My Blackjack Story (blog)

TakingTheHouse

Active Member
Hey guys, just wanted to share a blog I just created. I wanted to use my expertise on web development to help share my blackjack story :). Don't worry, blackjackinfo.com is right there in my blogroll and referenced in my first post, and I'm sure it's not the last time I'll talk about it.

The blog is http://www.takingthehouse.com (Archive copy).

Let me know what you think, and comment on the posts if you see me doing/saying something wrong or asking for advice!
 

standard toaster

Well-Known Member
Dealer gives me 6’s and is showing a 6…I don’t want to but I have to split. She deals me two queens for dual 16’s, I have to stand.
With a bet out that is way to large for you that causes emotion on a dealer stiff hand you could have just stood with the 12. I dont think anyone would hold that against you.

also if a 200 dollar loss really makes you feel bad then its better to just stay away from the green tables. 8 units goes very quickly as you know

but keep up the blog its an interesting read and you will get a lot of help from other members
 

TakingTheHouse

Active Member
As stated in the blog it's not the money that gets me, it's just the principle of winning and losing I guess. If I lose $1,000 tonight playing it won't ruin my life and I won't really mind about the monetary loss, it's just the fact of losing and winning big that gets my blood flowing. And that's what I love about blackjack :).

standard toaster said:
With a bet out that is way to large for you that causes emotion on a dealer stiff hand you could have just stood with the 12. I dont think anyone would hold that against you.

also if a 200 dollar loss really makes you feel bad then its better to just stay away from the green tables. 8 units goes very quickly as you know

but keep up the blog its an interesting read and you will get a lot of help from other members
 

standard toaster

Well-Known Member
oh boy when you start countint your blod is really going to get going! study up get expirence and start learning to count! Your in canada right? counting might be tough for you i heard its not good up there... not sure though.
 

TakingTheHouse

Active Member
Nah I'm US, just 20 years old so have to go to Canada to gamble.

standard toaster said:
oh boy when you start countint your blod is really going to get going! study up get expirence and start learning to count! Your in canada right? counting might be tough for you i heard its not good up there... not sure though.
 

GeorgeD

Well-Known Member
TakingTheHouse said:
Nah I'm US, just 20 years old so have to go to Canada to gamble.
Are you playing in Niagara Falls, Ont? Hope you know at both casinos most of the games are Continuous Shuffle Machines which are impossible to beat counting.

At any given time you may find a few non CSM tables, often higher stakes or games like Lucky Ladies or Blackjack Switch. LL is OK since you don't have to make the side bet. Sometimes regular games are not CSM

Don't you have good fake proof to play at Seneca Niagara in the US? Stil lousy 8 deck shoes with poor pen but you have some hope of an edge especially if you back count or wong out.
 

TakingTheHouse

Active Member
Yeah I realize that. I turn 21 in 5 months, and I don't plan on being REALLY good at counting until then anyways. I have seen some non-CSM tables and the stakes were higher, so maybe in a few months I'll give them a run.

GeorgeD said:
Are you playing in Niagara Falls, Ont? Hope you know at both casinos most of the games are Continuous Shuffle Machines which are impossible to beat counting.

At any given time you may find a few non CSM tables, often higher stakes or games like Lucky Ladies or Blackjack Switch. LL is OK since you don't have to make the side bet. Sometimes regular games are not CSM

Don't you have good fake proof to play at Seneca Niagara in the US? Stil lousy 8 deck shoes with poor pen but you have some hope of an edge especially if you back count or wong out.
 

FLASH1296

Well-Known Member
6's vs. 6

You didn't want to split your 6's vs. a 6 ?

Was this a D.A.S. game ?

==============================================

Extremely important:

NEVER play for stakes that can emotionally effect you.

If you detect stress related to money anxiety, you are playing "over your head".

Cease & Desist !

The most important subject for all Card counter to study is "Risk of Ruin"
 
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TakingTheHouse

Active Member
Well the odds were in my favor so yeah I did, it was just the fact it was one of the bigger bets I had placed in my few trips to the casino, and I was going to double that bet in order to split.

FLASH1296 said:
You didn't want to split your 6's vs. a 6 ?

Was this a DAS game ?
 

TakingTheHouse

Active Member
I live in upstate New York. Just did a Mapquest and I'm 3 hours from Turning Stone.

standard toaster said:
how far are you from new york?
Turning stone is a pretty big casino and is an 18 year old
 
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ihate17

Well-Known Member
Can you afford or stomach up to 8 times that bet?

TakingTheHouse said:
Well the odds were in my favor so yeah I did, it was just the fact it was one of the bigger bets I had placed in my few trips to the casino, and I was going to double that bet in order to split.

When you double, that's it, you double your bet.
When you split in a DAS game there is a remote possibility that you would have gotten 4 sixes and 4 doubles for a total of 8 bets. Though this probably will not happen, everyone here has probably experienced 5 and 6 bet hands.

So if your big bet is for example, $100, can you handle mentally and afford putting $500 out eventually on that split and lose? If you do not think you can handle this, you are overbetting your bankroll, comfort level or both.

Now I will go and look at your blog.

ihate17
 

TakingTheHouse

Active Member
Oh definitely. I was just playing basic strategy though and it was the biggest bet I had made at the table. I've made bigger bets since then and not been "antsy", it actually felt good to get the blood pumping and heart rate up.

I don't mind losing money, especially when I'm not even playing to win.

ihate17 said:
When you double, that's it, you double your bet.
When you split in a DAS game there is a remote possibility that you would have gotten 4 sixes and 4 doubles for a total of 8 bets. Though this probably will not happen, everyone here has probably experienced 5 and 6 bet hands.

So if your big bet is for example, $100, can you handle mentally and afford putting $500 out eventually on that split and lose? If you do not think you can handle this, you are overbetting your bankroll, comfort level or both.

Now I will go and look at your blog.

ihate17
 

FLASH1296

Well-Known Member
Just for the sake of reference, I hope that you fully understand that it doesn't take much of a negative count to Hit 12 vs. a dealer's 6. Of course, the optimal play is to split at almost anything,except perhaps an absurdly negative True Count


p.s. Turning Stone is to be avoided. You can play at 18 there but the games are cut very shallow, worse than the Canadian games - and they will sweat you if your spread is big enough to compensate; e.g. 32 to one or better.

Needless to say that your bankroll requirements spreading from $10 to $320 would probably be beyond your means; unless you happen to have $30,000 sitting around. I suggest that you spend the next 5 months of your minority studying, practicing, and studying some more.
 

standard toaster

Well-Known Member
FLASH1296 said:
Just for the sake of reference, I hope that you fully understand that it doesn't take much of a negative count to Hit 12 vs. a dealer's 6. Of course, the optimal play is to split at almost anything,except perhaps an absurdly negative True Count


p.s. Turning Stone is to be avoided. You can play at 18 there but the games are cut very shallow, worse than the Canadian games - and they will sweat you if your spread is big enough to compensate; e.g. 32 to one or better.

Needless to say that your bankroll requirements spreading from $10 to $320 would probably be beyond your means; unless you happen to have $30,000 sitting around. I suggest that you spend the next 5 months of your minority studying, practicing, and studying some more.
Hes just playing bs correct? in that case it wouldent matter the pen and all that good stuff
Hes closer to canada anyway so it dosent really matter all that much
 

TakingTheHouse

Active Member
Yeah I'm not counting yet but I understand.

I have a $30k bankroll if I'm confident enough I'll profit with it. I'm going to study and practice hard these next few months so I do have that confidence. It's almost demotivational at times to read about counting around the web and seeing the majority of places saying "Your advantage is 1-2% at max and it's not worth the time."

I'll have that confidence though, few months time :).

FLASH1296 said:
Just for the sake of reference, I hope that you fully understand that it doesn't take much of a negative count to Hit 12 vs. a dealer's 6. Of course, the optimal play is to split at almost anything,except perhaps an absurdly negative True Count


p.s. Turning Stone is to be avoided. You can play at 18 there but the games are cut very shallow, worse than the Canadian games - and they will sweat you if your spread is big enough to compensate; e.g. 32 to one or better.

Needless to say that your bankroll requirements spreading from $10 to $320 would probably be beyond your means; unless you happen to have $30,000 sitting around. I suggest that you spend the next 5 months of your minority studying, practicing, and studying some more.
 

standard toaster

Well-Known Member
TakingTheHouse said:
Yeah I'm not counting yet but I understand.

I have a $30k bankroll if I'm confident enough I'll profit with it. I'm going to study and practice hard these next few months so I do have that confidence. It's almost demotivational at times to read about counting around the web and seeing the majority of places saying "Your advantage is 1-2% at max and it's not worth the time."

I'll have that confidence though, few months time :).
1-2% is a big deal! think thats all the casino has and look how much they make. 1-2% on every bet you make adds up and is a huge deal!
 

TakingTheHouse

Active Member
Does that 1-2% factor in variance and RoR and things like that?

standard toaster said:
1-2% is a big deal! think thats all the casino has and look how much they make. 1-2% on every bet you make adds up and is a huge deal!
 
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