down time

[learning to count]

I play four to five times year. Since I dont have casinos in my area. During my down time I practice my skills. I count down decks, Rememorize and practice basic stratgey, study my indices, play casino verite, and read other unread books on advantage play. I use AP sites to keep informed on the casino world and to learn from other AP's. I was just wondering what you guys do when not playing for extended periods of time.

 

[The Mayor]

*hang out on the Internet boards

*play other games (recently, a lot of Bridge, and I rejoined the local chess club)

*get involved politically and write letters to folks

but...

*I only practice b.j. for about 3 days before I go on a trip, to refresh the skills. Basically, the skill set is small regarding counting and indices, and the large part of the skill set (casino comportment) can only be practiced on site.

--Mayor

 

[ZOD]

Sounds like you're doing everything possible to keep yourself sharp between excursions. Out of curiosity, do you notice if it takes a little while to "get in the groove" when you walk into the casino after a layoff? I play pretty often, but some of my friends who only play a few times a year have mentioned this.
ZOD

 

[learning to count]

<<Sounds like you're doing everything possible to keep yourself sharp between excursions. Out of curiosity, do you notice if it takes a little while to "get in the groove" when you walk into the casino after a layoff? I play pretty often, but some of my friends who only play a few times a year have mentioned this.>>
ZOD

Yep. After not playing for a couple of months it takes a few shoes to get in the groove. One thing I have found is to play single deck first. I have found that playing single deck for a few hours first then going to the shoes is a good warm up. Single deck is easy for me and I have had numerous successes at single deck. The only problem is when you spread to max bet on a plus cuont you get noticed and maybe get warm around the edges with the PC. Single deck is by far the best game in town but you just cant play long and spread big.

After I do get in the groove or zen as I like to call it I can do some amazing things such as walk by glances and just about see the count with out even actual counting in my head. When I get zenned I love to wong in medium crowds. It's even better with two or three buddies so we can call each other to a rising count at a table.

Your lucky to be able to play often. I always find myself wanting just one more hour to make more money. Sometimes you have to accept what you win I guess. I always get to McCarrin 1.5 hours before my flight. I missed it once due to an extended positive run. I love Blackjack! LTC

 

[ZOD]

The "Zen"

The "Zen". Funny you should use that term. I may play a half a dozen times a month, but rarely on successive days. This amount of play keeps me "in the groove", but only when play I several days in a row do I get the "Zen". To me, it's almost another level of awareness. I can keep the count on a couple of tables while discussing sports with the pit boss while sipping my crown and seven while watching another amazing body go by. If only the rest of life was so easy.

Come to think of it, I usually only play on successive days during Vegas trips. I wonder if it's the city itself that gives me the "Zen". Hmmmm. I better go check the air fares...

ZOD

 

[learning to count]

Re: The "Zen"

Yep it is a deep feeling on intense focus. You are in this world but you are also in a bubble of awareness and on top of your game. Definately ZEN!

 

[Rob McGarvey]

No Downtime

I'm always playing online, so for me there is no true downtime. It's like practicing using different online programs and getting paid for it. I do need to take a run at it when I go play a real casino, but it comes naturally. Quick flip thru my flash cards a few runs thru two decks of cards, one of which has been stacked to shuffle track if I am playing multideck, and rob's yur uncle.

 

[Rob McGarvey]

Master The Game

There are certain levels of "peace" that one can achieve in their chosen field of endeavor. You may remember the first day to sat down and began to learn basic strategy. Once you got that down you probably began to learn to count. Then you may have learned to get the TC down. Then you learned to match your bets to your expected advantage and bankroll. Possibly after that you began to learn a few indices and play departure became a part of your game. You became an actor to throw off the pit and crew. At that point you wanted something more and learned to track cards, or move to a level II count and start learning new index #'s.

At each level of "peace" we become ready for something more. We are not happy with this feeling. It's like having your in box and your out box empty. There must be something wrong when life gets like that. Enjoy these momments. In fact, you can become peace itself since peace is a feeling. Once you truely become a master, what goes on around you should not have an effect on this feeling.