Just finished this short book. I liked it – very quick read, cogently presented, informative and entertaining.

It basically shows the KO counter where TC +1 is in the KO running count as decks are played (e.g., in a six-deck game, TC of +1 is at RC of +9 after one deck, RC of +12 after two decks, +15 after three decks, etc.). By tracking where TC of +1 is throughout the shoe, the player knows when to start increasing the bet. This helps the player avoid a significant weakness of KO, which is determining the bet ramp purely on the KO running count. Relying on the KO running count, a player is liable to under bet in the early part of the shoe and possibly over bet in the latter part.

As a long-time KO user, I figured these principles out pretty quick and learned to modify for true count principles. But I like to follow true count of zero throughout the shoe so I know if I’m "above or below water" at any point in time. I find this more helpful, because not only does it allow me to correct the betting ramp, but it also helps with all the index plays in the –1 to +1 range (we all know that there are a lot of them).

Ok – that’s the cliff notes version. Beyond that, I found a few interesting and/or entertaining points that I thought I’d share with the forum to solicit some comments.


  • In making the insurance decision, disregard the dealer’s Ace in the running count (makes sense – I didn’t know that).
  • Computer simulations purportedly show that it is always better to play two hands – even in negative TC situations (I doubt this one – tell’m Don).
  • In comparing the H17 game to the S17 game, the S17 advantage is not as great as the book would indicate, because there will be fewer small cards to make a hand when max bet is out (I like this - makes sense. But I would think that the SCORE charts encompass this notion more accurately).
  • When playing long hours at the same casino, it’s best to leave about every 45 minutes and make some small change to your appearance when you return; e.g., shoes, glasses, watches, rings, etc. (good advice – keep the eye off balance).
  • The author notes that the AP group in general has great character and integrity (I agree), and only a few occasionally have a social drink (he doesn’t know Bigdaddy).