An interesting question - you have a table with 4 perfect counters ....

working together. They can communicate with each other but not overertly.

Each counter is perfect. What 4 systems, sidecounts, or so forth do you think would gain you the most money.

For instance - very easy example

#1 plays a balanced count
#2 plays an unbalanced count
#3 tracks Aces
#4 only counts tens.

What is your opinion on the best systems.

These 4 systems:

#1 A balanced count with no side count of aces, optimised for better playing efficiency (for BS deviations). He will have to signal the others as to when to deviate on those close hands where it's not obvious (probably only 20% of the hands).

#2 Is employing an unbalanced count for superior betting efficiency (the size of his bet is all the communication he needs).

#3 Is employing the Insurance count (when he insures, so do all).

#4 Counting Aces only. He can have a pile of chips to indicate how Ace Rich or Ace Poor the shoe is (i.e. if red stack-indicates how many poor, if green stack-indicates how many Ace rich). This information is to help Player 2 adjust the betting amount more accurately.

Step 1:Decide to combine their bankrolls

Counter #1: Stays at the table and plays balanced count, unbalanced count or shuffletracks, whatever he is best at.
Counters #2,3 and 4: Each move to individual tables and play without any of the other counters at their table.

Of course, this isn't in the spirit of the question, but would make heaps more money for all concerned than any combination of four players at one table.

Player #1 is not including Aces in his count at all (not just no side-count). The card values are optimised for Playing efficiency only.

Player #2 is not including Aces in his count either. But his card values are optimised for Betting efficiency. Furthermore, he's getting exact Ace Rich/Poor info from Player #4, which helps him bet more accurately.

Is that why you're calling yourself Rule 5.12?

had 4 players. All using same system, anti-wonged normally but when off a table would travel around looking for partner with $$$ on the table.

However - We were just curious on what would be the best - not that we could ever do it - you know - just a shit and giggles topic.

Simple answer:

#1: Keep a count with high betting efficiency
#2: Keep an ace-neutral count with high playing efficiency
#3: Keep an ace side count (for single deck game, this person may also keep a side count of 7 and a side count of 5-6 differential)
#4: Keep an insurance count

Sophisticated answer:

Randomize the bet size of these four people, but make the total bet size highly correlated with the true count (each counter needs a big bet spread in order to achieve this). Also, for each hand, use only one person to count and use the other people to talk, act, and distress the pit managers. At the end of each hand, the counting player will pass the running count onto another player.

and go to play at different tables. With a simple level-1 system (ie: Hi-Lo) they would do better than all sitting at the same table (cover aside).

Sincerely,
Cacarulo

.. when it's crowded, I've seen counters congegrate to one table before - hey, better us than ploppies, right?

In these situations, where we have 3 people at the table, the one with the best count handles the betting, one does an insurance side count and one sidecounts sevens (lucky 7 bet).

It's a load of fun, really.

M.

You should have one player forget about counting and do everything humanly possible to distract the dealer. Yuck it up; keep him off balance; get him talking about sports, personal stuff, crochet ... ANYthing other than the cards and chips before him.