Kasey: Confused about risk and SCORE

[Kasey]

I continue to confuse myself with SCORE and DI and any discussion of risk versus expectation.

I know that if I have sufficient bankroll, and my objective is to get the money, games with the highest SCORE's would give the best results.

However, that is not my objective for playing blackjack.

I'm a recreational player who goes to Las Vegas once or twice a year. I don't have a bankroll in the usual definition. I take a trip bankroll of whatever I feel like I could lose and still enjoy myself. I just want to spread enough to be playing a winning game, so over time I should come out about even. I believe these are the kinds of games usually referred to by advantage players as "a waste of time".

If I play the games with the best SCORE's, I will be over betting my trip bankroll and I have a high chance of losing it early in the trip. Not fun.

This is where I get confused. I have no trouble determining a spread that will get me above break even for a given set of rules.

However, I often suspect I could use a different ramp or larger spread with the same risk of losing my trip bankroll and a better chance of coming out ahead. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to reason it all out.

Am I right that I could adjust my ramp and spread in this manner? Is all the information I need in the SCORE's and I just haven't figured out how to use them correctly?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Kasey

[Don Schlesinger]

> I'm a recreational player who goes to Las
> Vegas once or twice a year. I don't have a
> bankroll in the usual definition. I take a
> trip bankroll of whatever I feel like I
> could lose and still enjoy myself. I just
> want to spread enough to be playing a
> winning game, so over time I should come out
> about even. I believe these are the kinds of
> games usually referred to by advantage
> players as "a waste of time".

Any reason why you can't seek out the best games, despite your stated intentions?

> If I play the games with the best SCORE's, I
> will be over betting my trip bankroll and I
> have a high chance of losing it early in the
> trip. Not fun.

That's plain silly. there is no circumstance conceivable, no matter what your goal, whereby it would be preferable to play poorer games. Makes no sense at all. You want to spread 1-2? find the best game to do it at!

The statement that you will be overbetting your bankroll makes no sense. You have a right to choose any ROR you please, and bet accordingly. Why on earth would you choose the worst games at which to do that?

> This is where I get confused. I have no
> trouble determining a spread that will get
> me above break even for a given set of
> rules.

Fine. Now do that at the best game you can find!

> However, I often suspect I could use a
> different ramp or larger spread with the
> same risk of losing my trip bankroll and a
> better chance of coming out ahead.
> Unfortunately, I haven't been able to reason
> it all out.

That's because there's nothing to reason. What you're saying makes no sense.

> Am I right that I could adjust my ramp and
> spread in this manner? Is all the
> information I need in the SCORE's and I just
> haven't figured out how to use them
> correctly?

Yes.

> Any help would be appreciated.

Don't be vague. State precisely what you want to accomplish. Don't leave out a single detail. State your bank, acceptable ROR, what you want to win, etc.

Don