Next Weekend in Vegas.

ScottH said:
I can tell you that he does have casino experience. You don't need to be 21 to gamble! :cool:
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I thought you were going away...just kidding. Thanks for picking apart the post Scott, but you and CoolMan are both pretty young (nothing wrong with that) but yet full of "experience" as you would lead on. That was my observation.
 
ChefJJ said:
Are you the same person as SuperCoolMan or related or friends?
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We're just friends. I've played around 45 hours of blackjack. And I don't aspire to do anything with my life other than play cards. Really I'm the last person you need to worry about. Vegas isn't going to eat me up. Scott and I will make sure that doesn't happen.
 
ChefJJ said:
I thought you were going away...just kidding. Thanks for picking apart the post Scott, but you and CoolMan are both pretty young (nothing wrong with that) but yet full of "experience" as you would lead on. That was my observation.
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I am young but it does not take me long to rise to the top of whatever I am doing.

Some people may think I am overestimating my skills, but I dont think so. I am my own worst critic. I've had offers from people to play high(er) stakes with their money because they thought I was good enough, but I was hesitant about my own skills. I am always hesitant about playing unless I am perfect, even if it is with someone else's money.

No, I'm not going away, I am just going to post less controvercial things. I wasn't really picking apart your post, I was just correctly pointing out that you can have casino experience before you are 21. You can't assume they dont have experience based on that they are only 20. You can legally gamble at age 18 in some areas.
 
Automatic Monkey said:
Whoa man! Don't do it! Vegas'll kill you. Maybe just spend a week or so as a full-time counter, to see what it's like?

You know, I don't think I'd ever want to be a full-time pro, because I want to do more with my life than play a game. But I sure would like to try the lifestyle for 6 months or so!
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I know the lifestyle isn't as great as it is portrayed in the movies, etc., but it can't be any worse than working 9-5 at a job you don't enjoy!
 
Scott & SuperCoolMan,

You know what...it's all good fellas. If there's only one thing that matters in life, enjoy it while you're here.

Good luck--for real.

And regardless of whether you have no, little, or an ass-load of casino experience, you guys got your minds make up...and that's half the battle.
 
Automatic Monkey said:
Whoa man! Don't do it! Vegas'll kill you. Maybe just spend a week or so as a full-time counter, to see what it's like?

You know, I don't think I'd ever want to be a full-time pro, because I want to do more with my life than play a game. But I sure would like to try the lifestyle for 6 months or so!
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OUCH! Didn't realize how meaningless I've been until now.
 
Bojack1 said:
OUCH! Didn't realize how meaningless I've been until now.
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Aw man I didn't mean it like that! It's just that when you are in your final days, and you look back at all the things you wished you did, I can guarantee one of them won't be "played more blackjack." It won't even be "made more money." At least having the money will give you the opportunity to do more things. But I can't believe a guy like you isn't really, really good at something else too, nor that there isn't something else you wanted to be before you took up advantage play.

Although I enjoy the money I make from playing and it does provide a significant percentage of my income, that's all it provides. There's not as much satisfaction from it as there is from accomplishing something in engineering. Because when you provide goods or services for profit, you are giving in exchange for taking and the symmetry of that principle and the paradigm it provides for society in general is pleasing. Even in terms of gamesmanship and competititveness, I'm more proud of my 642-point Scrabble game than of my big casino wins.
 
Automatic Monkey said:
Aw man I didn't mean it like that! It's just that when you are in your final days, and you look back at all the things you wished you did, I can guarantee one of them won't be "played more blackjack." It won't even be "made more money." At least having the money will give you the opportunity to do more things. But I can't believe a guy like you isn't really, really good at something else too, nor that there isn't something else you wanted to be before you took up advantage play.

Although I enjoy the money I make from playing and it does provide a significant percentage of my income, that's all it provides. There's not as much satisfaction from it as there is from accomplishing something in engineering. Because when you provide goods or services for profit, you are giving in exchange for taking and the symmetry of that principle and the paradigm it provides for society in general is pleasing. Even in terms of gamesmanship and competititveness, I'm more proud of my 642-point Scrabble game than of my big casino wins.
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If my final days were right now I would feel very satistied and fufilled with what my life was about. Blackjack doesn't define me as a person, its a job. Granted its one I do love which in itself is something most can't say. But choosing this life has also opened up many doors that most likely would have never been opened for me otherwise. Practically every goal I've had outside of my job I have attained. I have invested my time and money wisely, and through alot of hard work and even more luck, I have been graced with plenty of each. I have mentally and physically pushed myself to extremes just to see if there is another level that so many cliches are born from. And I have seen there is. I have created art, started side businesses, competed competitively in sports of endurance and toughness (marathons, and boxing) and have been involved in the helping of those of unfortunate and sometimes tragic circumstances. The life of a pro player does not have to be the stereotypical one of the lonely traveler worn out and out of shape due to the grind of the sleaze of the business. Honestly, there are times I hate it as much as I love it, but thats fine, middle of the road just doesn't do it for me, and to date that has suited me just fine. And to answer the question, is there anything that I wanted to be before I took up advantage play, yes, to be man that lived never saying what if, I'm proud to say I am.
 
as i see it, it's not how one make ones money that defines ones worth or for that matter how much money one makes.
most of us gotta do something to make a living it's that simple.
that's not to say that ones work can't be the source of ones value it's just that work is not the only way for one to realize success.
on that note it seems as if the value of a life lived is intrinsic for an individual and has more to do with how one lives up to ones own realistic expectations.
 
supercoolmancool said:
We're just friends. I've played around 45 hours of blackjack. And I don't aspire to do anything with my life other than play cards. Really I'm the last person you need to worry about. Vegas isn't going to eat me up. Scott and I will make sure that doesn't happen.
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Vegas will not eat you up because, you and Scott have a solid game.

After training with Mike and Dave, I have been doing well. I would say to both of you to go to vegas, drink a lot of water while you are there and see what the tables have to offer. Its not all what it is cracked up to be. Once you find your comfort level, then make you assumptions about what you know. Do what it is that you think you can do well. Count your chips and money at the end of the week or whatever and assess it.
 
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mdlbj said:
Vegas will not eat you up because, you and Scott have a solid game.

After training with Mike and Dave, I have been doing well. I would say to both of you to go to vegas, drink a lot of water while you are there and see what the tables have to offer. Its not all what it is cracked up to be. Once you find your comfort level, then make you assumptions about what you know. Do what it is that you think you can do well. Count your chips and money at the end of the week or whatever and assess it.
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Thanks for the advice!
 
mdlbj said:
Vegas will not eat you up because, you and Scott have a solid game.

After training with Mike and Dave, I have been doing well. I would say to both of you to go to vegas, drink a lot of water while you are there and see what the tables have to offer. Its not all what it is cracked up to be. Once you find your comfort level, then make you assumptions about what you know. Do what it is that you think you can do well. Count your chips and money at the end of the week or whatever and assess it.
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And take some chap stick...the summers there can really make your lips dry :grin: for real

good luck
 
I find this thread very entertaining but I'm not sure what good it does. It sounds like a bunch of people like to spout out theories and opinions, but who the hell are they, young kids, computer geeks, experts with no credentials? I have heard of the MIT team that took Vegas for millions. The rest of the panels of experts I'm not so sure. I have been counting cards for less than a year, and frequent the casino maybe once a month, so I am surely not an expert. But to an outside observer most on this subject sound as if they were trying to teach a class with every post. Now I'm not paying for any blackjack class, but if I did I'd pay it to the professional before I'd pay it to the beer league equivalent.
 
JoeV said:
I find this thread very entertaining but I'm not sure what good it does. It sounds like a bunch of people like to spout out theories and opinions, but who the hell are they, young kids, computer geeks, experts with no credentials? I have heard of the MIT team that took Vegas for millions. The rest of the panels of experts I'm not so sure. I have been counting cards for less than a year, and frequent the casino maybe once a month, so I am surely not an expert. But to an outside observer most on this subject sound as if they were trying to teach a class with every post. Now I'm not paying for any blackjack class, but if I did I'd pay it to the professional before I'd pay it to the beer league equivalent.
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JoeV, the point of this forum is to share ideas and information so in a way yes it is like being in a class. I'm not sure who you are referring to as the beer league? Mike Aponte and Dave Irvine are respected players and are far from a beer league. That is originally what this thread was about.

Also yes, I am a computer geek yet, at the same time, could blow your mind if we sat at a table and played. So called experts? For sure, I am no expert by any means but have been trained by proven people.

What would you change about the information provided on the forums?
 
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mdlbj I'm sure you are very good, and I was not calling Mike and Dave the beer league. I referred to them as the pros and to the unproven scholars on this board as maybe less than that. I just think its tough when you are a novice trying to get information, who do you listen to. Even the message board teachers don't agree on things. Who do you trust a Monkey or a Bojack, and what the hell is a Bojack anyway. My point is I read this whole thread and I find myself no better off than when I started. Amused maybe, but that doesn't help my game. I know you started this thread saying you were going to an MIT seminar. What I'd like is some details on what the real pros say, and leave all the other distractions to another thread that it would be better suited for.
 
I am more than willing to answer your questions yet, its my interpritation of what I gatherd from them. The great thing about the pros, they have sites like this. ( Thank you Ken ) They are quite willing to answer questions. You dont have to pay for anything.

I had the exact problem you are having right now. There was so much info out there and trying to put it into one nice package was a pain. I looked for years trying to find it, specificly on how to train. I found the blackjack Institute site and it changed my training method and skill level pretty much overnight.

If you have questions, go stright to the people who have perfected the tecnique you are using.

You are right, there are a lot of posers yet, there are a few that post on forums that are dam good.

Hope you find your answers.
 
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JoeV,
You're totally right. There are a huge number of people (no comment about anyone here directly) who do talk the talk without walking the walk, but if you know what to look for there are people online who are worth listening to.
Good luck finding them.

RJT.
 
RJT said:
JoeV,
You're totally right. There are a huge number of people (no comment about anyone here directly) who do talk the talk without walking the walk, but if you know what to look for there are people online who are worth listening to.
Good luck finding them.

RJT.
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You know what, I'm surprised that more of us haven't said that...lots of those that talk the talk but are still crawling. In my case, I'm here to learn and toss ideas back and forth. But go back and look at some of the posts from people who come off like they wrote the book on this stuff. I try not to be too sarcastic, but what the f***

good luck
 
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