I just got back from an overnighter in AC. My objective was to see how well I could do without spreading more than 2 or 3 times. I played $25 6-deck S17. Within a few hours I was up $700. I earned another $100 playing VP.
But I couldn't sleep more than half an hour or so, so I went back to the tables. But first I found my buddy. He was playing a Star Wars machine and making it look easy as he racked up $350+ in profit. So, in a temporary moment of insanity, I proceeded to lose $300 at the same game. Back to the tables!
It went back and forth for several hours, and at one point late in the morning I found myself down $700 overall. Next thing you know I was spreading two hands to $125 each, still a far cry from 8, 10, or 12 times. I got back to $400 loser, and decided to switch tables.
Next thing I know I'm on a $50 table. I thought it was a $25 table. :laugh: So I put $25 into two boxes as markers, just as a lady next to me started to put $25 into one of the boxes I was playing. This is interesting-- the dealer finished shuffling and then pointed out to me, with my $25 in each box, that this was a $50 table. Oh!
So I pushed out two more $25, but the lady next to me said that it was her box and that I was taking her $25. WTF? I asserted that it was mine and that she had pulled hers back when I beat her to the box. She was adamant and so the dealer said, "I can tell you whose box it is." She asked the lady to pass her her chips, which she had just bought in. She counted the chips, $300, and told the lady, "The box belongs to the gentleman; you have all your chips."
So we began playing, the lady I felt was constantly looking to see how her "lost" spot would fare. This was the craziest shoe ever. I kept getting blackjack, not mostly in her box, but maybe 5 or 6 times during the shoe. One guy at the table kept informing the table how many blackjacks I was getting (naturally - there's one at every table :flame
. Plus, I was winning hand after hand with the most unlikely hands. I kept glancing at the lady's sole hand, and I doubt she won more than a single hand. I was doing my best internally not to "wish" any back luck on her. :angel: Quickly she busted and left the game.
In one shoe, from $400 loser I was now $200 winner, I spotted another table completing the shuffle so I quickly colored up and switched to the other table (also, $50). I sat next to a Hasidic Jew. Second hand we both got blackjacks. I said to him," I guess that makes us brothers." He smiled and later noted how we continued to get similar hands. He whispered to me that this particular dealer was great: he always either busted or he got lousy hands. :laugh: Quickly I won $400 and jumped up and said I had to go. He looked at me slyly, I thought, and said, "Hit and run, eh?" I laughed and headed out $600 up for the trip. I don't think he was AP, probably just well read.
Anyway, I had a great time, and I discovered it was possible to win without the large spreads. But even though the variance seems more controlled, its still a war of nerves when you give up most of your advantage. Also, wonging out becomes a greater necessity than before; at least in these NME games, you don't have to leave for long, because once you stop playing a shoe, you're out for the remainder of the shoe. That's convenient. :devil:
Lastly, I think I would have won more like $2,000 had I spread 8 to 10 times at max bet, but the swings would have been much wider. That wild swing is what I am trying to dampen. Does anyone have an analysis of the difference in variance between spreading 10 times and spreading an average 2 to 3 times? If I don't get an answer I'll run some sims myself and let you know.