Back Counting vs Play all for cover

[shark]

Hi everyone,
I've been a reader on here but not a poster. Glad I found the site, looks like we have a great crew of counters on board. Here's the question.

For a given 6D AC game, would you rather:
1 Play all, rated to get comps, and wong out at negative counts.
Or
2 Back count unrated.

I know back counting will provide more EV than play all for a given game, but what is better for cover? Also, during EV calculations you don't normally see lost comps factored in from playing unrated. Back counting will eventually become conspicuous even in a 1 hr session when you are only playing 20-25% from table to table and watching the rest. And I've knocked out the option of backcounting rated because of the heat it might bring with all the moving around and having to be watched for rating.
Play all exposes your play longer in terms of hands played, but many ploppies vary betting widely during the course of the game with big jumps and somewhat consistent lower bets most of the time (at least from my observation).

So, in terms of EV and cover, back counting unrated vs play all rated 6D AC?

 

[21forme]

I do both of the above.

If you play unrated, you don't need cover. Backcounting works best in those casinos with more than one BJ pit. It is difficult to do for any length of time in the smaller houses.

 

[callipygian]

Welcome!

Back counting will eventually become conspicuous even in a 1 hr session when you are only playing 20-25% from table to table and watching the rest.

This is the worst way to backcount, and quite frankly, it kind of screws us all over by hypersensitizing pits to backcounters.

Backcounting is not for everyone. Certain conditions have to be right, and you have to be subtle about it. Leaving a table to stand up and then sitting back down at another table is horrendously obvious to the pit boss; if you leave a table, you should not return to that pit in any short to medium time frame. At least alternate pits and when you do, don't beeline from one to the other, which is horrendously obvious from the cameras.

Find ways to backcount without looking like you're backcounting. Backcounting another table while you're counting your current table is an example of creative backcounting. Pretending to play slots or roulette while backcounting blackjack is another.

When you leave, don't abruptly leave like you suddenly realized the count was down. Put out a min bet and leave when you lose, or, if you're at a non-smoking table, pull out a cigarette and leave when yelled at.

 

[Tarzan]

Cover Play

I don't believe in cover play. I don't believe in the Easter Bunny. I also don't believe in Santa Claus. Why give the casinos any concessions? It's hard enough to gouge it out as it is and it's not like the casinos are out to do you any favors so why do THEM any is the way I see it! I will insure my blackjack when the count warrants it... that is the extent of my cover play! Does that qualify?

I know that many thin-skinned ultrasensitive BJINFO members will now be thinking,"OMG, there he goes busting on the Easter Bunny now!" but so be it. Native American casinos, people from Oklahoma and now the Easter Bunny and Santa... no one is safe from my political incorrectness.

I feel that cover play hurts your bottom line needlessly and a large percentage of the time is completely unnecessary.

 

[InPlay]

I don't believe in cover play. I don't believe in the Easter Bunny. I also don't believe in Santa Claus. Why give the casinos any concessions? It's hard enough to gouge it out as it is and it's not like the casinos are out to do you any favors so why do THEM any is the way I see it! I will insure my blackjack when the count warrants it... that is the extent of my cover play! Does that qualify?

I know that many thin-skinned ultrasensitive BJINFO members will now be thinking,"OMG, there he goes busting on the Easter Bunny now!" but so be it. Native American casinos, people from Oklahoma and now the Easter Bunny and Santa... no one is safe from my political incorrectness.

I feel that cover play hurts your bottom line needlessly and a large percentage of the time is completely unnecessary.

Are you Jewish?

 

[moo321]

I don't believe in cover play. I don't believe in the Easter Bunny. I also don't believe in Santa Claus. Why give the casinos any concessions? It's hard enough to gouge it out as it is and it's not like the casinos are out to do you any favors so why do THEM any is the way I see it! I will insure my blackjack when the count warrants it... that is the extent of my cover play! Does that qualify?

I know that many thin-skinned ultrasensitive BJINFO members will now be thinking,"OMG, there he goes busting on the Easter Bunny now!" but so be it. Native American casinos, people from Oklahoma and now the Easter Bunny and Santa... no one is safe from my political incorrectness.

I feel that cover play hurts your bottom line needlessly and a large percentage of the time is completely unnecessary.

I'm generally of the same opinion. Back-counting certainly is not a circumstance for cover play. Save the cover for when you wanna spread 1-20 on a single deck game.