blackjacker6: beginner questions

[blackjacker6]

First time ever posting. I am new to the site. I have played blackjack for years with a basic startegy card that I bought at a vegas casino gift shop. I have always played like a machine ( according to the card). I almost always win or breakeven at the end of the trip. I have wanted to take my game to the next level. I know my biggest flaw is that I don't know how to bet. I don't know when to increase or press and when to play my initial bet. I have a friend who is a huge gambler and he plays a negative 4 progression style. But it seems to me that style requires a huge bankroll. Yet he has won massive sums of money in the last four months. What do you reccomend?
I ordered the strategy card package not long ago, and I have a few questions. First is their some kind of information sheet that was supposed to be included as it says on the back at the very top of the card, and if so is their a place online that I can read it. Second, which is the most advantagous game situation to play, single deck, 2 deck, 4 deck, or 6 or 8 deck. And what is the best counting method to use. Sorry for all the questions in one e-mail . Thnak you!!

[Parker]

> First time ever posting. I am new to the
> site. I have played blackjack for years with
> a basic startegy card that I bought at a
> vegas casino gift shop. I have always played
> like a machine ( according to the card). I
> almost always win or breakeven at the end of
> the trip.

You have been lucky. Even playing perfect basic strategy, the house still has an edge. Eventually, you will lose all your money.

> I have wanted to take my game to
> the next level. I know my biggest flaw is
> that I don't know how to bet. I don't know
> when to increase or press and when to play
> my initial bet. I have a friend who is a
> huge gambler and he plays a negative 4
> progression style. But it seems to me that
> style requires a huge bankroll. Yet he has
> won massive sums of money in the last four
> months. What do you reccomend?

Your friend has been even more fortunate than you. A betting progression will not turn a negative expectation game into a positive expectation game. Someone using a betting progression will eventually lose all their money, just like the basic strategy flat bettor.

The only way to be a long-term winner at blackjack is to play with an edge. The simplest way to do this is to learn how to count cards.

> I ordered the strategy card package not long
> ago, and I have a few questions. First is
> their some kind of information sheet that
> was supposed to be included as it says on
> the back at the very top of the card, and if
> so is their a place online that I can read
> it. Second, which is the most advantagous
> game situation to play, single deck, 2 deck,
> 4 deck, or 6 or 8 deck. And what is the best
> counting method to use. Sorry for all the
> questions in one e-mail . Thnak you!!

The fewer decks the better, providing that the rules are the same. Avoid any game in which the payout for a blackjack has been reduced to 6:5.

There is no "best" counting method. Any of the popular counts will get the job done. The more complex counts yield a slight increase in performance at the cost of considerable mental effort. Most beginners start with a level 1 count such as Knockout (KO), Hi-lo, or KISS count.

[Myooligan]

I have a friend who is a
> huge gambler and he plays a negative 4
> progression style. But it seems to me that
> style requires a huge bankroll. Yet he has
> won massive sums of money in the last four
> months. What do you reccomend?

First, I'd recommend following Parker's suggestions I'd also recommend you think about your friend's winnings the same way statisticians would: His story constitutes a "sample size" of 1. You need to a much larger sample size to figure out if his case was a fluke, or a likely outcome. This is why blackjack research involves computer simulations of millions and millions of hands -- that's how many "samples" we need to make an intelligent assessment.

In the case of "progressive" betting systems, the research shows that they will fail in the long term. If you want to know why, see www.bjmath.com > table of contents > betting strategies > progressive betting > "A Review of Progressive Betting Systems" by Mike Lea.

>And what is the best counting method to use. >Sorry for all the questions in one e-mail . >Thnak you!!

You can also find info about that on bjmath.com, though as someone who's spent probably 100s of hours trying to figure out the best system to use, again I'd say just listen to Parker's advice.

[Bettie]

> I ordered the strategy card package not long
> ago, and I have a few questions. First is
> their some kind of information sheet that
> was supposed to be included as it says on
> the back at the very top of the card, and if
> so is their a place online that I can read
> it.

I assume that you are the gentleman who called earlier and then did find the instruction sheet in your order? If not, make sure to check inside all of your cards, as I am sure that you will find the instruction sheet.

Bettie

[blackjacker6]

What a great site...quick answers to questions and lots of information to read...i have a few more question for today if you wouldn't mind.....is it possible to find a 2deck s17 w/sur on the vegas strip or in vegas? for a beginner is their an advantage to playing 2 deck over 6 or 8 deck or vice versa? where do i learn about betting varations, when to bet what amount? I bought the new schlesinger bbok...but it seems rather advanced. i have read a few books..is their a couple all around good books you could recommend? thanks again..i love this site!!!!

> You have been lucky. Even playing perfect
> basic strategy, the house still has an edge.
> Eventually, you will lose all your money.

> Your friend has been even more fortunate
> than you. A betting progression will not
> turn a negative expectation game into a
> positive expectation game. Someone using a
> betting progression will eventually lose all
> their money, just like the basic strategy
> flat bettor.

> The only way to be a long-term winner at
> blackjack is to play with an edge. The
> simplest way to do this is to learn how to
> count cards.

> The fewer decks the better, providing that
> the rules are the same. Avoid any game in
> which the payout for a blackjack has been
> reduced to 6:5. There is no
> "best" counting method. Any of the
> popular counts will get the job done. The
> more complex counts yield a slight increase
> in performance at the cost of considerable
> mental effort. Most beginners start with a
> level 1 count such as Knockout (KO), Hi-lo,
> or KISS count.

[Parker]

> What a great site...quick answers to
> questions and lots of information to
> read...i have a few more question for today
> if you wouldn't mind.....is it possible to
> find a 2deck s17 w/sur on the vegas strip or
> in vegas?

I don't think so. There are a few casinos with DD w/S17 (Stardust comes to mind), and there might be one or two casinos with DD w/surrender, but I can't think of anywhere that offers both.

> for a beginner is their an
> advantage to playing 2 deck over 6 or 8 deck
> or vice versa?

As I mentioned in my earlier reply, the fewer the decks, the lower the initial house advantage, providing that all other rules are the same. Of course, for the beginner, perhaps the most important consideration is a low table minimum, so the shoe might be best for you. Also, it is easier to learn shoes and then go to DD or single deck than vice versa.

> where do i learn about
> betting varations, when to bet what amount?
> I bought the new schlesinger bbok...but it
> seems rather advanced. i have read a few
> books..is their a couple all around good
> books you could recommend? thanks again..i
> love this site!!!!

Don's book is definitely not for beginners. It assumes that you already have a basic knowledge of blackjack and know how to count cards.

I posted some good books to start with last week. Here is a link to that post:

Beginner's books

[cvgtpc1]

Hi Parker, I checked out the book list. Can you recommend any books applied more towards SD besides Thorpe's?

> I don't think so. There are a few casinos
> with DD w/S17 (Stardust comes to mind), and
> there might be one or two casinos with DD
> w/surrender, but I can't think of anywhere
> that offers both.

> As I mentioned in my earlier reply, the
> fewer the decks, the lower the initial house
> advantage, providing that all other rules
> are the same. Of course, for the beginner,
> perhaps the most important consideration is
> a low table minimum, so the shoe might be
> best for you. Also, it is easier to learn
> shoes and then go to DD or single deck than
> vice versa.

> Don's book is definitely not for beginners.
> It assumes that you already have a basic
> knowledge of blackjack and know how to count
> cards.

> I posted some good books to start with last
> week. Here is a link to that post: