Stan: Question on bet size vs bankroll

[Stan]

I'm a complete newbie to all this and just started learing basic strategy after mixed results playing at Sams Town in Las Vegas where wife likes to stay. The game I've been playing uses 2 decks, H17, DA2, DAS & No surrender. I usually sit down with two to three hundred bucks. Lowest game in the house is a $10 minimum. After several plays betting the $10 minimum, results have been low or a loss. It seems I do much better when I bet 20 or 25 and this seems to go against everything I read in here? My question therefore is what's the best advice for a guy like me who only plays three or four times a year with two or three hundred bucks to wager?

Thanks,

Stan

[David]

> I'm a complete newbie to all this and just
> started learing basic strategy after mixed
> results playing at Sams Town in Las Vegas
> where wife likes to stay. The game I've been
> playing uses 2 decks, H17, DA2, DAS & No
> surrender. I usually sit down with two to
> three hundred bucks. Lowest game in the
> house is a $10 minimum. After several plays
> betting the $10 minimum, results have been
> low or a loss. It seems I do much better
> when I bet 20 or 25 and this seems to go
> against everything I read in here? My
> question therefore is what's the best advice
> for a guy like me who only plays three or
> four times a year with two or three hundred
> bucks to wager?

> Thanks,

> Stan
This is a fascinating question to me. There are two distinct choices here. Entertainment or profit, but they are not mutually exclusive. Having 100 x your minimum bet as your bankroll seems to be the correct amount if you play the game for profit. Management of bankroll has been far more difficult to master than learning Basic Strategy, despite every author under the sun driving the point home. When you happen to play unexpectantly, for entertainment or social reasons, then $300 is fine for a $10 table. A general rule I employ in this situation is that when you win what you brought to the table...leave. This offends many humorless players, for you might leave in the middle of a generous shoe. If losing $300 in an hours play would in any way upset you.....play for less.

[Stan]

Thanks David for your candid response. I have to believe my beter luck making $20 - $25 bets in this $10 game is that old "standard deviation" smiling on me in the short term. Shoo, I violate all the rules at times, drink beer, bet gut feelings, etc. Playin by the book is sooo boring after a while....and can be so slow. Clearly I don't have the makeup to be a professional.... still had to ask the question for the occasional player in managing his money. So far, I've had much better wins making 9 $50 bets with my $300 BR or 18 $25 bets than 30 $10 bets. No body ever seems to talk about this?

Stan

[Adam N. Subtractum]

>So far, I've had much better wins making 9 $50 >bets with my $300 BR or 18 $25 bets than 30 $10 >bets. No body ever seems to talk about this?

Perhaps this table from the World's Greatest BJ Book will help shed some light on the subject for you.

"Chance of Doubling Bankroll Before Going Broke"

bankroll to be doubled (units)
player adv. and frequencies

1 10 20 50 100
-2.0% .490% .401% .310% .119% .018%
+2.0% .510% .599% .690% .881% .982%

sorry about the format..

This info is quite dated, but serves our purposes regardless. The point is that when you are at a disadvantage, your best chance of doubling your bankroll, is to play the whole BR on one hand. The more betting units you try to double, the smaller your chances. A progression known as the "Devil's Staircase" is based on this fact, but should not concern you.

ANS