I just turned of age to gamble (in my area) about a week ago and have been interested since in playing blackjack not so much for fun (though I do enjoy it) as much as I would like to make some money. I've been reading extensively, and I very much like the "Blackjack Essays" that I found a link to on this site. I'm starting to understand basic strategy, and I also understand that even if you have a perfect knowledge of basic strategy you are still on the losing end of the stick! So it seems to me that the ONLY way to gain even a very slight advantage over the house is to count cards. I'm asking, is that 1% advantage worth my time? How long of daily practice would it take for me to generally feel comfortable at a table?