Whats your Card counting definition

#1
I got asked this at the table today by a guy that thinks its impossible to card count for multiple decks.

Brief story of how it went.

I got killed in a 12+TC for 3 decks remaining in a 6 deck game, lost about $30 but I was in shock cause the dealer was making these amazing 20's and 21's left and right.

Finished the shoe and I said out loud "that was suppose to be a pretty damn good shoe..." cause I noticed there was someone else at the table changing their bets and he also lost probably around $400 and he had enough and left.

The next shoe started and the guy on the end said "whats the count?" I told him "i have no idea I didn't start counting as I was still thinking of how unlucky we were in the other shoe".

He told me he counts too but it does you no good in multiple decks.

I told him thats why you have to factor in the true count and play off that.

He laughed and told me do you even know what card counting does?

I told him its to figure out when the deck is rich in face cards cause if the deck is rich in face cards the player has the edge over the house cause we will get black jack easier and the dealer should bust easier.He told me thats only a small bit of it, but then kept his mouth shut.

So the topic whats the definition of card counting if you were to tell someone, Im pretty sure I nailed the nail on the head and the guy was just messing with me. But its good to know someone else's answer.
 

Shoofly

Well-Known Member
#3
CalgaryBlackJack said:
I got asked this at the table today by a guy that thinks its impossible to card count for multiple decks.

Brief story of how it went.

I got killed in a 12+TC for 3 decks remaining in a 6 deck game, lost about $30 but I was in shock cause the dealer was making these amazing 20's and 21's left and right.

Finished the shoe and I said out loud "that was suppose to be a pretty damn good shoe..." cause I noticed there was someone else at the table changing their bets and he also lost probably around $400 and he had enough and left.

The next shoe started and the guy on the end said "whats the count?" I told him "i have no idea I didn't start counting as I was still thinking of how unlucky we were in the other shoe".

He told me he counts too but it does you no good in multiple decks.

I told him thats why you have to factor in the true count and play off that.

He laughed and told me do you even know what card counting does?

I told him its to figure out when the deck is rich in face cards cause if the deck is rich in face cards the player has the edge over the house cause we will get black jack easier and the dealer should bust easier.He told me thats only a small bit of it, but then kept his mouth shut.

So the topic whats the definition of card counting if you were to tell someone, Im pretty sure I nailed the nail on the head and the guy was just messing with me. But its good to know someone else's answer.
Let me be the first of many to say this: NEVER use the word count on casino property.
 

pogostick

Well-Known Member
#5
And to think ,I almost got tossed out a casino on a cruise ship by saying the word counting & they were using CS ,but Thats another laughable story. It all depends on your bank roll . The smaller the bank roll ,the smaller the variance. I only take $1000 a trip & limit my variance from $10 to $25 in the case of true count of+ 12 minus 3 decks out of 6 . The guy was probably saying ,why bother if time & BR was a factor.
 

Southpaw

Well-Known Member
#6
Why is it that counters these days can't seem to keep their mouth shut at the tables about what they're up to? Perhaps the house needs to go back to handling counters the way they supposedly used to back in the 60's and 70's.

Talking about counting at the table ruins the game for everyone, so please don't do it.

SP
 
#7
CalgaryBlackJack said:
I got asked this at the table today by a guy that thinks its impossible to card count for multiple decks.

Brief story of how it went.

I got killed in a 12+TC for 3 decks remaining in a 6 deck game, lost about $30 but I was in shock cause the dealer was making these amazing 20's and 21's left and right.

Finished the shoe and I said out loud "that was suppose to be a pretty damn good shoe..." cause I noticed there was someone else at the table changing their bets and he also lost probably around $400 and he had enough and left.

The next shoe started and the guy on the end said "whats the count?" I told him "i have no idea I didn't start counting as I was still thinking of how unlucky we were in the other shoe".

He told me he counts too but it does you no good in multiple decks.

I told him thats why you have to factor in the true count and play off that.

He laughed and told me do you even know what card counting does?

I told him its to figure out when the deck is rich in face cards cause if the deck is rich in face cards the player has the edge over the house cause we will get black jack easier and the dealer should bust easier.He told me thats only a small bit of it, but then kept his mouth shut.

So the topic whats the definition of card counting if you were to tell someone, Im pretty sure I nailed the nail on the head and the guy was just messing with me. But its good to know someone else's answer.


Was there any reaction from the dealer / Pit? It's been said already but this conversation shouldn't occur even in the parking lot let alone at the table. A horrible idea even if you have no idea what you're doing.

If someone ever tries to bring the topic up while I'm playing, I just look at them blankly and say "I dunno, I just know I get 2 cards to start with - don't we all?"
 

Sucker

Well-Known Member
#8
ROFL-
This story reminds me of the time I was playing a center-loader at the Stardust; when the idiot at 3b started explaining to the pit boss how HC'ing works (of course; neither of them had a clue what was going on right in front of their eyes; the guy was just trying to be a "know-it-all"). The PB even went so far as to accommodate the guy by ducking down at 3b & "checking" the dealer.

Evidently, the PB found no problems, as I ended up getting no heat, and 20 years later; that dealer is STILL good!
 

paddywhack

Well-Known Member
#9
Sucker said:
ROFL-
This story reminds me of the time I was playing a center-loader at the Stardust; when the idiot at 3b started explaining to the pit boss how HC'ing works (of course; neither of them had a clue what was going on right in front of their eyes; the guy was just trying to be a "know-it-all"). The PB even went so far as to accommodate the guy by ducking down at 3b & "checking" the dealer.

Evidently, the PB found no problems, as I ended up getting no heat, and 20 years later; that dealer is STILL good!
Love it !!!
 

forwhat77

Well-Known Member
#10
Sucker said:
ROFL-
This story reminds me of the time I was playing a center-loader at the Stardust; when the idiot at 3b started explaining to the pit boss how HC'ing works (of course; neither of them had a clue what was going on right in front of their eyes; the guy was just trying to be a "know-it-all"). The PB even went so far as to accommodate the guy by ducking down at 3b & "checking" the dealer.

Evidently, the PB found no problems, as I ended up getting no heat, and 20 years later; that dealer is STILL good!

Gotta love the loaders!! Still a few around too...
 

Ferretnparrot

Well-Known Member
#11
Usually, I just end it with...
Yeah.. Your right I have no idea what I am doing

That's my solution for every confrontation including superstitious ploppys

If I were to try and explain it I usually define the count as a measurment of the change in the cumulative sum of all permutaions based on the cards removed from the game by making point values roughly proportional to the effect each single car will have on the change in the cumulative sum of all permutations when figured one card at a time.
 

BJLFS

Well-Known Member
#12
Ferretnparrot said:
Usually, I just end it with...
Yeah.. Your right I have no idea what I am doing

That's my solution for every confrontation including superstitious ploppys

If I were to try and explain it I usually define the count as a measurment of the change in the cumulative sum of all permutaions based on the cards removed from the game by making point values roughly proportional to the effect each single car will have on the change in the cumulative sum of all permutations when figured one card at a time.
I have to remember that one!! :grin:
 

farmdoggy

Well-Known Member
#13
CalgaryBlackJack said:
I got killed in a 12+TC for 3 decks remaining in a 6 deck game, lost about $30 but I was in shock cause the dealer was making these amazing 20's and 21's left and right.

Finished the shoe and I said out loud "that was suppose to be a pretty damn good shoe..." cause I noticed there was someone else at the table changing their bets and he also lost probably around $400 and he had enough and left.
The next shoe started and the guy on the end said "whats the count?" I told him "i have no idea I didn't start counting as I was still thinking of how unlucky we were in the other shoe".
:laugh:
They probably let you stay cause they knew what the real TC was, or that your spread wasn't enough to beat the game anyway...
Edit: And the AP left because you were gonna give him away.
 
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#14
CalgaryBlackJack said:
I told him its to figure out when the deck is rich in face cards cause if the deck is rich in face cards the player has the edge over the house cause we will get black jack easier and the dealer should bust easier.He told me thats only a small bit of it, but then kept his mouth shut.
The guy who said that that was only a small bit of it was right, wasn't he? I mean, I'm of course ignoring the problem of talking about counting *in* the casino, but the REAL value from counting comes with a face-rich shoe that you get the opportunity to have splits and doubles while your bet is big, right? The blackjack-hitting frequency is part of it, but not the big part, I think. The dealer being more likely to bust has the side-effect of you also busting more frequently. Am I incorrect?
 
#15
SuperSmash said:
The guy who said that that was only a small bit of it was right, wasn't he? I mean, I'm of course ignoring the problem of talking about counting *in* the casino, but the REAL value from counting comes with a face-rich shoe that you get the opportunity to have splits and doubles while your bet is big, right? The blackjack-hitting frequency is part of it, but not the big part, I think. The dealer being more likely to bust has the side-effect of you also busting more frequently. Am I incorrect?
If this were the case, then 6:5 "Blackjack" games wouldn't be as hated as they are.
 

Southpaw

Well-Known Member
#16
SuperSmash said:
The dealer being more likely to bust has the side-effect of you also busting more frequently. Am I incorrect?
While the dealer has a reduced ability to draw out on you when the count is very high, are you sure that he actually does bust more hands than usual? By simply getting a ten or an ace as one of his initial 2 cards, it would seem that he is much more likely to get a pat hand. And even if he doesn't have a pat hand with the ace, it is quite unlikely that he'll bust with the ace (I mean he gets two tries).

I tried researching this a while ago, but was unable to figure out how I'd tackle the problem with the software I have. Or wait, I just thought of something. Maybe I'll try it in the morning.

SP
 

Southpaw

Well-Known Member
#17
TheMadHatter said:
If this were the case, then 6:5 "Blackjack" games wouldn't be as hated as they are.
I LOL'd at how you put that in quotes. Go to a 6:5 table and after "realizing" that BJ only pays 6:5 proceed to ask, "how can you call this carny game BJ?"

SP
 
#18
Southpaw said:
I LOL'd at how you put that in quotes. Go to a 6:5 table and after "realizing" that BJ only pays 6:5 proceed to ask, "how can you call this carny game BJ?"

SP
Lol, I'm afraid that even sitting down at one of those games would have me blackballed here before I even reached my 15th post. :laugh: Unless, of course, I was playing because of...other...opportunities. :)

TMH
 

Canceler

Well-Known Member
#19
SuperSmash said:
The guy who said that that was only a small bit of it was right, wasn't he? I mean, I'm of course ignoring the problem of talking about counting *in* the casino, but the REAL value from counting comes with a face-rich shoe that you get the opportunity to have splits and doubles while your bet is big, right? The blackjack-hitting frequency is part of it, but not the big part, I think. The dealer being more likely to bust has the side-effect of you also busting more frequently. Am I incorrect?
According to the Wizard of Odds (chart, middle of page) the biggest benefit of counting is the index plays which have you stand instead of hit. The next biggest benefit is the insurance play. All the rest are far behind those two.
 
#20
Left because of you

If you are an oriental youngster with glasses, then it was me who left. You weren't watching. Why would you possibly bet table min in a monster count just because the shoe was not doing well. I left with a modest profit, not because I lost 400 on the shoe, but rather to get away from a youngster with a lack of knowledge protocol on how to act around other AP's. If that was in fact you, then you have a great deal to learn. Please do not say anything to me or approach me in future - u are ot in my "trusted category". If that was not you, my apologies in advance.
 
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