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Most of the really nice blackjack tournaments are unfortunately a distant memory. Back in the 1990s, there were large open events held all over the country. Now you can count the number of casinos in the US who still host good open events on your fingers, maybe on one hand. To be successful on the tournament circuit today, you will need to get in to the high-end invitation-only events and even those are in sharp decline. So I’m afraid you’re late to the game for turning pro on the BJT circuit. It was never an easy way to make a living. I have to believe it is now impossible. Because the variance of events is so very high, you need to play a large number of tournaments to succeed. The events just don’t exist in great enough numbers any more. Sorry!
I play a lot here in The Philippines where I’m living, and I’ve noticed the casinos here are all using 6 decks. I’d always wondered why, and now I know.
My grandad won his house in a game of blackjack in the 80’s (yes, I’m serious), and I’ve always had a love for the game since I started playing. Let’s hope I can win a house, too 😀
Using your example, let’s say the correct play is to hit. When I get my new total, should I go back to the card and look up the next correct play? I.E., does this strategy refer to only the first two cards you are delt or to all new totals that come as a result of your “correct play?”
We have an Indian casino about an hour and fifteen minutes away where we play with no heat and very friendly dealers and pit bosses.
Both double deck and 6 deck games have great penetration…85% plus, no surrender but double on anything, split up to 4 times.
A couple of interesting notes. I was on a crazy run and had about $8k of $500 chips and the pit boss leans over to me and says “you know, it’s OK to leave with money…you don’t have to stay and give it back?”
Then on another trip one if the dealers who is a part time pit boss looks at the 6 deck discard and quietly says “there’s about 1 1/3 decks discarded” to me. He obviously assumed I was counting.
Just goes to show that not ALL of the casinos are alike, especially outside of Nevada?
Ken one question please !!!if for example in a very bad true count like -5 or -6 if the dealer has 5 or 6 and player has pairs of 6 the corect is to take one card ar two split?or when a player has pairs of 4 he shoud avoid split?thanks for your time
Hi Ken, I really love the site but there is something I cant really understand:
According to the table you get a true count of 7 or better a 0% of the time with 50% deck penetration. But in a single deck game if the first 7 cards dealt are low you already have count of a little bit over 7. So you clearly have a true count of 7 or better over 0% of the time. Is the table wrong or am I doing something wrong?
I suspect that the table assumes six decks. You are far less likely to reach TC+7 in a six deck game with 50% penetration than a single deck at 50% pen.
Hi Ken I’ve read the KO Blackjack book. I don’t know if it’s because I bought a digital download, but found it a bit confusing. I believe after converting the count for a 6 deck game that I could start with 6 and then the advantage will start when I reach 26. So I would raise my $10 bet to $15 at 26 when the advantage begins (I would go $15 instead of $20 as this is the key count, I think, and the odds are just about even) then go to $20 at 27, $30 at 28, $40 at 29, and my big bet of $50 at 30 or higher. Ken, can you or anyone else who knows the KO system, tell me if this is correct? Thanks, Glen
Thanks Ken, I looked at the references and they helped a bit. I just want to make sure that the what I wrote above would be accurate as I added 26 so I could start counting at +6. This way I could avoid some negative # counting and avoid playing as much as I could when the count gets in to negative numbers. Thanks, Glen
Hi Ken, That is a great collection of books! Do any of them help with an online live.casino or are they all for standard casinos which do not have live dealers? Thanks and good luck with the move. Bre
Ken smith hi again !i want to travel from greece to the usa to see the hot action in real.anywhere i can get informed from where to have an economy room to stay until in which casino to go and play.?also a general question is with 20.000 dollars bank roll what spread to u advice me to use to be invisible to the pit bosses and how much hours of session should i make?and what is the average profit an hour?thanks again for your time
It is hard to believe this is an actual comment/question after the article and all of the comments. Johnny will take the Dealers bust card as often as he won’t. 50/50 you will get mad at Johnny or give him a high five… get it?
I did buy the book, but I’ve been practicing with Hi-Lo on your trainer and am almost ready to give it a go. But in trying to find an easier approach (eliminating the division/deck count) during casino play I came across KO and am not sure if I want to invest more time and effort in practicing all over again. Anyway, Thanks yet again, Glen
How do I turn pro playing B J T? Is there such a thing? Thanks
Most of the really nice blackjack tournaments are unfortunately a distant memory. Back in the 1990s, there were large open events held all over the country. Now you can count the number of casinos in the US who still host good open events on your fingers, maybe on one hand. To be successful on the tournament circuit today, you will need to get in to the high-end invitation-only events and even those are in sharp decline. So I’m afraid you’re late to the game for turning pro on the BJT circuit. It was never an easy way to make a living. I have to believe it is now impossible. Because the variance of events is so very high, you need to play a large number of tournaments to succeed. The events just don’t exist in great enough numbers any more. Sorry!
Thanks for clearing this up!
I play a lot here in The Philippines where I’m living, and I’ve noticed the casinos here are all using 6 decks. I’d always wondered why, and now I know.
My grandad won his house in a game of blackjack in the 80’s (yes, I’m serious), and I’ve always had a love for the game since I started playing. Let’s hope I can win a house, too 😀
Quick (and probably stupid) question:
Using your example, let’s say the correct play is to hit. When I get my new total, should I go back to the card and look up the next correct play? I.E., does this strategy refer to only the first two cards you are delt or to all new totals that come as a result of your “correct play?”
Yes, use the strategy from the card each time you need to make a decision on the hand, no matter how many cards you have.
We have an Indian casino about an hour and fifteen minutes away where we play with no heat and very friendly dealers and pit bosses.
Both double deck and 6 deck games have great penetration…85% plus, no surrender but double on anything, split up to 4 times.
A couple of interesting notes. I was on a crazy run and had about $8k of $500 chips and the pit boss leans over to me and says “you know, it’s OK to leave with money…you don’t have to stay and give it back?”
Then on another trip one if the dealers who is a part time pit boss looks at the 6 deck discard and quietly says “there’s about 1 1/3 decks discarded” to me. He obviously assumed I was counting.
Just goes to show that not ALL of the casinos are alike, especially outside of Nevada?
Anybody else have good story?
Blodget
Ken one question please !!!if for example in a very bad true count like -5 or -6 if the dealer has 5 or 6 and player has pairs of 6 the corect is to take one card ar two split?or when a player has pairs of 4 he shoud avoid split?thanks for your time
Hi Ken,
I really love the site but there is something I cant really understand:
According to the table you get a true count of 7 or better a 0% of the time with 50% deck penetration. But in a single deck game if the first 7 cards dealt are low you already have count of a little bit over 7. So you clearly have a true count of 7 or better over 0% of the time. Is the table wrong or am I doing something wrong?
I suspect that the table assumes six decks. You are far less likely to reach TC+7 in a six deck game with 50% penetration than a single deck at 50% pen.
Hi Ken
I’ve read the KO Blackjack book. I don’t know if it’s because I bought a digital download, but found it a bit confusing. I believe after converting the count for a 6 deck game that I could start with 6 and then the advantage will start when I reach 26. So I would raise my $10 bet to $15 at 26 when the advantage begins (I would go $15 instead of $20 as this is the key count, I think, and the odds are just about even) then go to $20 at 27, $30 at 28, $40 at 29, and my big bet of $50 at 30 or higher. Ken, can you or anyone else who knows the KO system, tell me if this is correct?
Thanks,
Glen
In the classic KO version, in six decks you would start the running count at -20, and you could raise your bets starting at -4.
Yes, the values are strange. Most people add 20 to all of this so they can start at zero instead.
Here are a couple of references that might help:
https://www.blackjackinfo.com/knowledge-base/blackjack-card-counting/key-counts-in-the-k-o-system/
and for REKO:
https://www.qfit.com/rekostrategy.htm
For 6-decks, the normal IRC would be -20.
Thanks Ken,
I looked at the references and they helped a bit. I just want to make sure that the what I wrote above would be accurate as I added 26 so I could start counting at +6. This way I could avoid some negative # counting and avoid playing as much as I could when the count gets in to negative numbers.
Thanks,
Glen
Ah, got it. Yes, adding 26 works as you describe.
Thanks again Ken. This is the best Blackjack site!
Hi Ken,
That is a great collection of books!
Do any of them help with an online live.casino or are they all for standard casinos which do not have live dealers?
Thanks and good luck with the move.
Bre
Ken smith hi again !i want to travel from greece to the usa to see the hot action in real.anywhere i can get informed from where to have an economy room to stay until in which casino to go and play.?also a general question is with 20.000 dollars bank roll what spread to u advice me to use to be invisible to the pit bosses and how much hours of session should i make?and what is the average profit an hour?thanks again for your time
In Atlantic City casinos Blackjack tables is a side bet called Match The Dealer (MTC).Is this a good bet? What is the house percentage?
It is hard to believe this is an actual comment/question after the article and all of the comments. Johnny will take the Dealers bust card as often as he won’t. 50/50 you will get mad at Johnny or give him a high five… get it?
Sorry, not during casino play: during research after casino play
I did buy the book, but I’ve been practicing with Hi-Lo on your trainer and am almost ready to give it a go. But in trying to find an easier approach (eliminating the division/deck count)
during casino play I came across KO and am not sure if I want to invest more time and effort in practicing all over again. Anyway,
Thanks yet again,
Glen