New to BJ

[davethomas]

Hi, i'm from the Niagara Falls i'm new to blackjack I learned how to play like a week ago. I knew how to play its just that I didn't know about the strategies, and card counting and everything involved. Obviously most new card counters have been introduced to it by watching the movie 21. I know the movie is not all true, but I was pretty excited knowing that you could beat a table game considerable easy if you practice your card counting and know BS. For the last three days I've been studying my ass off I already can count a deck in something like 45-50 seconds. I kind of know basic strategy. But my question to you is If you know the count and its getting higher why follow basic strategy, if you know a face card is going to come out?

 

[shadroch]

There is a reason for everything. Notice how everyone else is using one font.Think there might be a reason for it?

 

[davethomas]

ok sorry I used that font, I didn't know that was a rule here. I know your supposed to use basic strategy while card counting, does this give you a lower percentage of losing?

 

[21forme]

Your %age of losing hands doesn't change much, but you put out bigger bets when the deck is in your favor, to overcome that disadvantage.

How's business at Wendy's these days? :grin:

 

[sagefr0g]

ok sorry I used that font, I didn't know that was a rule here. I know your supposed to use basic strategy while card counting, does this give you a lower percentage of losing?

yes.
don't throw out the basic strategy. it's core.

 

[davethomas]

Ok I understand that I need bs. But ive been researching and theres so many charts I dont know which one to believe thats correct, how am I suppose to study it if there all different.
Ya and Wendys I work there, i'm only 18 i'm getting a head start before I hit the casinos

 

[EasyRhino]

Messing up basic strategy will cost you more than any advantage you could gain from counting.

It's a prerequisite.

For the basic strategy, picke rules for ONE game (maybe a Canadian Niagara Falls game, 8 decks, stand on soft 17, double after split), and plug that into the basic strategy engine on this site. Learn and perfect that.

Basic strategy for other games will be remarkably similar.

Also note that most of the tables in Canadian Niagara use continuous shuffler machines. You can't count against these.

most importantly: go to school so you can get a GOOD job.

 

[21forme]

Ya and Wendys I work there, i'm only 18 i'm getting a head start before I hit the casinos

You do know that a guy named Dave Thomas started Wendys (from Ohio, I believe)?

 

[davethomas]

I'm planning on a good job, I just want to play blackjack as a hobbie. So Niagara falls Casinos use continous shufflers. Do they like shuffle every hand or? Theres no way you cant count against this?

 

[Mimosine]

I'm planning on a good job, I just want to play blackjack as a hobbie. So Niagara falls Casinos use continous shufflers. Do they like shuffle every hand or? Theres no way you cant count against this?

i don't know if they use CSMs, but you can stop in a look around and find out. don't be confused though between ASMs (machines that shuffle all the cards after they have all been dealt out of a shoe) and CSMs where the dealer will deal one or two rounds, then take all the cards from the discard tray and put them into a machine, which then spits them right back out.

ASMs are countable.
CSMs are not.

as far as basic strategy is concerned, follow Rhino's advice.

when i started, i memorized the table on Wikipedia. now i use the table in KO blackjack, but can adjust on the fly for several different rule variations. though i'm going to be playing a lot of DD and SD games soon, so i am going to take the time to learn some more of the details for those games precisely.

just pick the one for the game you will play most, make flashcards, and learn it. then get a deck of cards and play out a few hundred hands, checking a BS chart to make sure you understand what to do. especially with soft hands, and hands totaling 12-16, especially when you get to one of these situations after being dealt 3 or more cards. (e.g. dealer has an 3 up, and you have a A,3, well you should hit, let's say you get a 3, now you have soft 17, BS says to double, but you can't double on 3 cards, so what do you do with your soft 17?).

 

[EasyRhino]

Yep, I found it most useful to memorize one particular game (H17 shoe games, in my case), and learn it, really, really well. Then, if you get fancier and start varying your play based on the count (index plays), then different BS for other types of games (single deck, or S17), is BASICALLY just another variation to remember, so it's not so tough.

 

[davethomas]

alrighty thanks alot

 

[GeorgeD]

The couple of times I have been at Casino Niagara the BJ tables were all using CSMs.

When I have been at Fallsview Casino, there were a few tables without CSMs, but any at less than $25 were very busty and hard to get a seat.

The non CSM's shuffle continuously, and the dealer puts the cards into the machine every few hands. It is useless to county these games.

The few regular shoe games are 8 deck. These games are very hard to beat with counting unless you wong in/out

When you are 21 you can go to the US casino where most games are hand shuffled but are 8 deck.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Thomas_(American_businessman))

http://www.livingprimetime.com/AllCovers/May2001/buffalo_broadcast_pioneers5th_an.htm
(Scroll down to Dave Thomas)

I'm planning on a good job, I just want to play blackjack as a hobbie. So Niagara falls Casinos use continous shufflers. Do they like shuffle every hand or? Theres no way you cant count against this?