Hi folks. First off, respect to S. Wong and all serious counters.
I'm here somewhere in E. Asia and had the opportunity of playing a roughly $1 (USD) minimum table max ~$300 (USD) and was using a 1:12 spread with 1$ minimum. 6 decks, dealer stands on A6, double any two cards, DAS, no surrender, 75% penetration.
It was a weekend and I was by myself, and the place was packed. We're talking 2 or 3 rows deep of people watching the games going on minimum and high stakes.
This was my first time actually counting and more or less sucessfully doing it, after attending a crash course at the free blackjack school here. ^ ^ I didn't have a high enough bankroll to cover the variance so at the end I ran out of money ($70) but it was a fun time.
A unique practice that goes on is that people are allowed to bet behind on other people's bets. So, actually it was maybe the only way for me to bet since all the tables were crowded. I spotted a player that was using sound BS, and maybe even count-based strategy variation (standing on 16 vs. dealer 10). I'm not sure he was counting or not, but he was playing the best, so I bet behind him and did fairly well.
Later on, I really wanted to play so I found a table and found myself overbetting my advantage. That lost me a big percentage of my bankroll so I got up and went back to the smoking section with the thronging crowds.
Later, near the end of my trip I was betting behind another solid BS player and couldn't believe how the table was losing to dealer 20s and 21s from hitting when the count was +4~! So, i eventually lost my BR and had to head home, but all in all it was an educational experience.
Some things that stood out was taking insurance at +3 count a few times and getting it right every time! ^^ I was a little surprised myself. Now, it's on to BS variation according to the count and learning to change my play and building a big enough bank roll. Times are tough if you're a lazy good-for-nothing without a college-degree! Tough crowds and the ambiance of casino oozing from every centimeter of the town...
all the best, all ye wicked ones!
