Beaten down again

[blackchipjim]

Once again my trip ends in losing another 30 units and I find myself asking the proverbial "when is this going to stop". I got up 20 units the first two shoes and held on til show time. The count is rising and I raise the bets accordingly only to see the damn cards go to everyone but me. I felt good seeing the cards I was suppose to see but come on already. The dealer was even feeling bad for me with those big bets out. I took a break and went back to another table with it being another roller coaster ride shoe after shoe I chalked it up as a loss and quit after several shoes. I did recover my losses at the three card poker table but it stung gettin kicked at bj again. blackchipjim

 

[Knox]

It sounds like you need to play at less crowded tables, and if you are playing 6 decks, don't. The 2 deck game is our best bet these days. There are also some good single deck games out there, but they are more scarce.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

It sounds to me like you need to keep away from the 3 Card Poker table too. Come on man, that is a sucker bet. If you're willing to put your money down on bets like that, you're not in the right frame of mind to make money in BJ.

 

[Kasi]

Once again my trip ends in losing another 30 units and I find myself asking the proverbial "when is this going to stop". I got up 20 units the first two shoes and held on til show time. The count is rising and I raise the bets accordingly only to see the damn cards go to everyone but me. I felt good seeing the cards I was suppose to see but come on already. The dealer was even feeling bad for me with those big bets out. I took a break and went back to another table with it being another roller coaster ride shoe after shoe I chalked it up as a loss and quit after several shoes. I did recover my losses at the three card poker table but it stung gettin kicked at bj again. blackchipjim

That's funny - my wife wins at BJ and go loses her money at 3-card poker
Do you play the pair-plus bet there?

I don't know - is losing 30 units that bad for a trip (assume u mean starting units)? Of course I have no idea what you're playing, how long, spreading etc.

But it sounds like you're talking about a longer losing streak over many sessions?

I don't think the dealer lost any sleep over it lol.

 

[ScottH]

It sounds to me like you need to keep away from the 3 Card Poker table too. Come on man, that is a sucker bet. If you're willing to put your money down on bets like that, you're not in the right frame of mind to make money in BJ.

Not only is it a sucker bet, it is not even a fun game. The basic strategy can be memorized in one second, so there isn't any fun to it.

 

[zengrifter]

I did recover my losses at the three card poker table but it stung gettin kicked at bj again. blackchipjim

This is exactly why gamblers who learn to count are rarely if ever successful!! zg

 

[zengrifter]

...is losing 30 units that bad for a trip (assume u mean starting units)?

It is IF you are a chronically over-betting gambler! zg

 

[ScottH]

This is exactly why gamblers who learn to count are rarely if ever successful!! zg

Emotions are a big downfall in gambling...

 

[Kasi]

It is IF you are a chronically over-betting gambler! zg

Is he? How can u tell? It does seem like a very common problem (overbetting compared to bankroll) from what I think I can tell. Which isn't much.

I guess if he's losing consistently he should re-evaluate bet size etc.

Do u consider a 400 minimum-unit lifetime bankroll adequate as a general guide? Or would it be more like 400 maximum bets?


And 3 card poker can be fun - what the heck 2% ain't that bad. And maybe you get lucky and win a bunch. Like a slot machine with cards lol.

 

[shadroch]

When 3 card poker was introduced,it was pushed under the name "TABLE SLOTS" and was a dismal failure.By lowering the payouts and attaching "POKER" to its name,suddenly the game was hot.Proving once again that you'll never go broke underestimating the publics intelligence.

 

[Kasi]

When 3 card poker was introduced,it was pushed under the name "TABLE SLOTS"

Interesting - didn't know that.

What a stupid way to market a table game.

 

[shadroch]

I don't know about that.They were gearing it towards the slot players,so I can understand it. Then the poker craze took off and the rest is history.

 

[blackchipjim]

gambling?

You guys will have to excuse me but isn't gambling just that. I thought I read where Ken was a winner in caribbean stud. Playing past my bankroll perhaps not big enough spread for 8d or not wonging out on negs all the time is my problem. You guys have been helpful with alot of tips and insight on how to become a better AP. I think it's going to take me awhile to get it together and win on a more consistint basis but were we not all there once. blackchipjim

 

[Kasi]

You guys will have to excuse me but isn't gambling just that.

No need to excuse yourself lol. You want to play 3-card poker go ahead. Seen many people win plenty doing that. These guys will never experience the thrill of winning $6000 at Let-It-Ride with a $10 bet or $5000 with a $25 bet at SP21 because there was no "+EV" in the wager.

If u call losing 2% of what u bet a "sucker bet" I don't know what u call the other 1000 bets that are many, many times worse.

And, BTW, don't many successful AP players blow a little money on "sucker" games for camouflage?

But, yeah, maybe you should get a real clear picture of your counting play vis-a-vis bankroll, risk, bet size, bet ramp and game you will be playing. Approaching it half-assed is asking for trouble. I mean if you're "playing past your bankroll", not betting a "big enough spread", "not wonging out on negs" well, yeah, there could be a problem. Good news is you seem to know you might be doing it. So work on it, like you say.

Otherwise good chance you are better off having fun with 3 card poker or even ugh Slots - even I hate that thought

And, like I said, it's pretty easy to lose 30 units flat-betting with alot less variance than spreading. If u care to share any details on more lifetime totals with details of size, bankroll etc perhaps we could help even more.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

You guys will have to excuse me but isn't gambling just that. I thought I read where Ken was a winner in caribbean stud. Playing past my bankroll perhaps not big enough spread for 8d or not wonging out on negs all the time is my problem. You guys have been helpful with alot of tips and insight on how to become a better AP. I think it's going to take me awhile to get it together and win on a more consistint basis but were we not all there once. blackchipjim

That's the difference. Most of us are not into gambling at all. We prefer making the casino gamble.

When Donald Trump or Steve Wynn operate a casino, they aren't the gamblers. Their profit at the games is assured, and the slot or 3 Card Poker players are the ones who have to take their chances and rely on luck to avoid losing their money. When an AP walks into a casino, the tables are turned and it is the casino who needs luck, not him. I do to the casinos what the casinos do to the public: I deceive them, trick them into thinking there is some benefit for them to play with me, get them to play a game where the odds are against them, and take their money.

There are tournaments and promotions where 3CP and other carnival games can be played profitably and I know Ken is an expert on that. And sometimes I play 3 Card Poker and Caribbean Stud too. There have been times I've been walking through a casino towards the BJ tables, passed a 3CP table, stopped dead in my tracks and started playing it, and for a lot more than $25 too. Can you guess why?

 

[Walt]

No Guessing

No need to guess Auto Monkey. It wouldn't surprise me to find we've crossed paths at some point.

Just for the record blackchipjim, when Ken played caribbean stud, he had a very nice edge working for him.

 

[EasyRhino]

You know jim, overbetting your bankroll and not having enough spread in an 8D both have the same solution! Drop your minimum bets a lot, and probably only drop your maximum bets a little bit.

Sorted.

 

[SecurityRisk]

And 3 card poker can be fun - what the heck 2% ain't that bad. And maybe you get lucky and win a bunch. Like a slot machine with cards lol.

2% ain't bad? Then why is everybody making a big deal about how bad 6:5 single deck blackjack is with its 1.39% house advantage?

 

[zengrifter]

...when Ken played caribbean stud, he had a very nice edge working for him.

I think thats the point BCJim - there are times when its appropriate to play TCP, LIR, CARSTUD, even big wheel. zg

 

[zengrifter]

Playing past my bankroll perhaps not big enough spread for 8d or not wonging out on negs all the time is my problem.

Having sufficient spread only means LOWERING your min-bet!!! zg