So_what_MD
I lost a quarter mill to roulette in the mid 90's. Called a friend, casino mgr, at casino holland. He told me to COUNT CARDS, might help my addiction. It sure did.
I have the worst luck. All my fellow co-players can testify to that. But I still win, marginally, each year in the last 20, with exception to one, cos I lost big right before Xmas no time to catch up.
I use omega 2 with side count of aces. I learned my craft 20 years ago. This is the first time I join the blackjack community.
How do I win with the worst luck??? I pick tables before I play. Some say I am superstitious. I argue not:
1. Cards we play are results of a shuffle after they were systematically put together in the last shoe, bust first, then made hands from front to back, then dealer.
2. Clumping effect will make cards less random, eg., 5 cards 21 with a surplus of 5 face cards per deck
3. House supposed to bust a little more than 1 in 4 hands. If it doesn't bust at all, likely few players, with sad faces, with no chips in front of them = stay away. No count will help me.
4. I am a firm believer once house starts getting 21 the more it will keep getting. Shrink the shoe down to 13 cards, if i have seen 2-9-face, 3-8-face, 4-7-face, next one must be 6-5-face with exception of the ace.
5. I try very hard to introduce intuition to a highly mathematical challenge. Because I believe I am not smart enough to understand 10% of the "why's" in this game. For instance, cards are running so good, which I don't know why, when I see my stiff against house's ace I already know I will make 20/21 and house will score 17 or even bust. And I am right, for the next 20 minutes ==== BET!!!!! Oppose to losing the whole night, I get 19 he gets 20, I get 20 he gets 21. With sky high count no ace left he finds the ace. I insure and he pulls A-A-9; finally max bet, 19, 20 and 20 against his face. BACK END BLACKJACK ... not a hand, not a shoe, but the whole night over 4 different tables .... OUCH!!! Supervisors tell me when tables running that good/bad they can predict whether a new comer is gonna score/lose. I call this the win/lose bundling effect. No difference from lottery tickets that certain numbers appear more in a short term that nobody can explain why and how.
6. If I am disciplined, spend an hour or two to scout out my table(s), count will help me win 60-70% of the time, far from the 1-2 point advantage. When I get stubborn, insist math must come before some unknown "voodoo" observations 70% chance I get my ass kicked.
7. I play 1 Kelly for about 20 hours a week. I play 1% edge about 8-10 times an hour. If I am not mistaken it would take me 1000 hours to dble up (each hour i score 10 times 1% of 1%) yet, I win 3% to 25% a month.
Pls don't get me wrong. I am no guru, just a scientific guy that wanna find room for intuitions. I want to learn more about the game. I am thinking ... possibly putting $100,000 together and play PRO. Comments pls.
I have the worst luck. All my fellow co-players can testify to that. But I still win, marginally, each year in the last 20, with exception to one, cos I lost big right before Xmas no time to catch up.
I use omega 2 with side count of aces. I learned my craft 20 years ago. This is the first time I join the blackjack community.
How do I win with the worst luck??? I pick tables before I play. Some say I am superstitious. I argue not:
1. Cards we play are results of a shuffle after they were systematically put together in the last shoe, bust first, then made hands from front to back, then dealer.
2. Clumping effect will make cards less random, eg., 5 cards 21 with a surplus of 5 face cards per deck
3. House supposed to bust a little more than 1 in 4 hands. If it doesn't bust at all, likely few players, with sad faces, with no chips in front of them = stay away. No count will help me.
4. I am a firm believer once house starts getting 21 the more it will keep getting. Shrink the shoe down to 13 cards, if i have seen 2-9-face, 3-8-face, 4-7-face, next one must be 6-5-face with exception of the ace.
5. I try very hard to introduce intuition to a highly mathematical challenge. Because I believe I am not smart enough to understand 10% of the "why's" in this game. For instance, cards are running so good, which I don't know why, when I see my stiff against house's ace I already know I will make 20/21 and house will score 17 or even bust. And I am right, for the next 20 minutes ==== BET!!!!! Oppose to losing the whole night, I get 19 he gets 20, I get 20 he gets 21. With sky high count no ace left he finds the ace. I insure and he pulls A-A-9; finally max bet, 19, 20 and 20 against his face. BACK END BLACKJACK ... not a hand, not a shoe, but the whole night over 4 different tables .... OUCH!!! Supervisors tell me when tables running that good/bad they can predict whether a new comer is gonna score/lose. I call this the win/lose bundling effect. No difference from lottery tickets that certain numbers appear more in a short term that nobody can explain why and how.
6. If I am disciplined, spend an hour or two to scout out my table(s), count will help me win 60-70% of the time, far from the 1-2 point advantage. When I get stubborn, insist math must come before some unknown "voodoo" observations 70% chance I get my ass kicked.
7. I play 1 Kelly for about 20 hours a week. I play 1% edge about 8-10 times an hour. If I am not mistaken it would take me 1000 hours to dble up (each hour i score 10 times 1% of 1%) yet, I win 3% to 25% a month.
Pls don't get me wrong. I am no guru, just a scientific guy that wanna find room for intuitions. I want to learn more about the game. I am thinking ... possibly putting $100,000 together and play PRO. Comments pls.