bob: ko vs red 7

[bob]

i was wanting to get into counting and wanted to start out with something easy. I have it narrowed down to these two. anyone have any thoughts.

P.s. does anyone know which one is more effective

[Parker]

> i was wanting to get into counting and
> wanted to start out with something easy. I
> have it narrowed down to these two. anyone
> have any thoughts.

Both are level one unbalanced counts that are quite similar in ease of use and effectiveness.

KO is described in Knockout Blackjack by Ken Fuchs and Olaf Vancura. Red 7 is described in Blackbelt in Blackjack by Arnold Snyder. Blackbelt in Blackjack is presently out of print, although it is not difficult to find a copy online.

> P.s. does anyone know which one is more
> effective

As mentioned above, they are pretty close. There is a good comparison in Don Schlesinger's Blackjack Attack, 2nd Edition.

Unbalanced counts are most accurate at their pivot point. KO has a pivot equivalent to a Hi-lo true count of +4; Red 7's pivot is at +2.

Because of this, KO tends to edge out Red 7 in games with very good penetration, while Red 7 has a slight edge in games with average (or worse) penetration. This makes sense, since we see more high counts in games with deep penetration.

In neither case is the difference significant.

Many people using Red 7 count all the 7's as .5, rather than only counting the red ones. This increases the effectiveness of the count a bit, but also makes it more complicated (and, strictly speaking, a level 2 count).

Either system will get the job done.

[Viktor Nacht]

You can also find Red 7 in Blackjack in the Zone, along with three other counts and some of the most comprhensive blackjack guideance currently available. Link to the book below.

Good Cards,

V

Blackjack in the Zone

[MLB Scout]

> i was wanting to get into counting and
> wanted to start out with something easy. I
> have it narrowed down to these two. anyone
> have any thoughts.

> P.s. does anyone know which one is more
> effective

Check out BJ Attack (2nd edition) or The Worlds Greatest Blackjack Simulation. There is a version on both Red 7 and KO. I have been using Red 7 for several years now with very good results. I count the 7's as .5 which actually makes it a level 2 count. The BS moves are simple, there are only 6 of them. Red 7 is an excellent count for wonging 6 deck games. Dont forget to purchase Casino Verite which comes with Red 7 and KO (I believe) already installed. I have also used Red 7 in spotting work for team play with success.

If you would like more information on Red 7, try doing an archive search on CCCafe. There are some excellent posts from several Red 7 supporters there.

Good Luck..

MLB Scout