a few questions...

[NewToTheGame]

1) What is the best way of learning how to cut a certain amount of cards consistently? Is there some sort of method that someone can suggest? I can cut to +/- 5 cards consistently, but how do you really get it down solid?

2) I am looking to add to my bj collection the following:
The Blackjack Shuffle Tracker's Cookbook by Arnold Snyder,
The Card Counter's Guide to Casino Surveillance by D.V. Cellini, and
Blackjack Blueprint: How to Operate a Blackjack Team by Rick 'Night Train' Blaine

I am sure all these are extremely thorough, and provide insight into their respective subjects, but I am looking for suggestions/recommendations if these are detailed books...and are worth purchasing...

Hope the cards are falling well!

 

[Hinoon]

Hey there, welcome to the game...this place has been an unimaginable wealth or information for my introduction to Advantage Play...and I hope it is the same for you.

I can't help you with precise cutting techniques...though...my experience with similar questions (how can I improve my counting speed? etc.) tells me that the best method is experience.

Looking at your book selection...I feel like you're going too far too fast. I'm relatively new to the world too...and one trip to Vegas is a drop in the ocean of experience. Personally, I feel like you should be focusing on mastery of your base skills...understanding your indices (and speeding up that count in casino conditions) before you even start thinking about the logistics behind running a team.

Don't get me wrong...those things can be fun to think about, and add fuel to your fire as you train...but I typically try to err on the side of caution when it comes to putting my (or anyone elses) money on the table.

Shuffle Tracking /casino surveillance/team logistics....Those are all important things to know about...but build your foundation first....and build it strong...then worry about how to spot a beatable shuffle, how to avoid the gaze of the pit critter, and how to signal your team in for the kill.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[stretch chaperone]

welcome.

i'd recommend stanford wong's 'professional blackjack' and don schlessinger's 'blackjack attack.' the latter is very dense, but if you can understand all of that, there's no doubt you'll be ready to attack the casinos. the tables in the back of that book, while at first difficult to understand, have proven to be an extremely valuable resource in evaluating games. if you are really just starting to count, i would recommend the online blackjack school, which i believe is at blackjack-school.com.

most importantly, you should practice a LOT before you actually play. and when you start playing in a casino, you should play for small stakes before jumping into the big stuff. the one thing that can really hurt you is if you're not patient and you overbet your bankroll. usually you can only earn about 1/300th of your bankroll per hour. so if you want to make $50 an hour, you probably need $15,000 (unless you find a better game, but even then you'd need at least half of that). so depending on your financial means, it might make sense to start at $5 tables with a $3,000 bankroll. this doesn't bring in much money, but at least get some practice in. then if you have the means, get more aggressive. this game is about patience. wins and losses come in streaks.