When I get stuck at 1st base I find it difficult to count all the other players cards as soon as the dealers deals,so when it is my move I am still trying to count.So usually I just count mine and the dealers cards then count the other players cards as they are played,so therefore I will not be making the correct deviations from bs,will this affect my win rate by much?
> When I get stuck at 1st base I find it
> difficult to count all the other players
> cards as soon as the dealers deals,so when
> it is my move I am still trying to count.So
> usually I just count mine and the dealers
> cards then count the other players cards as
> they are played,so therefore I will not be
> making the correct deviations from bs,will
> this affect my win rate by much?
No. But why are you "stuck" at first base? Don't sit anywhere where you aren't comfortable. No one can force you to play.
Don
> No. But why are you "stuck" at
> first base? Don't sit anywhere where you
> aren't comfortable. No one can force you to
> play.
Its because at one of the casinos if you want to surrender you have to do it before the player at 1st base takes a card and sometimes I have not finished counting all the cards,so he starts to play and I miss out on surrendering.So sometimes I sit at 1st base to not miss out.
Also with this type of surrender rule you are not surrendering at the proper count all the time,will you lose much by this?
I have played under exactly the same su conditions that you mention.
For me atleast the count starts with the dealers up card as normal but the difference is that if he is showing a card which I will PROBABLY surrender against, ie 10 or ace then I count my cards next before the other players to establish the PROBABLE play of the hand.If however the dealer shows a non su card then I count my cards after the player to my leftas usual.
> Its because at one of the casinos if you
> want to surrender you have to do it before
> the player at 1st base takes a card and
> sometimes I have not finished counting all
> the cards,so he starts to play and I miss
> out on surrendering.
Very weird rule. Does the dealer at least wait to see if anyone wants to surrender? How fast do you have to be? In such a situation, I might get very familiar with the traditional surrenders, and every time such a hand is dealt to you, simply say, "Wait a second," as if to indicate that you are thinking about surrendering.
> So sometimes I sit at
> 1st base to not miss out.
Understood. But, then, you're missing out on counting all the other cards before you play your hand. Probably no big deal.
> Also with this type of surrender rule you
> are not surrendering at the proper count all
> the time. Will you lose much by this?
No, not at all. Suppose you playing in a closed game. You'd miss some cards that way, too. The average penetration at which you make all surrenders will be slightly penalized. No big deal.
Don
> Very weird rule. Does the dealer at least
> wait to see if anyone wants to surrender?
> How fast do you have to be? In such a
> situation, I might get very familiar with
> the traditional surrenders, and every time
> such a hand is dealt to you, simply say,
> "Wait a second," as if to indicate
> that you are thinking about surrendering.
No the dealer doesnt usually ask,I was thinking of just telling that I usually surrender 16 v9,10,a and 15 v 10,A.But would this be too obvious.
It is as if they dont want people to surrender.
Also this casino has only 1 bj table so wonging in and out is a bit tricky.
Sometimes when the count is low I just opt out and roll a cigarette.If the count then goes high should i bet in again or would this get heat,i only play red chip.
PaddyBoy,
Don made a very good point about not sitting there if you don't feel comfortable. I learned to play first base by a method I didn't even know I was practicing while doing it. Hopefully you have a computer game to practice on.
Do your practice with a full table and place yourself in the first base seat if possible. When the cards are dealt count the cards in this order: the dealer's upcard, your cards, the cards of the player on your left, and any blackjacks if the dealer is not showing a ten or an ace. Don't count up any other hands during this time as you want to ingrain a routine into your head. After you've played your hand count the other players cards as they are acted upon.
Once you are able to count the dealer's, your's, and the player to your lefts cards by the time it's your turn to bet add the second player to your lefts cards to your initial count before playing your hand. Then so on to the end of the table (or as far as you can go). Hit 'em hard, The Side
Side I like the bit about counting other peoples Bjs as this automatically registers as -2,but I think I will have to count them as soon as they are on the table before they come to me no matter where I am sitting.If I cant do this then I may as well give up.
Is PC BJ really a help,I think there is no comparison to real experience.
How many hours a week(real world) should I be playing to become competent
As I play a fair amount in hotel casinos abroad and often face the same conditions.To WI is not practical but to WO is absolutely essential!
I often sit out negative hands as often there is a TV showing a game etc and either wait until the TC is positive or mostly wait until the shuffle.This method is highly effective and is the Mr perfect that Don mentions in BJA[p-304].
I heve never encountered heat with this strategy.
I play about 10 hours a week on average but this is nowhere near enough for me so I also practice with Casino Verite which is amazing.
PaddyBoy, Counting all the hands before it's your turn to play your hand is the goal. You mentioned in the previous post that you were having trouble doing this from first base. I wanted to help you learn to count all the cards, so I suggested this practice drill where you move towards that goal one step at a time, rather than trying do it all at once.
A good practice program like Casino Verite Blackjack (CVBJ) is an invaluable tool. Not only can you practice your play and counting under simulated game conditions, there are drills for playing of hands, deck estimation, and counting. Once you have learned the count and indices try this daily practice schedule to stay in shape (alotting an hour daily to it):
1) Count down twenty decks (Increase your speed progressively until you can do each one in 25 seconds or less). Once you can count accurately on a consistent basis, if you make a mistake do not count that deck as one of your 20. The computer is much better than an actual deck for this as it won't let you slow down the cards at difficult points.
2) Do ten minutes of basic strategy and indices practice with the programs flashcards. You should also make flashcards from index cards which include both basic strategy plays and the deviation indices and review them just before going into the casino, This is especially important if you decide to learn thirty or more indices, as some of them will not be seen that often while you are actually playig and you want to keep them fresh in your mind. (Thank Lawrence Revere for this advice.)
3) Do 100 deck estimation drills daily. CVBJ allows you to adjust the size of the discard tray and by holding actual decks of cards next to the screen you can set the cards on the screen to the same size.
4) Finish off the hour with some play at the computer game. If you have the time try to play an additional hour or so every day, or every other day.
I hope this helps a little. Hit 'em hard, The Side
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