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Your article. I freely admit that I hate bad players. I’ve gotten mad several times at players not playing the right way. The last time I played this guy hit on a 12 when the dealer showed a 6. I just can’t understand that play. Of course he busts with a face card and the dealer makes her hand with a lesser card. The dealer would have bust if he doesn’t hit. I am sorry, but I just can’t stand it. The guy cost the whole table by doing that and he did that a few other times as well. But maybe I should not get mad about that. It is hard to not get mad when you have a lot on a hand and this idiot just took the card that would have busted the dealer. I don’t know how to reconcile that.
I know that kind of thing can get on people’s nerves, however at the end of the day the cards are always shuffled rather than setup. It just means there is no knowing the order of cards beforehand. The dealers bust card or the card that makes his 21 could come out different every time. Idiot players help just as much as they hurt you.
The thing that gets me is the unrealisticly long losing streaks that seem to come up too often. That is playing perfect basic basic strategy with all the right splits, and doubles yet losing 90 percent of the time no matter what the hands are originally dealt. I mentally question the shuffles at times but it has to accepted unless there’s a good reason to speak on the house cheating.
You have played a total of 200 hands and you’re up almost $5000, when betting $5 in bad counts and $50 at true +2 or higher?
That is almost impossible.
You ask if you have been lucky. Well, your expected win on 200 hands of this game is probably $10 or less. Does that answer your question? 🙂
By asking this question, it is clear that you have not read much about blackjack. Get yourself a decent book and understand it before you go back.
The cards have not yet been reprinted, and orders will include this error for at least the next few months.
Note that the error is only in the legend, not in the charts themselves. It is still clear what the correct strategy is for each decision.
Even in the legend, it is pretty easy to see that one of the “Double” instructions should be “DS”.
Quick question about getting up from the table when the true count drops to m1 or lower. Let’s say that after just 1 or 2 hands on a double deck table the count drops to m1, do I get up and leave? Or stick it out for a few more hands? What is the time limit on this?
Leaving at minor negative counts in double deck quickly becomes impractical because it happens so frequently and there are typically only a few double deck tables that you can switch to. When playing double deck I generally play through the negative counts, except for taking bathroom breaks and phone call breaks during the worst counts.
I decided I am going to learn the art of card counting. I did spend 2 hours writing down the tutorial from my phone. Because I am to broke to get it printed. 5 Hours went into reading and reading more about the 0s, +’s, -‘s and all other crab who knows whos did blog. Then here and there food for the mind, which is helpful. But I love the honesty and the motivation in this article. There is hope, hope to buy a printer and hope for a girl like me to earn a extra income. Am going to glue myself to a deck of cards till I can get that 0. Then will I gamble and loose and then hopefully master the sience of 21 * 6 packed in a shoe. Count it from 0 to 0 and kick some boody.
OK, 200 shoes makes a lot more sense.
You’ve still been very lucky, but you are well within the range of possible outcomes.
As a guess, I would put your expected win somewhere around $1300.
You would need a simulation to get specific numbers.
I played DD hit S17 or S17 any casinos but i won a little and down a lot of money.I dont know whats going on i played basic strategy counting cards Hi Low counts.But the problem the positive counts i cant get my big bets and my cards is always bad,
Iam thinking to stay away from the casino.Do i need not to stay my hard 14 or hard 15 against the dealer 20 if the count is +4TC
which remaning 2decks?or less?And how much do i need money to play $50 minimum bet in 1 session?thanks
The advantage in counting is quite small, so losing streaks are inevitable even if you are playing correctly. It is especially frustrating to have a losing streak at the very beginning, because you have nothing to compare it to. I would expect that most counters that start off with poor results give up the game. Players who begin with a winning streak instead will eventually have the same losing streaks, but they will have also experienced the other side of the coin which makes it far more tolerable.
You ask about standing with hard 14 or 15 vs a dealer 20. I assume you mean a dealer ten up. (Stop assuming that the dealer has a face card underneath. It is not true, and not helpful.) You confusingly mention a true count of +4 but then ask about remaining decks of 2 or less. You should stand with 15vT at a true count of +4 or more no matter how many decks are left. The conversion to a true count already takes into account the number of decks left. For example, with 2 decks left, that means you need a running count of +8 or more to stand with 15vT. As for the other hand, you should not be standing with 14vT. Just hit it.
Time away from the game could provide a much needed chance to improve your understanding before you go back, particularly if you are playing a $50 minimum bet game.
How much money is needed for a session at a $50 table? Well, that depends on how long you play and what your larger bets are. For an hour or so, you should have no less than $2000 or $3000 available. Preferably more, because you will often run out at that level. You need to be spreading to a top bet of at least $400 to make this game viable. I would prefer a session bankroll of $5000 for that game.
It seems 2decks remaining on the shoe with +5 or above is the best time to bet 1to8 in $10 table games.And how much money do i need to bring with me in $50 minimum DD in 1 session?thanks
You’re still not understanding the true count. It doesn’t matter how many decks are left. Just bet based on the true count. You should have a bet ramp that reaches your top bet at a true count of +5 or so.
Since you can use a smaller spread, a $50 double deck game needs less bankroll. You can play a typical session spreading $50 to $300 with $1500 or so.
This is how long it has been since I played BlackJack in a casino. Am just about 50, and in the 1990’s, if you bet 100.00 and won that hand, you had 200.00
in your pocket! Have times changed. Went to Vegas a year ago but did not pay any attention to BlackJack or the payouts. Used to go there several times a year. Good Luck everyone
Your article. I freely admit that I hate bad players. I’ve gotten mad several times at players not playing the right way. The last time I played this guy hit on a 12 when the dealer showed a 6. I just can’t understand that play. Of course he busts with a face card and the dealer makes her hand with a lesser card. The dealer would have bust if he doesn’t hit. I am sorry, but I just can’t stand it. The guy cost the whole table by doing that and he did that a few other times as well. But maybe I should not get mad about that. It is hard to not get mad when you have a lot on a hand and this idiot just took the card that would have busted the dealer. I don’t know how to reconcile that.
I know that kind of thing can get on people’s nerves, however at the end of the day the cards are always shuffled rather than setup. It just means there is no knowing the order of cards beforehand. The dealers bust card or the card that makes his 21 could come out different every time. Idiot players help just as much as they hurt you.
The thing that gets me is the unrealisticly long losing streaks that seem to come up too often. That is playing perfect basic basic strategy with all the right splits, and doubles yet losing 90 percent of the time no matter what the hands are originally dealt. I mentally question the shuffles at times but it has to accepted unless there’s a good reason to speak on the house cheating.
Ken,
I’m playing 8 decks, H17 , DAS, Late Surrender , Peek , 75 % penetration.
I threw 200 boxes, 20 boxes a day.
80 % of the time I played alone, just me and the dealer , the other 20 % at the maximum with another player .
My bets are fixed : $ 5 in true negative score or = 2. I use also the top ten and leave the table when the true count is too low.
The result so far is an average US 495.25 a day, I’m making 4925.50 in total.
I’m lucky?
I am within the standard deviation ?
I can improve my bets ?
You have played a total of 200 hands and you’re up almost $5000, when betting $5 in bad counts and $50 at true +2 or higher?
That is almost impossible.
You ask if you have been lucky. Well, your expected win on 200 hands of this game is probably $10 or less. Does that answer your question? 🙂
By asking this question, it is clear that you have not read much about blackjack. Get yourself a decent book and understand it before you go back.
sorry , when the true count and more than 2 I bet $ 50 .
Has this been corrected? Or will all future orders still have this issue?
The cards have not yet been reprinted, and orders will include this error for at least the next few months.
Note that the error is only in the legend, not in the charts themselves. It is still clear what the correct strategy is for each decision.
Even in the legend, it is pretty easy to see that one of the “Double” instructions should be “DS”.
Quick question about getting up from the table when the true count drops to m1 or lower. Let’s say that after just 1 or 2 hands on a double deck table the count drops to m1, do I get up and leave? Or stick it out for a few more hands? What is the time limit on this?
Leaving at minor negative counts in double deck quickly becomes impractical because it happens so frequently and there are typically only a few double deck tables that you can switch to. When playing double deck I generally play through the negative counts, except for taking bathroom breaks and phone call breaks during the worst counts.
well said!
I decided I am going to learn the art of card counting. I did spend 2 hours writing down the tutorial from my phone. Because I am to broke to get it printed. 5 Hours went into reading and reading more about the 0s, +’s, -‘s and all other crab who knows whos did blog. Then here and there food for the mind, which is helpful. But I love the honesty and the motivation in this article. There is hope, hope to buy a printer and hope for a girl like me to earn a extra income. Am going to glue myself to a deck of cards till I can get that 0. Then will I gamble and loose and then hopefully master the sience of 21 * 6 packed in a shoe. Count it from 0 to 0 and kick some boody.
Ken ,
They are not 200 hands but 200 shoes.
My balance is too loud ?
This above standard deviation ?
OK, 200 shoes makes a lot more sense.
You’ve still been very lucky, but you are well within the range of possible outcomes.
As a guess, I would put your expected win somewhere around $1300.
You would need a simulation to get specific numbers.
I played DD hit S17 or S17 any casinos but i won a little and down a lot of money.I dont know whats going on i played basic strategy counting cards Hi Low counts.But the problem the positive counts i cant get my big bets and my cards is always bad,
Iam thinking to stay away from the casino.Do i need not to stay my hard 14 or hard 15 against the dealer 20 if the count is +4TC
which remaning 2decks?or less?And how much do i need money to play $50 minimum bet in 1 session?thanks
The advantage in counting is quite small, so losing streaks are inevitable even if you are playing correctly. It is especially frustrating to have a losing streak at the very beginning, because you have nothing to compare it to. I would expect that most counters that start off with poor results give up the game. Players who begin with a winning streak instead will eventually have the same losing streaks, but they will have also experienced the other side of the coin which makes it far more tolerable.
You ask about standing with hard 14 or 15 vs a dealer 20. I assume you mean a dealer ten up. (Stop assuming that the dealer has a face card underneath. It is not true, and not helpful.) You confusingly mention a true count of +4 but then ask about remaining decks of 2 or less. You should stand with 15vT at a true count of +4 or more no matter how many decks are left. The conversion to a true count already takes into account the number of decks left. For example, with 2 decks left, that means you need a running count of +8 or more to stand with 15vT. As for the other hand, you should not be standing with 14vT. Just hit it.
Time away from the game could provide a much needed chance to improve your understanding before you go back, particularly if you are playing a $50 minimum bet game.
How much money is needed for a session at a $50 table? Well, that depends on how long you play and what your larger bets are. For an hour or so, you should have no less than $2000 or $3000 available. Preferably more, because you will often run out at that level. You need to be spreading to a top bet of at least $400 to make this game viable. I would prefer a session bankroll of $5000 for that game.
It seems 2decks remaining on the shoe with +5 or above is the best time to bet 1to8 in $10 table games.And how much money do i need to bring with me in $50 minimum DD in 1 session?thanks
You’re still not understanding the true count. It doesn’t matter how many decks are left. Just bet based on the true count. You should have a bet ramp that reaches your top bet at a true count of +5 or so.
Since you can use a smaller spread, a $50 double deck game needs less bankroll. You can play a typical session spreading $50 to $300 with $1500 or so.
This is how long it has been since I played BlackJack in a casino. Am just about 50, and in the 1990’s, if you bet 100.00 and won that hand, you had 200.00
in your pocket! Have times changed. Went to Vegas a year ago but did not pay any attention to BlackJack or the payouts. Used to go there several times a year. Good Luck everyone
Disagree on the surrender part if it was such a scam every casino would offer it!
Correct. When you cannot surrender just hit, unless the true count is at or higher than the hit/stand index number.