Do you move to another table?

[bjcardcounter]

I was at my fav spot this weekend - 6D game, Green min. with a table full of ploppies. We were playing for almost an hour, about 4/5 shoes - I am betting one unit the entire time , the count demanded only that much. Some ploppies were playing good strategy as well.

The true count started going up and I started increasing the bets. Thanks for the positive variance I started winning the 2 Unit , 3 Unit bets. The count peaked beyond TC 4+ (I true the R7) and got my 8Unit bet out. I was at the 1b , got a 11 and the whole table is cheering me when I doubled down. I lost that bet

The next hand, dealer got an Ace, and I pushed my insurance bet and you know what happened - Everyone at the table opted for insurance when for the past one hour no one went for insurance. And the dealer as expected had a BJ.

I guess the table knew I was a counter. I left after 10 minutes - did not want any undue attention.

What do you do usually? Take a break and come back later?

 

[moo321]

Your conclusion that the table had you pegged as a counter is almost certainly wrong.

 

[BJgenius007]

I was at my fav spot this weekend - 6D game, Green min. with a table full of ploppies. We were playing for almost an hour, about 4/5 shoes - I am betting one unit the entire time , the count demanded only that much. Some ploppies were playing good strategy as well.

The true count started going up and I started increasing the bets. Thanks for the positive variance I started winning the 2 Unit , 3 Unit bets. The count peaked beyond TC 4+ (I true the R7) and got my 8Unit bet out. I was at the 1b , got a 11 and the whole table is cheering me when I doubled down. I lost that bet

The next hand, dealer got an Ace, and I pushed my insurance bet and you know what happened - Everyone at the table opted for insurance when for the past one hour no one went for insurance. And the dealer as expected had a BJ.

I guess the table knew I was a counter. I left after 10 minutes - did not want any undue attention.

What do you do usually? Take a break and come back later?

Most ploppies think counters can only count one deck. No ploppy thinks counters can count multi deck. Some never heard of card counting.

 

[bjcardcounter]

Your conclusion that the table had you pegged as a counter is almost certainly wrong.

Cool.

 

[alwayssplitaces]

They probably just think you're a lucky player if you've been winning. It's less heat on you if everyone takes the insurance when you do, since surveillance can't hear what the people are saying at the table.

 

[cedardog]

Losses and action

I played last Saturday in a DD game and lost my largest amount in about 30 sessions. I didn't have discipline and move my ass out of the chair and to another table. I saw negative TC's and dealer face cards turning to dealer 19-21's in a high percent of the hands. I have been expecting a losing session but just hate the feeling of giving back money to the casino.

I know many people have written about their journey through positive and negative variance playing BJ, but I never expected the gut kick I give myself for the poor decision to keep playing when facing negative counts shoe after shoe at the same table. I applaud all of you long term successful AP BJ players who have the discipline to win with your mind and not let it go to your head!

Best Regards! "let's bust out that 15"!

Cedardog

 

[riggler]

I took insurance three out of four hands once at a high count. One other ploppy had JUST sat down at the table at the beginning of those four hands. Of course he lost the three bets with dealer's Ace up. He was pissed. He left. The dealer looks at me, looks at the cards, looks at the shoe, looks at me and says, "Can you see my card?"

I smiled and chuckled and pointed to my eyes and said, "X-ray vision."

Basic strategy players that I've seen, like you describe cedardog, usually play under the rule, "Insurance is a sucker bet, unless you are counting." I've seen blackjack "columnists" state this line over and over again as they are advising basic strategy players.

Then again some ploppies will mirror an insurance bet if someone else puts it up.

In the end it's hard to say, but you probably had some of both in this situation.

 

[Gamblor]

I've had this happen too, I put up insurance out of nowhere, and whole table followed suit. Of course, dealer had BJ. Didn't get impression they know I was counting, ploppies just sometimes follow someone who's showing a modicum of skill or are winning.

This probably happens a lot to everyone too, where you insure a crap hand like hard 15, and the ploppy tells you to only insure good hands. Just use the old ploppie lines "I think the dealer was due" or "there's no 10's on the table, the dealer has it."

 

[aslan]

I took insurance three out of four hands once at a high count. One other ploppy had JUST sat down at the table at the beginning of those four hands. Of course he lost the three bets with dealer's Ace up. He was pissed. He left. The dealer looks at me, looks at the cards, looks at the shoe, looks at me and says, "Can you see my card?"

I smiled and chuckled and pointed to my eyes and said, "X-ray vision."

Basic strategy players that I've seen, like you describe cedardog, usually play under the rule, "Insurance is a sucker bet, unless you are counting." I've seen blackjack "columnists" state this line over and over again as they are advising basic strategy players.

Then again some ploppies will mirror an insurance bet if someone else puts it up.

In the end it's hard to say, but you probably had some of both in this situation.

I like to announce, "Insurance is a bad bet unless you're betting a lot and need to protect it." Naturally, I am at or near max bet whenever a recommended insurance opportunity is present.