My edition of Wong's PB doesn't talk about ace side counts. Anybody out there use those? How hard are they? Do they really help? About how many new betting and playing strategies do I need to learn?
Thanks
trufaux
I use Hi-Opt 1 with the ace side count. Since neither Hi-Opt system is ace-reckoned, the primary benefit is in the betting correlation, and it can be awesome. Learning the ace side takes practice -- and perhaps a discreet technique to aid memory. Its greatest benefit comes in a SD or DD game, so if you play only shoes it won't be worth the extra time our complexity, especially if you are using an ace-reckoned count like hi-low.
As for playing strategy, I can only speak for Hi-Opt 1. The only strategy adjustment I make using the ace side is in doubling 10 vs. 10, where, as in betting, the ace factors as a "high" card. Humble and Cooper in WGBB go into detail about how to adjust play when the ace primarily factors as a "low" card, but it gets complicated and calls for a lot of quick calculations at the table.
