Vegas Challenge - Travel Channel

Vegas Challenge,

Any body see the recent Travel Channel,"Vegas Challenge", experts from 4 games, blackjack, craps, baccarat, and roulette?!? Plus, they had a rank amatuer, that had to play 3 rounds at each game. At one, time he was in 2nd place! The odds on favorite on was the blackjack counter! Well guess who was the first to go?!?

Each "expert" was given $10,ooo, and one hour of play. Whoever had the most$$ at the end, won!! Mr blackjack quickly went $3000-$4000 in the hole. Then had about $4500 left, with little time, got desperate, bet even more stupid. Lost it all, and like a true loser that he was, blamed the amateur for not playing better basic strategy.

The expert that won was the baccarat chick, betting mostly dealer, using some sort of sequence or progression, to not only quickly take the lead, but to keep it too. Good looker too!

Card counting, yeah right!!

But what you don't see is if you followed all the experts for a longer period of time, the card counter will always come out ahead. Card counting isn't a one time money maker, it's about making money in the long run. If you're going to diss something, make sure you know what you're talking about first.

That show has been run before. Just goes to show that anything can happen in the short run. That's the lure of Las Vegas for the millions that visit each year...That THEY could be the ones going home with the big payday! I love the fact that they run programs like that...It gives everyone the confidence to "give their luck a try". Keeps the coffers full.

Big seminar this month at Sunset Sta. Casino "Learn how to beat the House from the Experts!" Probably some pretty good info too. Casinos like to educate people to the point that they think they know what they're doing. Make the games easy and comfortable so you feel good about playing. Biggest problem casinos have is the "intimidation factor" of table games. Shows like the one you referenced are promotional videos to help people over that intimidation hump.

Hit em hard at the Bacarrat table.

Point Taken,

But if you time it, in and out, with win goals and loss limits, you can make alot, with a progression/regression system! By counting cards, you're waiting for a situation, that may or may not develop. And when it does, it does not mean that you are going to get hi values cards.

And I do know from where I speak. Been gambling for 20 plus years! To count cards, you need a hefty bankroll. I know, cause I used to gount cards. Not that difficult. Lots of headaches! Lot of eyeballing by the dealer, and/or pitboss. They'd shuffle up at their discretion. Piss me off, and I'd move onto another casino. I go up for the weekend now to Vegas, roughtly once a month, catch a great show, enjoy the drinks. And with comps, everything is almost free!!

More to follow

"But if you time it, in and out, with win goals and loss limits, you can make alot, with a progression/regression system!"

This has been discussed ad nauseum. It is nonsense.

"And with the comps everything is almost free."

The key here is "almost". Whenever I travel and play, I always plan to bring home more than I take. Comps are incidentals I use primarily for showing my wife a nicer time. Keep records of your trips for the year, then see how much those free comps cost you.

As far as The Vegas Challenge is concerned, I'm sure every advantage player on this board could have offered up a killer losing session, or just as easily a huge winning session as an example for short term expectation. If anything, the results of The Vegas Challenge gave a few more PC's and Ploppies the impression that counting isn't effective. Every time something like this reaches the public it just makes life easier for the rest of us who know better.

Travel Channel had another recent one-hour show called
"Ten Ways To Win In Las Vegas." Anthony Curtis (and the
authors of the books he publishes) keeps showing up on
these shows. He must be the paid consultant/producer.

Anyway, I remember that Way #8 was "Use Superstition."
They brought in three ladies to strut their stuff. The
video poker player actually went outside, raised her arms
to the sky, and chanted to the moon god, I guess. But
she did win more than the other two players. Does any
one know a good blackjack prayer?

Way #2 was "Learn to Count Cards." Anthony showed us how
at an off-the-strip club I've never heard of. Heads up,
single deck, seemed to be using a $10 to $100 or $125 bet
spread. Bought in for $500. He was down $150 a one point.
Then walked away after 45-minutes ahead about $85. Had the
impression he just wanted to quit for the camera while he
was winning a little. Guess he didn't need a prayer.

Any one remember what Way #1 was on the show?

Since tournaments are of a fixed time or number of hands the strategy for playing blackjack is different. Card counting doesn't help very much due to the short-term nature of the competition. It doesn't hurt either unless it distracts you from paying attention to how your opponents are doing and making sure you are making strategic bets. In a tournament, you don't have to win money you just have to end up with more than your competitors. In a winner take all tournament you try to win or bust-out trying since there is no prize for second place. See Stanford Wong's "Casino Tournament Strategy" for how to modify your play for a tournament.