Zen Count

[lessj]

With Zen, you'll be dividing by 4*(Decks Remaining) for TC conversion. In SD/DD games where Zen gives you a huge power increase compared to hi-lo, quarter-deck estimation is important for power, and TC conversion. Let me explain.

Because you obtain TC by dividing by 4*(Decks Remaining), you'll want to estimate number of decks remaining in quarter-decks. Think in terms of fourths. If 3/4 of a deck have been dealt in a DD game, 5/4 of a deck remains. So, the denominator in your TC conversion will be ( ( 5 / 4 ) * 4 ) = 5. So, just divide RC / 5 to obtain your TC in that scenario. Simply put, divide your RC by number of quarter decks remaining to obtain TC.

Also, those indices indeed look to be for whole deck division, not quarter deck.

[Three]

With Zen, you'll be dividing by 4*(Decks Remaining) for TC conversion.

This is the "Snyder's Folly" version of Zen Count. It was a miserable failure and the low point in Snyder's career. Use the other version. What happens is you lose the ability to fine tune. All data is compressed in 1/4 the space making the same accuracy require division to 2 extra decimal places. If you want your index to be 1.28 instead of 5 then go for it. If anything, you want to stretch out the data so without using decimals you can get better accuracy. CVCX will tell you your advantages. You don't need to calculate them at the table for each hand. It is faster to memorize a ramp based on advantage info and variance than use more complicated math to guess at a bet based solely of advantage.

[lessj]

This is the "Snyder's Folly" version of Zen Count. It was a miserable failure and the low point in Snyder's career. Use the other version. What happens is you lose the ability to fine tune. All data is compressed in 1/4 the space making the same accuracy require division to 2 extra decimal places. If you want your index to be 1.28 instead of 5 then go for it. If anything, you want to stretch out the data so without using decimals you can get better accuracy. CVCX will tell you your advantages. You don't need to calculate them at the table for each hand. It is faster to memorize a ramp based on advantage info and variance than use more complicated math to guess at a bet based solely of advantage.

Thank you for clarifying. Has Snyder re-published this information in print?

[BJGenius007]

With Zen, you'll be dividing by 4*(Decks Remaining) for TC conversion. In SD/DD games where Zen gives you a huge power increase compared to hi-lo, quarter-deck estimation is important for power, and TC conversion. Let me explain.

Because you obtain TC by dividing by 4*(Decks Remaining), you'll want to estimate number of decks remaining in quarter-decks. Think in terms of fourths. If 3/4 of a deck have been dealt in a DD game, 5/4 of a deck remains. So, the denominator in your TC conversion will be ( ( 5 / 4 ) * 4 ) = 5. So, just divide RC / 5 to obtain your TC in that scenario. Simply put, divide your RC by number of quarter decks remaining to obtain TC.

Also, those indices indeed look to be for whole deck division, not quarter deck.

I don't like whole deck conversion, neither quarter deck conversion. I like half deck conversion. The first benefit is, under half deck conversion, this version of Zen has roughly the same indexes as Hi-Lo.

The second benefit is to calculate TC easily when playing double decks. For 50% penetration DD game, you go through four stages of obtaining TC: multiply RC by 0.25, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5. If penetration is better than 50%, then in the near end of the show, you multiply RC by 0.6 or 0.7 (very deep penetration) to get TC.