Right now I'm just counting for fun at quiet tables; I find it hard to keep a conversation going plus keep the count. I might begin to vary my strategy accordingly on appropriate counts, could be fun just for the insults thrown my way (I'm constantly getting chewn out for my surrendering hands, hitting soft 18 vs 9/10/A, etc). Ha, for some wicked reason I enjoy busting know-it-all players hands when I make the proper move. :devil: I'm just going to continue with the flat betting though.
Illustrious 18 for a Newcomer
- Thread starter eal996
- Start date
Rather than duplicating messages GG, maybe you should see what I replied to another Basic Strategy player. It might apply...might not.
http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1888
http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bb/showthread.php?t=1888
Yeah, I saw that post. Flat betting is exciting enough for me, I'm just playing lowest stakes possible and it's just for entertainment. Hell, even last night I had $25 dollars out on the table on one bet (three 8's split into three hands, two of them doubled down, vs dealer 3); that's about all the excitement I can handle! For me HiLo counting for practice is fun enough right now if there isn't any other excitement going on at the table to entertain me.
I'm really curious as to how many more hours it's gonna take to eventually give the casino their money back. Its been 60+ hours so far and I'm now playing with $645 of their money.
I'm really curious as to how many more hours it's gonna take to eventually give the casino their money back. Its been 60+ hours so far and I'm now playing with $645 of their money.
I'd need a bigger bankroll to cover the spread, more than I can justify for this type of entertainment. Plus I don't think I'd be able to psychologically make it thru the rough times which there undoubtably would be.
It also seems to me you'd have to play a huge number of hands to outrun the "short term" standard deviation which would make card counting profitable in the long run. And "short term" could actually be a huge amount of hours. I've currently only played 60+ hours which is a drop in the bucket but it seems like a lot (every other day for approximately an hour for the past few months), and that time I'm up 2.1 bets/hour yet the casino has the advantage. If I started upping my bets to take advantage of the the rare positive counts in my game, there's just as much chance as I'll end up doing what the casino has done which is lose over the next 60+ hours despite having the advantage (and a slimmer advantage than it currently has on me at that). All this at a bigger bet amount doesn't make it worthwhile to me. At least yet.
GinitforthefreecokesG
It also seems to me you'd have to play a huge number of hands to outrun the "short term" standard deviation which would make card counting profitable in the long run. And "short term" could actually be a huge amount of hours. I've currently only played 60+ hours which is a drop in the bucket but it seems like a lot (every other day for approximately an hour for the past few months), and that time I'm up 2.1 bets/hour yet the casino has the advantage. If I started upping my bets to take advantage of the the rare positive counts in my game, there's just as much chance as I'll end up doing what the casino has done which is lose over the next 60+ hours despite having the advantage (and a slimmer advantage than it currently has on me at that). All this at a bigger bet amount doesn't make it worthwhile to me. At least yet.
GinitforthefreecokesG
Even though it sounds somewhat wreckless, you bring up a good point. Over the short term, especially when one is beginning to count cards and has somewhat sloppy play, they are more than likely going to see the bottom half of the distribution.
That is why I like to wong as much as I can get away with. Especially when it is crowded and I can just watch two big deck games until one goes way positive.
If it is one or two decks I'll sit down and play, but if its more, then why not wong if you can?
I thought I was pushing it until I read ZG's post indicating he gets away with wonging without ever leaving the table.
That is why I like to wong as much as I can get away with. Especially when it is crowded and I can just watch two big deck games until one goes way positive.
If it is one or two decks I'll sit down and play, but if its more, then why not wong if you can?
I thought I was pushing it until I read ZG's post indicating he gets away with wonging without ever leaving the table.
The number of hands you would have to play will vary based on your betting and playing strategy. Someone playing with a big advantage will generally reach their long-run expectation much sooner than someone with a small advantage because their variance (fluctuations) will be smaller. In general, most players will need to play 400-800 hours in order to approach their long-run expectation.
-Sonny-
-Sonny-