back counting

I was wondering if it is really worth it, or possible, to back count in casinos today. It seems that so many of them prohibit mid shoe entry, or even if they do the table is already full. Plus if you find a table with a count of +2, and then join, and then the count falls to -2 in the next couple of hands, do you leave and look odd, or stay in which case what was the point of back counting in the first place?

It is getting harder to backcount, given the number of casinos which have no mid-shoe entry rules, but it isn't impossible. There are still plenty of places which allow you to enter mid-shoe, particularly in shoe games. As for looking odd, who cares? There are a lot of ploppies who also plop in for a couple of quick hands and leave.

If the count tanks, suddenly grab your cell phone, pull your bet back and step back from the table to have a "conversation". Then say "color me up, got to meet somebody" and hit the road. Of course you can't come back at the next shuffle very easily...

Remember that when the count gets to +2, the entire pack is at +2. So, odds are that you will be playing on average a +2 pack 'til the end. The count variance from that point will be based on +2 not 0. So, take your chances and wong-in. Then just learn ways to wong-out smoothly if the C tanks real bad and there's still a long way to the end of the pack. Playing standing up is a tactic that makes it more easy to wong-out more often. You just appear more like a tentative quick hit and run type of natural ploppy.