...was that you probably wouldn't enjoy blackjack that much if you were a normal personality type, not neccessarily that blackjack players were abnormal. Also, the way I read it is kind of tongue-in-cheek-ie we're all a bit mad y'know.
"Those who dance are considered crazy by those who cannot hear the music."
I am a new player, and things are going very well, without any card counting. I am wondering if my limited experience (about 50 sessions) is too small to be meaningful.
Here is what I do: I play absolutely perfect basic strategy (Vegas Strip 6-deck) and never count cards. I play about $50/hand on average. I go up and I go down. When I am up about $300-400 or so, I quit - every single time. I take the win money and put it in the bank. So far, so good - I am way ahead.
Too good to be true? Maybe one of you experienced players can tell me why my bubble might burst soon....
is very highly stressful, knowing that your living relies on the draw of some cards....
still, i dont work much more than 5 hrs a week most of the time (unless im going for a 'big haul')....
i get about 5k AU a week (US$3k), that fine for me, im 19, only expenses are rent (about $400 US/week), and going out...
get the big $$$ on my trips to other casinos in the country...
its my only source of income, it allows me to live the lavish lifestyle most people want to live....i have more money than i know what to do with (nearly, i have expensive taste in cars)...
i love the way i live, i earn more than most people of any age group at 19yo, i can afford to go out every night, or travel overseas whenever i want...i have all the time in the world, (too much time, too much money)
but it aint glamorous (is any job really????)
but it does beat the hell out of anything else...
its a flexible, high$ income, if i get burned out (after only 2-3 sessions/week????not likely), ill take a few weeks off...
it really only took me mental toughness in the beginning, when i could afford to lose...now i can, its fine...
now im comfortable, i work very little hrs, very little stress, do whatever i want whenever i want....im just lucky im one of the players who made it....
ha ha yeh im with that line....
its hard but we earn rediculous $$$ esp. for the little hrs put in
With perfect basic strategy, you are playing at a mathematical dis-advantage to the house of between .19% (Single-deck, dealer hits soft 17, double any 2 cards including after splits) to .74% (Double-deck, double on origial hard 10 or 11 only, dealer hits soft 17).
No betting or playing scheme will allow you to beat the house on a consistent basis over the long-haul except card counting. When card counting, the house wins most hands so you must have more money on the table during the minority of hands that you have a mathematical advantage (a plus count). The harder you push such spreads, the more heat you draw, and the more standard deviation you will be subject to.
If standard deviation goes solidly against you (a losing streak), you could blow your bankroll if it is not sufficient (risk of ruin).
I liken card counting to skiing double-diamond powder: In such skiing, you must push your weight out far over your skis and literally "hang" yourself out over a knee-deep 40-degree slope to master the art... precarious for most folks but necessary to kick-ass in the fluff. Similarly, to win money in blackjack, you must push serious money onto the table when you have a 2 to 4% advantage over the house and double/split everything they give you. If the cards fall wrong, you're out $thousands in minutes... like catching an edge when your far out over the tips of your skis on the double-diamond, powder slope... you'll crash and burn all the way to the lodge bud!
Good luck,
Spokanimal
This actually happened to me in nova scotia (GREAT casino IMHO), true count was in orbit and dealer gives me a pair of sixes with dealer showing a 5 as dealer upcard.
Obviously, I split, next card is a 6, split again, next card is a 4, double down, pull a 10. Now go to play hand number two, pull a 6, split again, now I have four hands, take my second card for hand number two and get a 3, then double down and pull another 10. Second card to hand number 3 is an Ace, double down and pull a 3. Second card to hand number four is a 5, double down and pull a 8.
So, I now have four hands, all doubled down with the following totals:
hand one: 20
hand two: 19
hand three: 20
hand four: 19
This against the dealer 5. So, what does the dealer do? remember, the count was in orbit. Dealer has a 10 as the hole card, I'm thinking GREAT!! here comes the break card, dealer hits and gets an A, dealer hits again, and gets, ready for this? another 5, dealer pulls to 21.
Guess what my original bet was, now multiplied by 8? $200. OUCH. So, in one hand I lost $1,600.00.
Your going to have hands like that, your going to have shoes where you lose several of these hands.
Steve
plenty of ski hills up this way but Tahoe has a real charm... and BJ!
Spok
it's important to have an adequate bankroll for your bet level and a good understanding of the statistics involved. I've had this incident happen a few times myself. I've also won my fair share of these.
Interesting....Could you share with us what is your bankroll now and your min/max bet to achieve such a luxurious lifestyle? I am considering going PRO. My boss is an asshole, but I haven't been very lucky this year at land casinos, made some money at online casinos, but I can't see how I could make a living out of it. I can dedicate a substantial bankroll in the six figures to this game if I choose to.
Your experience may shed some light. Also any inputs on your overall game strategy. I have only played a couple of times at Australian and NZ casinos, and that was before I started counting cards, so I don't remember the odds, but I know you can play behind other players, and there's money to be made that way if you are part of a team (ref: Ian Andersen'd Burning the tables in LV page 252-253).
Thanks
