This is a random little post, a rant if you will, but I'm sure you have all had the same problem. All the time, when I'm going to casinos to play blackjack, people (mainly parents and close family) tell me no one can win at gambling, and are fully against it. It just gets on my nerves how they can think they know so much more than me about something I have studied for 4 years, and they have never even played. What do I tell them to convince them that card counting has been proven to work, or should I just let them think that way? :flame:
I dunno what to tell them?
- Thread starter Harman
- Start date
Are you a legal dependant of any of these people?
If not, the answer is pretty simple: "Mom, Dad, I appreciate your concern for me and that you care enough about my well-being to confront me about this. However, I've thought this through quite a bit and have decided to go against your advice."
Of course, if you (a) live with your parents, (b) are dependent on them for financial support, or (c) owe money to anyone, your answer will have to be different.
As a matter of fact, if (c) applies to you, I'd side with your parents. Your blackjack bankroll should be a completely non-essential block of money, meaning that you can cover all your current expenses independently, you have no debts to pay off, and you have enough other savings so that you can lose your bankroll and still survive some sort of personal catastrophe.
If not, the answer is pretty simple: "Mom, Dad, I appreciate your concern for me and that you care enough about my well-being to confront me about this. However, I've thought this through quite a bit and have decided to go against your advice."
Of course, if you (a) live with your parents, (b) are dependent on them for financial support, or (c) owe money to anyone, your answer will have to be different.
As a matter of fact, if (c) applies to you, I'd side with your parents. Your blackjack bankroll should be a completely non-essential block of money, meaning that you can cover all your current expenses independently, you have no debts to pay off, and you have enough other savings so that you can lose your bankroll and still survive some sort of personal catastrophe.
its annoying when people don't understand that you can get an advantage over the house. if offered to my friends to teach them to count who play blackjack fairly often and are long time losers but they would rather stick to their "strategy". And the worst part is my one friend in the last month has won $6000 ( vs my $1500 loss counting )playing by never hitting 16, doubling down on soft doulbes, not splitting, not hitting 12 v 12,13, with the good ol lucky lady bet trying to control the dealers bust card, the usual stuff they do. I tell him he shouldn't play that way he said "I have my stragey and you and your strategy" :laugh: funniest thing is he tries giving me advice on blackjack like, i need to play consistantly and not vary how i play,( so we kill the bet spread and indicies ). Not double down stuff like soft 18s vs dealer 5 at third base becuase it causes the dealer win. Leave after losing 3 hands ( so now i have to leave in postive counts!!!!) i shouldn't be spreading to 2 hands either beucase that will 100% of the time mess up the flow of the cards and give the dealer an A.
what is going to be fun though is i have a persuasive presentation to give so for fun im going to persuade my class mates to become part time card counters. This will be good for A) they are supose to make objections to whatever i say. B) I have so far lost money overall and a few of them know that to.
:cow:
what is going to be fun though is i have a persuasive presentation to give so for fun im going to persuade my class mates to become part time card counters. This will be good for A) they are supose to make objections to whatever i say. B) I have so far lost money overall and a few of them know that to.
:cow:
why explain
I wouldn't try to explain your actions to anyone because it's like kicking a dead horse. You play the game to beat the house at thier own game. For me it's a hobby out of control with a mission and a goal that only I know what it is. Most bj books at the end or beginning give examples of various paths that a gambler must cross. You either have the stomach for this game or you don't. blackchipjim
I wouldn't try to explain your actions to anyone because it's like kicking a dead horse. You play the game to beat the house at thier own game. For me it's a hobby out of control with a mission and a goal that only I know what it is. Most bj books at the end or beginning give examples of various paths that a gambler must cross. You either have the stomach for this game or you don't. blackchipjim
I have a friend who pretty much scoffs at me everytime I'm going to the casinos with an almost elitist "I'm smarter than you because I don't gamble and lose money, because that's what always happens" statement. No matter how much math I show him he still doesn't believe it. I just gave up on that...
Then I have my other friend who constantly tries to tell me how to play..for instance--once we were at a table and a bunch of big cards had come out (this was probably the 3rd hand of an 8D shoe) and he says "you need to lower your bet now, no big cards are coming out" to the table, everyone listened to him! except me of course, it was funny because everyone got 19's and I got a natural! Did I also mention he doubles on 12's about every 4th time, just because he feels it. It was funny because I took him to his first casino and he thought he knew everything about blackjack after 2 hours...yeah, he won that weekend. Then he went back the next weekend with some girls to try to impress them and guess what, he ended up going in the hole.
I guess the point is what other people were saying on this thread--if you don't owe them money or a dependent of them then i guess they really have no business, no matter what. lol.
Then I have my other friend who constantly tries to tell me how to play..for instance--once we were at a table and a bunch of big cards had come out (this was probably the 3rd hand of an 8D shoe) and he says "you need to lower your bet now, no big cards are coming out" to the table, everyone listened to him! except me of course, it was funny because everyone got 19's and I got a natural! Did I also mention he doubles on 12's about every 4th time, just because he feels it. It was funny because I took him to his first casino and he thought he knew everything about blackjack after 2 hours...yeah, he won that weekend. Then he went back the next weekend with some girls to try to impress them and guess what, he ended up going in the hole.
I guess the point is what other people were saying on this thread--if you don't owe them money or a dependent of them then i guess they really have no business, no matter what. lol.
There is one solution I've found to this over the years. I play cards for a living, any game I'll play it. I also play a lot of backgammon, a dice game, pure luck like blackjack I assure you. When I come across these people, esp. those who want to argue and not be educated, I tell them simply for blackjack for example, they can be the House and deal to me all they want, using casino rules. If the House always has the advantage and I can't win I must be offering them free money. So they either have to stfu or lose money, either way I'm happy.
The same goes with any game, like backgammon, where common people don't see the great amount of skill possible. Offer to play them for money, if it's all just 'dumb luck' then they have as much chance of winning as I do right? This works well for me and I've never had anyone take me up on an offer but have had many people drop the discussion.
Checkmugged
The same goes with any game, like backgammon, where common people don't see the great amount of skill possible. Offer to play them for money, if it's all just 'dumb luck' then they have as much chance of winning as I do right? This works well for me and I've never had anyone take me up on an offer but have had many people drop the discussion.
Checkmugged
Mimosine said:
you're all wasting your breath.
and if you're not playing a near perfect game all your concerned friends and family are closer to being right than you are.
i don't see what the allure is anyway in trying to win people over, you're just wasting time that you could spend at a table winning money
and if you're not playing a near perfect game all your concerned friends and family are closer to being right than you are.
i don't see what the allure is anyway in trying to win people over, you're just wasting time that you could spend at a table winning money
looking inside
What is motivating you to play ? To impress family/friends ? They will never understand. Are you in it to prove something ? No one will believe you. When you are crushed by huge swings, no one will be their for you. When you are on top of the world after a huge win, you will have no one to share it with. This is the life of the AP, it seems to me. I made a mistake once of telling a friend. Never again. All of this will test your will, 'purge' what is unecessary, if you will. If you can stay focused and are determined to get better for the right reasons, you stand at the cusp, and then, the real test shall begin...
What is motivating you to play ? To impress family/friends ? They will never understand. Are you in it to prove something ? No one will believe you. When you are crushed by huge swings, no one will be their for you. When you are on top of the world after a huge win, you will have no one to share it with. This is the life of the AP, it seems to me. I made a mistake once of telling a friend. Never again. All of this will test your will, 'purge' what is unecessary, if you will. If you can stay focused and are determined to get better for the right reasons, you stand at the cusp, and then, the real test shall begin...
It's funny that people who beleive in the conspiracie theorys would beleive in card counting. Don't you think the casino writes all these books and runs all these BJ sites to sucker in the average joe to think he can make money at the casino counting cards ? You can find a conspiracies in anything if you put your mind to it.