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Table Games BJ:Non-counting system

Discussion in 'Table Games' started by iowa1525, Jul 24, 2012.

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  1. iowa1525

    iowa1525 Tourist

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    Any of you use one? I enjoy the game too much to sit and count cards. Anything easier any of you do to minimize the house edge? Anything that makes your money last longer, yet still get the heart racing a little?
     
  2. Malibugolfer

    Malibugolfer High-Roller

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    The house edge is like gravity. No avoiding it. However anything can happen in short term play. Just bet what you can afford and hope for some positive variance...also known as luck.
     
  3. Tubbs

    Tubbs High-Roller

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    If you are not counting, the only thing you can do to minimise the house edge is to play perfect basic strategy.

    That's probably a contradiction! Flat betting is most likely to stretch the bankroll but may not get the heart racing. Any sort of progression will increase the variance. It's a tricky one. :beer:
     
  4. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    Or at least darn good basic strategy. Perfect is often a difficult reach when you are having fun. LOL!
     
  5. Magician

    Magician Tourist

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    Basic Strategy would usually help a lot, you can get the BS Cards and use them at the tables, I saw some people doing that, and the dealers seem to be fine with it.

    My first time to vegas and "gambling" was awesome, I was counting and using basic strategy and it worked really well. Had a great time and made a lot. Met some awesome people at the tables too.
     
  6. LV_Bound

    LV_Bound VIP Whale

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    Other recommendations would be to play at a table within only 1-2 decks. It really won't make a huge difference but you could probably generate a rough guesstimate as to how favorable is the deck.

    Of course the rules usually aren't as favorable as other 5 deck tables.
     
  7. Hugh Jass

    Hugh Jass Tourist

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    Boy, I remember the first time someone tried to explain the Martingale system to me. I distinctly remember the phrase "you can't lose." Oh, to be young and naive again.

    Have you tried John Patrick's method? Condensed version: use 2 units as starting bet. After every losing bet, next bet is 2 units. If first hand is a winner, drop to 1 unit for 2nd bet. If 2nd bet wins, go up 1 unit. Go up 1 unit with each successive win. If you can hit a streak of 5 or 6 winners in a row, the money adds up. Of course, then you lose a double down with 8 units out . . . . and there go all your profits.

    If you haven't read John Patrick's book on blackjack or seen his videos, give them a look - they are entertaining. His BJ betting method is fun and easy to use, but doesn't reduce the house edge.
     
  8. johnvic

    johnvic VIP Whale

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    When I became interested in counting cards I posted on a blackjack forum that I bought the John Patrick books. Most people said his books were useless. But one poster said that they are useful. Just tear the sheet sour and use it to cover the bottom of a bird cage.

    I liked that answer.
     
  9. MisterJJ

    MisterJJ Low-Roller

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    Basic Strategy is a must but don't count out counting. Just learn the simple Hi-Lo count. Don't worry about being perfect at it or vastly increasing your bets, as would be required to get a real advantage over the house. That's all I do and I find that it makes the game more interesting and gets my heart racing when the count is really good and I put out the big bucks. Of course I'm a super-duper low roller so putting out $15-$20 on a good count is all it takes to get my heart pumping faster. I don't count all the time either because after a while it just seems like work instead of fun.
     
  10. NickPapageorgio

    NickPapageorgio OG of the Sal Sagev Hotel

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    What is the logic in that? Seriously, no compute.

    Nick:beer:
     
  11. Nevyn

    Nevyn VIP Whale

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    Play fewer hands.

    Not saying don't play. But try to find tables with many players, avoid turbo-dealers, and try to find a hand shuffled game. You can have fun conversation with the others. The action is still fast enough to give a thrill, but you get way fewer hands in per hour. Which means less theoretical loss for the same amount of time played. Being the lone player at a table with an auto-shuffler and a fast dealer feels a bit too much like being an ATM machine.

    Other than that, basic strategy is about it.
     
  12. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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    Yup at the very least you can count Aces pretty easily.
     
  13. 777

    777 Tourist

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    Why can't you enjoy the game while counting? I used to count cards trying to make a long term steadily profit, last year this time, I was so good at counting that I could have conversations with dealer and other players while still keep track of the counts using a level 2 counting system. But the problem is that there isn't any profitable games in my area, Chicago land to be exact. The rules suck here and most importantly, the penetration is the worst, so it was impossible for me to make profit. Also the disciplines and the bankroll requirement is just so high that I couldnt follow. Now I just play for fun and still counting, I press my bets when I am on a hot streak without relying on the count, but I do deviate from BS when the count indicates me to, such as stand on 15 vs dealers 10, surrender my 17 vs dealers 10, etc. I don't know exactly the house edge casino has on me still but I do think it should be lower than perfect BS play without counting. I am just like everyone else hoping to catch the positive variance and be able to sustain the negative variance. My suggestion is that you should learn how to count, it is EASY with today's technology (apps from smartphone) just put in some time and effort, the hard part is making real money from it. Also, people question me all the time with some of the moves I make such as the above and also taking an insurance with a stiff hand or not taking even money for my BJ or doubling my soft 19 against dealers bust card...
     
  14. 777

    777 Tourist

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    How can that help you at all? You need to count a small card as well to find the relativity, so counting ace AND 5 (house's best friend). You bet more when there are more aces left in the deck than 5. Easiest way I guess... This can help you somewhat if you play a low ha game such as DD s17. If you find it hard to keep track of the ace and five, use one of your hands to track one of the two cards and your chips to track the other.
     
  15. iowa1525

    iowa1525 Tourist

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    I play BS with very rare deviations. Have every since the second time I sat a a table. I like to have drinks when I play so concentration outside of BS can be difficult in regards to counting cards. I had just briefly read a few blurbs about increasing you bet after certain scenarios, betting systems etc. just wanted to see what sort of luck people had.
     
  16. MisterJJ

    MisterJJ Low-Roller

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    [​IMG]

    Back away! No method of increasing bets or betting system will increase your chances of winning. All they can do is change you variance (I.E. Create bigger wins at the cost of many small losses or create more small wins at the cost of a few large losses). No matter what, your expected loss is greater. Counting is the simplest way to decrease your expected loss.
     
  17. Llew

    Llew Low-Roller

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    Play at a full table. The extra time per hand and all the players cheering for the dealer to bust, cheering for each other, etc. will make the experience more exciting and slow down losses.

    Play perfect basic strategy. You can have a strategy chart with you. This is free money.

    If your normal bet is higher than the minimum, you can do some pseudo-counting without increasing your theoretical loss. For example, let's say your are betting $10 a hand at a $5 table. If the last hand or few hands had a lot of 10s and Aces, drop down to $5. If the last hand or few hands had few or no 10s and Aces, go back to $10 or increase to $15. (Don't do any more than doubling your normal bet, though, as the small advantage you get from playing based only on recent changes in remaining deck composition won't cover the extra theoretical loss).
     
  18. BigSully

    BigSully Tourist

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    Find a fun table!

    The best times I have had in Vegas have been at a very lively BJ table. I can't stand the Auto Shuffle Machines, although I did have some good luck with them at the Golden Gate on my last trip. I think it was because of the dealers there :rolleyes2: I hope they still have single deck at the LV Club when I am there next month!
     
  19. Smo

    Smo Mr. Las Vegas

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    Exactly what I was going to suggest!

    If I'm drinking, having fun, chatting with everyone else, and don't feel like counting, then I just watch the cards and bet table min if nothing but tens have been coming up for a bit. Exactly the opposite when all small cards have been appearing, then I increase my bet. Follow perfect basic strategy and you should be fine!
     
  20. 777

    777 Tourist

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    How often obvious patterns like that happens? 10% of the time? :confused2:
     
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