I got a second question. When you described how to update the ASC-adjusted running count, you used whole deck numbers, 1, 2, 3, and so on. Dog Hand used 4 and 2.5 decks as examples.
However, these deck numbers often are not this neat. For example, after eight rounds of playing, 46 cards are used. How would you update the ASC-adjusted running count with this decimal deck number of 46/52 = 0.88?
Is this too much detail? Thank you for your patience!
by: aceside
My first explanation of this is basically confusing and incorrect, sorry about that. At first I was using a method that was overly complicated and probably incorrect.
The way it works now which I believe is correct, is I calculate the number of aces expected and record the number of aces seen. Then I adjust the running count with the difference of aces expected and aces seen. The adjusted true count follows just as any true count would follow from a running count. The adjusted true count is then used for the betting decision.
The number of aces expected is calculated each 1/4 deck, 1 ace per quarter deck. At card 13 we would expect to see 1 ace, at card 26 2 aces, at card 39 3 aces and so on. At card 52 4 aces. So at card 46 we would have expected to see 3 aces. If for example we have only seen 2 aces then the remainder of the shoe has an excess of 1 ace so the running count for betting is increased by the value in the side count field. If we have seen 4 aces the adjusted running count is decreased by the value in the side count field.
If the remainder of the shoe is 2 aces short or 2 aces extra then the adjusted running count would be adjusted by 2x the value in the asc field.
If we wanted to be more aggressive about extra aces one could expect 1 ace at card 7, 2 aces at card 20, 3 aces at card 33, 4 aces at card 46 and so on. For now it is using the more conservative method of declaring extra aces. This could be something to look into or have an option for.
I can see how all this can be confusing but basically it is just trying to determine if there are extra aces remaining in the shoe than expected or or fewer aces remaining than expected. And then adjusting the count for betting only.
Thanks,
Phil