what else do i need to learn?

[rarensu39]

i practice hi-lo.

i learned Basic strategy and have my bet spread and know the illustrious 18. i sidecount aces, as well. I also learned some ways to clear the table, and cheap tricks (like tapping the table as if it were a hit and complaining thinking it was like poker movements OR stacking a red under greens)

I normally wong and backcount a friend who plays and when TC is high, i sit in and play, otherwise i continue on acting like any other typical asian group where they always have friends watching along.

my question is...
is there anything else i should learn? Or anything that i can benefit from?
for a college kid with a small BR, is there a better counting method?

any feedback helps.

 

[itakeyourmoney]

I'm not an expert here so take my advice with a grain of salt, and then listen more closely to what the more experienced members tell you lol.

I have a few questions for you first:

What's your spread? What are the rules? Table min/max? How quickly can you count down a single deck (just flipping through the cards)? How large is your bankroll, and how quickly can you replenish it if you go broke?

My only advice on what you should practice right now is to get your single deck count down to under 30 seconds. (I say this without knowing how quickly you can do it now, so perhaps you're already there.)

And as for your "cheap tricks," others may disagree with me here, but I personally would advise against them unless you're only going to a store once. As an AP you want to stay under the radar as much as possible, if you start complaining about getting hits you "didn't want" or try to get paid an extra green for a hidden red chip it's just going to bring more notice to you. The best AP would be one who can play unnoticed (there have certainly been APs who have made a lot while being well known in certain stores, but if the casino never notices you, you'll never get caught).

So that's all I got -- don't try your tricks at your home store and get your count down pat. Also answer those questions, hopefully that extra info will help the wiser members do a more effective job of giving you advice.

Good luck.

ITYM

 

[Xenophon]

i practice hi-lo.

i learned Basic strategy and have my bet spread and know the illustrious 18. i sidecount aces, as well. I also learned some ways to clear the table, and cheap tricks (like tapping the table as if it were a hit and complaining thinking it was like poker movements OR stacking a red under greens)

I normally wong and backcount a friend who plays and when TC is high, i sit in and play, otherwise i continue on acting like any other typical asian group where they always have friends watching along.

my question is...
is there anything else i should learn? Or anything that i can benefit from?
for a college kid with a small BR, is there a better counting method?

any feedback helps.

How is your game selection/evaluation? Do you know which blackjack games are beatable and which to avoid?

 

[sagefr0g]

,,,

my question is...
is there anything else i should learn? Or anything that i can benefit from?
for a college kid with a small BR, is there a better counting method?

any feedback helps.

do you understand what to expect for the games you play and how you play them?
and do you know how to check your results and how you played against what you expect?
a simulator can help you in that regard.

 

[rarensu39]

What's your spread? What are the rules? Table min/max? How quickly can you count down a single deck (just flipping through the cards)? How large is your bankroll, and how quickly can you replenish it if you go broke?

-Well i play the typical 6D, DOA, DAS, H17, 3:2 payout and no surrender. i don't know if that covers all the rules? i'm not sure haha

-since i'm still learning i play table minimums ($5-$15) and i don't even think about maxes because my BR is only $300. It's very easily replishable, but i'm just playing the game to get used to the environment and setting, so i'm not really worried about winning/losing yet.

-I can't count a deck in under 30 seconds yet, but i'll practice doing so.

How is your game selection/evaluation? Do you know which blackjack games are beatable and which to avoid?

It seems that i go when it's always busy so i usually play any table open (thats not CSM) if it's crowded. If i have a selection, then i always go for the favorable tables. since it's summertime, i'll be able to go any time of the day now. I understand that some rules may change the odds and i see them posted throughout these forums

do you understand what to expect for the games you play and how you play them?

I dont actually. I just tend to play at the tables i backcount, or tables that i just wanna try out. As to how to play them, i think i'm doing ok

and do you know how to check your results and how you played against what you expect?a simulator can help you in that regard.

No I do not. Any tips/advise that can be passed down?

PS. i'm not aiming to make a career of BJ, but this became somewhat of a hobby for me. The studying of it and simply knowing i can do better than the average joe makes it fun for me. Thank you guys again for the replies, any comments/tips would help

 

[sabre]

$300 isn't a bankroll.

The H17 and no surrender makes that a pretty poor game unless the penetration is outrageous.

You can call what you're doing "practice", but realize that you're paying $5-$15/hr for that "practice". You're really just playing some low limit basic strategy blackjack at the moment. So at this rate, your $300 bankroll will be gone in an expected 20-60 hrs of play.

Personally, I would shelve this hobby until you have at a minimum, several thousand dollars you can devote to it. Even then, you're going to be wonging a lot and playing for barely minimum wage. That might be worthwhile, if you enjoy playing ... but you do need several thousand before you're even at that level.

 

[rarensu39]

yeah, well i do have that a couple thousand, but again. it's allocated towards college and the college life.

BJ is something i simply like to read and learn about. But the actual play only happens every once in a while when my fraternity, organizations, or family travels there, which is fine enough for even 12 hours a day. My goal isn't to win money, but to leave vegas with all the money i came with.

I simply just want to know what other information would come in handy while playing. Even with the simply information i know, i usually win at least 10-15 units and just stop whenever we feel like it.

 

[sabre]

My advice stands. Forget about card counting at this point in your life. If the entertainment you receive by playing basic strategy is worth the $5-$15/hr that it's costing you, then fine. Otherwise, I'd recommend not playing.

 

[rarensu39]

i understand.

but i'm gonna continue to read up on the subject and play when the opportunity arises. By the time i graduate and actually do have the BR to play at your levels, then i'll start to pursue the play more than the strategy.

But for now, i guess i'm still happy to know more than the average bj player, but less than the all of you here on the site.

 

[ihate17]

So, so much more to learn

Learning basic strategy and learning a counting system perfectly are just the first steps and in fact the baby steps when it comes to learning how to make money at blackjack. In college talk, it is like taking and passing two pre-requisites for your major. Building blocks but you are far from an expert.

The rest ranges from clear to muddeled. It is clear that game selection is very important. You want things like good rules and good penetration and not be tempted to play poor games just because you want to play.

In the muddeled territory you have tons of things that will effect your ability to be one of the few counters who really makes money or just be part of that probably more than 90% that tried counting and it did not work for them. How will very natural human emotions effect your game? If you get your butt kicked in an extremely high count, will you fear putting out max bets in the future? Do you understand your risk of ruin? Will emotions take over and will you steam and bet higher than the count calls for after a devistating loss? Or with the count still high but the losses mounting, will you leave the table during a count where you have an advantage? Can you convince a curious pit that you are just another gambler playing hunches while you are actually a cold calculating blackjack machine?

This list can go on and on and some of this very important stuff is not found in many books but it is a very small answer to your question: What else do I need to learn?

The short answer really is that you need to learn enough in college to earn a solid income so that if someday in the future you plan to play advantage blackjack you can build a bankroo.

ihate17

 

[callipygian]

My goal isn't to win money, but to leave vegas with all the money i came with.

Don't play.

This is not a joke. If you're gambling just to gamble and can't stomach losing money, that's a bad thing in general.

The most EV+ play you will ever make in your life is to kick ass at doing something and get paid to do it. Save gambling for when you have a real bankroll.

 

[DonR]

Learning basic strategy and learning a counting system perfectly are just the first steps and in fact the baby steps when it comes to learning how to make money at blackjack. In college talk, it is like taking and passing two pre-requisites for your major. Building blocks but you are far from an expert.

The rest ranges from clear to muddeled. It is clear that game selection is very important. You want things like good rules and good penetration and not be tempted to play poor games just because you want to play.

In the muddeled territory you have tons of things that will effect your ability to be one of the few counters who really makes money or just be part of that probably more than 90% that tried counting and it did not work for them. How will very natural human emotions effect your game? If you get your butt kicked in an extremely high count, will you fear putting out max bets in the future? Do you understand your risk of ruin? Will emotions take over and will you steam and bet higher than the count calls for after a devistating loss? Or with the count still high but the losses mounting, will you leave the table during a count where you have an advantage? Can you convince a curious pit that you are just another gambler playing hunches while you are actually a cold calculating blackjack machine?

This list can go on and on and some of this very important stuff is not found in many books but it is a very small answer to your question: What else do I need to learn?

The short answer really is that you need to learn enough in college to earn a solid income so that if someday in the future you plan to play advantage blackjack you can build a bankroo.

ihate17

Very nicely said, ihate17! That pretty much summarizes it all.

Unfortunately for me, I have to say that I fall into that 90% category of people who tried it and really never made it work, not with these poor rules in the casinos around me, anyway. I always wondered how many people here can honestly say that they are long term winners.

Rarensu39, read ihate17's post a few times and think about everything he says. When you think that you are ready to hit it big time, read it again and think about it again.

 

[rarensu39]

yeah, well the thing is i can stomache losing only 300-500. i allocated the money to be lost in BJ (but i'd rather not and doubled the initial investment since i started)

i just enjoy reading the posts and learning. I haven't fully put it into practice yet, BECAUSE i know that i'm not ready and still in college and in need of money. (meaning, i use a small betspread and sometimes i just flatbet when playing with friends)

I'm not gonna stop playing BJ, but you have to realize that i only play a few hours of it when i'm in a casino anyway.

I take all the advice into consideration and i appreciate the help. I'll jus continue looking for books and threads that will benefit me in the long run.

 

[ihate17]

The kid will learn the hard or easy way, up to him

Very nicely said, ihate17! That pretty much summarizes it all.

Unfortunately for me, I have to say that I fall into that 90% category of people who tried it and really never made it work, not with these poor rules in the casinos around me, anyway. I always wondered how many people here can honestly say that they are long term winners.

Rarensu39, read ihate17's post a few times and think about everything he says. When you think that you are ready to hit it big time, read it again and think about it again.

Most of us tend to learn things the hard way, moreso when we are young. The nice thing about financial mistakes when you are young is that you have plenty of time to make things right.

ihate17

 

[shadroch]

The Gamblers Prayer:

Dear Lord, Please let me breaK even today. I really need the money.

 

[shadroch]

Very nicely said, ihate17! That pretty much summarizes it all.

Unfortunately for me, I have to say that I fall into that 90% category of people who tried it and really never made it work, not with these poor rules in the casinos around me, anyway. I always wondered how many people here can honestly say that they are long term winners.

Rarensu39, read ihate17's post a few times and think about everything he says. When you think that you are ready to hit it big time, read it again and think about it again.

Thankfully, my stupid losses came at a time when I had very little income.
Losing a grand or two was a complete calamity. Had those losses occured when I was sitting pretty, I'd never have taken the time to become a fairly educated player.

 

[MoneyPlays]

It's Your Money

yeah, well the thing is i can stomache losing only 300-500. i allocated the money to be lost in BJ (but i'd rather not and doubled the initial investment since i started)

i just enjoy reading the posts and learning. I haven't fully put it into practice yet, BECAUSE i know that i'm not ready and still in college and in need of money. (meaning, i use a small betspread and sometimes i just flatbet when playing with friends)

I'm not gonna stop playing BJ, but you have to realize that i only play a few hours of it when i'm in a casino anyway.

I take all the advice into consideration and i appreciate the help. I'll jus continue looking for books and threads that will benefit me in the long run.

Keep playing if you enjoy it. Sharpen your skills and save some money for a bankroll if you really want to get serious about it someday.

The fact is, even if you did have the proper bankroll, you still aren't guaranteed that you won't lose a large amount of money in a very short time. It can happen to anyone at anytime, advantage or not. Learn about the risk involved and how bad normal fluctuation can really be.

As long as you know what you're getting into, by all means go play and learn and have fun. It's your money. You will certainly learn and gain valuable experience, although it could be painful at times. If at any time you find yourself getting angry or uncomfortable about the money you've lost, then it's time to walk away and reevaluate exactly what you want from the game of blackjack.

Good luck and good cards.

 

[Albee]

Advice

Listen to all the great advice here. It is fun to be at a table playing and pick up a $100 or $200 profit from the time you were there. It helps out and either goes in the bankroll, or you splurge a little.

Then, you decide to do it again.....nice, you scored another couple hundred. Then, you say....hmmm, going with 100 or 200 hundred, turning it to three and four....or that great night I nailed them for 700!! I'll start betting bigger, spreading a little more....and bam. The night from hell that takes it all.....and your doing everything right....everything, but you still got you balls kicked in.

Now your back to square one. Except your beating yourself up wondering the how's, why's and looking at other peoples play to blame.


For now, play for fun, make a couple bucks.....get experience, and listen to some of the veterans here.

It is a roller coaster.....for sure.


Albee (aka-starting at square three lol)

 

[rarensu39]

yeah i agree. i am learning from all the tips and advice of staying away.

but just like i said, learning it is a hobby for now. not the playing.

Thanks everyone for the warnings of the dangers and such.

 

[DonR]

The Gamblers Prayer:

Dear Lord, Please let me breaK even today. I really need the money.

That is a good one...and so true, so many times