Tiredness from counting

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matt21

Well-Known Member
#1
#1
In the last 2-3 weeks, I have been playing (and counting) approx 20 solid hours per week, generally in sessions of 1-4 hours in various joints. Some days I do none, other days I do 4-7 hours.

I have also found myself getting rather tired lately. Have others found that counting is a very tiring activity?

Look forward to any comments! :)

Thanks in advance, Matt
 
blackjack avenger

blackjack avenger

Well-Known Member
#2
#2
There's No Sleep in Counting!

Fatigue is why some like the easier counts, but to make the same you need to spend more time in the casino which probably increases fatigue.:joker::whip:

Like anything else one can get in shape with time.:joker::whip:

As you play more and more you don't quite get the same rush from the casino and placing the bets. One calms down and suffers less fatigue.:joker::whip:
 
Mimosine

Mimosine

Well-Known Member
#3
#3
it can be super tiring I've found. I just played a 3.5 day 32 session marathon. Between the long stretches I was jumping around from house to house at all hours. No good advice other than to take breaks, eat reasonable sized portions of food, rest/meditate, and do other things to stimulate your brain, engage in conversation with people, go sight seeing, get some fresh air from time to time.
 
M

matt21

Well-Known Member
#4
#4
blackjack avenger said:
Fatigue is why some like the easier counts, but to make the same you need to spend more time in the casino which probably increases fatigue.:joker::whip:

As you play more and more you don't quite get the same rush from the casino and placing the bets. One calms down and suffers less fatigue.:joker::whip:
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Well I am glad that I use an easy count system then (hi-low) ! :laugh:

I see what you say about the rush. Yes today for example I lost around 60 units over 4 hours and didn't really flinch - where as several months ago i would have gone into manic depression about that! I hope it wont all become overly boring though.

My highlight today was spreading out to three hands of $100 for one round, and then three hands of $150 for two rounds when TC was +10, whilst successfully pretending to be a hopeless gamblic addict who was trying to recoup his losses. :grin: Shame they didnt all come in though.
 
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cardcounter0

Well-Known Member
#5
#5
Playing after you have become tired is one of the easiest ways to lose money.

The casino isn't going anywhere soon, they stay open pretty much all the time. Take a break, get some rest, come back and only play when you are sharp.

Your wallet will thank you.

(there is a reason why dealers don't work much overtime, and rotate out regularly, and take frequent breaks -- the casino has learned tired dealers are more likely to have chips come up missing)
 
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matt21

Well-Known Member
#6
#6
ok, thanks for all the tips.

i have tried to walk from one joint to the other so that i can get some fresh air, sometimes i stop for a coffee along the way - although once inside a joint i dont really take breaks so that is something i probably need to change.
 
sagefr0g

sagefr0g

Well-Known Member
#8
#8
matt21 said:
............
I have also found myself getting rather tired lately. Have others found that counting is a very tiring activity?

Look forward to any comments! :)

Thanks in advance, Matt
Click to expand...
yes i have found it tiring and not just tiring but boring and frustrating as well.
like i play a lot of six and eight deck games. i'm happy as a lark counting if and when a positive count presents. problem is that tends to only be about 70% of the time or so. i hate that.
 
creeping panther

creeping panther

Banned
#9
#9
My personal record

was 25 hours of straight counting on a 6 deck shoe, in my younger days. I really doubt I made one mistake in that marathon session.

The only reason I went that long was because as I was leaving in the morning the casino approached me and asked me to play at a private table with a well known movie starlette who was a guest at the casino hotel and did not want to play alone and needed ,wanted ,some coaching on the finer points of BJ play. After 5 hours of spending time with her I was so exhausted I could barely keep my head up.:)

CP
 
G

Greg

Member
#10
#10
creeping panther said:
The only reason I went that long was because as I was leaving in the morning the casino approached me and asked me to play at a private table with a well known movie starlette who was a guest at the casino hotel and did not want to play alone and needed ,wanted ,some coaching on the finer points of BJ play. After 5 hours of spending time with her I was so exhausted I could barely keep my head up.:)

CP
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That sounds awesome. Trip report please!
 
Automatic Monkey

Automatic Monkey

Banned
#11
#11
Get your 7-8 hours of legitimate sleep every 24 hours. There really should be no exception to this even at home. We're just starting to realize how unhealthy insufficient sleep is, and no blackjack game is worth sacrificing your heath for.

Lack of sleep may also cause you to make unwise decisions, react badly, and fail to notice things going on around you.
 
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RingyDingy

Well-Known Member
#12
#12
max time

The most i can do is around 3 hours before im in terminal meltdown, longer if wonging a lot, because you dont have to think about bet spreads etc, your just in test pattern waiting for a good count, but actually sitting and playing, approx 3 hours.

i then need a significant break, i.e 45 mins to an hour.

Any longer than that and it seriously affects my ability to concentrate. i guess some people have it and others dont, and im in the "dont" category.

cheers

Ringy
 
R

RingyDingy

Well-Known Member
#13
#13
brilliant

Automatic Monkey said:
Get your 7-8 hours of legitimate sleep every 24 hours. There really should be no exception to this even at home. We're just starting to realize how unhealthy insufficient sleep is, and no blackjack game is worth sacrificing your heath for.

Lack of sleep may also cause you to make unwise decisions, react badly, and fail to notice things going on around you.
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this is an excellent piece of advice.
 
Kaiser

Kaiser

Well-Known Member
#14
#14
creeping panther said:
The only reason I went that long was because as I was leaving in the morning the casino approached me and asked me to play at a private table with a well known movie starlette who was a guest at the casino hotel and did not want to play alone and needed ,wanted ,some coaching on the finer points of BJ play. After 5 hours of spending time with her I was so exhausted I could barely keep my head up.:)
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I can think of a few movie starlettes I'd love to have a 5 hour BJ session with. :laugh:
 
aslan

aslan

Well-Known Member
#15
#15
I'm not a professional counter. I play for entertainment--but half the fun is winning money. Here's how I see it--

After a few hours, counting is boring. It's easier when you're winning. It's more tiring when you're losing. Overall, once you've gotten over the human aspects of counting (steaming, chasing your money, betting more than your bankroll can afford, purposely and stupidly trying to "get lucky," getting off your game plan, playing poor rules and pen, playing when you're too tired, playing when you're drinking too much, etc.), it's a grind. It takes exactly the same work to make $10,000 as to make $1,000--the only difference is the amount you bet. And the bet must always be tied to the amount of your bankroll, unless you have a death wish.
 
S

suicyco maniac

Well-Known Member
#16
#16
Automatic Monkey said:
Get your 7-8 hours of legitimate sleep every 24 hours. There really should be no exception to this even at home. We're just starting to realize how unhealthy insufficient sleep is, and no blackjack game is worth sacrificing your heath for.
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AM I gotta disagree with you on this one. Occasionally games come along that are worth playing until you literally cannot play any more. I have played 24hr+ sessions as well as 4 day 80+ hour sessions. Without going into total detail these are games that involved flatbetting and no counting.
 
Automatic Monkey

Automatic Monkey

Banned
#20
#20
suicyco maniac said:
AM I gotta disagree with you on this one. Occasionally games come along that are worth playing until you literally cannot play any more. I have played 24hr+ sessions as well as 4 day 80+ hour sessions. Without going into total detail these are games that involved flatbetting and no counting.
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OK I understand what you mean. Maybe on rare occasions it would be the right decision to do that. And I've gone without sleep for much less valid reasons!

In the context of everyday AP though, it's a lot harder to restore health than to make money and you have to consider the ultimate long-term EV of marathon sessions. To protect myself from it on BJ trips I do something very simple: I just don't set an alarm. :sleep: When I get up, I get up, and it's a new day. That way I know I'm rested and ready to go.
 
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