Why do you play blackjack?

I believe if one were truly successful as a BJ player, such analytical skills and temperament would serve more lucrative in another endeavor. Maybe you enjoy being a non-conformist, maybe you couldn't graduate college, or maybe you have some handicap which allows you to succeed in this but not in the mainstream. But, one thing you must have had was available money and you chose blackjack. Why? This is a why of curiosity, not criticism. You don't have to be a pro either, just an advantage player who supplements his income. We are a rare breed. It takes a lot of money and free time to do this, and even more if you have a family. Chances are you don�t live close to a casino of your choice either. I have played regularly now for a good 7 years and have only spotted a handful of counters. Of course, I have probably seen more but they weren�t revealed to me. Too much is written about the how of blackjack, but not the why. Just about every book author doesn�t play for a living, but advocates play or they wouldn�t be selling it (in good faith). I think the sociological look is potentially interesting and untapped. I know the psychology of gambling has been studied, but not to the extent of the BJ advantage player, which is different.
I don't do it for financial security, I have that. It has taken years for me to develop into a good player, but a true pro I�ll never be. I did it back then for the mistake that it was easy money. I do it now because I take pride in owning the skill that has taken me so long to invest in; I don't even have to win money. I enjoy the attention the pit gives me if I'm about to be backed off or barred. I feel like I am an elite player and above every other gambler. I don�t like the fact that I am denied action, but I can�t deny this situational feeling. I guess subconsciously it�s a revealing reward for all this effort and work when we are supposed to be so reticent. This is why I really play.

Dave

Hi Dave!

I guess the answer is that I play it, because it is an instructive hobby. It's just like chess. My father used to make a nice side living hustling others for money at chess when he was a student. Yet there is a deep theory behing chess that makes the game fun. The same thing applies to BJ, it is a nice hobby and there is a deep statistical theory behing it that makes it fun. And you can win money...

Why do we play baseball in the afternoons? We are never going to become professionals, yet we still do it. It keeps our body fresh and we enjoy the game. We can recite the batting averages on every player in our team and have done extensive research into the chances that our team will make it to the World Series. Same with BJ, it keeps our head fresh and it's nice to calculate the chances we are going to come ahead.

Yeah, I guess that's it...

Bellatrix

...at my age, nobody will hire me for anything close to what I'm worth; so I had no choice but to fall back on playing 21.

Yes, it's lonely, it's often boring, often stressful, and I do not like the amount of time it requires me to spend away from home and family.

But it sure beats the hell out of night-clerking at the 7-11.

Curious to now what your ages are now currently(And where you are as a player AKA skill level) and what age you began to seriously play 21 as an advantage player. Im about 2months into my 18th birthday and i have began to play as much as i can and learn as much as i can. I would love to play this game at an extremly high skill level, although not for a living. I would still take it very serious. In the last two weeks i have began my Counting pratice on the Hi-lo and KO systems, and mastering the basic strats. Just looking for some encouragement that i didnt start too late.

Thanks

I would say that at 18 years old, you are not a washed up geezer to feeble and senile to learn advangage play BJ.

Just barely, though. As long as you know everything by 20, you should be fine.

Seriously, though, lots of people don't take it up until much later in life. Good luck to you!

I consider it my part-time job. I get to pick my own hours and the operations runs 24 X 7. That's great flexibility!!

No i disagree about being to young. I have a very good head on my shoulders (i hope i spell it right) and i earn my money. So i dont by any means just blow it, i have sat down twice at a BJ table and had an amazing bankroll of 20 dollors and ya Duh lost it all. I dont plan on going back till i have a big enough bankroll for the max Bet limit at the table, and knowing my basic strats, and good amount a live counting time. (I go to the casion and act like i look on a dad or mom and just keep up on counting the live 7 player tables, cheepest live action i can get). I do really love this game im just looking for as much help as i can get. I was thinking around 20yrs old i would begin to step up to higher limits playing maybe a few days weekly, on a hour session or so and try to get serious.

So if anyones has some advice let me know!!

Thanks alot!!

I started CC at 33 years old after losing heavilly on stocks market. I think it is Ok to start young and can even be a good thing if you know how to control yourself. BJ CC can be a good training for patience and diversifications. If I started young, I might not make mistakes in playing the real big casino (stocks) and lost big. I started shuffle tracking after about 5 years into pro BJ, too late and I know I ahve lost many profitable opportunities. So my advices to you is learn CC well, train yourself on the importance of diversifications and patience, learn shuffle tracking earlier. Good Luck.

I happen to be an International Master of Chess but I make a lot more money with Blackjack.Even Grandmasters have problems making a living with Chess.
But I must admit there are some parallels. Some time ago I stripped a neighbour of a few hundred bucks simply because he couldn't imagine I would beat him in Chess me playing blindfold (without sight of the board).
Likewise we can make good money at Blackjack because too many people in the casino industry still think it's impossible to count through a six-deck-shoe.

Francis Salmon

Start writing your book now kiddo (<------HAH!!!!). First off, you may have some idea of what BJ is. Playing in the casino for the first time is a culture shock. People leave their concience and common sense at the door and sometimes they forget it when they leave.

Here are a few tips I would give anyone starting up in a casino.

-Don't listen to ANY player. (Present company accepted of course.)

-Don't think that the dealer, floorman, or Pit boss is happy and giddy to see you lose a hundred bucks. You may think that is a lot right now but they are more interested in the range of 5000 or more.

-Players may get very upset when you do something in BJ they don't like. Don't pay any attention. You may tell them "That the way I play sorry" if that doesn't work and it gets heated, call the floorman.

--IMPORTANT--A NOTE ON TIPPING

-Now this is a touchy subject. TIP THE DEALER SOMETHING DURING PLAY. A courtesy is 10 percent of your bet when you get a BlackJack. (Example: you bet 50 bucks get BJ, get five dollar chips and put a 5 dollar bet just outside the betting circle if you win the dealer wins as well, if you lose, well big deal, whats a five dollar chip when you are betting 50!)

-Given the situation above which you will run into a lot actually, the floorman will ask the dealer who is at fault in the argument. Since the decision could really go either way, many dealers w
will "vote" the non-tipper out, for one obvious reason.

-Since counters generally don't tip anything, this will give the indication that you are NOT a counter. The dealer will be pulling for you to win and so will the floorman actually. Why the floorman? He is either still a dealer (called Duel Rate) or he used to be a dealer not that long ago, and can see that you are a "friend".

---Anyway see ya on the message board and keep practicing.