any advice before i pop my cherry??

[mikebar4]

well i am a true greenhorn at counting cards,, fresh out the oven.. i have been putting most of my efforts on counting and i can count a deck accurate in 25 seconds... i know some of the basic strategy.. i have been playing blackjack for about 5yrs now but this is my first time out counting.... im going to a casino that is somewhat small and i havent been there before... i will mostly do some wonging in and out and some DD tables.. i will use my cell phone as an excuse to be in and out of games.. im not going to win enough to retire or anything.. i love gambling and im just doing this so i will have more of advantage than i usually do... i will prob play $5-$25 hands... any advice before i jump in??

 

[Brock Windsor]

Do NOT overbet your BR. Know what it is before you start. If $25 is your max bet you should not play any hands that are not TC+2. You might find this doesn't satisfy your need for action if you really like gambling.
BW

 

[jay28]

well i am a true greenhorn at counting cards,, fresh out the oven.. i have been putting most of my efforts on counting and i can count a deck accurate in 25 seconds... i know some of the basic strategy.. i have been playing blackjack for about 5yrs now but this is my first time out counting.... im going to a casino that is somewhat small and i havent been there before... i will mostly do some wonging in and out and some DD tables.. i will use my cell phone as an excuse to be in and out of games.. im not going to win enough to retire or anything.. i love gambling and im just doing this so i will have more of advantage than i usually do... i will prob play $5-$25 hands... any advice before i jump in??

You need to get your BS down cold before you can CC with an advantage. Practise on a simulator as much as possible before you go.

Check out the trainer on this site.

 

[Canceler]

Good, but...

i can count a deck accurate in 25 seconds...

Don’t be too shocked if you find that counting in the casino environment is a bit more difficult than counting at the kitchen table.

 

[mikebar4]

i have been practicing a lot on counting a pair of cards rather than a single one so that it may be a little easier on me... my betting is what im worried about... i dont want to wait until the count gets like +3 and bet $25 when my bank role is like $250... im pretty good about controling myself, but i have never been in the situatuion before to where i have a better chance of winning...
i think it will be a good experience for me and as long as i can control my betting, get in at +1 or better and out at -1 or less--- i should do fine,,,,, HOPEFULLY!

 

[rukus]

i have been practicing a lot on counting a pair of cards rather than a single one so that it may be a little easier on me... my betting is what im worried about... i dont want to wait until the count gets like +3 and bet $25 when my bank role is like $250... im pretty good about controling myself, but i have never been in the situatuion before to where i have a better chance of winning...
i think it will be a good experience for me and as long as i can control my betting, get in at +1 or better and out at -1 or less--- i should do fine,,,,, HOPEFULLY!

good luck doing that at double deck.... learn BS.

 

[BJinNJ]

Counting w/o Perfect BS doesn't cut it...

My first trip to a casino was a couple weeks ago.
My objective was to play perfect BS and THEN count, if
possible. I wasn't able to count fast enough, but still
won 4 units because my BS was strong and I got a little
positive variance(luck).

If you count without knowing BS perfectly, you're wasting
your time. Once you know BS and can count, you then
need to know when to deviate from BS, according to the
count. That's how it works, and even then your edge is
small(2-3% max) and varies with the count.

GL

BJinNJ

 

[Mimosine]

you should play perfect BS and try to count. you will definitely lose the count left and right. forget wonging into a DD game. you can wong out, but don't try to wong in. at most if this was my first trip, with a $250 bank, I would bet NO more than $10. flat betting at the $10 level in a fast DD game and you could be cleaned out in 20 minutes. Bet table MIN. if the count goes pos bet $10. chances are your count will be off more than you estimate and your edge won't be what you think it is, and chances are you don't know how much edge you have at TC +1, +2, +3 etc, and don't recognize that to bet $25 max, you need $2500 in the bank. 250 in the pocket is enough for a 1 hour session spreading 1-5. but your chances of losing it are bad, especially if you aren't playing BS, or if you get a bad run of cards.

play BS and try to keep the count. spread 1-2. don't do more. if you can do this perfectly, then think about risking your money, chances are you won't be able to. no offense, but no one on here was able to on their first trip.

 

[mikebar4]

i have been practiceing and home with a double deck and doing the $5min and $10 max.. i usually come out ahead but its not but like $40 after an hour.. i will be fine with that.. im just wanting to get my feet wet before i go with a $3k bank roll... i will do more BS than anything... i would usually come out ahead in the past by using BS.. i wouldnt "clean them out" or anything but i would usually leave ahead, which is always good...
im goin to start out on a DD game and get used to the whole counting scene before i go to a 6D. if for some reason i lose count, i will prob just wong out...
i appreciate all of the advice,, i know this is nothing i can just jump into and win... like i said,, hopefully i will disipline myself and have a good time...
is there any tricks out there or secrets i need to know????
thanks again guys

 

[InPlay]

well i am a true greenhorn at counting cards,, fresh out the oven.. i have been putting most of my efforts on counting and i can count a deck accurate in 25 seconds... i know some of the basic strategy.. i have been playing blackjack for about 5yrs now but this is my first time out counting.... im going to a casino that is somewhat small and i havent been there before... i will mostly do some wonging in and out and some DD tables.. i will use my cell phone as an excuse to be in and out of games.. im not going to win enough to retire or anything.. i love gambling and im just doing this so i will have more of advantage than i usually do... i will prob play $5-$25 hands... any advice before i jump in??

Make sure you wear protection.

 

[shadroch]

Bring the proper chart with you. If you aren't 100% sure you are making the right move,consult it. With a $250 BR,betting $25 is akin to attempting suicide.

 

[EyeHeartHalves]

Make sure you wear protection.

It's not him that will need to be wearing the protection. Either the casino is going to give him a few hundred bucks which he should be happy with or he'll be bent over and receive you-know-what. Either way, he will get royally....

Because if he loses, he's out $250 and if he wins, he'll think he can do it again, and again, and...

--Halves

 

[Diver]

How well do you know basic strategy?

i know some of the basic strategy.

Several others have stressed the importance playing solid basic strategy. I don't know if your comment really means you know only some but not full basic strategy, or not. You can certainly test that out on the Strategy Trainer here. But that's the foundation.

 

[mikebar4]

i have been studying the BS chart a good bit.... i usually based my playing on that,, but this time i am including the counting......
this is more a practice session than anything.. im not looking to hit it big right now, im just wanting to get the feel.. i figure after i play at the casino, i will know a lot more about where to focus on from there...

 

[sagefr0g]

My first trip to a casino was a couple weeks ago.
My objective was to play perfect BS and THEN count, if
possible. I wasn't able to count fast enough, but still
won 4 units because my BS was strong and I got a little
positive variance(luck).

If you count without knowing BS perfectly, you're wasting
your time. Once you know BS and can count, you then
need to know when to deviate from BS, according to the
count. That's how it works, and even then your edge is
small(2-3% max) and varies with the count.

GL

BJinNJ

been waiting to hear that report! :cat:
what were the game parameters?

 

[BJinNJ]

Repost for SageFrog: from "Which Count?" thread...

Went to AC today...

Parked at the south end of the boardwalk.
Scouted out most of the casinos from Hilton
to Resorts, except Claridge. Follow CBJN.
Trop changed shifts at noon today.

Returned to south end of the boardwalk and
chose an 8D, 75%, S17 , $10 min game. Plan was
to play strict BS and flat bet. I tried to count, but
found the game went too fast for my current skill
level.

Played exactly one shoe and quit at the end, up 4 units.
No problem with BS at all.

One odd thing happened... after the shuffle and cut
the dealer burned an A. He was immediately replaced
by another dealer, who then burned a J. I almost got up
and left, since one natural was gone, but stayed for the
experience.

The pit boss chatted with me while I bought in. Since
I was a complete newbie, I told him so. Once during
play I tried to double with 3 cards down, but the dealer
disallowed it. No problem. At one point I was more
than 4 units ahead, but wanted to play one shoe, and
still came out ahead. I got 3 naturals, pulled a couple
21s, and played perfect BS. Lost a few close ones, but
IMHO it worked out well for a first effort. I did win one
double... nice.

At least I know I need a lot more work on my count speed.
I'm on vacation next week, so I can concentrate more on
counting, but can't neglect BS completely.

BJinNJ

 

[sagefr0g]

..... I tried to count, but
found the game went too fast for my current skill
level.
....
At least I know I need a lot more work on my count speed.
I'm on vacation next week, so I can concentrate more on
counting, but can't neglect BS completely.

BJinNJ

thank you again BJinNJ. that's IMHO a nice report and i'd just guess you coulda maybe been counting just fine, just probably you need to get in the swing of it. kind of get settled down and all. thats how it was for me.
but i like how you went ahead and played flat betting and using basic strategy anyway. good to get your feet wet sort of thing. get to know how it tends to go. won't be long till your counting along and making your bets no sweat.

 

[nottooshabby]

Don't be discouraged if and when you lose a big bet at a high count, and don't steam. Good luck!

 

[mikebar4]

i have been plaing on the simulator on here and testing my BS skills... my first 3 games was 100% basic strategy... on my 4th, i made one mistake the whole game.... im leaving today and i may try to hit the casino up tonight... im planning on just wonging in and out and seeing how i can do with keeping the count... i will prob take 400 with me.. my max bet will be around 15 at the most.... i will keep you guys posted on how everything goes

 

[mikebar4]

ok,,here it goes----
there was mid shoe entry on a double deck game... i had to get in at the beginning of shuffle... i kept the count pretty good... of course im not sure exactly because when they shuffled, there were about 10 cards remaining... the first 2 games, the end count was 0 and the second it was -2.... i was down after 3 games,, i believe i was -$40
i left there and played 3 card poker... i got all my money back... i then went to a 6 deck shoe.. i kept the count and was turning the true count into the real count... after about 3 decks of that, i was down $35 BUCKS...

i got discouraged and went to the craps table and lost $35.. THE WHOLE NIGHT i was down $75 but i stayed there for about 4 hrs..... i got a good experience and i got about 10000000000 crown a 7s it seems like....


so--- what i found out tonight is this-- its not too terrible hard to card count.. but the deck dosent always go in your favor... i did get stupid one time at a $5 minimum table... the count was high and i bet $30 which to my luck- i won..... but you really need a higher bank roll than $200 TO do well..

on the double hand table- when the count got high-- it seemed like everyone else would get the winning hand but me... plus it was no mid shoe entry and it was a $10 minimum...
all in all i had a good time and learned alot... BS really helped me win because it seems like the count never got high......
its like you guys said,, BS is the backbone of blackjack!!