I have posted on this board and others here on this forum about my playing style in the past. In those points, while telling things accurately, I have probably painted a brighter picture of playing progressions (sepecially negative progressions) than what is probably true. I have had very good success at the tables with my progression system lately; but yesterday I ran into a buzz saw in Atlantic City; and I feel it is my duty to post the other side of the coin too, lest anyone think from my postings that it is all peaches and cream in progression land.
The short version is that I lost around $500 on the day, which was about half of the money I took with me on the trip. Most of this money was lost in one ten-minute streak that I should have bailed on. Be warned: there is a down side to playing negative progressions.
I have done well with my system; and I am still up siginificantly overall, and by any definition of "recently". But I wanted to be sure that I am painting an accurate picture for everyone. I don't want t anyones decision to play progressions influenced even a little bit by my posts here unless they know that days like yesterday do happen to me; and that they are not very pleasent experiences.
There were several things that I did wrong yesterday that, had they been done right, I would have either came out slightly ahead on the day, or at least not that far behind. The biggest one is disciploine, which I have mentioned before is a major problem for me sometimes. There were a couple of key points where I should not have chased as far as I did.
Beyond my own discipline issues, it is worth noting to anyone playing a negative progression that the eight-deck shoes in Atlantic City can be disaster waiting to happen. Also, starting at a higher minimum bet gets your progression in trouble territory much faster. And playing without surrender is not a wise move, especially in conjunction with the first two points.
On the day, I was ahead on the non-standard games like Double Attack Blackjack and Spanish 21. But I lost fast and furious on both my sessions of regular blackjack. I dropped $250 in the first fifteen minutes while winning one of my first eight hands. Then, after winning that back, plus a profit, in Double Attack, I dropped $600 on a bad stretch at another regular table. Both of the losing efforts really boiled down to situations where less chasing would have possibly turned the game around for me, or at least not have been so catostrophic.
At the end of the day, thirty minutes before I had to get on the bus home, my wife gave me $70 to play for her. I did that at Spanish 21, winning up to $200, before giving $50 back and quitting like a good money manager, with an $80 profit. Although she gave me the whole $150 to offset my bankroll losses a little, I'm not counting that in my record of the day's play.
I lost $500 of my precious bankroll, most of which was lost because of undisciplined play.
Just be careful if you're playing negative progressions, where you increase your bets as you lose. Only play the rules you know you can do well with. Only play the minimums you are comfortable with. Maintain your discipline. Put a strict cap on your losses. And please realize that sometimes you'll lose.
The short version is that I lost around $500 on the day, which was about half of the money I took with me on the trip. Most of this money was lost in one ten-minute streak that I should have bailed on. Be warned: there is a down side to playing negative progressions.
I have done well with my system; and I am still up siginificantly overall, and by any definition of "recently". But I wanted to be sure that I am painting an accurate picture for everyone. I don't want t anyones decision to play progressions influenced even a little bit by my posts here unless they know that days like yesterday do happen to me; and that they are not very pleasent experiences.
There were several things that I did wrong yesterday that, had they been done right, I would have either came out slightly ahead on the day, or at least not that far behind. The biggest one is disciploine, which I have mentioned before is a major problem for me sometimes. There were a couple of key points where I should not have chased as far as I did.
Beyond my own discipline issues, it is worth noting to anyone playing a negative progression that the eight-deck shoes in Atlantic City can be disaster waiting to happen. Also, starting at a higher minimum bet gets your progression in trouble territory much faster. And playing without surrender is not a wise move, especially in conjunction with the first two points.
On the day, I was ahead on the non-standard games like Double Attack Blackjack and Spanish 21. But I lost fast and furious on both my sessions of regular blackjack. I dropped $250 in the first fifteen minutes while winning one of my first eight hands. Then, after winning that back, plus a profit, in Double Attack, I dropped $600 on a bad stretch at another regular table. Both of the losing efforts really boiled down to situations where less chasing would have possibly turned the game around for me, or at least not have been so catostrophic.
At the end of the day, thirty minutes before I had to get on the bus home, my wife gave me $70 to play for her. I did that at Spanish 21, winning up to $200, before giving $50 back and quitting like a good money manager, with an $80 profit. Although she gave me the whole $150 to offset my bankroll losses a little, I'm not counting that in my record of the day's play.
I lost $500 of my precious bankroll, most of which was lost because of undisciplined play.
Just be careful if you're playing negative progressions, where you increase your bets as you lose. Only play the rules you know you can do well with. Only play the minimums you are comfortable with. Maintain your discipline. Put a strict cap on your losses. And please realize that sometimes you'll lose.
