Shifting initial counts for an unbalanced system to make it easier?

EasyRhino

Well-Known Member
#1
Hi all, I'm a bigtime newbie here. I've got BS pretty much nailed down, thanks mainly to this site. However, I've only just started researching card counting systems. My problem is that doing arithmetic in my head is very taxing (that and I don't play that frequently) so the KO Rookie system (Archive copy) seems to be right about my speed.

However, in my initial trials on the kitchen table, even the simple task of dealing with negative numbers is throwing me off. What if I just "shifted" my IRC and key numbers to something that would reduce the need to deal with negatives?

For instance, KO rookie with 6 decks dictates an initial count of -20, and a key count of -4.

What if I just used an IRC of 0 and a key count of 16?

Or better yet, an IRC of 100 and a key count of 116?

I don't know the mechanics that goes on behind the system, so I'm not sure if a shift like that would throw of something else. Something mysterious and very, very important.
 

Mikeaber

Well-Known Member
#2
Nope. No problem. Shift as much as you wish but be sure and keep the displacements of the Key Count in tact. I believe that with KO Rookie, the Key Count is the only magic number you have to remember.

EasyRhino said:
Hi all, I'm a bigtime newbie here. I've got BS pretty much nailed down, thanks mainly to this site. However, I've only just started researching card counting systems. My problem is that doing arithmetic in my head is very taxing (that and I don't play that frequently) so the KO Rookie system (Archive copy) seems to be right about my speed.

However, in my initial trials on the kitchen table, even the simple task of dealing with negative numbers is throwing me off. What if I just "shifted" my IRC and key numbers to something that would reduce the need to deal with negatives?

For instance, KO rookie with 6 decks dictates an initial count of -20, and a key count of -4.

What if I just used an IRC of 0 and a key count of 16?

Or better yet, an IRC of 100 and a key count of 116?

I don't know the mechanics that goes on behind the system, so I'm not sure if a shift like that would throw of something else. Something mysterious and very, very important.
 
#3
I just finished the KO book about a week ago and have been practicing a lot and am nearly perfect. I live in the northeast so 8 deck is the only game around. When I first started learning KO the first thing I did was to start my IRC at 0, thus making key count +22 and pivot point +32.

At the beginings of some shoes you will run into some negative counts but they usually don't last to long. You should definately get the Knockout Blackjack book. I'ts only about 175 pages long and won't take long to read at all. It will give additional info about using the complete system that will
slightly increase your advantage and reduce your risk of ruin.
 
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