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Ken, I just jumped on the trainer after a few months absence. Started reading the comments and noticed that you will be launching a revised version. Any idea of the approximate launch date? Looking forward to the new version. Thanks again for a great strategy trainer!
I was originally targeting June for a launch, but I’ve had a major life change interrupt development. I’m preparing to move my family from Mississippi to Texas, and that stopped development in its tracks over a month ago. I will resume development in August, so I now expect a launch in the fall at the earliest. So, it’s a long wait, but I think worth it.
the rules are 17s , early surrender alowed (except vs A) , and double down 9 , 10 , 11.Now the true count are -4 , 16 vs 10 , are that surrender or hit ? and are the basic strategy varation important for a “good” game ?.. for example split 10s never.. or ounly if the count are true count are (exampel) +5..etc.
The advanced cards do not include surrender indexes, to keep them manageable. So, given the advice on the card, you should surrender 16vT. If you cannot surrender, if the true count is 0 or better, you should stand. If it is negative, you should hit.
Now, I can add to that an additional piece of information. The “surrender index” for 16vT is -4. So, if the true count is -4 or better, you should surrender. If the true count is -5 or worse, you should just hit, even when surrender is allowed.
You ask how important strategy variations are to the game. Most of your edge comes from bet variation, and only about 1/4 of your edge comes from changing strategy. I always recommend getting completely comfortable counting with just basic strategy before you start to add index plays to your toolbox.
I am using your cards to learn my index numbers, are they base on truncate, floor, round or statistical round of true count? Also I see some variances in what people say the illustrious 18 is and what the index numbers are, what are the index numbers that I should use for I 18? I see different numbers for 12 v 2, 12 v 3 and 10 v A. I really want to learn to play perfectly.
So with flooring if you have 4 decks remaining and a running count of -3 it would be considered a -1 true and a running count of -5 would play as a true count of -2 and so on ?
The card indexes are generating by flooring the true count. Just to refresh everyone’s memory, floor(2.9) = 2, floor(-2.9) = -3.
The exact index numbers depend on many different details, so it is not unusual to see small differences in published indexes. The indexes on my cards are very good, the result of many hours of fine-tuning. And as you will notice, the indexes for some of the plays you mention are highly dependent on the number of decks and whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17. So you will see variations in the index numbers among the various cards in the set.
Ken….I play weekly at a small casino that gives all players 40 chips. The minimum bet is 2, and the max is all-in. It is a single deck, with 6 players a table, and the dealer deals 2 hands and then shuffles. There are 40 players. I have been lucky using your advice. They play 20 hands. Everyone is conservative at 2 chips a hand for the first 17 or 18 hands. I discovered that by betting 3 chips instead of 2, I can get an advantage heading into the final couple hands. I am a counter, and occasionally when the deck is rich, I’ll make a big bet. Question: Any advice on tournament strategy when playing 2 hands from a single deck?
I usually discourage tournament players from counting because the benefit is small compared to the other things you can focus on. But in single deck, it’s different. Even though you’re getting only two hands between shuffles, the extra information you have in the second hand can make a difference. You really don’t even need to count all that accurately (very unlike the usual card counting for profit, where accuracy is everything!). Just have a sense of whether the deck is unusually positive or unusually negative and use that information as appropriate.
Timing your big bets for good counts is useful, but probably not as powerful as you might think. Varying strategy is probably more useful in tournament play (again, just the opposite of normal card counting, where bet size is more important.) Consider if you know that the deck is negative, and everyone else at the table has stood stiff against a dealer 6. This is a great time to hit if you have a 12, 13, or 14, because you know it’s not a bad play because of the count, AND it gives you a chance to swing the entire table. Unfortunately, if you bust and then the dealer busts, the entire table will swing you instead! But hey, you have to take your shots somewhere!
What would you recommend for books beyond Wong’s Professional blackjack, for someone who wants to really learn hi-lo count and the play as informed as possible?
A suggestion, after playing at a number of 6:5 tables on the Strip. Depending on the dealer’s up card, if you have a blackjack, do seriously consider doubling down instead of accepting the 6:5 payout. It’s completely appropriate, and I was successful a good 80% of the times I did it.
I have a place to play eight decks, H17 , DAS Later Surrender , Peek , penetration 75 % .
I can get on the table when you see fit.
Making a fixed bet of $ 100 when the count is above +1 , which my theoretical profit after 1,000 hands bet ?
Ken:
I would like to thank you for your knowledge and course. I read the course did the practice and it payed off big. Had a large bankroll to start $25k and get comps. in Vegas due to my slot losses on previous trips. I looked on websites for lowest house advantage, and started at Bellagio (-.252)6 Deck $25 game, dealer stands soft 17, DAS, Surrender, all the right rules. Played for six hours and noticed was being watched by pit boss after and hour( I am sure I was obvious as first time playing with all the rules and high low together), I varied my play using a 25-250 spread. I was up so I started tipping, staying higher bet after shuffle even made a few questionable plays as I knew they were on to me. Stayed for three days was up $6200 in about 30 hours of play at four casinos. (bellagio, MGM, Teasure Island and Aria)
Was wondering for a beginner like me what other advice you have to not look so obvious a counter to the man.
Thanks again!
The number one way to extend your playing lifetime is to keep your sessions short. If possible, spread your action across casinos and across shifts and keep your sessions just under an hour.
Splitting tens can be an appropriate play, but only if you know that the deck is rich (by counting cards.) You need something like a +6 adjusted count for this to be the case, and this doesn’t happen that often. So in general, splitting tens is not a good move.
Thank you, Ken. People who think that the bad play of others can somehow affect their outcomes in the long run deserve to lose their shirts. They don’t understand the game and therefore should just stay away, for their own good.
Ken, I just jumped on the trainer after a few months absence. Started reading the comments and noticed that you will be launching a revised version. Any idea of the approximate launch date? Looking forward to the new version. Thanks again for a great strategy trainer!
I was originally targeting June for a launch, but I’ve had a major life change interrupt development. I’m preparing to move my family from Mississippi to Texas, and that stopped development in its tracks over a month ago. I will resume development in August, so I now expect a launch in the fall at the earliest. So, it’s a long wait, but I think worth it.
the rules are 17s , early surrender alowed (except vs A) , and double down 9 , 10 , 11.Now the true count are -4 , 16 vs 10 , are that surrender or hit ? and are the basic strategy varation important for a “good” game ?.. for example split 10s never.. or ounly if the count are true count are (exampel) +5..etc.
The advanced cards do not include surrender indexes, to keep them manageable. So, given the advice on the card, you should surrender 16vT. If you cannot surrender, if the true count is 0 or better, you should stand. If it is negative, you should hit.
Now, I can add to that an additional piece of information. The “surrender index” for 16vT is -4. So, if the true count is -4 or better, you should surrender. If the true count is -5 or worse, you should just hit, even when surrender is allowed.
You ask how important strategy variations are to the game. Most of your edge comes from bet variation, and only about 1/4 of your edge comes from changing strategy. I always recommend getting completely comfortable counting with just basic strategy before you start to add index plays to your toolbox.
thanks for your answer !
i hope in a near future we can talk about startegy vaiations etc.
I am using your cards to learn my index numbers, are they base on truncate, floor, round or statistical round of true count? Also I see some variances in what people say the illustrious 18 is and what the index numbers are, what are the index numbers that I should use for I 18? I see different numbers for 12 v 2, 12 v 3 and 10 v A. I really want to learn to play perfectly.
So with flooring if you have 4 decks remaining and a running count of -3 it would be considered a -1 true and a running count of -5 would play as a true count of -2 and so on ?
Yes, that’s correct.
The card indexes are generating by flooring the true count. Just to refresh everyone’s memory, floor(2.9) = 2, floor(-2.9) = -3.
The exact index numbers depend on many different details, so it is not unusual to see small differences in published indexes. The indexes on my cards are very good, the result of many hours of fine-tuning. And as you will notice, the indexes for some of the plays you mention are highly dependent on the number of decks and whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17. So you will see variations in the index numbers among the various cards in the set.
Ken….I play weekly at a small casino that gives all players 40 chips. The minimum bet is 2, and the max is all-in. It is a single deck, with 6 players a table, and the dealer deals 2 hands and then shuffles. There are 40 players. I have been lucky using your advice. They play 20 hands. Everyone is conservative at 2 chips a hand for the first 17 or 18 hands. I discovered that by betting 3 chips instead of 2, I can get an advantage heading into the final couple hands. I am a counter, and occasionally when the deck is rich, I’ll make a big bet. Question: Any advice on tournament strategy when playing 2 hands from a single deck?
I usually discourage tournament players from counting because the benefit is small compared to the other things you can focus on. But in single deck, it’s different. Even though you’re getting only two hands between shuffles, the extra information you have in the second hand can make a difference. You really don’t even need to count all that accurately (very unlike the usual card counting for profit, where accuracy is everything!). Just have a sense of whether the deck is unusually positive or unusually negative and use that information as appropriate.
Timing your big bets for good counts is useful, but probably not as powerful as you might think. Varying strategy is probably more useful in tournament play (again, just the opposite of normal card counting, where bet size is more important.) Consider if you know that the deck is negative, and everyone else at the table has stood stiff against a dealer 6. This is a great time to hit if you have a 12, 13, or 14, because you know it’s not a bad play because of the count, AND it gives you a chance to swing the entire table. Unfortunately, if you bust and then the dealer busts, the entire table will swing you instead! But hey, you have to take your shots somewhere!
What would you recommend for books beyond Wong’s Professional blackjack, for someone who wants to really learn hi-lo count and the play as informed as possible?
My next couple of recommendations would be Blackjack Bluebook II, and Play Blackjack Like the Pros.
A suggestion, after playing at a number of 6:5 tables on the Strip. Depending on the dealer’s up card, if you have a blackjack, do seriously consider doubling down instead of accepting the 6:5 payout. It’s completely appropriate, and I was successful a good 80% of the times I did it.
Ack! No! This is a horrible idea. Read this:
Double Down on a 6:5 Blackjack? Read This First…
Ken ,
I have a place to play eight decks, H17 , DAS Later Surrender , Peek , penetration 75 % .
I can get on the table when you see fit.
Making a fixed bet of $ 100 when the count is above +1 , which my theoretical profit after 1,000 hands bet ?
Ken:
I would like to thank you for your knowledge and course. I read the course did the practice and it payed off big. Had a large bankroll to start $25k and get comps. in Vegas due to my slot losses on previous trips. I looked on websites for lowest house advantage, and started at Bellagio (-.252)6 Deck $25 game, dealer stands soft 17, DAS, Surrender, all the right rules. Played for six hours and noticed was being watched by pit boss after and hour( I am sure I was obvious as first time playing with all the rules and high low together), I varied my play using a 25-250 spread. I was up so I started tipping, staying higher bet after shuffle even made a few questionable plays as I knew they were on to me. Stayed for three days was up $6200 in about 30 hours of play at four casinos. (bellagio, MGM, Teasure Island and Aria)
Was wondering for a beginner like me what other advice you have to not look so obvious a counter to the man.
Thanks again!
The number one way to extend your playing lifetime is to keep your sessions short. If possible, spread your action across casinos and across shifts and keep your sessions just under an hour.
Splitting tens can be an appropriate play, but only if you know that the deck is rich (by counting cards.) You need something like a +6 adjusted count for this to be the case, and this doesn’t happen that often. So in general, splitting tens is not a good move.
Thank you, Ken. People who think that the bad play of others can somehow affect their outcomes in the long run deserve to lose their shirts. They don’t understand the game and therefore should just stay away, for their own good.