Hi everyone

First off let me say that I have been reading this board and the old board for years already, I just have never registered or posted.

A little background on my blackjack career: Started off 5 years ago as casual gambler who would just play for fun. It was not until 2 years ago that I learned strategies and card counting that I started to take it seriously and as a way to (hopefully) make money on the side. Things were going well for months. I was playing low stakes ($10 tables) and spreading my bets and going to 2 or even 3 hands when the count was good. In an average session, and probably about 75% of my sessions I would profit between $200 to $300 and leave. Problem is a bad session for me was a $1,000 loss, which is everything I would bring to the casino with me. That loss would wipe out about 5 sessions so it was becoming non-profitable and a waste of time to go to the casinos. A year ago I became a green chipper. Winning sessions were around $500 but losing sessions still $1,000 and more frequent than they were with $10 stakes. I knew counting was working as I was winning more than losing but the EV was not so great.

Six months ago I figured what the hell, I have a large enough bankroll to dedicate to gambling, I will play $50 and $100 tables to take advantage of better rules and less ploppys. I was carrying $25,000 on me every time I went into the casino but never had to pull out more than $3K of my own money. I was treated well with comps and was laughing all the way to the bank that those suckers never considered me a counter.

About 5 weeks ago my 'luck' started to change. I constantly found myself chasing losses every session. I would fall down $3 to $5K and spend 8 hours getting it back. But I always got it back. Max bets at the right count and doubling on every 11 saved my ass several times. Then the inevitable happened. I was playing Monday night and went down $3K. It took me 6 hours to get it back to only a $150 loss, but I was naive and wanted to keep playing and leave with a profit. I was playing a $50 table with another player and we both were up $1,500 on the shoe and then the pit boss had the dealer cut the shoe just as it was at its most penetrable and highest count. I should of walked away like the other AP but I stayed. The next 2 shoes will forever haunt me. Shoe was terrible to start with. Dealer was winning every hand and would pull a 4 or 5 card 20 or 21 on every 3-6 he had. I believe I lost something like 28 out of 30 bets and was down $3K again. The count though was +22 at the time and I pulled out $5K more. Went to 2 hands at $2,500 each. Got 2 20s. Dealer had a 4, then pulled over A 10 6 for 21. $5K more, 2 Blackjacks. Im celebrating in my mind. Dealer flips his jack over and backdoor Blackjacks me. Next hand 2 20s, dealer Blackjack. I pull the rest of my cash out I think it was $12K. Win some hands playing purple and get it back up to $20K with the count again at +20. I bet table max $5,000 and get Blackjack. You guessed it. Got fu*king backdoored again! 2 hands at $5K. I get dealt stiffs 12 and 16 against a 4. He flips over 10 and 4 for 18. Another 2 hands at $5,000 each. Dealt 12 and 10 against 7. Im looking like a genius when I pull a 9 on the 10 and a 7 on the 12. Dealer flips over 5 (Im thinking yes! I took the *******s 9) then a 9 for 21. The reality hit me. I was taken for my full $25K in less than half an hour.

The ride home was terrible. I could not sleep for 3 nights. What the hell did I just do ??? I played correctly, I over bet but if there was ever a time to over bet It was the right time and the right count. I started to dwell on the fact that even if the count favors the player, it favors the dealer just as well. Is there even a true edge to begin with or is it all complete bull****. Anyways, the money is lost but I now have another dilemma: Quit for good or begin the chase with smaller and controlled bets and hope to win it back.

Questions ? Comments ? I would appreciate them. How about someone else share their bad beat story to lighten my mood