Betting spread

[DeTalores]

Sorry if this again sounds noobie, but again I am new to all of this heh .
Using Hi Lo count
So most of what I have read says that you take the TC -1 and that = your bet multiplier?
When the true count is +1 you gain a .5% edge so for most games that puts you and the house at around 50/50 so I can see where the TC -1 holds true.

But what if I'm playing a game where the house only has a .06% edge from the beginning? Should I just have the TC be my bet multiplier?




Also I'm a little confused because I plug the rules I play into the engine on this website and it says the house is at a -.04% advantage, i'm thinking maybe thats not the case if you only get one card after splitting aces? Otherwise why would a casino offer this game?

 

[Sonny]

So most of what I have read says that you take the TC -1 and that = your bet multiplier?

That’s one way to do it. The –1 is just a guideline so it may change based on the rules of the game. That method also tends to raise the bets very slowly, which is good for cover but bad for profit. Usually you want to start raising your bets (or start playing) when you get a decent advantage and hit your max bet at a TC about 3-5 points higher.

Also I'm a little confused because I plug the rules I play into the engine on this website and it says the house is at a -.04% advantage, i'm thinking maybe thats not the case if you only get one card after splitting aces? Otherwise why would a casino offer this game?

Check the settings for surrender. You may have entered Early Surrender by accident.

-Sonny-

 

[DeTalores]

The game has early surrender, but its only against aces, does that change the edge much?

 

[Sonny]

The game has early surrender, but its only against aces, does that change the edge much?

I haven't seen that rule before. I've heard of games where early surrender is available against a ten but not an ace, which is about 0.48% worse than full early surrender, but I haven't heard of early surrender against an ace but not a ten.

-Sonny-

 

[jack.jackson]

I haven't seen that rule before. I've heard of games where early surrender is available against a ten but not an ace, which is about 0.48% worse than full early surrender, but I haven't heard of early surrender against an ace but not a ten.

-Sonny-

You can find the odds to this rule here: ES agains Ace only.

http://wizardofodds.com/blackjack

 

[DeTalores]

Gotchya so if my BR is around 2000$ and i'm playing at a 2-100 table what would you guys recommend my spread be?

 

[Sonny]

Gotchya so if my BR is around 2000$ and i'm playing at a 2-100 table what would you guys recommend my spread be?

It all depends on the game conditions and your style of play. Without knowing any of the details, all I can give is a generic spread like:

<+1 = $0
+1 = $5
+2 = $5
+3 = $10
+4 = $20
>+4 = $40

You will earn about $3-$6 per hour with around a 5% chance of going broke if you play perfectly. You can find more specific information in the Frequenty Asked Questions thread. That way you can create a bet spread that works best for you.

-Sonny-

 

[kewljason]

It all depends on the game conditions and your style of play. Without knowing any of the details, all I can give is a generic spread like:
<+1 = $0
+1 = $5
+2 = $5
+3 = $10
+4 = $20
>+4 = $40
You will earn about $3-$6 per hour with around a 5% chance of going broke if you play perfectly. You can find more specific information in the Frequenty Asked Questions thread. That way you can create a bet spread that works best for you.
-Sonny-

Sonny, I can appreciate that your suggested spread is a very generic option, without knowing much about the game such as #decks, pen, ect, But I am wondering about the first line "<+1=$0". Unless there are a good number of tables available to wong into, not playing until the count is +1 is going to mean very few hands actually played per hour. I'm not sure the real hourly earning would even be $3-$6. With a nearly break even game off the top (house edge of .06), wouldn't a better strategy be to play off the top and get out at a predetermined negative count?? (maybe -1)

 

[DeTalores]

Yeah thats pretty much the spread I've been going with, except when the TC is <+1 I bet the table minimum of 2$ since there aren't any other tables I can wong in and out of.

But the game is 4D with about 75-80% pen DAS H17 early surrender against aces. Split up to 4 hands, move to another spot at double table min.

So do ya guys think when TC gets to >+2 I should spread to two hands of 5 dollars? I haven't looked much into spreading to an extra hand is this beneficial?

 

[Sonny]

Unless there are a good number of tables available to wong into, not playing until the count is +1 is going to mean very few hands actually played per hour...wouldn't a better strategy be to play off the top and get out at a predetermined negative count?? (maybe -1)

That depends. The hands per hour may be pretty low under certain circumstances, but is that such a bad thing? As long as the hands that he is missing are all negative then he has made an improvement. A baseball player could increase his swings per plate appearance by swinging at every pitch, but that wouldn’t help his batting average. The number of hands played per hour is less important than the number of +EV bets made per hour. If playing through a few negative hands can increase the number of +EV hands that the player gets then it may be worthwhile, otherwise not.

For example, if the tables are crowded to the point that the player is having trouble getting a seat during positive hands then the “white rabbit” approach may help. However, with a tiny $2k bankroll I would be more concerned with the exposure to risk than the increase in profit. That’s just me though. Every player has a different goal, different tolerance for risk, different preferred playing style, different playing conditions, etc. The best solution would be for the player to learn about bankroll management and create a betting strategy that works best for his individual situation. It’s possible that the best betting strategy is to not make any bets at all.

-Sonny-

 

[Sonny]

So do ya guys think when TC gets to >+2 I should spread to two hands of 5 dollars? I haven't looked much into spreading to an extra hand is this beneficial?

Spreading to 2 hands is a great way to get more money on the table without increasing your risk as much. Since you are forced to make the minimum bets through all negative hands then you need a way to get a big spread without much risk. Spreading to 2 hands is one of the best ways to do that.

-Sonny-

 

[kewljason]

That depends. The hands per hour may be pretty low under certain circumstances, but is that such a bad thing? As long as the hands that he is missing are all negative then he has made an improvement.... It’s possible that the best betting strategy is to not make any bets at all.

-Sonny-

I agree you want to avoid most of the negative EV hands, but If you start sitting out or leave the table at +1 or less, with this specific game (house edge of .06), isn't +1 too early? A count of +1 still has a pretty positive EV. For this game, I would think the departure point or $0 bet point would be more liberal, especially since DeTalores has clearified that there are limited tables. (which of course we didn't know for sure initially)

 

[Sonny]

I agree you want to avoid most of the negative EV hands, but If you start sitting out or leave the table at +1 or less, with this specific game (house edge of .06), isn't +1 too early? A count of +1 still has a pretty positive EV.

You would still be playing all the +1 hands, just nothing below that. The $5 bet at +1 would be just over a 2-unit bet for a $2 player. Jumping in at the top of the shoe wouldn't hurt too much, and even a 0.5 TC might have some value, but I think +1 is a good place for a beginner.

For this game, I would think the departure point or $0 bet point would be more liberal, especially since DeTalores has clearified that there are limited tables. (which of course we didn't know for sure initially)

Yeah, having only one table will cramp a backcounter's style pretty quickly. In this case your strategy would probably work better, although my "not bet at all" strategy is a very close second.

-Sonny-

 

[DeTalores]

By saying "no bet at all" I assume you mean it might not be worth it with such a small BR?
I'm just a recreational player and I understand the possibility of losing it all, I'm basically just trying to count to 1) see if I can do it successfully 2) I enjoy doing it 3) It takes up some of my free time.

^_^