Two-Man Play

ChefJJ

Well-Known Member
#1
A friend and I are considering some "team" counting missions in a month or so. We're both competent and are looking at this from the standpoint of a lucrative hobby. So, I'm looking for advice from the folks that have experience in partnership/team play...

Share the bankroll/winnings or go individually with the cash?

Best way to "disguise" bet ramps during the course of play?

Sorry if this is a repetitive question, but I appreciate the advice.

good luck
 

vingtetun

Active Member
#2
The best way to do this is to simply pool your bankroll. I would make sure he is just as good of a counter as you are though. You could also do things such as one player keeping a normal count and the other keeping a perfect insurance count (if you are on the same table).

Good luck
 
#3
Yes playing individually to a combined bankroll is the way to go. I assume you are playing in the East so cover isn't going to be that necessary.

Backcounting and Wonging in and out of shoes is the tactic to use. The only time you would want to play at the same table is if one of you is idle and the other has a great count, with an empty spot at the table but no way for you to get a second bet into it. Then you can call your partner in to play the empty spot.
 

stophon

Well-Known Member
#4
because of how pooling bankrolls work, if your partner and you are have equal banks and your partner plays anything better than break even it is advantageous for you to pool and share winnings

Just out of curiosity, what other team strategies are there? (other than bp of course)
 

mathman

Well-Known Member
#5
ChefJJ,
Basically my entire career has been with a two man team. Quite frankly I don't think I would have made it had I not done it this way. Two bank rolls combined into one and two talented players working towards a common goal, for me seems to be the only way to go. My partner has helped to keep us profitable and grounded with what we do.

Emotions are a big part of turning Blackjack from a win/lose hobby into a profitable business. Having someone else to discuss what went right and wrong is very useful and is something that we spend a large part of our off time doing. We were very successful during the majority of our career and the times we weren't, one persons excess cash can bail out the other. The parameters need to be that no matter who wins what, or loses what, it is both of you that have won or lost together and it is both of you that made it happen. The moral support during losing sessions can do wonders for the emotional issues that will crop up also.

Our casino persona's have many variations depending on which casino we are visiting, the attitude of the pit boss and the game we are playing. Sometimes we play as a team, sometimes individually and sometimes I'm "teaching" him to play. It can be useful for many different reasons. For me it has been a very positive experience but I have an excellent partner who is a very good player, as well as a very trusted friend. If you decide to play as partners make sure you both understand there will be great times and very bad times also. When you both lose, allot of money goes out the door in a hurry and there is nothing that will strain any relationship more than money does. You need to trust each other and deal with any mistakes that might be made by you or your friend. What has been the most profitable for us is the ability to get more money on the table and deviating from basic strategy with less heat by me playing the "teaching" role. A new player will make plays that would be considered gambling but in reality they are planned deviations from basic strategy based on the count. I can have him bet for me for "fun" during positive situations or we can come and go with a second hand.

You need to sit down with each other and discuss how you are going to play and how you are going to deal with wins and losses. Make sure you both understand what it is you are about to get involved in. Money can end a friendship, even one that you think is solid. Good luck.:)...JtMM
 

moo321

Well-Known Member
#6
ChefJJ said:
A friend and I are considering some "team" counting missions in a month or so. We're both competent and are looking at this from the standpoint of a lucrative hobby. So, I'm looking for advice from the folks that have experience in partnership/team play...

Share the bankroll/winnings or go individually with the cash?

Best way to "disguise" bet ramps during the course of play?

Sorry if this is a repetitive question, but I appreciate the advice.

good luck
Pool your funds.

Do NOT, under any circumstances, do anything other than bet optimally your first time out. Don't try to disguise your betting.

The best advice I can give is to keep a red chip on top of all bets, which at least makes it difficult for the eye to tell what denomination the other chips are. Their cameras are black and white.
 

Mimosine

Well-Known Member
#8
i have NO experience in team play other than what i've read.

with two players, a BP strategy will not be optimal. Though occasionally as someone above posted you can employ it when say one partner wongs out of a shoe and you are at a positive shoe with an open seat.

the general rule is that the two of you playing separately can bet as if you EACH had the bankroll. I.E. a $10k bank for two people at separate tables means you EACH can max bet roughly $100.

if you are seated at the same table, I think it would be similar to spreading to two hands in that you should tone it down to 2 X $75 in super high counts (+4ish depending on rules) to reduce risk.

these are just general points that YOU will want to read up on more in depth, again i've never employed them, but from studying they seem like sound fundamental points that you need to understand.

along with the whole host of other problems that you need to deal with. I would say you both need to test each other first, if one of you isn't up to par, then everything else you plan will be a potential disaster in the making.

the second major issue, which will be more stressful is the money, trusting someone else with the money (especially since you'll be playing separately), how to pay out the money (based on wins, based on expectation, how often do you break the bank, what happens if you have a 50% decrease in BR, i can't imagine these things). though as others have stated a good partner can help you get through these things...
 

ChefJJ

Well-Known Member
#9
Thanks Mimosine.

We've spoken about it again, and we'll probably just do our own thing since we don't have any intention on any long-term working arrangement. We actually use different systems and might get together to do this once or twice a year...so no real reason to get in-depth.

Thanks again to you all.

good luck
 
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