My bankroll now supports Black Chips... Any tips on making the switch from Green (and not getting backed off)?

[Toxic]

I've been keeping half my Bankroll in Bitcoin over the past 3 years. Needless to say, I've made more from Bitcoin appreciation than from playing blackjack in my lifetime.

I can now justify a max bet of $500. Where as before, my max bet was $300. I mainly play DD and SD and am curious how to best make the switch to black chips, or how to increase my unit size in a way that won't attract more heat/backoffs.

I've already been backed off from ~10 shops for aggressively spreading to $300, and have since learned a bit more about cover after reading BJA3.

Would it be best to move straight to a $100 unit and spread 1-5, or instead to put my unit at $50 (or even $25) and playing 2 hands?

I'm looking for longevity advice/help since I've already blown out several of the good games available to me.

Any other tips to increase my hourly rate while still keeping an acceptable RoR?

 

[BJgenius007]

I've been keeping half my Bankroll in Bitcoin over the past 3 years. Needless to say, I've made more from Bitcoin appreciation than from playing blackjack in my lifetime.

I can now justify a max bet of $500. Where as before, my max bet was $300. I mainly play DD and SD and am curious how to best make the switch to black chips, or how to increase my unit size in a way that won't attract more heat/backoffs.

I've already been backed off from ~10 shops for aggressively spreading to $300, and have since learned a bit more about cover after reading BJA3.

Would it be best to move straight to a $100 unit and spread 1-5, or instead to put my unit at $50 (or even $25) and playing 2 hands?

I'm looking for longevity advice/help since I've already blown out several of the good games available to me.

Any other tips to increase my hourly rate while still keeping an acceptable RoR?

Your best option is to play at $50 table. Play one hand $50 when TC is zero and negative. And max bet is two hands of $250.

 

[MrFatCat]

not sure where you're even finding SD 3:2 anymore that tolerates any action whatsoever, i'd say you're likelier to find longevity at the DD game. i'd personally spread 50-400 there, i think KJ has previously talked about purple chip being another threshold for getting more visibility from pit critters/eye in the sky. i think for the SD you're probably better off spreading 100-400 instead of 100-500 for the same reason.

overall i think keeping sessions short and not coloring up/keeping your own stash of chips at the shops you play at to avoid cash transactions requiring a pit boss approval would be the way to go.

 

[Toxic]

Your best option is to play at $50 table. Play one hand $50 when TC is zero and negative. And max bet is two hands of $250.

My calculation for spreading to two hands is 2/3 of what the normal max bet would be. So 500 (2/3) = 333.33. So spreading 50 - 2x 300 seems better. Am I missing something?

not sure where you're even finding SD 3:2 anymore that tolerates any action whatsoever, i'd say you're likelier to find longevity at the DD game. i'd personally spread 50-400 there, i think KJ has previously talked about purple chip being another threshold for getting more visibility from pit critters/eye in the sky. i think for the SD you're probably better off spreading 100-400 instead of 100-500 for the same reason.

overall i think keeping sessions short and not coloring up/keeping your own stash of chips at the shops you play at to avoid cash transactions requiring a pit boss approval would be the way to go.

I mainly play DD as you're right, SD 3:2 is hard to find. I do have 1 game that I've been playing (with no heat) when spreading massively (25 - 300). This shop is either incompetent or my cover is good. I even use a card there.

Agree on avoiding purples. When I cashout with over 2k in purple (or sometimes the 1k chips), they definitely make some calls and add some extra scrutiny.

Does ratholing work with blacks, or do they just count the blacks that are missing after you've left the table?

I've gotten into trouble at one shop for hiding chips or strategically cashing out below their ID/Players card threshold. This eventually lead to a backoff. That said, short sessions and what not seem to be key.

 

[gronbog]

To maintain the same risk of ruin, the correct 2 hand wager is approximately 75% of the single hand wager.

 

[aceside]

To maintain the same risk of ruin, the correct 2 hand wager is approximately 75% of the single hand wager.

I haven't read very much about risk of ruin, but I know the 75% wager on each of the two hands is based on the covariance consideration. ROR is not relevant?

 

[DSchles]

ROR is proportional to expectation and variance. When you bet two hands of 73% of the one-hand optimal bet, you increase both e.v. and variance by the same percentage, which means that ROR remains the same.

Don

 

[KewlJ]

I always think there are too many players, just looking at the math and computer sims and not incorporating enough what is practical or tolerated. The result ends up being a player playing an optimal, THE optimal spread for his game and conditions and bankroll, that can't get a game that he can play.

Since the Op included (and not get backed off), I am going to share some thoughts and the second is something I am probably talking too much about.

As I have mentioned numerous times bases on my experiences, there are thresholds, that draw attention. The first is $100. Mainly for a red chip player. For a green chip players, not so much, plus, can't really do anything about it, we gotta crash through the $100 barrier. I actually think if you make your starting bet a little more, say you are spreading $25 to whatever, you make your initial bet off the top just for a round or two, $50, or $75 and you have eliminated that $100 barrier. It becomes expected that you will bet $100 or more at some point.

So the next threshold is $500. What I mean by that is a bet of $500 draws more attention that a bet of $400, or even $450. It just does. ESPECIALLY if the dealer starts paying you in purple. So if your bankroll is such that you would spread $25 or $50 to $500, I would change it so as not to land on $500. Stay just under. Now if your banroll is such that your max bet is going to be above $500, that is fine, you play through it. Just don't land on it and stick. There are higher thresholds as well, but they are out of my wheelhouse. These are the two I deal with.

Now here is the part, I probably shouldn't talk about as much as I do. If you are playing double deck as the Op, says, (single deck too, but I don't have much experience with single deck), you can afford to spread both way. Yes, there is a cost, but you can afford it and it really buys you a great deal in terms of longevity, in my experience. It makes your spread seem smaller and pit or surveillance has to see you spread both direction, meaning a negative count, all the way up to your max bet count to see your full spread and that rarely occurs in the same shuffle even at a volatile DD game.