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Hi, BJ!
That was a great post! I have a corollary to this 'flat bet' idea which I've been using for decades. I noticed decades ago that you can get +EV with Basic Strategy (BS) as long as you use a Bet Ramp. For places where I need longevity more than edge, I developed a modified BS I call "Counter's Universal Strategy" which is similar to BS (no deviations) except I optimize BS for 'proper' play when you have larger bets out and the TC is high. (I later ran into this same idea, called Counter's Basic Strategy, from the guy who wrote BJ 6-7-8 software ... I can't recall his name right now.)
This way, you don't use the deviations so you don't change the way you play hands (unless you have a good reason). Instead, you just play 16 vs. 10 as a stand all the time, for example, as you would if the TC were positive, because it matters the most when the bigger bets are out and that's when you stand, anyway. You go through that analysis once for the hands in the Ill16/18 deviations from Don and that's your new BS. This removes one of the give-aways from being a CC (i.e., playing the same hand differently, which sharp dealers will notice, in my experience).
I also use some of Snyder's ideas on betting (if you have a large bankroll, this helps) to get the effective spread higher and a ton of Ian Anderson's ideas on cover for places where I need longevity more than max EV. To offset the cost, I use ideas from Wong. You end up with a customized approach that you can't easily simulate or even explain, but it all works to improve your longevity while minimizing the adverse effect on EV, as needed at the time.
I'm sure most of the people who have done this for a long time have a long list of 'tricks' they use and they may not even be aware of many of them most of the time. The approach for those who go full-tilt, full-time for a relatively short time (1-2 years) with no concern for BO's is far different than the one I've used for decades to ensure longevity. The full-tilt approach is the one that gets all the attention but it wouldn't work for my situation most of the time.
Good on ya for thinking!!!
Best,
SiMi
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