Hollywood: I HAVE A QUESTION?

[Hollywood]

I'm sitting at a table this weekend and I get my face kicked in 3 out of every 4 times the count is on pluto. Which as we all know is the difference between winning and losing.

With my max bets on the table when I had 19 the dealer had 20.

At the highest of counts I would get a big card and a small card and was constantly having to hit my 12 13 and 14 against a dealer picture who was almost always pat with 20, while I took the 10's and busted.

Now this is no big deal, because it's where SD comes in and quite obviously just the game.

But, my question is this. What's the difference between SD and plain old luck? I know luck is a curseword in here. But, under these conditions how can it be?

If the count is really high, and you continuously are placed in the position I was in where i draw a pat 19 and the dealer 20, isn't that just plain old bad luck?

Just curious,

Hollywood

[Norm Wattenberger]

Standard deviation is just a method of measuring the likely bounds of luck. In a phone coversation last month, after I explained to a progression player the reason that he has been winning is luck; he laughed and declared that no mathematician believes in luck. I told him that all mathematicians believe in luck. And they have methods of measuring the possible effects of luck. I have no problem with the word at all.

[Small Player]

I appreciate your indulgence with and your willingness to educate a progressionist.