How do I know if I am a losing counter?
- Thread starter Garo
- Start date
Sorry...
I don't have the slightest idea what you are talking about. Are you saying we should violate basic strategy or advantage play principles because we are going to die some day? When you say "what if we die first?" my answer is that we will always die first (that is, before something else happens).
I don't have the slightest idea what you are talking about. Are you saying we should violate basic strategy or advantage play principles because we are going to die some day? When you say "what if we die first?" my answer is that we will always die first (that is, before something else happens).
Will you know it when you die?
If you know that you have died, then there must be an afterlife because to know this you must be able to observe the difference between being dead and not dead.
If you don't know when you've died, then you can never observe death and relative to your frame of reference it will never happen.
So the only thing to worry about is their being an unpleasant afterlife in store for you. But that's a philosophical question that belongs on the Non-BJ board. (Like this one does!)
If you know that you have died, then there must be an afterlife because to know this you must be able to observe the difference between being dead and not dead.
If you don't know when you've died, then you can never observe death and relative to your frame of reference it will never happen.
So the only thing to worry about is their being an unpleasant afterlife in store for you. But that's a philosophical question that belongs on the Non-BJ board. (Like this one does!)
But the question is relevant to blackjack
Here is the question. If we are time limited, and we know that we only have enough time for N more hands of blackjack, should we change our strategy? If so, what is the strategy as a functon of N? What is our goal?
These questions, essentially, are what tournament blackjack is all about...
--Mayor
Here is the question. If we are time limited, and we know that we only have enough time for N more hands of blackjack, should we change our strategy? If so, what is the strategy as a functon of N? What is our goal?
These questions, essentially, are what tournament blackjack is all about...
--Mayor
make a profit every single session-that is the goal no?
I just believe in always trying to make a profit every
single session. If you keep on thinking about the long term
it may take you to lossing sessions because you know there
are always more sessions and that we have the advantage. Sure
we do not like to play hours and may have to cut it short, or due to heat
etc.- but under normal circumstances.
I just believe in always trying to make a profit every
single session. If you keep on thinking about the long term
it may take you to lossing sessions because you know there
are always more sessions and that we have the advantage. Sure
we do not like to play hours and may have to cut it short, or due to heat
etc.- but under normal circumstances.
No.
Your goal is unrealistic to achieve in the real world of card counting. A realistic goal is bet with the count(expect losing sessions)and try to to double your bankroll.
I have to disagree with many who assume if anyone can beat some good software,they can beat a casino. Software is only a tool. The real test is applying bj skills on the actual battlefield which is a totally different experience than playing by yourself in front of some computer trying to mimic real world conditions.
Your goal is unrealistic to achieve in the real world of card counting. A realistic goal is bet with the count(expect losing sessions)and try to to double your bankroll.
I have to disagree with many who assume if anyone can beat some good software,they can beat a casino. Software is only a tool. The real test is applying bj skills on the actual battlefield which is a totally different experience than playing by yourself in front of some computer trying to mimic real world conditions.
death and blackjack
If I knew I had time for precisely N hands of blackjack, where N is less than say 3 million (roughly ten years' worth of full time play), I sure as hell wouldn't spend any of that time playing blackjack. There are so many more interesting and enjoyable things to do. Which, I guess, is why, though I'm a solid enough counter with a healthy net lifetime gain, and could
put together a healthy enough bankroll if I wanted, I haven't played a hand in a casino for 5 years.
This is something that isn't discussed nearly enough on BJ boards and magazines. Sure, you may make a decent living with advantage play, even these days -- if you train well, think on your feet, scout casinos, study the journals, stay disciplined, stay stoical.
But if you can do all that, you can probably make at least as good a living lots of other ways -- some of them quite pleasant ones.
The embarrassing truth is, counting is *boring*. More esoteric advantage play adds variety, but it's still basically boring once the novelty wears off. Casinos are pretty dire places to spend extended periods of time, if you're a civilised human being. Added to all that are the peculiar features of advantage play as a way of life: in most careers, success and a reputation for skill increase your expectation -- in casino advantage play, they tend to harm it; in most careers, steady effort produces steady rewards and the positive reinforcement that they bring -- in casino advantage play, the fluctuations are wild, the threat of discovery and exposure is ever present, and the emotional wear and tear is correspondingly higher.
My hunch is that, for all but a few professional advantage players,
the truly advantageous play -- choosing among all of life's possibilities --
would be to keep well away from casinos and find something more profitable
and rewarding. As Eliot says elsewhere, many people who call themselves
card-counters are really losing players who have some knowledge of counting, but not enough savvy or discipline to cut it. But I wonder also if many successful card-counters aren't "positive expectation compulsive gamblers" -- addicted to the risk and the melodrama, with their addiction reinforced by the
profits, which look rewarding enough until you think what else you could have done with the time and invested money.
Just my 2c.
-- Canadienne
If I knew I had time for precisely N hands of blackjack, where N is less than say 3 million (roughly ten years' worth of full time play), I sure as hell wouldn't spend any of that time playing blackjack. There are so many more interesting and enjoyable things to do. Which, I guess, is why, though I'm a solid enough counter with a healthy net lifetime gain, and could
put together a healthy enough bankroll if I wanted, I haven't played a hand in a casino for 5 years.
This is something that isn't discussed nearly enough on BJ boards and magazines. Sure, you may make a decent living with advantage play, even these days -- if you train well, think on your feet, scout casinos, study the journals, stay disciplined, stay stoical.
But if you can do all that, you can probably make at least as good a living lots of other ways -- some of them quite pleasant ones.
The embarrassing truth is, counting is *boring*. More esoteric advantage play adds variety, but it's still basically boring once the novelty wears off. Casinos are pretty dire places to spend extended periods of time, if you're a civilised human being. Added to all that are the peculiar features of advantage play as a way of life: in most careers, success and a reputation for skill increase your expectation -- in casino advantage play, they tend to harm it; in most careers, steady effort produces steady rewards and the positive reinforcement that they bring -- in casino advantage play, the fluctuations are wild, the threat of discovery and exposure is ever present, and the emotional wear and tear is correspondingly higher.
My hunch is that, for all but a few professional advantage players,
the truly advantageous play -- choosing among all of life's possibilities --
would be to keep well away from casinos and find something more profitable
and rewarding. As Eliot says elsewhere, many people who call themselves
card-counters are really losing players who have some knowledge of counting, but not enough savvy or discipline to cut it. But I wonder also if many successful card-counters aren't "positive expectation compulsive gamblers" -- addicted to the risk and the melodrama, with their addiction reinforced by the
profits, which look rewarding enough until you think what else you could have done with the time and invested money.
Just my 2c.
-- Canadienne
Excuse Me?
I believe my post was directed at the one prior that said "If I knew I would die NEXT Week"...
I was just trying to put things in perspective...had nothing at all to do with blackjack and it was NOT an original post, therefor I had no say-so where to place it. I was NOT trying to slam SSR, either...it was quite harmless, really. If I offended you or anyone, it wasn't my intent.
PM
I believe my post was directed at the one prior that said "If I knew I would die NEXT Week"...
I was just trying to put things in perspective...had nothing at all to do with blackjack and it was NOT an original post, therefor I had no say-so where to place it. I was NOT trying to slam SSR, either...it was quite harmless, really. If I offended you or anyone, it wasn't my intent.
PM
You Hit on the Area I was Leading to...
"If I knew I had time for precisely N hands of blackjack, where N is less than say 3 million (roughly ten years' worth of full time play), I sure as hell wouldn't spend any of that time playing blackjack. There are so many more interesting and enjoyable things to do. Which, I guess, is why, though I'm a solid enough counter with a healthy net lifetime gain, and could".
The question is one that literally makes blackjack irrelavent in such a scenario, if we really think about it. Like you said, if we had only a certain amount of known time to live, I believe we ALL would be doing things differently. I dare say, that blackjack would come WAY down on the list of "things to do" in the final week of your life...I'm glad someone understood my post.
"If I knew I had time for precisely N hands of blackjack, where N is less than say 3 million (roughly ten years' worth of full time play), I sure as hell wouldn't spend any of that time playing blackjack. There are so many more interesting and enjoyable things to do. Which, I guess, is why, though I'm a solid enough counter with a healthy net lifetime gain, and could".
The question is one that literally makes blackjack irrelavent in such a scenario, if we really think about it. Like you said, if we had only a certain amount of known time to live, I believe we ALL would be doing things differently. I dare say, that blackjack would come WAY down on the list of "things to do" in the final week of your life...I'm glad someone understood my post.
My hunch is
you have very little lifetime experience as a real card counter.
"As Eliot says elsewhere, many people who call themselves
card-counters are really losing players who have some knowledge of counting, but not enough savvy or discipline to cut it."
My other hunch is the above is also applied to you.
You dont have to play millions and millions of hands to be a lifetime winner...
you have very little lifetime experience as a real card counter.
"As Eliot says elsewhere, many people who call themselves
card-counters are really losing players who have some knowledge of counting, but not enough savvy or discipline to cut it."
My other hunch is the above is also applied to you.
You dont have to play millions and millions of hands to be a lifetime winner...
Disagree
I enjoyed the post, it certainly seemed to be from someone with a lot
of practical experience. I agree with almost all of his post. It is
excruciating to play in casinos day after day -- it is just not
boring, it is a truly lousy place to hang out. Just because there
is money to be made, does not mean it is worth making. Life is
more complicated than that.
I know people who have endless enthusiasm for casinos and their games,
but I know many advantage players (like myself) who play, but can't wait
to leave at the end of the session/day/whatever. My eyes are burning,
I'm exhausted, undernourished, and tired of rude/stupid ploppies.
Please consider a bit more openness to other's experiences. Making
money is not necessarily its own reward.
--Mayor
I enjoyed the post, it certainly seemed to be from someone with a lot
of practical experience. I agree with almost all of his post. It is
excruciating to play in casinos day after day -- it is just not
boring, it is a truly lousy place to hang out. Just because there
is money to be made, does not mean it is worth making. Life is
more complicated than that.
I know people who have endless enthusiasm for casinos and their games,
but I know many advantage players (like myself) who play, but can't wait
to leave at the end of the session/day/whatever. My eyes are burning,
I'm exhausted, undernourished, and tired of rude/stupid ploppies.
Please consider a bit more openness to other's experiences. Making
money is not necessarily its own reward.
--Mayor