$1000 bankroll?

KJ · 08-11-2012, 09:25 PM

Not only a name change, Tarzan, but a complete makeover, into a kinder, gentler...Ouchez, which is great, BUT.....

Mr Ouchez, I have no doubt that the story of your friend is true, proving that it can be done. It is also is possible to win the lottery and bat .400 for an entire baseball season, but I wouldn't recommend anyone shoot for either. Like any kind of success off a $1000 BR, they are really long shots. In another time, on another board, sir, you would have lambasted me for even suggesting this possibility to a newer player.

**Ouchez** · 08-12-2012, 04:56 AM

Originally Posted by KJ

Not only a name change, Tarzan, but a complete makeover, into a kinder, gentler...Ouchez, which is great, BUT.....

Mr Ouchez, I have no doubt that the story of your friend is true, proving that it can be done. It is also is possible to win the lottery and bat .400 for an entire baseball season, but I wouldn't recommend anyone shoot for either. Like any kind of success off a $1000 BR, they are really long shots. In another time, on another board, sir, you would have lambasted me for even suggesting this possibility to a newer player.

I will say, rather reluctantly, that for the first 18 months this game had the weakest shuffle in the U.S., with deep pen and she exploited the shuffle very well. Also a student of Norms software from the get go of her adventure. My friend is also a college graduate from a major university with a advanced degree and has a well paying professional career. She also lives close to the casinos and was able to play unmolested with large spreads and did put in many hours a week at the tables, AFTER work. She is now down with a strange illness and I, as well as several on this site and another, are very concerned and hoping for the best.

Ouchez

**Mr2Project** · 08-12-2012, 04:16 PM

I dont plan on trying to make a career of this. I would just like to play with an edge and hopefully it grows slowly but surely. If i lose it all, then oh well. But if i can keep it growing then that would be great and wouldve made more than it just sitting in a savings account.

**ThePunisher000** · 08-12-2012, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by neemo6

I dont plan on trying to make a career of this. I would just like to play with an edge and hopefully it grows slowly but surely. If i lose it all, then oh well. But if i can keep it growing then that would be great and wouldve made more than it just sitting in a savings account.

When you say, "oh well," do you mean that you would just quit playing if you lost your initial $1,000 bankroll? If so, I don't even think it is worth the time and effort of learning to use a counting system proficiently. You should consider putting together an actual bankroll of at least $10,000 before continuing on. I finally formed a starting bankroll of just that. It is not much, but it is the smallest feasible bankroll that I could use to effectively stand a chance at my local 8 deck games. Plus, a bankroll any smaller would not be sufficient to yield a decent hourly return.

If you are only concerned with making money, I'd suggest investing in low-cost investments, like Vanguard, instead of a savings account or blackjack; it will be a better return on your money down the road, especially if you cannot commit more than $1,000 to your venture. (I am saying this sarcastically or condescendingly.)

Check out the resources page on this site. It will give you an idea of what your "expected value" is based on your bankroll, counting system, rule set, and playing strategy. It is likely that you will be surprised at how small your expected value may be for a given bankroll and counting system. (I know that I was initially surprised by the data.) In my opinion, that a person needs to have a greater motivation than making pocket change to last in the game. The fluctuations will test your determination.

**Ouchez** · 08-12-2012, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by neemo6

I dont plan on trying to make a career of this. I would just like to play with an edge and hopefully it grows slowly but surely. If i lose it all, then oh well. But if i can keep it growing then that would be great and wouldve made more than it just sitting in a savings account.

Very true and a good philosophy.

If you were to do a 10% return after expenses that is far better than you can get in a years time on a $100,000 CD!

My best to you! Study hard, find a fine game, and stay cool, and think, and use Norms software!!

Ouchez

**zerg** · 08-12-2012, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by neemo6

I would just like to play with an edge

An excellent start! If you try to count and play with an edge you will be much better off over the course of your gambling lifetime.

Originally Posted by neemo6

hopefully it grows slowly but surely.

It most certainly will not grow slowly but surely. Your single session swings are going to be $500+. You will likely tap out very fast, or double/quadruple (less likely) very fast. Look at gambling as a hobby with your bankroll, and stick to your gambling "budget." You need a 0% ROR if you want your blackjack bankroll growth to approach "slowly but surely."

**Baberuth** · 08-12-2012, 07:43 PM

Question. If you were given a $1000 BR and it was to play BJ, how would you do it? You have to play a $5 minimum table game and make the BR grow.

Neemo. I think this is what you want to know. The guys here will help you.

Everyone has a starter story and we would love to hear some.

Baberuth

**Anton Chigurh** · 08-12-2012, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by Ouchez

Also a student of Norms software from the get go of her adventure.

I am a student of Norm's software from well before the get-go.

My first 20 hours of play featured a 19-max-bet downswing. I had another downswing of 45 max bets, somewhere before the 100-hour mark, which put me at 20 max bets down for my career. At around the 150-hour mark, I was still in the red after further downswings. I played around another 75 hours before I finally had a solid run-up which was not followed by an equal-or-stronger downswing.

I think we should be as honest as possible with new players, particularly those who are actually asking about the viability of a $1000 bankroll, because, as is abundantly clear from the sorts of questions which young, new players ask on these forums, they either don't own any blackjack books or skip the sections on risk of ruin.

**Ouchez** · 08-12-2012, 09:15 PM

[QUOTE=Anton Chigurh;11540]I am a student of Norm's software from well before the get-go.

My first 20 hours of play featured a 19-max-bet downswing. I had another downswing of 45 max bets, somewhere before the 100-hour mark, which put me at 20 max bets down for my career. At around the 150-hour mark, I was still in the red after further downswings. I played around another 75 hours before I finally had a solid run-up which was not followed by an equal-or-stronger downswing.

I never said at what point the "Get Go" was of the adventure, maybe it was the start of the adventure, and actual table play began a number of months after the start of the adventure. Cards fall as they may, Skillz vary from one to another, conditions vary, your results have nothing to do with anothers. If you throw strong ***** into the mix, you have just turned the game upside down.

My Best,
Ouchez

**BigHow** · 08-13-2012, 07:06 AM

I have been using QFIT for about 4 years. I have also experienced both heavy positive and negative periods. My deepest losses got to -240 Units before I recovered. How many units did the 64 Max Bet in <100 hours represent?
Thanks in advance

**Anton Chigurh** · 08-13-2012, 10:55 AM

Sorry, but I have no idea what a unit is. I have read the discussions as to the definition "increase in bet per increase in true count", but as I spread differently at different table minimums and different games, and I Wong and spread differently according to whether the action is heads-up or not, I can only think in terms of maximum bets.

My spread ranges between 6:1 and 20:1 usually, so a 64-max-bet downswing would be around 340 "units", assuming an average spread of 12:1 and the crude definition of "unit" as being a minimum bet.

**BigHow** · 08-13-2012, 12:38 PM

Thanks for the reply. I think minimum bet as the standard unit would be my base metric.

**seriousplayer** · 08-13-2012, 09:32 PM

I believe that it is possible to grow your bankroll with $1000. One thing you will have to keep in mind is make sure you keep 100 max bet as a bankroll. I have been search all over the United State on low limit blackjack games and at the same time how to make money on low limit blackjack. It is possible to be done but very hard.

With $1000 bankroll keep in mind that you can bet more than $10 in max bet. So you will have to play the single and double deck games with the best rules and penetration. You will have to play at $2-$3 limit table starting out with single deck blackjack. In the US there are not a lot of favorable single deck blackjack games. With 1-4 bet spread at a $2 table it will be $8 max bet. To get a 5% ROR will need to keep 100 max bet as a bankroll (depending on the penetration) which will make it $800.

Also remember that playing at a $2 table the EV will not be high.

Hope this helps.