Losing track of the count

[JJP]

I'm pretty new. I have worked into blackjack slowly. As a sports bettor, I had no need to rush to the casino for action. I also understand variance and how difficult it is overcome a house advantage. So I spent around a year working on BS. Then started practicing the Hi Lo. Using Casino Verite at home, I got in a decent amount of practice. I have started going to casinos in the past 6 months, going about once a month. The CV software is good, but the real life distractions of the casino are hard to simulate. This past Saturday, I played 9 shoes, and lost track of the count on three of them. At the time, I tried playing thru just utilizing BS. My question(s): what should I have done? In one case, the count had been good (real count 9, true count 3), so I improvised and deducted from the true count as there was quite a few cards that were dealt and I didn't get to see them all. I then adjusted to real count 6 true count 2. In the other instances, one was a negative count and in the other, it was around neutral. In retrospect, I probably should've got up and left in the negative count where I lost track. How should this situations been handled?

 

[johndoe]

You should keep practicing. But if you miss some cards, you can just continue with the RC you left off with for any new cards you see, then pretend that those missed cards are in the discard tray, like any other unknown cards. This reduces your penetration some. Same as if you miss the beginning of a shoe.

 

[paymypush]

You can wong out, flat bet the minimum until the shuffle or start the count back at zero depending on where you are in the shoe. Some players forget the running count. Are you playing shoes? As stated, penetration will suffer.

You need more live casino experience. Six total visits is nothing. Be honest with yourself. Do you know basic strategy cold? You should strive for no mistakes. Index play? Are you identifying and playing the best possible games within your limits?

Hi Lo is not that difficult. With practice, keeping the count while talking to the dealer, waitress, other players etc should be as natural as breathing.

 

[JJP]

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, I am playing shoes. I do have a bit more than 6 visits; those were just in the past 6 months. I've worked hard studying basic strategy. Maybe it was hubris thinking I could just play thru the terrible counts relying only on basic strategy. I intend on wonging out more in the future when the big negative counts hit. My counting needs more practice, particularly in the casino environment to block out the distractions. A couple other questions: do you find it difficult to wong out? Will it draw attention? I would think wonging out once per session for a bathroom break shouldn't raise any eyebrows. Maybe another for an "important phone call". What about rattholing chips? If the count goes negative, all of a sudden one doesn't have many chips, it would be any easy way to get away from the table, I would think.

 

[paymypush]

Wonging out can run the gamut from being very easy to generating unwanted heat. At one place I can stop playing without leaving the chair. At another, receiving one innocent looking phone call is all it takes to draw attention. Know your casino. Everyone's act is different so you have do your own legwork.

Do not attempt any rat holing until you thoroughly understand it. It's an art in itself and there are consequences for getting caught.

 

[JJP]

Thanks for your response. I was not aware rat holing could cause problems. Forgive my naivity, but if it is one's chips, and therefore one's money. Other than structuring, what are the ramifications?

 

[gronbog]

If they see you regularly pocketing chips, then every missing chip from the rack will be attributed to you. This can inflate their perception of your wins and deflate their perception of your losses.