Cover in SD and DD

Hi everyone,

I'm treating myself to a trip to vegas in a few months where I intend to do some counting at the bj tables. I'm an experienced player in my home country where only shoe games exist. I'm trying to get my head around how I would play SD or DD as I use a four level count so I know the count would be jumping all over the place. I'm trying to determine a strategy that would give me a reasonable amount of cover for these games. I know I eventually will be asked to leave but I want to last longer than 30 minutes. Any advice would be appreciated.

is to make your spread look smaller than what it is by betting more than your ultimate minimum bet between the true counts of -1 and +2 (High-Low). In that count range just flat bet or randomly chip up and down using some nonsensical betting system.

The big tell for pitch games is spot spreading, so you if you start with one betting box stay with one betting box (don't spread to two hands mid-shoe).

The other approach that is effective is just to play numerous short sessions and take advantage of the fact that Vegas has a large number of casinos. Spread your play around town and play a lot of 20-40 minute sessions and then move to the next place never repeating play on the same shift and the same day. Be sure to download a copy of Stanford Wong's Current Blackjack News for a listing of all casinos.

Surviving at Double Deck is almost as much about where you play as how you play and as far as telling you where to play double deck, my suggestion is to play those places with lots of double decks and lots of action and avoid those places with only one or two double deck games or not a lot of action. If you're good at playing shoes and play for decent stakes you should not avoid the shoes...you'll get better rules (surrender), faster games, and better conditions.

In my opinion if you do not know exactly what you are going to do and how to do it you should not play!
Robbie

Don't be afraid to come off the top with a two unit bet from time to time. Drop back if the count becomes negative. This is another good way to help "hide" your spread.

you have to use a smaller overall unit and use a bigger spread from top to bottom to compensate. For example spreading 3 units off the top up to 12 units down to 1 unit at double deck would mostly look like a 1-4 spread, would actually be a 1-12 spread, and would work about like a no cover 1-8 spread.

Will a 1-8 spread be enough to take advantage of the lessened opportunites for EV with 50% pen?

You are an experienced player using a four level count! Did you type that correctly? You use a four level count and you are asking questions about how to play simple SD and DD games? Does everyone on the board think he is serious, especially with a handle like he or she has?

YKW