if after the first hand its -6 rc, i would stay, unless you have tons of tables, to the point where there are always a few tables shuffling.. i dunno, i reread what you said, and it doesnt seem as exaggerated as i thot it was when i first read it.. the thing is, i also am slightly bias because i wong in/out/in/out, i dont backcount, and the casinos i go to only have a few bj tables, or a few 6 deck tables (21+3).. also, you said that 3 decks left (to be played, thus ~1.5 in the discard) was "late in the shoe", but does anybody on here think that if 33% of cards to be played (in front of the cut card) are in the discard tray that you are now "late" in the shoe? you still have 2/3 left! if your goal is like +3 tc, and your in the negative, then ya thats late in the shoe i guess, but my goal is +1 rc.. i guess its relative, and i slightly overreacted, but i still say that 3 decks left to be played is not late in the shoe, and that -6 rc within first 2 hands is not bad