Mike Aponte's On-Line Training Program- Any feedback?

ycming

Well-Known Member
sounds like the same **** these guy are offering ...

(Dead link: http://www.blackjackapprenticeship.com/2011/07/05/august-bootcamp-details/)
 

QFIT

Well-Known Member
ycming said:
sounds like the same **** these guy are offering ...

(Dead link: http://www.blackjackapprenticeship.com/2011/07/05/august-bootcamp-details/)
I know those guys too. Mike took a different approach. To provide a professionally developed course, he partnered with a company that has been in the business of designing and offering courses for over half a century. Blackjack is a new area for them as they concentrate on college level courses, business training and state licensing exams. I chatted with the chairman early this year and he was quite excited about the project. I would be too if I spent all my time on dry courses.:)

I can't give a review as I haven't seen it. I just like the concept of a partnership between a serious educational organization and a serious Blackjack guru.
 

iCountNTrack

Well-Known Member
QFIT said:
I know those guys too. Mike took a different approach. To provide a professionally developed course, he partnered with a company that has been in the business of designing and offering courses for over half a century. Blackjack is a new area for them as they concentrate on college level courses, business training and state licensing exams. I chatted with the chairman early this year and he was quite excited about the project. I would be too if I spent all my time on dry courses.:)

I can't give a review as I haven't seen it. I just like the concept of a partnership between a serious educational organization and a serious Blackjack guru.
Yes the only difference though Norm is that Math, Physics and Chemistry could be (not when I am teaching it at least :)) challenging topics and might need some sort of "special arrangements" to better channel the information.
But I mean come on we are talking about counting cards, which is a simple arithmetic procedure of adding and subtracting ones or twos.
Moreover, my major problem is the rip-off price for these seminars, where they give you information that many people (such as yourself, Ken...) graciously provided for free or at a very minimal cost.

How about this FREE simple formula for counting cards:

A) Burn any book you have on progressions, and repress any memory of it
B) Buy a deck of cards, and practice count the deck while doing your daily routine activities (watching TV, eating, drinking, while your wife is nagging you, toilet seat...)
C) Practice at a casino flat betting at first while keeping the count, until it becomes second nature for you to count the cards.
D) Get some money (depending on much risk you are willing to take) and hit the casino hard
E) write a $1500 check for a charitable organization
 

johndoe

Well-Known Member
I agree with iCNT. I suspect Mike's value in participating is primarily as a branding element to sell over-priced and unnecessary training systems.
 

QFIT

Well-Known Member
Simple is a matter of definition. Yes, the concept of counting cards is simple. The rules of Chess are also very simple. But, reading a book on Chess and then walking into the Manhattan Chess Club and trying to beat a six-year old can be a humiliating experience. A huge number of people call themselves card counters. How many make money?

As for the price, this is not a video stuck together in someone's basement. Given the number of copies they tell me they need to sell just to recover costs, I'll be surprised if they make a profit.
 

MJ1

Well-Known Member
QFIT said:
Simple is a matter of definition. Yes, the concept of counting cards is simple. The rules of Chess are also very simple. But, reading a book on Chess and then walking into the Manhattan Chess Club and trying to beat a six-year old can be a humiliating experience. A huge number of people call themselves card counters. How many make money?
I agree with QFIT on this one. There is some myth that learning BJ is easy. It sounds simple. All you need to do is add and subtract by 1s, simple division, count down a deck of cards in 20 seconds, bet big when the count is big, bet small when the count is small, and then get a BR and hit the tables.

PLAYING A POSITIVE EV GAME IS NOT THAT SIMPLE!!!
The fact remains that most so-called counters are not even playing a break even game. There is a world of difference between knowing what to do and then being able to execute in a skillful fashion.

Learning BS properly takes about 20 hours.
Learning to count cards at a professional level takes around 80 to 100 hours. Even then, you will surely make errors at the table which will cost you EV.

The MIT Blackjack Team estimated that their players were losing 0.25% in EV due to player errors! The MIT Team had some of the top players in the world, and if they were making mistakes at the tables you can sure bet that you are too! Their wagers were even adjusted to account for this unavoidable penalty.

Many 'think' they can beat the game and play at a high level. But if it were that easy, then everyone would be doing it and the game would not even be offered. Finally, I would like to note that the game continues to become harder and harder to beat. You are lucky if you can even get a SCORE of 40 given the shitty games that abound here on the east coast.

MJ
 
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zengrifter

Banned
iCountNTrack said:
Does it come with a complimentary pair of X-ray glasses that help you spot the hole card?
There are of course custom fitted glasses that can definitely help with HC, but they would qualify as cheating devices under the device law.
I have a pair I like but there is fair room for improvement. zg
 
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MJ1 said:
I agree with QFIT on this one. There is some myth that learning BJ is easy. It sounds simple. All you need to do is add and subtract by 1s, simple division, count down a deck of cards in 20 seconds, bet big when the count is big, bet small when the count is small, and then get a BR and hit the tables.

PLAYING A POSITIVE EV GAME IS NOT THAT SIMPLE!!!
The fact remains that most so-called counters are not even playing a break even game. There is a world of difference between knowing what to do and then being able to execute in a skillful fashion.

Learning BS properly takes about 20 hours.
Learning to count cards at a professional level takes around 80 to 100 hours. Even then, you will surely make errors at the table which will cost you EV.

The MIT Blackjack Team estimated that their players were losing 0.25% in EV due to player errors! The MIT Team had some of the top players in the world, and if they were making mistakes at the tables you can sure bet that you are too! Their wagers were even adjusted to account for this unavoidable penalty.

Many 'think' they can beat the game and play at a high level. But if it were that easy, then everyone would be doing it and the game would not even be offered. Finally, I would like to note that the game continues to become harder and harder to beat. You are luck if you can even get a SCORE of 40 given the shitty games that abound here on the east coast.

MJ
So what's your cut per sale?
 

MJ1

Well-Known Member
Automatic Monkey said:
So what's your cut per sale?
Huh? I am neither endorsing their product, nor am I condemning it as I haven't seen it. It isn't even on the market yet, as QFIT pointed out.

If you take anything away from my post, it should be to think twice about playing BJ for profit, PERIOD.
 
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