The Shoe From Hell

[Automatic Monkey]

I plan a trip for a 2% risk of ruin, the parameters being the advantage of the game, the number of hands I'm planning on playing, and the amount of money I have available on that trip. If I play once a week, that would mean on the average of about once a year I'll walk out of the casino spitting and cursing.

Fair enough. But I didn't plan on it happening today, the way it did.

First store- played about 3 hours. Limits were high, tables were crowded, and all the dealers were dealing like they were on drugs. Goofing off and chatting between cards, dawdling with their racks, giving me about 40-50 hands per hour and I was just in no mood for that crap given the other disadvantageous conditions. Walked out about 10 units down in 4 hours.

On to the second store. Also way too crowded, but I found a fast dealer giving good pen. Played 2 hours, up 5 units. Left the table to go home, got my play in for the night. But on the way out, I figured I had a little more left in me, maybe Wong into a shoe or two headed for the door.

Oh, to be able to take that decision back! Watched a shoe, Wonged in at +3 (HO2) about 1/4 of the way into the shoe. Then everything turned to garbage. The count went up and up, but I lost every hand but one. I walked away 200 units down. But not at the end of the shoe or the count. I had to walk away from a +11 count because I did not have a dollar left in my pocket.

Driving away from the casino realizing I didn't have a playing stake any more, and that it would take >40 hours of table time just to get back to where I began this night. And that it felt like I had paid my dues, and things were bound to get better, and a second later thinking, in a pig's ass they are. This is no less likely to happen on my next trip than it was on this one. Utterly stifling. But I'll be back.

 

[wong out]

Whats the Problem??

You jumped in at a +3 and rode it out. The rising count meant the you were betting into junk; although there was no way you could know that figuring that the high count meant the bricks were coming. You stayed put and kept chunking it out until tapping out. Thats 21 and happens all too often - I like that you kept dishing it out even though you were getting hammered. I only hope that as you cash drew down you lowered your bets to be able to cover a necessary split or double.

Tommorrow's another day so long as you have some benji's.

good luck

wong out

 

[Stealth Bomber]

Good thing your tough as nails

I have become accustomed to this kind of treatment from 6D lately also. One thing though, I learned the hard way only one time to always have plenty of Ben Franklins in my pocket so I never have to walk away from a big count and let the plopsters have all the goods. I assume you have now learned the same lesson.

Notice also how when the vacume gets turned on to your money, the other players just look at you like as if your some kind of a knut case, especially when you take insurance while having two giant bets out on two sorry azz stiff hands? Then it turns out the D has a 9 under or just catches the miracle hit card of 5 while the C in monsterous mode.

 

[Dali-lama]

Bad shoe

Sorry to here the neg. variance has got its hold on you.
I,m in a Neg. slump and it sucks...If I can break even by the end of the year
I'll be a happy camper...Just play your casino verite in your off
hours(If you have it). I find the constent reminder that I'm doing it
"right".. gets me through the ruff spots....and of course venting on these Mess Boards helps ...'cuse me just woke up and can't type.

Cheers

 

[gorilla player]

this happens...

I reported on a very similar happening to me on the free page at rge21... I then asked if anyone had ever done any simulations to see what happens when the count goes out the roof. On the case I was asking about, the count had hit some ridiculous number, reaching +21 with about 2 decks left. Yet I lost and lost and lost. Lots of pushes, lots of dealer BJs, and even though there were a few small cards left, it seemed that I was getting a stiff hand every other deal, and could not hit with the count that high.

Got my clock cleaned. Yet two weeks before I had my best afternoon ever on the MS coast. Played at a $25 DD table (only decent table open where I was) and I was a bit cautious as I had about $1000 with me. First N shuffles were nothing but negative counts, yet I was winning at least 2/3 of the hands. Before I knew it I was up over a thousand bucks at $25 flat-betting. Finally got out of the negative shoes and noticed a guy next to me was betting black and spreading like mad with absolutely no attention from the pit. I now had enough session money to actually play BJ, and started spreading myself 1-8 (green only). Before I left that day, after playing something over 3 hours but not a lot more, I had was up over $9500, the best single session I have _ever_ had.

I keep remembering that session when those "shoes from hell" show up. I really do remember lots of bad results with counts that are over the top... A few on rge21 responded that they had had similar results on big counts as well, but a couple of really good players reported that even so, our advantage keeps going up with the count. Just wish I could convince the shoe/dealer about that...

I almost gave up on Wonging this past June out in Vegas. Seemed that every time I jumped in, the count kept climbing and my pocket kept emptying. Had a few good sessions and ended up down about $500 after 5 days of _lots_ of playing... Cost me at _least_ $10 per hour "casino tax" to play that week.

Fortunately that is not so common, particularly (for me) in DD games which I prefer when possible... Of course you can't Wong in on DD games, although you might be able to Wong out a couple of times before being noticed.

 

[A10Ploppy]

Seems to be a trend

I'm extremely green at counting but have been having a good run lately considering my low bet spread and red chip action until the other night when I had my first correction. I should have heeded some outside factors that seemed to try to warn me. The first was seeing someone literally thrown out the door of the casino (an elderly man), this seemed to really shake up the dealers and players then a few minutes later some obnoxious ploppys bringing everything to a halt because of a percieved dealer mistake. I know it's just voodoo to think that way but it sure seemed to set things off on a bad direction. From that point forward no matter how high the count became (KO) I couldn't win hardly a single hand. My table options were limited as this was just a mini casino and even when I did move the stink just followed me. As a newbie, I need to keep reminding myself to cut my losses and remember that there's always another day but it's easier said than done at times. Anyway, I guess I didn't add much to the thread, just needed to vent more than anything. This is just an expected speedbump so onward and upward....

 

[eyesfor21]

plus 3 was your problem

 

[Stealth Bomber]

Stink doesn't follow unless you fart

If your moving tables because you think the dealer is hot, that kind of stink is pure voodoo. Just hang in there and stay with the math.

 

[gorilla player]

don't forget..

That if you are losing, and leave, that does not guarantee that the losing streak will end. If you are winning and leave, you might be leaving just before the streak ends, or right in the middle....

There are just losing sessions, losing trips, and I have heard pros talk about a "losing year"...

 

[A10Ploppy]

Voodoo

I was kind of tongue in cheek about the stink and stuff, my primary reason for moving was to get away from those idiots that kept disrupting the game plus the dealer had moved to the other table and he had been quite friendly to me during the time he dealt me, there were several "mistakes" on his part that seemed to happen when I needed them the most. The funny thing is that I'm not really all that down about it because I know the math does support me, it's more the heat I'm getting from my significant other for the loss, how quickly they forget about all the times I've won for a single loss, oh well, it's all part of the equation.

 

[Stealth Bomber]

Ahhh, spouse issues!

I delicately worked my way through this issue to a certain degree of understanding, trust and freedom. Look at it this way. A spouse is probably the biggest motivating factor that keeps you learning and perfecting your game, then keeping all your moves very sharp.

 

[gorilla player]

yep...

Been married for 36 years myself, and hope for another 36. But I couldn't get my wife to play BJ for anything, even though she plays at home all the time and is a perfect BS player...

However, she much prefers for me to "hit the tables" and tell her the results later, rather than standing and watching (or sitting and watching if the table is not full). I get a lot of "GP (no she doesn't call me GP) that's $200 you just put out there..." I respond, "no, it is just eight of these silly green clay disks, don't worry...". She just gives me "the look" and goes off to the slots or the shops.

However, she has _never_ refused to spend or take any of the money I have won.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

Sold my SR on BJ

She even knows what it means to Wong! Dig this... she'll hang out with me at the table and make out with me when I'm watching so I can casually Wong in. And when I'm at the table, I give her a signal, and she acts all needy and I can bow out for a few hands. Is that cool or what?

Good thing she didn't see me these past few days though. After my first disaster, I went back in the morning for some consolation, and got treated to another 110 unit loss in 1.5 hours. Now, I'm going to have to sell stock and empty savings accounts to play again. What a miserable business to be in.

 

[Tom]

Plus 3 is nothing,It's negative ev.

I'd start using TC'c to make optimal bets and not get too anxious to bet on a shoe just because it has a plus count,especially if you're using a multi-level count system. Take the RPC count for example, a count of plus 10 may appear exciting for a wonger,however, at the early part of the shoe it means nothing.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

Uh no, that was TC

 

[Ouchez]

I would NOT sell stock or empty

savings accounts to recoup those losses. You may be throwing good money after bad. How will you feel if you then lose it again? Devastated? Yes, you will.

You should take a break and review your entire strategic plan of attack for the BJ game.

When and IF you get back in the game consider playing the low roller tables for awhile and see how that goes.

Just...back away for some time.

Ouchez.

 

[ZOD]

Hang in there

Funny how a little variance can test your mettle. I had a 360 unit loss in a 2-day stretch earlier this year. As of this moment, I still haven't recovered fully. I know it's small consolation when you get hit that hard, but everyone who's played long enough goes through this, usually many times.

Hang in there.

ZOD

 

[Sohrab]

One thing that happens

is when count keeps going up, this is bad, not good. You are winning while count is going down - A,10 falling on table. While count is going up, more bad cards falling on table and you are losing. Usually with higher count the next hand is good but sometimes next hand does not come because count goes up even more or shoe ends.

 

[counter]

Agree

Sounds like he's going on tilt. Losing 200 units in less than one shoe is a rare occurance if you're playing correctly. Must be a huge spread with small units.Let's not get too hasty is the answer.

 

[Gorgon]

I thought that was the math

Beans + Beer = Oh My God!