Social Any Card counters here, Black Jack, Spanish 21, Lucky ladies etc?

[Edmond_Dantes]

Anyone here find success in counting cards playing black jack in casinos or variations of Black Jack such as Spanish 21, Lucky Ladies etc?

any interesting, thrilling stories you would like to share? what's the most you've won? most you've lost?

thanks for sharing.

 

[I Am Legion]

No, I am not quick with math. I can write a paper in 30 minutes on almost any topic. I can do 10 minutes of standup with no prep. I can write song lyrics. But simple math and counting cards they would see me using my fingers and toes to count.

 

[boingyman]

I've counted cards in multideck blackjack, but how much it helped I'm not sure. I remember I was watching a friend play a 8-deck shoe and I was counting for him. The count got up to like +20 so I told him and eventually had a running count in the upper +20s. He had a nice winning streak, but it's probably just luck too. Sometimes the count can be high, but the dealer show and catches all the 10s and before you know it the count is close to 0 again.

I know it's superstitious, but my favorite thing to do is finding a empty seat at a really loud table. I find that usually means players are winning and the dealer is cold because if you played blackjack enough you realize when the dealer is hot, there's nothing you can do and it's best to just walk away.

 

[MLarson]

I've counted cards in multideck blackjack, but how much it helped I'm not sure. I remember I was watching a friend play a 8-deck shoe and I was counting for him. The count got up to like +20 so I told him and eventually had a running count in the upper +20s. He had a nice winning streak, but it's probably just luck too. Sometimes the count can be high, but the dealer show and catches all the 10s and before you know it the count is close to 0 again.

I know it's superstitious, but my favorite thing to do is finding a empty seat at a really loud table. I find that usually means players are winning and the dealer is cold because if you played blackjack enough you realize when the dealer is hot, there's nothing you can do and it's best to just walk away.

I thought card counting got you kicked out of an casino?

 

[Noveltymortar]

Nice try, casino loss prevention guy!

 

[Pliny Pete]

I thought card counting got you kicked out of an casino?

Only if you get caught

 

[Chesten_Hesten]

@subtlySteve

 

[boingyman]

I thought card counting got you kicked out of an casino?

Not if they don't know I'm counting. Also pretty much every time I've counted it's at smaller casino's off the strip like in downtown where casino's are usually darker, more condensed and a busier/louder environment. Also several times I've counted I was watching a friend play so it was eaiser to count when I'm not in the game, then when the count is high I'll just jump in.

 

[LEWIS540]

It’s pretty crazy that it swaps your ROI from 48% to 52%, yet which ever side has the advantage can break the other in about 1000 hands.

 

[MLarson]

Only if you get caught

Then I guess the question is how not to get caught?

 

[ModernMatt]

i wouldn't be able to do it...heck! sometimes i have to use my fingers, imagine getting caught doing that at a casino...they'll either laugh at you or kick you out

 

[subtlySteve]

I thought card counting got you kicked out of an casino?

This isn't a rule of thumb in casinos if you aren't a known card counter.

Typically speaking you'll most likely get "backed off" by the pit boss which means being told that you are more than welcome to stay on the premises and gamble at any of the other games, just not Blackjack.

Or they will back you off by flat-betting you, meaning you can still play Blackjack but you cannot fluctuate your betting, so if you play at the $10 minimum bet, $10 is ALL you can bet, you can't go above it, which effectively eliminates your advantage even if you can count cards like Rain Man.

The advantage of card counting (combined with perfect basic strategy) is to know when to increase your bets when the shoe is in your favor, and when to decrease your bets when it isn't, so if you're flat-betted then you may as well leave the casino anyway because you have lost your ability to increase your bankroll.

 

[THE Red Beard]

This isn't a rule of thumb in casinos if you aren't a known card counter.

Typically speaking you'll most likely get "backed off" by the pit boss which means being told that you are more than welcome to stay on the premises and gamble at any of the other games, just not Blackjack.

Or they will back you off by flat-betting you, meaning you can still play Blackjack but you cannot fluctuate your betting, so if you play at the $10 minimum bet, $10 is ALL you can bet, you can't go above it, which effectively eliminates your advantage even if you can count cards like Rain Man.

The advantage of card counting (combined with perfect basic strategy) is to know when to increase your bets when the shoe is in your favor, and when to decrease your bets when it isn't, so if you're flat-bedded then you may as well leave the casino anyway because you have lost your ability to increase your bankroll.

 

[subtlySteve]

No, I am not quick with math. I can write a paper in 30 minutes on almost any topic. I can do 10 minutes of standup with no prep. I can write song lyrics. But simple math and counting cards they would see me using my fingers and toes to count.

The reality of it is, is that card counting is very simple.

Card counting perfectly, in any situation, under any circumstances, with surveillance from the cameras, dealers, and pit bosses putting heat on you, being asked questions by the waitress and other players wanting to make small talk, converting the true count after keeping up with the running count, and all the lights, bells, and whistles of a casino environment all while trying to make it seem as if you're not counting (in demeanor and by your bet spread)... Is very difficult.

Oh, and lest we forget the most important aspect of card counting is being able to memorize and execute perfect basic strategy under all the said conditions.

That's the only reason to learn card counting in the first place is so that it will allow you to take maximum advantage of playing perfect basic strategy.

If you don't know perfect basic strategy then card counting does you no good, at all, whatsoever.

You have to commit this entire chart to memorization and play it... perfectly...while needing to also know the 18 different variations when you need to deviate from basic strategy.

Again, I stress one does not need to be a genius to do all this... but it takes an extraordinary amount of dedication to achieve such mastery that most people aren't cut out for it.

That's not a knock on most people, that just shows how difficult it is.

Not to mention that you would also need to keep bankroll management in mind as well. Maybe you can learn to do all of the above with 100% accuracy, but if you don't manage your bankroll correctly, well... you can't gamble when you're flat broke.

 

[THE Red Beard]

The reality of it is, is that card counting is very simple.

Card counting perfectly, in any situation, under any circumstances, with surveillance from the cameras, dealers, and pit bosses putting heat on you, being asked questions by the waitress and other players wanting to make small talk, converting the true count after keeping up with the running count, and all the lights, bells, and whistles of a casino environment all while trying to make it seem as if you're not counting (in demeanor and by your bet spread)... Is very difficult.

Oh, and lest we forget the most important aspect of card counting is being able to memorize and execute perfect basic strategy under all the said conditions.

That's the only reason to learn card counting in the first place is so that it will allow you to take maximum advantage of playing perfect basic strategy.

If you don't know perfect basic strategy then card counting does you no good, at all, whatsoever.

You have to commit this entire chart to memorization and play it... perfectly...while needing to also know the 18 different variations when you need to deviate from basic strategy.

Again, I stress one does not need to be a genius to do all this... but it takes an extraordinary amount of dedication to achieve such mastery that most people aren't cut out for it.

That's not a knock on most people, that just shows how difficult it is.

Not to mention that you would also need to keep bankroll management in mind as well. Maybe you can learn to do all of the above with 100% accuracy, but if you don't manage your bankroll correctly, well... you can't gamble when you're flat broke.

Play me straight up for likes right now! Wait, you have like none. Play me for AVs. Wait...

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Dana White is banned in casinos for card counting.

 

[Edmond_Dantes]

I've counted cards in multideck blackjack, but how much it helped I'm not sure. I remember I was watching a friend play a 8-deck shoe and I was counting for him. The count got up to like +20 so I told him and eventually had a running count in the upper +20s. He had a nice winning streak, but it's probably just luck too. Sometimes the count can be high, but the dealer show and catches all the 10s and before you know it the count is close to 0 again.

I know it's superstitious, but my favorite thing to do is finding a empty seat at a really loud table. I find that usually means players are winning and the dealer is cold because if you played blackjack enough you realize when the dealer is hot, there's nothing you can do and it's best to just walk away.

Yea, but there are times where the players sitting at a table ask you (politiely) to wait for the next shoe.

Happened to me recently. I was doing some counting, and found my opening. put my money on the table and a woman (degen) asked me to wait for the new shoe.

 

[boingyman]

Yea, but there are times where the players sitting at a table ask you (politiely) to wait for the next shoe.

Happened to me recently. I was doing some counting, and found my opening. put my money on the table and a woman (degen) asked me to wait for the new shoe.

I've personally never had that happen to me when a friend is already playing. I can understand coming to a new table especially heads up. Then again I like to play at lower-end tables with $5-15 minimum bets. I've never played on a $100 min bet table. Most I ever played was $50-100 hands. That was short lived when I was up a few hundred and left lol. I hate losing money so I'm not a big gambler... Most I ever watched was some dude playing with $10k chips at the high limit area. I can't remember the casino, but he was playing two $20-40k hands at a time and was up over 200k for the 5-7 minutes we watched. Straight up baller status. I should have asked what he does for a living.

 

[Brofessor]

Hi-Low was too difficult for my feeble brain. So I went with Speed Count.

First, only, and last time I used it live at a casino: I backcounted with Speed Count and jumped in when the count was really high. Put down a $100 bill on that one hand, cash plays. I got 19. Dealer got 21. My fucking luck...

I was also really big into Ace-Five due to the ease of it. But never used it live.

 

[GearSolidMetal]

Anyone here find success in counting cards playing black jack in casinos or variations of Black Jack such as Spanish 21, Lucky Ladies etc?

any interesting, thrilling stories you would like to share? what's the most you've won? most you've lost?

thanks for sharing.

I play hold'em, and learned to calculate odds on the fly.

56 valid cards in the deck.
Only enter a hand if you're the big blind, little blind, or have very favorable cards.
Bet alittle after the flop if you have the high pair, but not a lot.
After the turn, if its lower than your high pair then bet a lot.
Bet some, but not a lot on the river. Play on the fly if someone reraises you. They may have two pair or higher.