heeeeelp. i suck at BJ!

I've drained about $1700 playing blackjack last month. This local casino that I frequently visit has "Progressive Blackjack." The dealer hits on soft 17, no surrender, double down, splits, 6 decks. Anyway, I usually bet $5 a hand (since it's the minimum) and I would go on a roller coaster ride. This one time I went up $200 by betting $5 hands and doubling down at the right time and of course...this one time I went down $300 straight by betting $5 hands. Sometimes I would bet $15-25 just because...I just feel like I'm gonna get a BJ. Well, I finally picked up Kevin Blackwoods' How to play Blackjack like the pros. I decided to go with the Hi Low system since I'm gonna play 6 deck BJ more than the single deck BJ. (Not that I could find any casinos around where I live that offer single deck BJ) Anyway, I could count a single deck in about 50 seconds right now. Not bad for a first timer. I am shooting for 20 seconds and once I get there, I'm probably gonna go back to the casino and bet $5 hands until the counts in the +5 or more...preferrably +10 or more, then I'm going to bet $25 a hand or maybe even $50. I doubt the casino would kick me out for card counting because all the dealers and pit bosses know me by name and...they know that I...suck. Hopefully I could get my money back. I've tried my snail like card counting skills on yahoo and it sorta worked.

Do you guys any tips for me?

I have read quite a few books and read Blackwood's book right before I made my first venture out at the tables. It is a great book and was very helpful. If you recall from the book, he mentions losing the first time out. That can actually be a good learning experience. It has been for me. Helped me to identify my weaknesses. Another book I read just before hitting the tables was Eliot Jacobson's The Blackjack Zone. Great read.

Prior to hitting the tables, I asked for advice on the boards and was told that playing at real tables was a good idea. The experience of playing at the casino is much different than dealing out hands at home. I could count down a deck in about 30 seconds at the time, but found myself losing it frequently at the tables with multiple players and quick dealers..not to mention all of the distraction. I suffered a loss that first time out, too, but I expected it. Someone on the boards called it "tuition" and it was worth it. My approach was very disciplined, though...I would buy in a session for a fairly small amount (e.g. 100) and flat bet 5. I viewed the sessions as training experiences and did not allow myself to chase any losses by overbetting, especially given that I was losing the count frequently. I also avoided letting "hunches" convince me to deviate from basic strategy. Raising bets when you "felt a blackjack coming" was probably not a very good idea. You didn't mention, in your post, your session or trip bankrolls, but I can't stress, enough, the importance of sticking to the session loss limit you set no matter what. Especially since you are new at the tables. It is very easy to develop bad habits at the tables and bad habits will ultimately empty your account. Finally, if you haven't done so, try to practice with multiple hands. I have a table set up at home and have my fiance deal out. She is actually getting faster. I also play the TV in the background and have conversations with her for more realistic practice. If you hit the tables again for live practice, set a small loss limit and try flat betting...don't deviate from strategy. Better to lose a little while gaining solid practice than to lose a lot by playing without discipline.

In the end, know that you are not alone in losing your first time out. At least you are doing the right thing by seeking advice. Take mine with a grain of salt because I am new at this as well. There are many people on here that can offer much better advice than I can. I just thought I would share my experiences.

K

The best approach for someone of your caliber would be to learn the simplest counting system available and then only play when you have an advantage. That means backcounting and using Snyder's Hi-Lo lite. The indices for that system are a breeze but it's still nearly as powerful as some of the tougher level two systems with a larger index population.

whats backcounting?

Also, unless you're trying to see how many hits your post receives, go ahead and put your question in the post title. It'll save time for everybody.

Thanks. :)

I too bought Blackwoods book. It was informative. I use Snyder's Red 7 count. Simply put it better than the majority of other counts for SHOE games. It's easy to learn, and you dont have a gazillion indices to memorize. I can vouch that it works because I usually win most of my sessions. I bet at the red and sometimes green chip level, but a win is a win. All of your stategy decisions are based on the running count. For more precision you can use the true conversion to figure your next bet. Very very simple. Works great in the 65-80% pen shoe games. I'd suggest buying the book "Blackbelt in blackjack". I use that book more than all the others I have. I would also recommed to get the Casino Verite software to practice your counting. I bought the LITE version, and it does what I need it to do at the present.I'm by far NOT a pro high stakes guy. I play on the weekends and am very happy to win most of those sessions. I don't remember if you stated what the penetration is, But I don't settle for less than 75%. Remember what it said in Blackwoods book about the good games. It helped me a lot. I hope this helps.