Quote Originally Posted by Below AVG IQ View Post
Hello,

New to the forum as well as Blackjack. I like gambling but hate losing money, which is why I never played blackjack as I knew it was a -EV game (unless you are counting cards.)
When I and I'm assuming many others think of card counters the imagination goes to characters such as Ben Campbell from the movie 21. Not just someone who goes to MIT but someone who is able to get into MIT and standout in the class. "A gifted mind" among gifted minds.

I thought I'd tie my username to my first post/thread. My question is can your average person (intelligence wise) be a successful card counter (Given an adequate bankroll) or does Hollywood's interpretation of a card counter lean towards reality?

"Successful" may be subjective so if needed I'll let you define it in your response.
Card counting is like flipping burgers at your local fast food joint: tedious, repetitive motions for not so great pay. Your co-workers (other players) are ass-holes who could care less about you, your manager (pit boss, surveillance, table game manager) hates your guts and will do anything to sabotage you, and everything about the job is boring. The pay is low for what extensive effort you put in.

Yet, you enjoy doing it because it gets you out of the house.

If you can add numbers together in your head and can do integer multiplication/division on the fly as well as memorize specific actions, you can count cards. Anyone can do it! I would imagine middle-schoolers could do it, provided it were legal for them to gamble as well as have the emotional maturity it takes to handle gambling.