Hi, I'm New.

[TimeKeeper]

Hi, this is my first time posting here. I'm new to the game of Blackjack.

I became interested in the game of blackjack when I learned that a friend of the family made $50k total earnings from playing blackjack at Foxwoods in 2004.

I asked his wife how he did this one time and she said she'd get one of the books he learned from for me. It's a book called "The Expert's Guide To Casino Games" by Lyle Stuart. They bookmarked a page for me for "Basic Strategy." I guess he had scrawled through many blackjack books over the years and that was the one that made the best sense to him and how he was able to start winning consistently at blackjack. Now keep in mind, this is an older gentleman and does not connect to the internet.

Anyway, so that's how I got into the game. I started playing blackjack on Yahoo Games. And then I found this site and started using the Trainer here. And now I've found a better trainer here: HIT OR MISS. I like it better because you have to count the cards yourself. BlackJackInfo's Trainer counts them for you. To me, that doesn't really prepare you for the actual casino. If you guys know of an even better trainer than HitOrMiss please let me know.

Now I haven't talked with our family friend just yet... I wanted to master Basic Strategy first. But I really wonder what betting system he used. I talked to a blackjack dealer in Las Vegas and he told me to use this for $5 dollars as the base bet: 1-3-4-6-9-12-12-15-20. That seems to work pretty good on the trainer. What do you think? From reading the posts here it seems you all got your own betting system.

It's too bad they haven't developed a betting system to go along with Basic Strategy that you could trust. But this guy has been a dealer in Vegas for 18 years, so I do trust him. It works for him when he plays in his off times at other casinos. He said he made $2,500 last year for 133 hours played. That's nearly $19 an hour. That's pretty good. He leaves after 2 hours of play. What do you think?

Also, any books you'd recommend I get? Specifically something that doesn't go into Card Counting. There seem to be a lot of books that concentrate too much on that. Something to prepare me for the real thing. Everything I need to know before walking to that table.

- TimeKeeper

ps: I'd be playing at Foxwoods. They use Stand on Soft 17/6 deck shoe.

 

[MadMax]

If you are not going to employ card counting, then I would suggest that you take out a sheet of paper, write "I will lose money today" and read that for your book, because that is the real thing. I don't mean to sound harsh, but that is the mathematical fact.

Read a book on probability first, then basic statistics, then card counting. It will change your outlook. Promise

Max

 

[Mikeaber]

Timekeeper.....please take care. Go read through the "Betting Strategies" thread. There you will see stated over and over that betting progressions are no guarantee that you are going to win. In fact, you'll see that using a progressive betting strategy will just increase the amount of risk in dollars that you are exposing yourself to without changing the advantage the house has over you so, the more you bet, the more you are going to lose.

Oh, and on dealer integrity...I've no doubt that the dealer you talked to who dealt for 18 years has integrity. I would be not at all surprised if he had no expertise at all in Basic Strategy. Most of the dealers I know (and I know a lot of them) have years of experience and only rudimentary knowledge of the game other than the skills needed to perform in their job as a dealer.

 

[TimeKeeper]

Thanks for the replies.

As for card counting, well I figured that would take me years to master. That seems really hard. Memorize 6 decks of cards?
Recommend a good book on card counting if you want... it just seems really beyond me. I havn't read a whole lot on it yet to be honest.

My Vegas dealer friend said this about card counting: "over rated. the bankroll has to be so big it really can not be done. you need $100 unit bets with like $100,000 bank roll." What do you think of that?

All I want to do is make a little extra money each week. That's all.

- TimeKeeper

ps: Have you heard anything about this ebook: (Dead link: http://www.highstakes21.com/ecom/index.php) _High Stakes 21_?

 

[MadMax]

Counting is not that hard. You do not have to memorize 312 card. I liked Kevin Blackwood's book Play Blackjack Like the Pros. I would consider the source when listening to advice. As nice as the dealer may be, while probably uniformed, still works for the bad guy. Bankroll is important, but you get the advantage first with your head, then with your wallet.

Max

 

[TimeKeeper]

Counting is not that hard. You do not have to memorize 312 card. I liked Kevin Blackwood's book Play Blackjack Like the Pros. I would consider the source when listening to advice. As nice as the dealer may be, while probably uniformed, still works for the bad guy. Bankroll is important, but you get the advantage first with your head, then with your wallet.

Max

Thank you. I jotted that down, I'm going out tonight to the bookstore and I'll see if they have that and "How To Gamble AT the Casinos Without Getting Plucked Like A Chicken."

In another thread I noticed someone bought "Knock-Out Blackjack". What card counting method do most of you prefer, and what would recommend to a noobie? That 'Knock-Out' book certainly makes it look like that system is easier to learn than most. Your opinion?

- TimeKeeper

 

[ZMan]

I HIGHLY recommend Blackjack Bluebook II by Fred Renzey. It is VERY easy to read and understand. He dispells several myths about blackjack, explains Basic Strategy very well, and covers counting. He also has a section that is beyond Basic Strategy, but before card counting.

Get this book and you won't be disappointed. I've read it several times and I re-read parts of it before I go to the casino.

 

[Vytas]

Take a look at the gamemasters black jack school. In a couple months of practice you should have this down cold. Then comes the thrill of putting a big bet down when you should and hitting a bullseye. I love it when math works for you. (Dead link: http://www.blackjack-school.com/indexa.shtml).
Regards
Vytas

 

[noshoes]

I am also new to blackjack and I learned card counting in a little under a month. Learning is not as hard as think. You will need a big bankroll but that is a necessity of not going bust in a single trip. I also used to think that a betting system could overcome the house but the fact is, the more money you put down in a losing situation, the more you will lose. Even card counting can't overcome that. It's just that with card counting you are putting out small bets in situations that you believe to be bad and big bets in situations that you believe to be good. Don't be afraid to learn card counting as it is the best way to win some money at this game. Just be prepared to spend some time practicing to get good at it. Personally I have read Blackbelt in Blackjack by Arnold Snyder. I find it to be a great book. Full of useful information at all levels and it gives you a good idea of what to expect the better you get at the game.

 

[TimeKeeper]

I am also new to blackjack and I learned card counting in a little under a month. Learning is not as hard as think. You will need a big bankroll but that is a necessity of not going bust in a single trip. I also used to think that a betting system could overcome the house but the fact is, the more money you put down in a losing situation, the more you will lose. Even card counting can't overcome that. It's just that with card counting you are putting out small bets in situations that you believe to be bad and big bets in situations that you believe to be good. Don't be afraid to learn card counting as it is the best way to win some money at this game. Just be prepared to spend some time practicing to get good at it. Personally I have read Blackbelt in Blackjack by Arnold Snyder. I find it to be a great book. Full of useful information at all levels and it gives you a good idea of what to expect the better you get at the game.

Is "Blackbelt in Blackjack" the book you learned card counting from? I bought Mad Max's suggestion of "PLay Blackjack Like The Pros" so far. I really like the book, and the Basic Strategy chart is nice and easy to read and follow on one page, rather than in my other book which it was spread out across 8 pages. I mean, there's still a whole chapter in this book. But the chart is very nice. Haven't got up to card counting yet...

 

[Bigdiggie]

Hey Timekeeper,

I too play in the Foxwoods/Mohegan region and started studying BJ and card counting as of this summer. Unfortunetly for us, Foxwoods/Mohegan aren't the best places to play for a couple of reasons; horribly crowded on the weekends (to the point where you can't get a table), they only have 6-8 deck shoes with so-so pennetration, and they're skiddish about counting because they got slammed by the MIT teams, among other east coast villians. I, myself, have always been wiery of using any kind of large spread because of this. If anyone plays BJ hear, i'd be interested in knowing what kind of spreads you use or what kind of heat you've taken.

If you're interested in meeting up some time, or anyone else in the area to play some BJ at foxwoods/mohegan, it would be nice to play with some newer BJ players, as I am fairly new to the counting aspect or the game. Maybe get some team action going for a night or two.

 

[TimeKeeper]

Hey Timekeeper,

I too play in the Foxwoods/Mohegan region and started studying BJ and card counting as of this summer. Unfortunetly for us, Foxwoods/Mohegan aren't the best places to play for a couple of reasons; horribly crowded on the weekends (to the point where you can't get a table), they only have 6-8 deck shoes with so-so pennetration, and they're skiddish about counting because they got slammed by the MIT teams, among other east coast villians. I, myself, have always been wiery of using any kind of large spread because of this. If anyone plays BJ hear, i'd be interested in knowing what kind of spreads you use or what kind of heat you've taken.

If you're interested in meeting up some time, or anyone else in the area to play some BJ at foxwoods/mohegan, it would be nice to play with some newer BJ players, as I am fairly new to the counting aspect or the game. Maybe get some team action going for a night or two.

Hey, there!

Well, as I said in the first post a friend made $50k in 2004 playing BJ without card counting. I still haven't asked him what other methods he used than BS though. I will get around to that and let you know. I am in Southern Rhode Island, you?

- TimeKeeper

ps: Who are the MIT Teams? Students from MIT? How much did they win?

 

[Bigdiggie]

I'm from southern NH (manchester area)... went to school at Boston U and now work in Boston.

Back about 15 or so years ago, a couple of teams of BJ counters from MIT were formed, funded by some big investors as well as themselves. One of the guys on the team, Mike (has his own site blackjackinstitute.com ) alleges they hit up Mohegan Sun the first week they opened for half a million. Supposedly Mohegan switched to 6-8 deck shoes because of them, but there's not hard proof of that.

Boston's pretty close to Mohegan and Foxwoods, which is scary for them because all of the Boston card counters head down there for quick play or practice. I used to eat and hang out at all of the bars the MIT guys use to meet at. I lived a block away from where the "Darling of Vegas" met with his team on Beacon St.

 

[noshoes]

Actually, I am little ashamed to admit that I learned card counting from Jerry Patterson's book on blackjack. Not that the information regarding how to count was bad. It's just that he's got some theories about the game that are a little "out there." Blackbelt in blackjack was the second book I picked up and I enjoyed it much more. At least I didn't get suckered into his overly expensive TARGET system.

 

[TimeKeeper]

I'm from southern NH (manchester area)... went to school at Boston U and now work in Boston.

Back about 15 or so years ago, a couple of teams of BJ counters from MIT were formed, funded by some big investors as well as themselves. One of the guys on the team, Mike (has his own site blackjackinstitute.com ) alleges they hit up Mohegan Sun the first week they opened for half a million. Supposedly Mohegan switched to 6-8 deck shoes because of them, but there's not hard proof of that.

Boston's pretty close to Mohegan and Foxwoods, which is scary for them because all of the Boston card counters head down there for quick play or practice. I used to eat and hang out at all of the bars the MIT guys use to meet at. I lived a block away from where the "Darling of Vegas" met with his team on Beacon St.

Intersting about the MIT guys. I had never heard this story prior to your post. I saw the book "Brining Down The House" in the bookstore the other day and decided to buy it with my gift card. Will read it once I finish "Play Blackjack Like The Pros".

You are pretty far from here. That's quite a drive down to Foxwoods isn't it?

From reading some of the posts on here by searching "Foxwoods" I'm a little worried. I wonder if I should bother learning this game and spending time on it if Foxwoods is a bad place to play. I suppose I could drive down to Atlantic City, but that's quite a drive. Maybe 6 hours. Couldn't do that 2 or 3 days a week. Maybe Foxwoods isn't that bad. Maybe it's just if you want to make more than $1k a week it's bad. Can anyone answer that?