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Does anybody know Kevin barton? He is my dad and I have been looking for him for 19 years. He is a really well known blackjack player card counter please any information about my dad would be really appreciated
I’ve been learning to card count. I’m using the Hi-Lo system. (But I’m looking at the TKO system as well.) I’m dealing one deck and keeping track of my outcome as well as the time it takes me to get through a deck. My best so far is 40 seconds.
There are three questions I have for you…
1. How to best compute “decks dealt” by just looking at the discard shoe?
2. In my second-to-last casino visit I did very well BUT… one of the other players at the table actually said “what are you doing man? Counting cards?” I about $hat my pants! So, how to best “cover up” the fact?
3. What are your thoughts on the TKO system by Daniel Dravot?
Thanks,
GV
1. Estimating the number of decks in the discard tray is a skill that you can practice at home. Buy a few used decks from a casino gift shop, and try guessing how many cards are in various sized stacks. You don’t have to be super-accurate. Getting within a half deck accuracy should be good enough.
2. At low bet amounts, you cannot afford so-called camouflage to hide your tactics. Just keep your sessions at any single table short.
3. KO is roughly equal in strength to Hi-Lo, and most people find it easier. TKO improves on it further, but I would make sure you are very comfortable with regular KO first. You can add the TKO ideas later.
Good luck, and good cards! -Ken-
Ken Smith is the only knowledgable player here. I don’t count but I play solid basic strategy and I press like a maniac until I reach the table max. I’m from the school of play to win big. I’ll break my bankroll up into 6 or 8 sessions usually around 600 bucks. I start at a hundred a hand. If I lose three in a row I’m gone. My goal is to press to the table max while pulling back enough money to double or split on any given bet amount. I play for streaks. I want to win 9+ hands in a row. It has happened. I usually don’t play longer than 10 to 20 minutes at a given time. It’s been great. I’ve won big. I’ve lost too. It’s a blast when a streak happens and you’ve got 20 people cheering for you with a 5 or 6 thousand dollar bet up there. Win or lose. It’s a major rush.
Say for example I was at a $15 minimum table, would you recommend using the same spread like the one listed. So $5 would be $15, $10 would be $30 etc etc?
Also, say for example I had a bankroll where I could afford to bet $20 – $240. If I was at a $5 table should I just bet $5 when the count is 1 or less and then jump to $40 when it get to 2. Other than maybe raising casino interest in your play, would this be a good strategy
Yes, you can think of spreads in terms of bet multiples no matter what the table minimum is. Of course, your bankroll needs to be proportionally larger too.
For your second question, a bigger spread will create a bigger return. In short, the less you can bet into bad counts and the more you can bet into good counts directly translate into better return. Larger spreads also create larger swings, in many cases much larger. So make sure you understand the bankroll required.
Luckily, the pit-bosses and THEIR bosses here in Mesquite seem to have a super-low opinion of the 6:5 games, so I doubt we’ll be seeing them for a while…
Is there an iOS app version of this trainer for my iPad?
I stumbled across this webpage on a Google search, and I won’t be back here to check message replies.
Please email your response.
Hi, thank you very much for the article, it has been very helpful.
I have a question about the difference between 10-6 and 9-7 vs 10. You explain the difference by the fact that in the 10-6 vs 10 hand these are two extra 10’s out of the game. But it seems to me that those two tens should already have been counted in to your current true count and thus by differentiating between the two hands you one would be double counting?
In other words, Why should I play differently in these two situations: 1) dealer: 10-x, me: 10-6, player 2: 9-7 and 2) dealer: 10-x, me; 9-7, player 2; 10-6. Both situations would influence the count in exactly the same way, wouldn’t they?
Good question. I don’t see the point in having separate indexes for those two specific hands either. And, as noted in another reply, I have not verified the accuracy of these Hi-Opt 1 indexes, and I am quite skeptical of the big difference between (10,6) and (9,7) vs T. If single deck is in your plans, I would look around for verification before using either of those. If you use Hi-Lo instead, the indexes on my advanced card set are very well-tested. I trust them much more.
Really nice interview Ken, I agree that counting prepares the mindset for other casino games. I still prefer the blackjack strategy guides on this site over POGGs ones, though he has some nice video poker ones. K.
Hi Ken ! thanks for all. I would know if is possible to buy the advanced card set in ebook format or something like that because the shipping charges regard my country are really high.
I agree. The true count must be calculated in when deciding wether to hit or stay during a hand. Rigidly adhering to bs doesn’t seem to make sense to me. Or so it seems
Great helpful advice re martingale. The pushes and table maximums make any negative progression a terrible strategy.
Does anybody know Kevin barton? He is my dad and I have been looking for him for 19 years. He is a really well known blackjack player card counter please any information about my dad would be really appreciated
I’ve been learning to card count. I’m using the Hi-Lo system. (But I’m looking at the TKO system as well.) I’m dealing one deck and keeping track of my outcome as well as the time it takes me to get through a deck. My best so far is 40 seconds.
There are three questions I have for you…
1. How to best compute “decks dealt” by just looking at the discard shoe?
2. In my second-to-last casino visit I did very well BUT… one of the other players at the table actually said “what are you doing man? Counting cards?” I about $hat my pants! So, how to best “cover up” the fact?
3. What are your thoughts on the TKO system by Daniel Dravot?
Thanks,
GV
1. Estimating the number of decks in the discard tray is a skill that you can practice at home. Buy a few used decks from a casino gift shop, and try guessing how many cards are in various sized stacks. You don’t have to be super-accurate. Getting within a half deck accuracy should be good enough.
2. At low bet amounts, you cannot afford so-called camouflage to hide your tactics. Just keep your sessions at any single table short.
3. KO is roughly equal in strength to Hi-Lo, and most people find it easier. TKO improves on it further, but I would make sure you are very comfortable with regular KO first. You can add the TKO ideas later.
Good luck, and good cards! -Ken-
Ken Smith is the only knowledgable player here. I don’t count but I play solid basic strategy and I press like a maniac until I reach the table max. I’m from the school of play to win big. I’ll break my bankroll up into 6 or 8 sessions usually around 600 bucks. I start at a hundred a hand. If I lose three in a row I’m gone. My goal is to press to the table max while pulling back enough money to double or split on any given bet amount. I play for streaks. I want to win 9+ hands in a row. It has happened. I usually don’t play longer than 10 to 20 minutes at a given time. It’s been great. I’ve won big. I’ve lost too. It’s a blast when a streak happens and you’ve got 20 people cheering for you with a 5 or 6 thousand dollar bet up there. Win or lose. It’s a major rush.
Hi Ken,
Say for example I was at a $15 minimum table, would you recommend using the same spread like the one listed. So $5 would be $15, $10 would be $30 etc etc?
Also, say for example I had a bankroll where I could afford to bet $20 – $240. If I was at a $5 table should I just bet $5 when the count is 1 or less and then jump to $40 when it get to 2. Other than maybe raising casino interest in your play, would this be a good strategy
Yes, you can think of spreads in terms of bet multiples no matter what the table minimum is. Of course, your bankroll needs to be proportionally larger too.
For your second question, a bigger spread will create a bigger return. In short, the less you can bet into bad counts and the more you can bet into good counts directly translate into better return. Larger spreads also create larger swings, in many cases much larger. So make sure you understand the bankroll required.
Luckily, the pit-bosses and THEIR bosses here in Mesquite seem to have a super-low opinion of the 6:5 games, so I doubt we’ll be seeing them for a while…
Is there an iOS app version of this trainer for my iPad?
I stumbled across this webpage on a Google search, and I won’t be back here to check message replies.
Please email your response.
The new mobile-friendly version is coming along slowly. I now think early Summer is the target. (Emailed also as requested.)
Hi, thank you very much for the article, it has been very helpful.
I have a question about the difference between 10-6 and 9-7 vs 10. You explain the difference by the fact that in the 10-6 vs 10 hand these are two extra 10’s out of the game. But it seems to me that those two tens should already have been counted in to your current true count and thus by differentiating between the two hands you one would be double counting?
In other words, Why should I play differently in these two situations: 1) dealer: 10-x, me: 10-6, player 2: 9-7 and 2) dealer: 10-x, me; 9-7, player 2; 10-6. Both situations would influence the count in exactly the same way, wouldn’t they?
Good question. I don’t see the point in having separate indexes for those two specific hands either. And, as noted in another reply, I have not verified the accuracy of these Hi-Opt 1 indexes, and I am quite skeptical of the big difference between (10,6) and (9,7) vs T. If single deck is in your plans, I would look around for verification before using either of those. If you use Hi-Lo instead, the indexes on my advanced card set are very well-tested. I trust them much more.
Really nice interview Ken, I agree that counting prepares the mindset for other casino games. I still prefer the blackjack strategy guides on this site over POGGs ones, though he has some nice video poker ones. K.
can I bring your black jack strategy engine in the casino? or is it not allowed?
Yeah, that’s the one, though the nuances are slightly different. They also have Triple-Up.
I may have to hit up my younger sibling to bodge something together. XD
Sorry Roberto, I don’t have an electronic version available. I may consider that in the future though.
Hi Ken ! thanks for all. I would know if is possible to buy the advanced card set in ebook format or something like that because the shipping charges regard my country are really high.
I sent an email to ‘observer’, in case he is interested in connecting with you.
You figured out how to count the side bets?
That’s extremely lucrative.
Can we talk?
I agree. The true count must be calculated in when deciding wether to hit or stay during a hand. Rigidly adhering to bs doesn’t seem to make sense to me. Or so it seems