After nearly a 20 year break from playing bj for a living I decided to start playing again. I live in Washington so I started to recon the games around here and found many decent games. One of the biggest mistakes I made in my prior career was playing to large bankrolls. Had I just played $200 max games I would have been able to play for years longer. It is easy to get caught up in making more per hour but it is just not worth it imo. Over the last few weeks I have found it pretty easy to make $50 an hour playing this game with no heat. In the end greed will end your playing career abruptly. Back when I was younger I would spread to the moon and try to eck out every possible edge but it came at a cost. I literally had to give up as I could not play anywhere..and I mean anywhere.
I ran across a young counter the other day and he was so bold..just like I was at his age. I had to smile inside as he really had no fear and I loved it. He was obviously a local regular as other players (who sucked) knew him. He wonged out like champ while I stayed in. I am just getting too old to move around like I used to so I just drop it to minimum and wait it out unless it gets so bad its pointless. In a shoe I am gone but in 2D I feel like I have to stick around mostly because it can be hard to get a seat. Or maybe I am just getting lazy which is probably the real reason.
I will be really putting in the hours over the next month so it should be an interesting ride. I definitely will plan a trip to Islani at some point but there are so many other good games it will be hard to justify the trip.
Hi there,
Thank you for the wisdom, much of it is invaluable. I’m essentially the young counter you described in your post, although he’s probably much more talented than I am. I live in Oregon but drive up into Southern Washington to play. I haven’t been there in a while, however, because I’m devoting some time to becoming more proficient and knowledgeable (mainly to increase longevity) before I show my face at my main place again.
Your point about playing sub $200 max games and being able to play for years longer is sobering. I’ve been spreading to a max of 75 or 100 and been terrified to do so (not because of the variance, but because of the possibility of being discovered and given the boot). I’ve been told that I can play at my red-chip level with impunity but I’ve experienced some heat and longevity is paramount for me as I only really have one good place that’s local. What do you think about me grabbing a player’s card at the red chip level? It seems to me that it alleviates heat when you hand them a card and I also get extra EV in the form of meals, gas, free play, etc. but there are also downsides. Thoughts?
I appreciate your time, good luck out there.
Hey,
In general playing without fear is the way to go as timid does not get the money. With that being said I understand your concerns about your local game. The biggest problem with playing to a smaller bank is the cost of expenses and being jammed up to the table minimums (meaning it effects your spread). There are some games I want to play but the cost of getting there (multiple ferries, gas, hotels etc) is prohibitive due to the size of my current bankroll. It is a fact that if your expenses exceed 20% of your EV per day then its possible to go broke on variance alone. I am trying very hard to avoid hotel expenses. It would only be cost effective if I was able to camp out and play long hours but that is optimistic at best.
With small rolls its tempting to take the comps and sign up for the players card. I think this is doom in the long run and you should avoid it. I 100% understand your dilemma however. The time and tested rule is just never show ID...ever. Even to the security guard at a barring. Just decline, listen to their lame speech, nod and walk out the door.
Last edited by Shalako; 11-07-2019 at 08:59 AM.
I was vehemently opposed to showing my ID and letting them track/identify me but I’ve had a change of heart recently after reading books and forums. It seems that if I were to graduate to the green chip/black chip level, the EV in comps would not outweigh the EV lost after I get backed off quicker at a higher level. I have zero intention of ever moving past red chip play and would like to consistently play at this place at the red chip level for the forseeable future. At some point, they would begin (or have begun) to track me anyway and I think it would look suspicious for me to play for a long period of time with no card. I’m leaning more and more towards getting a card as the days pass. I’ve even had to produce my ID if I got carded anyway and my ID has been scanned at a place where I got backed off. What are your thoughts on all this? I appreciate the advice.
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