Team play

According to most of the bj authorities, team play is an efficient way to maximize wins, while lessening the sometimes devastating effects of standard deviation. Your bank increases; so you can bet more (and win more in the long run). Also, you can reach the long run faster, since by using a team you can log more hours in a shorter period of time. My question involves how to find skilled, trustworthy players who can join a team. Where do you find these players? I am somewhat of a novice counter, and don't know any adept counters who I'd be comfortable with on a team. Most counters are simply not proficient enough to ensure the small edge that the counting systems promise. Plus there is the honesty factor; how do you know your teammates are being truthful and accurate about the results they report. Not knowing many highly skilled counters, what would be the best way to pursue team play (i.e. meeting quality counters)? Obviously, you cannot find them in casinos, since the subject could not be discussed there. I'm also a bit leery of finding them on line. So my question, in essence, is where and how can one best find quality counters who may be interested in team play?

Backcounter wrote:

"I am somewhat of a novice counter . . .".

No team will take a chance on a novice counter.

Once you've put in the hundreds of hours necessary to become really proficient, and are good enough and bankrolled well enough to consistently grind out a reasonable profit, the answer to your question will become apparent to you.

Until then, study all the good BJ books, and practice, practice, and practice some more.

Good luck.

of newbie counters such as yourself, and not have very high expectations. I and most others with successful teams have had several failed team efforts. Most will split up in a short time because of personality conflicts. Also, the winning players will be unhappy with the losing players and figure they can do better on their own. If you get six guys together, perhaps two of you will find you see things the same way and can work together. After this team splits apart the two of you can try again with some more guys. You might find another one or two who will work out. After a few years you may be able to put together a group that functions well.

the internet, bj tournaments, and observation of others at the table. Of those you see at the table, I would not approach any who bet multiple black as they are obviously successful already and you will likely get a very paranoid reaction if you attempt to approach them or acknowledge their skill in any way at the table (showing them your cards and hinting that they should show you theirs, etc, other novice moves, winks, etc. Just ignore them.)Look for what seem to be good players who appear to be undercapitalized. Most of these guys will be receptive to the opportunity of playing to a bigger bank.

About the interent, you don't put up a post advertising for players. You suggest the idea privately to contacts you make on the internet after you have developed a long term correspondence relationship (many months to years).

After you have several good contacts, you can then work via referals from these guys.

Thanks DD for the info. I'm fairly new to the trade with only 60 hours of play but have been wondering about the team approach for the future as it will take some time to build my bank. Thanks again.

Walk on.

Hiker

Most counters are simply not proficient enough to ensure the small edge that the counting systems promise.

While it is obviously a good idea to have a counter on your team who makes one mistake per day instead of one mistake per hour, all things being equal, unfortunately all things are not equal.
Mistakes do comparatively little to damage a counters advantage. You would have to something unreallistically bad like continually reverse the sign of the count to wipe out your edge. I doubt any counter in the world is so bad that they would play with a disadvantage provided they use an acceptable bet spread in an acceptable game.

Far, far more important than selecting high quality players is the trust/ego factor. One thief will bankrupt a team. One dysfunctional personality will cause the team to disintegrate.

It is better to go to the tree to pick the ripest fruit rather than the barrel. I have always had the best results with players I trained myself. They have a natural enthusiasm for the subject which tends to eliminate dishonesty, and they tend to trust your judgement when you hit the negative fluctuations. Contrast this with allowing some grizzled grifter on your team, who owes you no respect and has acquired a cynicism about the game through years of play, and may be trying to make one big score and get out of the game for good.

Most card counters like you can't win in the long run. Reasons are as follows:

1: Most are undercapitalise, given enough hands they will reach ruin.

2: Expenses like tipping, travelling, spending bankroll.

3: Most make enough errors to reduce their edge, thus giving flse confidence and ROR much higher.

4: ROR for fix betting is not linear, chance of losing first 1/2 br is very high. Most are not prepare to lose so much so fast which may reduce them to a bet size not enough to cover costs.

5: Most of the better players are blind.

The first 4 reasons are things to be considered. But not all are blind, as you say.