Finally - success!

[JulieCA]

It's been over a year since my first post in this forum and it's almost embarrassing to admit it's taken me this long to successfully manage counting a 6D. Got the 1D and 2D down earlier this year, but managing the count all the way through a 6D just seemed impossible.

I use Red 7 count so I went back and read that section of "Blackbelt in Blackjack" right before a recent trip to Vegas. Took the suggestion to make the count pivot point 50, rather than zero, to eliminate the need for negative numbers. That and a game with a side bet that slowed down the dealer after the deal did the trick - I'm still not sure I could manage the count if there wasn't the distraction of the side bet and if the dealer was fast.

Played a 6D, RSA, DAS, early surrender game with awesome penetration (85% or better consistently) and did OK. And it's a thrill knowing that I'm playing with an advantage in the game.

 

[aslan]

It's been over a year since my first post in this forum and it's almost embarrassing to admit it's taken me this long to successfully manage counting a 6D. Got the 1D and 2D down earlier this year, but managing the count all the way through a 6D just seemed impossible.

I use Red 7 count so I went back and read that section of "Blackbelt in Blackjack" right before a recent trip to Vegas. Took the suggestion to make the count pivot point 50, rather than zero, to eliminate the need for negative numbers. That and a game with a side bet that slowed down the dealer after the deal did the trick - I'm still not sure I could manage the count if there wasn't the distraction of the side bet and if the dealer was fast.

Played a 6D, RSA, DAS, early surrender game with awesome penetration (85% or better consistently) and did OK. And it's a thrill knowing that I'm playing with an advantage in the game.

It is greatly satisfying to know you are playing with an advantage.

The biggest thrill for me is to hang in there with max bet out losing my shirt and then watch it turn around and put me on top. The biggest disappointment is when it doesn't turn around. :cry:

But always, there is the feeling, win or lose, that I had the best of it, and my bankroll was adequate to the task, so that in future sessions I will likely get it all back and then a lot more.

 

[Billy C1]

It's been over a year since my first post in this forum and it's almost embarrassing to admit it's taken me this long to successfully manage counting a 6D. Got the 1D and 2D down earlier this year, but managing the count all the way through a 6D just seemed impossible.

I use Red 7 count so I went back and read that section of "Blackbelt in Blackjack" right before a recent trip to Vegas. Took the suggestion to make the count pivot point 50, rather than zero, to eliminate the need for negative numbers. That and a game with a side bet that slowed down the dealer after the deal did the trick - I'm still not sure I could manage the count if there wasn't the distraction of the side bet and if the dealer was fast.

Played a 6D, RSA, DAS, early surrender game with awesome penetration (85% or better consistently) and did OK. And it's a thrill knowing that I'm playing with an advantage in the game.

Besides congratulating you, thanks for the "pivot point 50" tip. That could help my game!

BillyC1

 

[aslan]

Besides congratulating you, thanks for the "pivot point 50" tip. That could help my game!

BillyC1

That sounds like a good technique. You will never fall below zero as a practical matter. I myself use 104 as my pivot point. In that way, 104 is 4, 105 is 5, 110 is 10. I just drop the hundred when I get to 100 and count 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. Whatever floats your boat.

 

[Lonesome Gambler]

It's good that you found that game—it's probably the best in Vegas for nickel players. If you're concerned with keeping the count through multiple decks, just buy 6 decks and practice counting through them while timing yourself. I practiced this for a few weeks (Hi-Lo) and my time for counting a 6D shoe averages around 1:45. It just takes some practice.

 

[Billy C1]

That sounds like a good technique. You will never fall below zero as a practical matter. I myself use 100 as my pivot point. In that way, 104 is 4, 105 is 5, 110 is 10. I just drop the hundred when I get to 100 and count 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. Whatever floats your boat.

I presume you're joking (RC of 100). While not impossible in multi-deck games, I don't think I've ever seen over 35 in many years of 6 deck.

BillyC1

 

[Southpaw]

Played a 6D, RSA, DAS, early surrender game.

Wasn't aware that ES was available anywhere in Vegas. Must have been a downtown joint, I presume.

SP

 

[JulieCA]

Wasn't aware that ES was available anywhere in Vegas. Must have been a downtown joint, I presume.

SP

Sorry - my mistake. Late surrender.

Off strip.

 

[Southpaw]

Sorry - my mistake. Late surrender.

Off strip.

That is what I figured. If there indeed was ES, I think I'd be booking my flight right now.

SP

 

[aslan]

I presume you're joking (RC of 100). While not impossible in multi-deck games, I don't think I've ever seen over 35 in many years of 6 deck.

BillyC1

The reason being that below 100 you count in double digits (80, 81, 82), but when you get to 100, you count in single digits, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4. And BTW, in KO, 100 = 0, not pivot point, which is +4 just as in True Count. If I used 50 as my zero point, then my IRC would be 22 and my pivot point would be 54, a little harder to deal with than 104, not much, but a little IMO. For example, in my system, plus 12 is 112, or I just call it 12, whereas with 50 equal to pivot point (+4), then plus 12 becomes 58, or if 50 is equal to zero, then plus 12 becomes 62. A little difficult for me.

As an aside, when you use an unbalanced count, as I do, you begin 8-deck at 72 (IRC -28). Do you think it impossible to go past 50 (that is, -50 RC)? Think again. A net 23 big cards will bring you to 49. or minus 1 if you started at IRC 22 (50 - 28). Ever been in a negative count where you just kept winning no matter how low the count got? It's possible because it takes a lot of tens and aces to fall to get a count to go that low. I don't wong out until I have a losing hand. But the main reason for setting 100 to zero is the first reason above.

PS-- I don't take any credit for finding 100 as a zero point for unbalanced counts. I believe it was Fred Renzy who suggested it to me when I was having trouble with negative numbers, and as you know, unbalanced counts have beaucoup negative numbers. I find it extremely easy to use and will forever be thankful to Fred for it.

 

[blackjack avenger]

One Never Hears

I have not realized the issue of the difficulty counting negatives an unbalanced counts. It does fly in the face of the idea of unbalanced being easier then balanced.

:joker::whip:

good cards

 

[Billy C1]

The reason being that below 100 you count in double digits (80, 81, 82), but when you get to 100, you count in single digits, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4. And BTW, in KO, 100 = 0, not pivot point, which is +4 just as in True Count. If I used 50 as my zero point, then my IRC would be 22 and my pivot point would be 54, a little harder to deal with than 104, not much, but a little IMO. For example, in my system, plus 12 is 112, or I just call it 12, whereas with 50 equal to pivot point (+4), then plus 12 becomes 58, or if 50 is equal to zero, then plus 12 becomes 62. A little difficult for me.

As an aside, when you use an unbalanced count, as I do, you begin 8-deck at 72 (IRC -28). Do you think it impossible to go past 50 (that is, -50 RC)? Think again. A net 23 big cards will bring you to 49. or minus 1 if you started at IRC 22 (50 - 28). Ever been in a negative count where you just kept winning no matter how low the count got? It's possible because it takes a lot of tens and aces to fall to get a count to go that low. I don't wong out until I have a losing hand. But the main reason for setting 100 to zero is the first reason above.

PS-- I don't take any credit for finding 100 as a zero point for unbalanced counts. I believe it was Fred Renzy who suggested it to me when I was having trouble with negative numbers, and as you know, unbalanced counts have beaucoup negative numbers. I find it extremely easy to use and will forever be thankful to Fred for it.

Okay, I was referring to Hi-Lo, thus the confusion.

 

[JulieCA]

That sounds like a good technique. You will never fall below zero as a practical matter. I myself use 104 as my pivot point. In that way, 104 is 4, 105 is 5, 110 is 10. I just drop the hundred when I get to 100 and count 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. Whatever floats your boat.

Thanks, Aslan. I think I like that even better and it makes sense.

 

[aslan]

Okay, I was referring to Hi-Lo, thus the confusion.

No problem. JulieCA uses Red7 and my KO is very similar, both of them unbalanced counts.