Sp21 Results?

[assume_R]

About halfway through Kat's Sp21 book and jw about everybody's lifetime Sp21 results? If you'd like, feel free to post about how much you're up or down.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

I play an awful lot of SP21. Read the book and it's excellent. I use a slightly different system myself but the book is a good reference for any SP21 player.

 

[21forme]

My last 2 years of AC play have been 80% Sp21 and probably 95% in Evil Empire™ houses (and the game has been berry berry good to me).

 

[Brock Windsor]

Running a slight negative on it. Not my game of choice but the book is excellent and SP conditions are superior to BJ in many ways. The only negative to the game is the lack of supporting theoretical work not related to counting. Early surrender strategies, top card values, next card and hole card strategies have not come to print. Im not sure if there's a sim program for it or not.
-Brock

 

[assume_R]

I play an awful lot of SP21. Read the book and it's excellent. I use a slightly different system myself but the book is a good reference for any SP21 player.

Monkey, were you able to sim the system you use or not? Just finished the book and I agree that it is thorough, and very well written, and has all the information necessary. Is your system significantly more accurate than HiLo for Sp21? You don't have to go into details I'm just curious :grin:

My last 2 years of AC play have been 80% Sp21 and probably 95% in Evil Empire™ houses (and the game has been berry berry good to me).

Love the ™ lol and I will begin playing once I master my indices. What's the usual penetration given to you at these stores? Better than BJ?

Running a slight negative on it. Not my game of choice but the book is excellent and SP conditions are superior to BJ in many ways. The only negative to the game is the lack of supporting theoretical work not related to counting. Early surrender strategies, top card values, next card and hole card strategies have not come to print. Im not sure if there's a sim program for it or not.
-Brock

Agreed. Regarding SP21 conditions, what's your take on heat compared to BJ? In the book she claims to have much less heat and I was curious if you concur. Also, I agree much more theoretical work has been done on blackjack, and yet I like the empirical evidence from the computer simulations regarding Sp21.

 

[21forme]

Love the ™ lol and I will begin playing once I master my indices. What's the usual penetration given to you at these stores? Better than BJ?

Pen is similar to BJ, i.e., 1.5-2 decks cut off 8D, depending on the dealer and where you play.

Regarding heat, in my experience, it is pretty much non-existent. I often spread from one unit to 2x15 units without a problem.

 

[SystemsTrader]

I bought the book but have never got around to learning and playing it. From what I've observed the pen is pretty terrible at most stores and is usually worse than the blackjack pen in the same stores. If the casino say cuts 2 out of 8 in their blackjack then the same goes for SP21 but with the extra pip tens removed the pen is worse by 8 cards. Another problem is many casinos will only have one or two tables and because of the lack of tables the games are usually full and this drives up the tables minimums making play-all too risky and wonging near impossible.

 

[ChefJJ]

Curious

Gang, what is the name of the SP21 book? I'm interested in another avenue in AC these days.

Thanks :joker:

 

[assume_R]

http://www.amazon.com/Pros-Guide-Spanish-Australian-Pontoon/dp/1435710657

Very worthwhile read.

 

[ChefJJ]

Thanks for the link...much appreciated :joker:

 

[assume_R]

No problemo, hope it's useful. PM me if you want some color-coded index tables in spreadsheet format I made to help myself memorize them for the AC Sp21 games.

 

[FLASH1296]

In 2009 I hardly played a hand of regular BJ

I am relatively non-aggressive, but betting 2 x $175 has gotten me backed-off in
A.C. at one store and going to 2 hands of $75 was enough at another.

In general, heat is almost non-existent where penetration is 6 of 8
decks but things begin to heat up whenever pen falls to 6.5 of 8.

A few days ago, I was in Las Vegas (where there are only 5 stores dealing Span21),
and one of them is weekends only (downtown), and one of them is a dump.
I had barely exceeded 2 x 100 when I actually heard the floorman
point me out to the Pit Boss, who immediately went to the phone.

Admittedly, it was a rare $5 table. "My bad."

 

[assume_R]

In general, heat is almost non-existent where penetration is 6 of 8 decks but things begin to heat up whenever pen falls to 6.5 of 8.

So do you think the PB's actually realize what a large advantage more penetration is, and consciously give players more heat when a dealer gives more penetration?

I only ask because I personally have not found heat to be a function of dealers' penetration, and more a function of players' playing and betting styles.

Also were you referring to BJ games or Sp21 games; I wasn't clear?

 

[FLASH1296]

I was referring only to Span21 and I have seen a 100% correlation between penetration and heat
BUT my miniscule sample size, of course, is insignificant. L.O.L.

It is easy to explain. More knowledgeable pit critters are aware of what is going on;
but more likely what takes place is that the pit is always more relaxed when pen' is poor,
because they correctly hold that they have some protection from the predations of characters like us.

I have experienced, not once, but thrice, in 2009, a floorman mention the wizardofodds.com
as a reference for Spanish21 and once had a Pit Boss actually tell ME:
"All you need to do is use a simple unbalanced count adjusted for missing 10's"

 

[Polarbearsolvent]

Hm, I just might have to check out Sp21 methinks. I just ordered the book and will give it a good read-through; thanks for the link!

And wow Flash, I think that PB comment tops even some of the really stunning things I have heard by a mile.

 

[bjcount]

One more option for the poll, "Read the book but haven't played it".

I've read it cover to cover three times, but still haven't played it. Maybe I'll try it next year.

BJC

 

[moo321]

I was referring only to Span21 and I have seen a 100% correlation between penetration and heat
BUT my miniscule sample size, of course, is insignificant. L.O.L.

It is easy to explain. More knowledgeable pit critters are aware of what is going on;
but more likely what takes place is that the pit is always more relaxed when pen' is poor,
because they correctly hold that they have some protection from the predations of characters like us.

I have experienced, not once, but thrice, in 2009, a floorman mention the wizardofodds.com
as a reference for Spanish21 and once had a Pit Boss actually tell ME:
"All you need to do is use a simple unbalanced count adjusted for missing 10's"

I think I've met the pit boss you're referring to.

 

[21forme]

Re the above post and Flash's comments, there's a dealer at Bally's who also talks about starting the count at -32, etc. I've always avoided playing while he's dealing.

 

[NightStalker]

sp21 results

read the book, 50hours and down 10k on sp21..

 

[assume_R]

read the book, 50hours and down 10k on sp21..

All I can say is variance is a bitch... perhaps you need to reevaluate your play. You might not be keeping the count or doing the TC conversion as well as you think. Just a suggestion, maybe it's just variance.