I guess I disagree. Lots of ploppies do it, I do it. Start a shoe with the same bet every shoe. I have had Pit guys chatting with me when I did this. I say "here we start again, lets hope this shoe starts better" or some such thing. I usually start a DD $25 min game with a single bet of $50 or two hands of $25, often a shoe with one hand, next shoe with two hands. Its working for me so far.
amateur mistakes
- Thread starter Meistro
- Start date
Well, if what you are doing is working for you, then keep doing what you are doing. It just seems like it wasn't very long ago, you were posting about all the heat and back offs you were experiencing. 
One other thing for your consideration: Chatty pit guys are not your friend. You may think you are turning on the charm and are likeable. They are just doing their job. And more often than not, when they come over all friendly like, chit-chatting up a storm, they are either "fishing", trying to distract you or just gauging your response (whether you become nervous or uncomfortable). In my experience, a chatty pit person is one of the first signs that your play has drawn some interest.
One other thing for your consideration: Chatty pit guys are not your friend. You may think you are turning on the charm and are likeable. They are just doing their job. And more often than not, when they come over all friendly like, chit-chatting up a storm, they are either "fishing", trying to distract you or just gauging your response (whether you become nervous or uncomfortable). In my experience, a chatty pit person is one of the first signs that your play has drawn some interest.
So Midwest Player, how is your effort to prove me wrong (or whatever it is you are doing), going?
While I no longer have my copy of Professional Blackjack, I stand by what I said. In the edition I had and I can't even tell you what edition that was, Wong used a standard set of numbers, throughout his book. He didn't use the word "standard", he used a different word or terminology that I just can't remember. But anyway, it was a $10,000 BR, $10 minimum bet which he referred to as unit. And he raised his bets in $10 increments per true count, $20 wager @ TC +2, $30 @ TC +3, $40 @ TC +4 and so on up until wherever he capped the spread, 8-1, 10-1, or 12, maybe 16-1, I don't remember.
But anyway, I am now sort of sorry that I singled out Professional Blackjack. I didn't know you were going to repost the quote on other sites, which taken out of context of the topic of the thread, "mistakes newer card counters make", just made it look like I was trashing Professional Blackjack, which was not my intent. Professional blackjack is still a good book. A lot of good and useful information. Just like a number of other books from that time period, the financial recommendations, involving, bet spread and ramp are outdated for 2017 and the worse games available today. With Today's conditions, a player has to ramp quicker than those recommendations from the 80's. A lot of new players are using outdated recommendations on spread and ramp and even RoR and are not ramping up quick enough, not getting the max bet out quick enough for today's conditions. THAT was the point, not to discredit Professional Blackjack.
While I no longer have my copy of Professional Blackjack, I stand by what I said. In the edition I had and I can't even tell you what edition that was, Wong used a standard set of numbers, throughout his book. He didn't use the word "standard", he used a different word or terminology that I just can't remember. But anyway, it was a $10,000 BR, $10 minimum bet which he referred to as unit. And he raised his bets in $10 increments per true count, $20 wager @ TC +2, $30 @ TC +3, $40 @ TC +4 and so on up until wherever he capped the spread, 8-1, 10-1, or 12, maybe 16-1, I don't remember.
But anyway, I am now sort of sorry that I singled out Professional Blackjack. I didn't know you were going to repost the quote on other sites, which taken out of context of the topic of the thread, "mistakes newer card counters make", just made it look like I was trashing Professional Blackjack, which was not my intent. Professional blackjack is still a good book. A lot of good and useful information. Just like a number of other books from that time period, the financial recommendations, involving, bet spread and ramp are outdated for 2017 and the worse games available today. With Today's conditions, a player has to ramp quicker than those recommendations from the 80's. A lot of new players are using outdated recommendations on spread and ramp and even RoR and are not ramping up quick enough, not getting the max bet out quick enough for today's conditions. THAT was the point, not to discredit Professional Blackjack.
KewlJ said:
Yeah pressing can work. You see regular players doing that all the time. I prefer parlaying, as I just mentioned, but whatever works. All you really want to avoid is something that looks very unnatural like winning a $50 bet and betting $300 on the next hand.
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Interesting Bosox. I do this on the final hand of a shuffle when I have won a hand and am reducing for the new shuffle. If I was betting max bet before the shuffle, I will exit rather than go all the way back down, but if I was betting something less than max, say $150 and won, I pull back all chips, put them with my stacks, and then throw out my smaller new bet just before the dealer is ready to deal again. But I have never considered doing this with all bets, when reducing. Just off the top of my head, it seems like a little bit unnatural move, but is something to think about.
KewlJ said:
So Midwest Player, how is your effort to prove me wrong (or whatever it is you are doing), going?
But anyway, I am now sort of sorry that I singled out Professional Blackjack. I didn't know you were going to repost the quote on other sites, which taken out of context of the topic of the thread, "mistakes newer card counters make", just made it look like I was trashing Professional Blackjack, which was not my intent.
But anyway, I am now sort of sorry that I singled out Professional Blackjack. I didn't know you were going to repost the quote on other sites, which taken out of context of the topic of the thread, "mistakes newer card counters make", just made it look like I was trashing Professional Blackjack, which was not my intent.
Professional Blackjack was kind of my bible when I was first starting to play blackjack. I don't remember any betting ramp in it, but I had the old 1978 or 1982 edition. It was a black hard cover book. You probably had the 1995 edition of Professional Blackjack. I too have that book, but I only skimmed it because it seemed like most everything was the same as the previous edition.
Anyway, it wasn't only Professional Blackjack, it was all the books I read in those early days. I don't remember a single one give a betting ramp. The reason I was losing in those early years was because I wasn't spreading enough. I'm sure I would of done better if I knew how much to spread. Of course that was over 25 years ago and at may age my memory might not be the best.
PS. I wish you the best in your recovery from heart surgery.
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I am aware.
Yeah, probably one of those two. I honestly no longer have any animosity towards Norm of any kind, I really don't. Life is just too short to get bogged down in all the negativity that he and I have been bogged down with for a couple years now. When I think of Norm, I have nothing but gratitude for his software products that have enabled me to be as successful as I have been. Minor success compares to many/most, but beyond my dreams. I am not mathematically smart enough to have figured out and learned the things that I would have needed to learn and know on my own. Without the benefit of Qfit's products I would probably be some sort of lower management at home depot or target.
You don't remember the use of a term, like "standard" referring to bankroll, minimum wager, betting unit and amount raised per TC? The word used was not "standard, or "uniform" or "default", but it had that meaning. I just can't recall the exact terminology and it is driving me crazy. As soon as I am bit healthier and more mobile, I am going to head to a library and refresh my memory. UNLV has a nice collection of blackjack material, think I will head there.
And this really was the point of my post, in a thread about mistakes new counter make. I think you are or were not alone. I think many new players, including current are influenced by bad information or lack of information regarding spread and especially ramp. And when I say "bad", I just mean outdated as far as today's games and conditions. With larger house edge to over come and less frequent, +ev counts, it is a must that a player get his max bet out by TC of +4 or so. To wait any longer as I remember Professional Blackjack and other books from 30 years ago, suggesting, just isn't going to get it done vs these games and conditions.
Yeah, probably one of those two.
I honestly no longer have any animosity towards Norm of any kind, I really don't. Life is just too short to get bogged down in all the negativity that he and I have been bogged down with for a couple years now. When I think of Norm, I have nothing but gratitude for his software products that have enabled me to be as successful as I have been. Minor success compares to many/most, but beyond my dreams. I am not mathematically smart enough to have figured out and learned the things that I would have needed to learn and know on my own. Without the benefit of Qfit's products I would probably be some sort of lower management at home depot or target.You don't remember the use of a term, like "standard" referring to bankroll, minimum wager, betting unit and amount raised per TC? The word used was not "standard, or "uniform" or "default", but it had that meaning. I just can't recall the exact terminology and it is driving me crazy. As soon as I am bit healthier and more mobile, I am going to head to a library and refresh my memory. UNLV has a nice collection of blackjack material, think I will head there.
And this really was the point of my post, in a thread about mistakes new counter make. I think you are or were not alone. I think many new players, including current are influenced by bad information or lack of information regarding spread and especially ramp. And when I say "bad", I just mean outdated as far as today's games and conditions. With larger house edge to over come and less frequent, +ev counts, it is a must that a player get his max bet out by TC of +4 or so. To wait any longer as I remember Professional Blackjack and other books from 30 years ago, suggesting, just isn't going to get it done vs these games and conditions.
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Yes, indeed sir! Benchmark...that is it. Thank you. Throughout the book $10,000 bankroll, $10 minimum bet (referred to as unit), raising in $10 increments per true count until whatever cap 1-8, 1-12 was reached. This had the effect of not getting those larger bets out until TC's of +8, +12 or whatever the cap was.
In other words, the recommended ramp was far to slow. Maybe not for the time the book was written, but far too slow for today's games. I think newer counters are still influenced by these outdated spreads and especially betting ramps, not only suggested by Professional Blackjack, but other books from that era as well.
Throughout the book $10,000 bankroll, $10 minimum bet (referred to as unit), raising in $10 increments per true count until whatever cap 1-8, 1-12 was reached. This had the effect of not getting those larger bets out until TC's of +8, +12 or whatever the cap was. In other words, the recommended ramp was far to slow. Maybe not for the time the book was written, but far too slow for today's games. I think newer counters are still influenced by these outdated spreads and especially betting ramps, not only suggested by Professional Blackjack, but other books from that era as well.
KewlJ said:
ZeeBabar, you do show some thick skin when it comes to these message boards, but yet at the blackjack table you, you don't show that same characteristic, instead worrying way to much what other players think or say. Try to work on that.
Try to work on that.
NOT too costly! LOL
On this you and I will have to disagree. For a round or two, yes, maybe the cost is not excessive, but that is not how I use this technique. I am essentially "resetting" my minimum wager to a higher amount than I was playing, to avoid retreating back to my original minimum wager. I am not just resetting for a round or two, but for at least most of the next shoe at which point I can again drop back to my original minimum wager. It is sort of a two step process to avoid showing what I believe is the biggest of tells, dropping all the way back at the shuffle. Doing it for more than just a token round or two, has too high a cost (in shoe games).
xengrifter said:
We have no disagreement then...
...but I can recall some years ago when we did.
...but I can recall some years ago when we did.
On this topic, although I don't know what you are referring to, it is quite possible we used to see something differently and no longer do. I tend to evolve on things. I like to call it "learning". Yes, I remember when you refused to make a bigger bet OTT when you won the big bet(s) at shoe's end.
You would just walk... and I felt that such was too telling.
You argued with math, calculating that it would cost you $1,300/yr in -EV
At the time you had had a few curious backoffs or strange management encounters.
You would just walk... and I felt that such was too telling.
You argued with math, calculating that it would cost you $1,300/yr in -EV
At the time you had had a few curious backoffs or strange management encounters.