A big part of my strategy at my local store is sitting out while playing their main game (4.5/6 DAS LS H17 RSA).

A few things about the typical conditions I see:


  • There typically aren't many tables open - maybe 3-5
  • Penetration varies by dealer from 4-5 of 6 decks
  • I can see most or all of the BJ tables from a seat at any of them - I know when another table is shuffling, whether it has a good dealer (pen, speed, error rate), and how many spots are open.


My typical behavior is to back-count, wong in at +2, then when count drops, sit out. If the count goes back up to +2, I jump back in (yes, the ploppies love me). When sitting out a bad count, I'm watching for another table to shuffle, ready to jump ship (I'll bail on a partly-counted shoe in favor of a fresh shoe at -1 as per the recommendation in BJA3 - unless my current seating arrangement is worth preserving (good dealer, open spots on either side of me) in which case I might stick around (but sit out).

My sit-out count varies with how crowded the tables are - if there are multiple open spots at the table, I'll drop out sooner, around 0 to +1. I'll typically wait until I've lost a few hands in a row, lost with a good hand, dealer BJ, etc. before dropping out, making an excuse like "when you can't win with a 20, it's time to drop out" or whatever.

If the count is really low, I'll take a bathroom break or whatever, but leave my chips so as to save my seat if it's a seat worth saving.

I don't see much in the literature about playing this way, so I have some questions for the forum:

1) Is there a term for jumping in and out while seated at the table? "Table-wonging" or something?
2) Is this a typical part of a back-counting approach to a shoe game?
3) How much heat does this type of play draw?
4) Any advice for me to improve my strategy?