How did you get into being an AP?

[Preston]

I'm just curious how everyone on here got involved with blackjack and eventually moving onto card counting.

Here is how it happened for me:

I started playing blackjack in late Feb 2006. I am originally a poker player on my off days on the road (performing artist) and found myself at Harrah's outside of Omaha NE. There was a 4 hour wait for a poker table.

So I walked up to a blackjack table and said "is this the game where you count to 21?"

So I started playing and figuring it all out. It was a fun table. We all yelled "OLE!" whenever the dealer busted. I made a couple hundred that night.

Next time I was killing time at Harrah's in Cherokee NC and that's where someone told me about basic strategy and I got a card and I had a winning session going, until I decided to press my luck and I lose a little bit.

Then took the wife to Turning Stone in New York to play poker. After some bad beats there (runner runner quads) we switched to Blackjack. after a couple hours, She told me she liked it better. So we had a good time, lost some money tho.

On the way home I got a flat tire. I took the car to a shop along the way get it fixed. The repair shop said it'd be a couple hours so I walked next door to a bookstore and pulled "Blackjack Secrets" (I believe) by Stanford Wong. I read it all the way through by the time the car was fixed. And ended up buying it.

Then I went to the library and get EVERY single book on blackjack they had, including Renzey's BJ Bluebook II (Which was the first one I read and the others couldn't compare to it)

After trying our luck with the hi-lo system It was working but not working very well. Then I read the chapter on the mentor count. And we decided that since we were just learning hi-lo, why not just switch to something more precise. And since then we've been obsessed with the game of "21."

Our total blackjack winnings since July $4,261.

We started with a $750 bankroll.

 

[supercoolmancool]

Last year for Christmas I got the fabulous book Retire Young, Retire Rich by Robert Kiyosaki. The rest is history (I'll never work again!).

 

[shadroch]

Last year for Christmas I got the fabulous book Retire Young, Retire Rich by Robert Kiyosaki. The rest is history (I'll never work again!).

Sure,all you have to do is get paid for telling people how to get rich.The funny thing is I've driven Mr Kiyosaki a few times when he's in NYC for appearances,and he works harder than 99% of folks.

 

[blackchipjim]

starting out

It was the summer of 95' my first trip to Vegas. I loved to drink and playing bj was just to pass the time. In future trips about once every other year I started to wise up to bs and the people telling me how to win. I geuss it was by reading some articles about counting that really turned the light bulb on. I started about 01' trying to count without much sucess but the search was on for a easier system that would allow me to relax and still play with an edge. blackchipjim

 

[EasyRhino]

It makes me a poseur AP*, but a friend lent me Ben Mezrich's "Bringing Down the House" just as I was on a business trip in St Louis, staying about a mile from a riverboat casino.

*disclaimer: due to probable overtipping, the "advantage" in "advantage player" may be in doubt, except with regards to online casinos.

 

[RJT]

Well i'll back you up on this one ER so that neither of us looks too bad. Read BDTH while i was in Uni, practiced like hell, decided that counting wasn't enough, so read loads and practiced loads more and only started to play last year.

RJT.

 

[mdlbj]

How?

I lost a bet..

I lost some money at a blackjack table and wanted to know how to win.

 

[Canceler]

Well, I was going to learn German...

Around the end of 2002, or so, I was looking for a new hobby. I worked with a guy who was a native speaker of German. I had done pretty well with German in high school, so I thought I might learn German, and practice it on this guy. Before I got too far with that, he left the company, and eventually the country. It seemed pointless to learn German with no one to speak it with, so that was that. On to something else.

I had heard that blackjack was beatable, so I thought I might look into it. And there was a casino about a half hour away. Did a lot of reading online, got all the books the library had. Got the BS charts from this site. Took about a month to memorize the BS, and played my first BJ in a casino in April, 2003.

I had originally put off learning to count, but the idea that I was playing at a disadvantage began to eat away at me. I don't mind gambling, but only if I have some idea that I'm going to win. Started to learn HiLo, but the library had the KO book, which seemed easier, and good enough.

I found it extremely difficult to count at the casino at first, but was finally able to count through every shoe by the end of July, 2003.

And that's much more than anyone wanted to know!

 

[halcyon1234]

I grew up kinda-sorta knowing how to play BJ. My father took a dealer's course when I was young, so we all got to learn how to play when he practiced. (The dealer thing never went anywhere, he kept on being an accountant).

So I kinda knew how to play. I'd say about 50% BS. =)

The first time I ever played BJ in a casino was during the summer. My brother took me to a local indian joint that offered poker Sit n Go tourneys. With an hour wait, we decided to pass the time on the $5 tables. I broke even (then busted out of the SnG...).

I was perplexed about how blackjack actually worked. I was flat betting, and my brother and his friend were spreading their bets (at random, in hindsight). After playing around with a double deck and some poker chips, I figured that flat betting was for suckers-- and that if you put out lots of money on good hands, and got a few good hands in a row, you'd make TONS! Of course, I had no idea what a good hand was-- I just figured splitting anything and doubling anything soft against a bust card seemed like a good plan.

A few weeks later, we went again for the SnG. I was determined to put my new l33t knowledge of BJ to use. I took my $300, and wanted to win my $100 buy in with it. I sat down at a $25 table, played three spots. Dealer shows a bust card, I was able to split and double twice-- and won. Up $125-- so I stood up and left. Busted out of the poker tourney, and went back to the $5 with my brother and his friend. I played 3 spots, with $10 bets, splitting like a ploppy nut. I even split 10s-- which worked out, but earned me scowls from the dealer. I did end up $175, so I was under the impression that I was doing SOMETHING right.

Somewhere along the night, the topic of card counting came up. Since it was at a CSM table, we didn't get any heat. (Then again, the talk was mostly that CSMs were introduced to get rid of card counting). I had to know two things:

1) Just exactly how many hands can a blackjack player win, and could I write a program to figure that out? (I was taking a data analysis course at the time). Is there any way to play to maximize profits?
2) What the hell is card counting?

Looking for an answer to #1 showed me that tons of people had already written blackjack sims, and that there was still a ton to learn. Along the way I learned about house edge, and basic strategy. I found the Wizard of Odds, amongst others.

Looking for #2 lead me to the hi-lo count, Breaking Vegas, this forum, and more.

So in the end, I've learend that yes, a blackjack player can "win". I've been practicing since, building a bankroll through bonus hunting, reading the forum, and so forth.

 

[tribute]

How did I get here?

Seven years ago, business trip to Vegas, bought a basic blackjack book at the airport. I played a few hands at Luxor, trying to remember some of the tidbits learned from that book. I did happen to luck into a couple of positive streaks. I went back to Vegas a year later after having basic down pretty well. That year I made several trips to Louisiana joints. In 2003, to my surprise, I had a profitable year just using near-perfect basic strategy. I only became interested in advantaged play after joining this forum and others. I also obtained Fred Renzey's book. I have become a student of the game and remain a recreational player. My bankroll is small. My most memorable day was turning $100 into $1,400. I took $300 for the trip. I bought in with $100 and never had to dig again. Needless to say, I enjoyed the four hour drive home!

 

[ihate17]

My uncle with three different names

I had an uncle, the husband of my mother's oldest sister. He was quite a character, born in another country, coming here when he was 6, seeing his father die when he was 8 and supporting his baby brother and mother at that age as a wise ass street on the lower east side of New York.
He grew up with some famous or infamous people, Ben Siegal and Meyer Lansky but was never a player in their main business but he knew numbers, knew gambling and was very well trusted by these people.
When Lansky needed someone clean to overlook table game operations in a certain hotel, my uncle took the job in Cuba. After the Castro revolution, he went to Puerto Rico for a while and then returned to New York and was in a completely different kind of business, the clothing business.

He would go to Vegas twice each year, when gambling opened in AC he went often. Everywhere there were casinos he seemed to know the right people. He also had been a cardcounter perhaps 10 years before "Beat the Dealer" was written. Having no sons only daughters he shared his love of fishing and taught me how to play poker and blackjack at a young age. When I was in my mid twenties he taught me his form of counting, which was quite effective in the single deck game dealt to the bottom or nearso as they did in his day. I never played much till I hit an age close to 30 but I never played in my life without being a counter.

I called him my uncle with three names and it is something that he never explained. He had his real name, used a second name in business and was known in Vegas and Atlantic City by a third name. For many years, even after he passed away and still occassionally today, I will be recognized by a Vegas oldtimer as Mr M's nephew.

ihate17

 

[Montreal Casino]

Well it all started with the movie "Casino". I had watched this movie in highschool. This movie was basically about a card counter would make millions playing blackjack.

After watching this movie i asked myself if blackjack could really be beaten and if there was such a thing as card counting. This is where my interest in blackjack began.

Every single day after that, i would go on the internet and literally spend hours going to forums, and reading about how to beat blackjack.

Its been about four or five years now that i've been learning the game of blackjack, and my interest in it has not stopped. I always use to be a gambler, especially sports gambling. However, the problem in sports gambling was that i ALWAYS LOST MONEY.

This was when i told myself that i would never step into a casino unprepared. I hated the idea of the casino having an edge over me. This is why i picked up blackjack, because it is the only beatable game in the casino, and i will NEVER play a losing game.

To end it off, a movie basically sparked an interest in blackjack for me.

 

[mdlbj]

I will be on the tables Thursday, come see the action.. Our whole team will be in town.. Las Vegas..

 

[Rspeirsmlb]

Well, I am probably one of the newer players on this forum.....Seeming how this is my first year playing. I had recieved a large sump of money on my birthday over this past summer, and had heard about my buddy winning $800 on PartyPoker.com playing blackjack (quit laughing...I know) and bought furniture, fishtank, et.c for his apartment. He actually named his fish partypoker seems how it payed for him. As soon as I recieved my money, I signed up on partypoker and lost $1200 in an hour.......one of the biggest mistakes in my life. (Yup,all gaming sites on my computer are deleted )I said to myself, "There has GOT to be a way to beat blackjack." From then on I've been hooked to this game and have thoughts and dreams of it running through my mind almost everyday of counting and playing flawlessly.
The closest casino in my area is one of the few I can get into for as young as I am....and guess what the blackjack tables are? Dun Dun DUNNNNNN!!! CSSSMMMM's. I played those for a couple months "playing my perfect strategy", and it wasn't uncommon for me to drop $400 on the damn things, seems how I was so oblivious to them. It wasn't until one night I dropped a good $800 at that hell hole and drove down the highway of shame back to my home an hour away with no money in my wallet. I went to Puerto Rico this past August to play in the World Series for baseball for 18/19 year olds and when not playing baseball, we snuck into bars and casinos as our coach would not allow us to. Lost a good $400, but it was well worth it seems how most everything else was already payed for. We took a trip to Old San Juan and played.....Despite my huge losses a couple weeks before hand...I was completely convinced that card counting was my new thing. I've been learning to count since, and my buddies and I play blackjack at their apartment regularly....me being the dealer of course just knowing the advantages especially with their bright idea of blackjack paying 1:1!!! ....they don't know I card count,vnor do they believe that counting even works. With great thanks to this forum, I've learned so much on the art of counting and blackjack.

 

[mdlbj]

Well, I am probably one of the newer players on this forum.....Seeming how this is my first year playing. I had recieved a large sump of money on my birthday over this past summer, and had heard about my buddy winning $800 on PartyPoker.com playing blackjack (quit laughing...I know) and bought furniture, fishtank, et.c for his apartment. He actually named his fish partypoker seems how it payed for him. As soon as I recieved my money, I signed up on partypoker and lost $1200 in an hour.......one of the biggest mistakes in my life. (Yup,all gaming sites on my computer are deleted )I said to myself, "There has GOT to be a way to beat blackjack." From then on I've been hooked to this game and have thoughts and dreams of it running through my mind almost everyday of counting and playing flawlessly.
The closest casino in my area is one of the few I can get into for as young as I am....and guess what the blackjack tables are? Dun Dun DUNNNNNN!!! CSSSMMMM's. I played those for a couple months "playing my perfect strategy", and it wasn't uncommon for me to drop $400 on the damn things, seems how I was so oblivious to them. It wasn't until one night I dropped a good $800 at that hell hole and drove down the highway of shame back to my home an hour away with no money in my wallet. I went to Puerto Rico this past August to play in the World Series for baseball for 18/19 year olds and when not playing baseball, we snuck into bars and casinos as our coach would not allow us to. Lost a good $400, but it was well worth it seems how most everything else was already payed for. We took a trip to Old San Juan and played.....Despite my huge losses a couple weeks before hand...I was completely convinced that card counting was my new thing. I've been learning to count since, and my buddies and I play blackjack at their apartment regularly....me being the dealer of course just knowing the advantages especially with their bright idea of blackjack paying 1:1!!! ....they don't know I card count,vnor do they believe that counting even works. With great thanks to this forum, I've learned so much on the art of counting and blackjack.

Right on, now your lessons start..

 

[jimpenn]

Canceler entry same

I basically followed Canceler's run. Then came understanding the casinos-pits and hosts, etc. Tipping for value only. Studying the game rules and changes from the early sixties. It's not easy today to find good table rules without creating increased travel expenses. ...and there's only one "Slots-A-Fun" min 6D game with fair rules for min players 24/7. I use a very simple count system and have recently been backcounting without fear/heat in AC.
I'm retired and enjoy the game and social conditioning. Very happly to return from Junket with same amount I left with. Real good if I can cover all related expenses. It's just a "get-a-way" for me and I've accepted the cost of intertainment value.

Looking for new risk game now. I lost all my motivation when casinos started hitting soft 17's, in addition to minimum LS games. Winning game is a challange where the selected few should win more than less skilled. Most every sport based on this concept. I just don't have the time or desire to make this my passion at this point. The LVH a good example of emptying a pit.

 

[shadroch]

I'll be happy to let you know as soon as I get there.For me,becoming an AP has taken many twists and turns.I thought I was just about there,but then an overdue dose of reality blew in and set me back aways.

 

[Rspeirsmlb]

Bankroll building.

Right on, now your lessons start..

Yup, I've been practicing everyday when not working. I get annuities of 20k a year and plan to build a bankroll ontop of that....and on top of that, invest in the market.....does anyone have any suggestions on that? Let's say my bankroll starts out at $60k...after awhile of both positive and negative variance, I profit $30k. I know this isn't exactly a money managment forum or for financial advisors, but if I'm going at counting for the long run to make money, would investing my origional bankroll of $60k + $10k profit for a year into a portfolio of investments with a return of lets say 10% be a good idea? And by this I mean take out the annual return I've made on my investment (being around 6-$7k) and add it to my bankroll? And in the mean time while I'm making a return in stocks/CD's etc.....I'm using the $20k to count with...obviously reducing my bets accordingly to my ROR factor. Any thoughts on this? Good idea if I plan to count for years and years? I'de appreciate other people's advice as I am quick to cope with new ideas and thoughts.Thank you.

 

[ScottH]

Well, I am probably one of the newer players on this forum.....Seeming how this is my first year playing. I had recieved a large sump of money on my birthday over this past summer, and had heard about my buddy winning $800 on PartyPoker.com playing blackjack (quit laughing...I know) and bought furniture, fishtank, et.c for his apartment. He actually named his fish partypoker seems how it payed for him. As soon as I recieved my money, I signed up on partypoker and lost $1200 in an hour.......one of the biggest mistakes in my life. (Yup,all gaming sites on my computer are deleted )I said to myself, "There has GOT to be a way to beat blackjack." From then on I've been hooked to this game and have thoughts and dreams of it running through my mind almost everyday of counting and playing flawlessly.
The closest casino in my area is one of the few I can get into for as young as I am....and guess what the blackjack tables are? Dun Dun DUNNNNNN!!! CSSSMMMM's. I played those for a couple months "playing my perfect strategy", and it wasn't uncommon for me to drop $400 on the damn things, seems how I was so oblivious to them. It wasn't until one night I dropped a good $800 at that hell hole and drove down the highway of shame back to my home an hour away with no money in my wallet. I went to Puerto Rico this past August to play in the World Series for baseball for 18/19 year olds and when not playing baseball, we snuck into bars and casinos as our coach would not allow us to. Lost a good $400, but it was well worth it seems how most everything else was already payed for. We took a trip to Old San Juan and played.....Despite my huge losses a couple weeks before hand...I was completely convinced that card counting was my new thing. I've been learning to count since, and my buddies and I play blackjack at their apartment regularly....me being the dealer of course just knowing the advantages especially with their bright idea of blackjack paying 1:1!!! ....they don't know I card count,vnor do they believe that counting even works. With great thanks to this forum, I've learned so much on the art of counting and blackjack.

Just make sure that if you have a gambling problem you take care of that before you count cards. I don't know if you do or not, but it would be a good idea if you do! You wouldn't want to go "on tilt" while counting, you have to play like a machine.

 

[shadroch]

Yup, I've been practicing everyday when not working. I get annuities of 20k a year and plan to build a bankroll ontop of that....and on top of that, invest in the market.....does anyone have any suggestions on that? Let's say my bankroll starts out at $60k...after awhile of both positive and negative variance, I profit $30k. I know this isn't exactly a money managment forum or for financial advisors, but if I'm going at counting for the long run to make money, would investing my origional bankroll of $60k + $10k profit for a year into a portfolio of investments with a return of lets say 10% be a good idea? And by this I mean take out the annual return I've made on my investment (being around 6-$7k) and add it to my bankroll? And in the mean time while I'm making a return in stocks/CD's etc.....I'm using the $20k to count with...obviously reducing my bets accordingly to my ROR factor. Any thoughts on this? Good idea if I plan to count for years and years? I'de appreciate other people's advice as I am quick to cope with new ideas and thoughts.Thank you.

If you put the effort into studying the stock market,10% is chicken feed.There is no reason why an educated small investor can't do 17-25% each year.
Casino stocks have been doing quite well the last few years and are no-brainers.Go to any stock tracking site and look at these stocks-all of which I own- MGM,NYNY(not the casino but a small track in upstate NY),Mountaineer(owns Binions,Speedway, a bunch of tracks and is involved in the new racino in PA, and Harrahs(which I just sold this week).Any and all of these would have earned you a very nice profit last year.MGM is up around 25%for this year alone.Had you invested $100,000 in LVA Sands(owners of the Venitian)a year ago,you'd be a millionaire today.Shareholders of AZTAR(Tropicana)can all buy new Caddys with their two year returns.