Rarely a week goes by that we don't see a 'newbie' asked a question about what count to use. I am absolutely stunned at any answer that suggests anything but hi-lo or a similar level 1 count.
In my recent poll of players that identify themselves as professional with the majority of their income coming from blackjack play, roughly half play hi-lo or another level one count. (and I thank the participants) It is a small sampling, but it roughly coincides with the number of players identifying as professional in my 'percentage of income' poll a while back as well as Ken's poll of yearly earnings, so unforetuanatly that is about the number we have to work with.
Even this small sampling should completely eliminate the argument that a player can not make serious money with a level 1 count like hi-lo. No, it doesn't answer the ongoing debate of just how much additional value a higher level count is really worth in the real world of play as opposed to simulations. That is still a matter worthy of discussion, that a player may want to consider later on down the road. But a player identifying as new, should not be concerned with that. A new player should pick one of the simple level one counts such as hi-lo and learn it thoroughly, play it for a period of time and understand all aspects of it before considering a move up in count. A new player trying to learn a higher level count is like trying to learn to run before you learn to walk. And quite frankly even a player who doesn't identify as a new player but asks this question in one of its many forms, isn't ready to move up in count. If you are really ready for that step, you will know it and you will be able to answer the question of if its even worth it to you or not.
So as a group, lets stop the disservice of encouraging new players to jump to these level 2 and 3 counts and go back to the thought process of 'starting at the beginning'.
In my recent poll of players that identify themselves as professional with the majority of their income coming from blackjack play, roughly half play hi-lo or another level one count. (and I thank the participants) It is a small sampling, but it roughly coincides with the number of players identifying as professional in my 'percentage of income' poll a while back as well as Ken's poll of yearly earnings, so unforetuanatly that is about the number we have to work with.
Even this small sampling should completely eliminate the argument that a player can not make serious money with a level 1 count like hi-lo. No, it doesn't answer the ongoing debate of just how much additional value a higher level count is really worth in the real world of play as opposed to simulations. That is still a matter worthy of discussion, that a player may want to consider later on down the road. But a player identifying as new, should not be concerned with that. A new player should pick one of the simple level one counts such as hi-lo and learn it thoroughly, play it for a period of time and understand all aspects of it before considering a move up in count. A new player trying to learn a higher level count is like trying to learn to run before you learn to walk. And quite frankly even a player who doesn't identify as a new player but asks this question in one of its many forms, isn't ready to move up in count. If you are really ready for that step, you will know it and you will be able to answer the question of if its even worth it to you or not.
So as a group, lets stop the disservice of encouraging new players to jump to these level 2 and 3 counts and go back to the thought process of 'starting at the beginning'.
