What makes a card counter successful in blackjack?

[seriousplayer]

I want everyone's perspective on what makes a card counter successful. From my experience the main elements are sufficient bankroll, a good count system, good act and camo, good game rules and penetration. The most important part is able to survive a series of loses to get to the long run.

[HowMany]

I often hear that all successful counters possess this:

Discipline

[njrich]

Determination.

[shadroch]

Discipline and a large bankroll. One is almost worthless without the other.

[seriousplayer]

Discipline and a large bankroll. One is almost worthless without the other.

Discipline is correct but it also depend on the level and deepness of discipline. I think a card counter with a low level of discipline is also useless.

[Baberuth]

I liken it to being prepared like an athlete. Not all who know the game and have the skills will be successful. Preparation brings confidence and allows you to be cool under pressure. Being coachable (learning from others) and applying that to your preparation will allow your experience to bring you to a higher level. Learning incorrectly develops bad habits which lead to certain failure.
I take it from the books I have read, Norm and the top posters here that no one lacks courage. It's an unusual amount of courage which needs discipline.

[glenwiggy]

Discipline and a large bankroll. One is almost worthless without the other.

I agree. As some of you know, I kept extensive stats for over 1000 casino visits playing blackjack. During the first 422 visits, I had a win rate of 68%, meaning 286 of the visits were wins and 136 of the visits were losses. (I didn't count the times that I finished even.) I realize this is a rudimentary metric, because a $1000 win for a visit had the same weight as a $5 win. During that stretch, I was a relatively disciplined counter, but oftentimes lost my entire bankroll for having too large a betting unit.

I learned from my mistakes. In the last 580+ visits, my win rate has been 83%. My counting method didn't change. I simply became more disciplined with betting and always use a larger starting bankroll than I did in my early playing days. I'm happy to say that I rarely experience risk of ruin now.

Wow, I think this has been my first "serious" post!

Glen Wiggy
Author of "1536 Free Waters and Other Blackjack Endeavors--Finding Profit and Humor in Card-Counting"

[shadroch]

Discipline is correct but it also depend on the level and deepness of discipline. I think a card counter with a low level of discipline is also useless.

I don't follow your thinking. Either one has discipline or one doesn't. A low level of discipline means no discipline, as far as I'm concerned. Either you have the discipline to make the right moves or you don't.
Its like basic strategy. Either you know it or you don't . Knowing 90% of it and being a bit fuzzy on soft numbers and splits means you don't know basic strategy.

[shadroch]

I agree. As some of you know, I kept extensive stats for over 1000 casino visits playing blackjack. During the first 422 visits, I had a win rate of 68%, meaning 286 of the visits were wins and 136 of the visits were losses. (I didn't count the times that I finished even.) I realize this is a rudimentary metric, because a $1000 win for a visit had the same weight as a $5 win. During that stretch, I was a relatively disciplined counter, but oftentimes lost my entire bankroll for having too large a betting unit.

I learned from my mistakes. In the last 580+ visits, my win rate has been 83%. My counting method didn't change. I simply became more disciplined with betting and always use a larger starting bankroll than I did in my early playing days. I'm happy to say that I rarely experience risk of ruin now.

Wow, I think this has been my first "serious" post!

Glen Wiggy
Author of "1536 Free Waters and Other Blackjack Endeavors--Finding Profit and Humor in Card-Counting"

Dibs on the movie rights!

[RWM]

1, Competence. (That actually entails a lot)
2. Work ethic.
3. Social skills.

[Smartpart]

I often hear that all successful counters possess this:

Discipline

Before even opening this thread, this is what I was going to mention.

1, Competence. (That actually entails a lot)
2. Work ethic.
3. Social skills.

I think these are all very appropriate. Competence is necessary to formulate a winning game plan and make adjustments, but the work ethic and discipline necessary to win, in my opinion, is the hardest thing to come by, and separates the truly successful from the "good" ones.

[Intermediate]

Mental endurance/fortitude.

[bigplayer]

1. Lots of Good Games near your home
2. Discipline to play only Good Games
3. Enough Bankroll to take withstand the swings