When I was first learning to play blackjack, I used something similar to the Basic Strategy Engine located here on BJInfo and hand-wrote all of the plays for both double-deck and six-deck on two index cards; one per game. Later I designed it in Photoshop and had it printed and laminated on hard cards by a local print shop. Then, after reading 'Modern Blackjack' by Norm Wattenberger, in which he describes either providing a special background color or small notation on the card for plays for REKO. REKO has only one play modification; +2. So it makes coloring all changes that need to be made for counts +2 and above easy as you only have to have one color or denotation on your card.
HOWVER, TO THE POINT -- What about making a BS card for more complex systems where we have many different play variations based on the true count? I am learning Hi-Opt II and would really like to be able to somehow keep a B.S. card with me with a majority of the plays for different counts. A card will usually draw a pit boss over to take a quick glance, usually just a friendly gesture so they can see the kind of card you have and comment as to whether or not it's any good. This would make it quite a tough situation if they see '-7, +3, -2, +5, +8' etc. in small super-script font in the choice box.
So what options do I have for this (aside from complete memorization, which will haooen quickly)? I was thinking a mixture of colors, discrete symbols, 'scuff' marks, etc. But this would require almost just as much effort as memorization as I'd then also have to memorize what each coffee stain, tooth-paste fleck, colored marker slip, et cetera means. I've eliminated a lot of the more obscure indexes like plays at -24 and above (as I would NEVER have a bet at a table with a T.C. of -24 or below!) and even down to -10 (I wong out at -8 if I can). I also have eliminated those that say do above +12 and just put them to one color/marking as 'extreme condition' as they rarely happen. I normally find true counts between -10 and +10, with a few bouts of luck lately where I was sitting on +16 T.C. with an excess of 4 Aces (I side-count Aces)! I soon plan on side-counting 7s and playing the side-count of 7s also matters, so being able to mark down the special considerations for this would be helpful as well.
So, how do we be sneaky enough to mark the cards as appropriate without drawing any heat? The casinos love to see BS cards because it proves to them you aren't any kind of pro, especially if you pretend to reference it all the time with the 'tough' decisions (although as a casino I wouldn't like that a properly tuned card at the right game only gives the house a 0.40% edge!). They'll also think something is up if the card is telling you to hit that stiff 15 against that 8 but you're not because the count is so freakin' high, and your index tells you not to.
So what, oh what, to do to keep this under the radar? Anyone have any tricks they've used? I'm all ears.
HOWVER, TO THE POINT -- What about making a BS card for more complex systems where we have many different play variations based on the true count? I am learning Hi-Opt II and would really like to be able to somehow keep a B.S. card with me with a majority of the plays for different counts. A card will usually draw a pit boss over to take a quick glance, usually just a friendly gesture so they can see the kind of card you have and comment as to whether or not it's any good. This would make it quite a tough situation if they see '-7, +3, -2, +5, +8' etc. in small super-script font in the choice box.
So what options do I have for this (aside from complete memorization, which will haooen quickly)? I was thinking a mixture of colors, discrete symbols, 'scuff' marks, etc. But this would require almost just as much effort as memorization as I'd then also have to memorize what each coffee stain, tooth-paste fleck, colored marker slip, et cetera means. I've eliminated a lot of the more obscure indexes like plays at -24 and above (as I would NEVER have a bet at a table with a T.C. of -24 or below!) and even down to -10 (I wong out at -8 if I can). I also have eliminated those that say do above +12 and just put them to one color/marking as 'extreme condition' as they rarely happen. I normally find true counts between -10 and +10, with a few bouts of luck lately where I was sitting on +16 T.C. with an excess of 4 Aces (I side-count Aces)! I soon plan on side-counting 7s and playing the side-count of 7s also matters, so being able to mark down the special considerations for this would be helpful as well.
So, how do we be sneaky enough to mark the cards as appropriate without drawing any heat? The casinos love to see BS cards because it proves to them you aren't any kind of pro, especially if you pretend to reference it all the time with the 'tough' decisions (although as a casino I wouldn't like that a properly tuned card at the right game only gives the house a 0.40% edge!). They'll also think something is up if the card is telling you to hit that stiff 15 against that 8 but you're not because the count is so freakin' high, and your index tells you not to.
So what, oh what, to do to keep this under the radar? Anyone have any tricks they've used? I'm all ears.
