kept cool and did not worry or sweat it.. I ended up walking out iwth 400 cash in my pocket.

Anyways please enough of him. I'm really looking forward to learning more on this site and I already have with searching around. Counting cards is going to be a big step for me and I will give it a go. Only downside is that I am going to Indian Casino's and I heard they are pretty iffy when it comes to you winning. Actually, I could have SWORE that yesterday I was being followed out. 2 guards came and started "patrolling" as soon as we walked out and the walked all the way to where I parked.

I will give you a sure AP for yourself. Get a job at your Bro's joint. Start as a busboy advancing yourself to head dishwasher. If you learn these you are ready for the grill. Next step would be night time manager. It's a sure thing.

 

[markiij]

If you can't afford it to lose I think it's better to get some more money first. THen you won't worry about it so much .

 

[bj bob]

You guys are making it seem like once your in the game of blackjack you can't escape...

Yep. It's blood in and blood out:whip::whip:

 

[ninous26]

LOL.. actually I'm a manager at his place... I already have a degree in mechanical engineering and I will be heading to ASU for 4 more years:grin:

blackjack is my part time hobby... not my source of income. thanks.



ZG.. Yes I know basic strategy by heart.