After a good run of a couple of weeks, I'm back in black figures for play. At my highest point, I was up a net $2200 for the year - the LOW point of my first losing streak. Which just comes to mind how bad a losing streak my last one was (over $10k). Then, in ten minutes I lost $1.5k after getting a super high count and losing hand after hand after hand. Yet again.
I went back to the casino today and it was the same old story. After doing reasonably well for an hour, the true count was +5. I max bet two boxes, and got dealt a pair of sixes on one box and a 20 on the other. The dealer upcard was a six. This is Australian Pontoon.
Using correct strategy I split my two sixes, and got dealt another six.
At this point, I only had one max bet left in my chip stack. So what do I do? I didn't have the money in my pocket to double. So after a few moments of deliberating I just took another card. (The pivot point for H/S is a count of +6). I got a five.
On my other hand I got dealt a picture card to wind up with a stiff 16. Of course, had I split, I would have been able to double my first hand and draw to 21 and win two max bets.
Obviously I stood on my 20. It's the dealer's turn to play. She draws a ten to get to 16. Then... of course she draws a five to make 21.
What an ugly and revolting end to what was otherwise a reasonable session.
To top it all off, the ploppie next to me drew to 21 from stiff hands in his two boxes TWICE IN THE SAME SHOE. I have never achieved this in my entire career.
Whenever there is someone else playing I ALWAYS seem to get the worse hands. The reverse NEVER occurs. I am certain that I lose a greater percentage of hands overall compared to the average ploppie that plays at my venue.
After ~ 350 hours of play, ~ 35,000 hands, with an average bet of $25, I am a measly $175 in front, not counting comps. My theoretical hourly EV is more like $50. Bad luck just follows me wherever I go.
I just wonder though, what was the optimal move in terms of EV in this situation. The silver lining is that hopefully there was something to be learnt from all of this.
Otherwise, screw the world and f**k the ploppies. They don't deserve to win, and they certainly don't deserve to use ME as their luck balancer. I hope they lose their entire life savings and their wives as well. Good luck to them trying to win when I'm not around to be their sacrificial altar boy.
F**K THEM ALL.
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