Coming along, but a ways to go still

[airborneinf82]

Ive been lurking around here for a few weeks while I've been training up and reading up on counting. I haven't had much to say or much to ask because it seems most everything I have a question about I can find the answers for in here, so primarily I wanted to thank everyone for all their input in to many of the topics on here. They have been so helpful.

Just wanted to share that I swung by a local casino and was quite proud with how it went. I was able to keep the count the majority of the time while managing to have basic conversations with the dealer and other players. I've been drilling BS and it really has helped to be able to have BS down without having to think about it. Can be a little difficult to keep the count and to count all the cards with aces and lots of cards still, but getting so much better. Im using the Red-7 count for now and eventually when I feel more comfortable then I will attempt to switch to Hi-Lo.

Seem like every casino around here is 6D, H17, DAS, NS so at least I've only had to learn one BS! Anyways, again just wanted to thank everyone for all the help, although much of it has been direct. Keep it up and in the future I hope to be able to contribute in some way!

 

[Automatic Monkey]

Ive been lurking around here for a few weeks while I've been training up and reading up on counting. I haven't had much to say or much to ask because it seems most everything I have a question about I can find the answers for in here, so primarily I wanted to thank everyone for all their input in to many of the topics on here. They have been so helpful.

Just wanted to share that I swung by a local casino and was quite proud with how it went. I was able to keep the count the majority of the time while managing to have basic conversations with the dealer and other players. I've been drilling BS and it really has helped to be able to have BS down without having to think about it. Can be a little difficult to keep the count and to count all the cards with aces and lots of cards still, but getting so much better. Im using the Red-7 count for now and eventually when I feel more comfortable then I will attempt to switch to Hi-Lo.

Seem like every casino around here is 6D, H17, DAS, NS so at least I've only had to learn one BS! Anyways, again just wanted to thank everyone for all the help, although much of it has been direct. Keep it up and in the future I hope to be able to contribute in some way!

Good work. No need to switch to High-Low, Red 7 might be even a little more powerful if applied properly.

 

[maverik]

Good work. No need to switch to High-Low, Red 7 might be even a little more powerful if applied properly.

you really think so? red seven actually has some indexes as well for adjusting bet according to running count, pretty neat actually, although I am looking to move to zen count, it just seems like its so accurate, and it really seems like it would save some losses with the index accuracy on adjusting strategy

 

[itakeyourmoney]

Is Red 7 easier than Hi-Lo? I've never heard of Red 7 (can you say noob?), but I've always been under the impression that hi-lo was the simplest and easiest system to use.

Make sure you learn indexes in addition to BS.

Edit: On my way in to work this morning I saw a truck with a bumper sticker for the 82nd airborne -- do you by chance drive a sorta beat up greyish pick-up truck?

 

[Automatic Monkey]

you really think so? red seven actually has some indexes as well for adjusting bet according to running count, pretty neat actually, although I am looking to move to zen count, it just seems like its so accurate, and it really seems like it would save some losses with the index accuracy on adjusting strategy

Sure, it's an unbalanced system with higher BC. You can use it just like KO, either as a running count based system or true count it as well.

If you want to use Zen, you can use unbalanced Zen in the same way.

 

[maverik]

Is Red 7 easier than Hi-Lo? I've never heard of Red 7 (can you say noob?), but I've always been under the impression that hi-lo was the simplest and easiest system to use.

Make sure you learn indexes in addition to BS.

Edit: On my way in to work this morning I saw a truck with a bumper sticker for the 82nd airborne -- do you by chance drive a sorta beat up greyish pick-up truck?

red seven is super simple, its unbalanced. Red sevens count as +1 2-6 count as +1, tens-aces -1. for however man decks there are in the shoe you multiply by -2, for your running count, when running count gets to zero you than have a .5% advantage and increases accordingly. Example your playing a 6 deck shoe, your running count starts at -12

 

[itakeyourmoney]

To me this sounds more complicated than hi-lo lol, but to each his own, I suppose.

 

[Cherry7Up]

Im using the Red-7 count...

I also use Red-7 and love it (I really enjoy not having to do deck estimation and covert to a true count). Snyder's Blackbelt in Blackjack has nice indices for single, double, and multiple deck games.

From what I understand, it is better to count all 7's as 1/2 instead of just counting red suit 7's as 1, but I have yet to try this modification.

The downside that I have seen from Red-7 is that you are pretty limited to Snyder's indices unless you purchase a program that can generate custom indices for you.

 

[maverik]

To me this sounds more complicated than hi-lo lol, but to each his own, I suppose.

you start in a defecit to account for the houses edge, how far back you start depends on how many decks there are. Multiply the number of decks in the shoe your playing by -2. That is your running count start. When you get to 0 your at your pivot point. everything is calculated by the running total, no division neccesary and there are indexes for it. What is complicated???

 

[callipygian]

To me this sounds more complicated than hi-lo lol, but to each his own, I suppose.

Unbalanced systems don't require deck estimation, which makes them easier to play if you're bad at deck estimation or prone to entering a game after the shuffle (if you join a game in progress and 1.5 decks have passed, it may be difficult to true-count the deck because you have to do RC/(decks-1.5) in your head).

The differences between Hi-Lo, Red 7, and KO are like the difference between inheriting $1,000,000, winning a $1,000,000 lottery, and getting a $1,000,000 bonus at work - you could probably find significant differences if you look hard enough, but you win regardless.

 

[shadroch]

Inheriting a million is a tax free event. Not the best example.

 

[airborneinf82]

Is Red 7 easier than Hi-Lo? I've never heard of Red 7 (can you say noob?), but I've always been under the impression that hi-lo was the simplest and easiest system to use.

Make sure you learn indexes in addition to BS.

Edit: On my way in to work this morning I saw a truck with a bumper sticker for the 82nd airborne -- do you by chance drive a sorta beat up greyish pick-up truck?

To me this sounds more complicated than hi-lo lol, but to each his own, I suppose.

haha no beat up truck here. and im quite a ways away from the midwest. but like the others are saying Red-7 is pretty much like Hi-Lo with the addition of Red 7s being +1. I like this right now because I don't have to worry about doing a true count calculation as well. there is a true count conversion for betting decisions that you can do, but right now Im just working on getting the BS down pack and keeping the RC going.

In Blackbelt he talks about how Red-7 with like 3 or 4 index plays was 80% as effective as Hi-Lo with I believe 30ish indexes, although he does give more in the book if you want to use them. but as far as my spreads I know when I get to non-negative territory, I have an advantage which simplifies things for now.

For info: http://www.blackjackforumonline.com/content/How%20toCount.htm

I also use Red-7 and love it (I really enjoy not having to do deck estimation and covert to a true count). Snyder's Blackbelt in Blackjack has nice indices for single, double, and multiple deck games.

From what I understand, it is better to count all 7's as 1/2 instead of just counting red suit 7's as 1, but I have yet to try this modification.

The downside that I have seen from Red-7 is that you are pretty limited to Snyder's indices unless you purchase a program that can generate custom indices for you.

I would imagine doing 1/2 for each 7 would be better, but I wonder how much better it would be. Seems like it would be pretty marginal. Theres a free program on Snyder's page that can calculate indices and it seems pretty accurate from what I was finding. You could modify it by making 2-6 +2, 10,A -2 and 7's +1 (since it doesnt have a color distinction or allow decimals) and then just divide all the indices by 2. Do you do the true count conversion for betting?

For the index generation: (This is a direct link to the file on blackjackforumonline.com) http://www.blackjackforumonline.com/SamCaseStrategyProgram.zip

 

[Cherry7Up]

Thank you for that link, I will try it out later (sounds helpful).

I do not use the true count conversion for betting. Let me know if you adopt it and find it worth the added trouble of deck estimation.

 

[airborneinf82]

Sure thing and Ill let you know whenever I get around to implementing it. Might be a bit since Im still working at keeping the RC going good. but ill tell ya how it goes.

 

[airborneinf82]

So went for some more practice and ended up on the positive end of variance which was nice. kind of kicking myself for my lack of bj-betting-balls but they are slowly growing. I know its just barely enough to beat the game I play, but I did a 1-8 spread, and neither the dealers or pit bosses seemed to even notice I was there.

The reason I am kicking myself is because the count reached at its highest point, +19 with Red-7. I couldn't believe it. It hit +10 and the low cards just kept coming. Never seen the count even remotely that high so I was in counter heaven. Anyways, I wish I would of not been too afraid to do a full 1-12 or 1-15 spread, but Ive been slowly increasing the spread and feeling more and more comfortable doing it, so I think next time Im even remotely close to that situation I'll have it out there like I should. The stack of chips would of been bigger today, but it was still a good day, and my confidence level is rising so thats good.

I do have a question. Im playing the red chips and Im wondering if I should be substituting greens to not make it look like such a big bet at first glance?

 

[zengrifter]

Good work. No need to switch to High-Low, Red 7 might be even a little more powerful if applied properly.

R7 is a great alternative to HL because it can be continually improved evolved
from its basic level-1 UB'd > to a level-2 UB's (by counting all 7s as +0.5) > to a TC'd level-2.
In otherwords it can grow as far as you want, without ever needing to switch systems. zg