Sharmon: Tracking variable

[Sharmon]

Hi

Should tracking plugging simply be ignored as far as mapping goes and then tracked by eye during the shuffle itself. The plugging is always the same count (eg 4 plugs pulled then topped on each half before laddering) but only 2 dealers out of 11 known pull the plugs from the same segments @ same size +/- 3 cards approx. This is performed immediately after plugging the cut-off at bottom/60%/85% in three slices into the discard.

[Norm Wattenberger]

I guess one answer would be if the dealers don't plug reasonably consistently, then you have to track the plugs by eye. If they are consistent, it's up to you. That's why the CVShuffle mapper allows pre or post plug as the starting point. You can also set the plugs to be very random to practice tracking by eye. I'd be interested in other thoughts.

> Hi

> Should tracking plugging simply be ignored
> as far as mapping goes and then tracked by
> eye during the shuffle itself. The plugging
> is always the same count (eg 4 plugs pulled
> then topped on each half before laddering)
> but only 2 dealers out of 11 known pull the
> plugs from the same segments @ same size +/-
> 3 cards approx. This is performed
> immediately after plugging the cut-off at
> bottom/60%/85% in three slices into the
> discard.

Serious Blackjack Software

[Viktor Nacht]

> Should tracking plugging simply be ignored
> as far as mapping goes and then tracked by
> eye during the shuffle itself. The plugging
> is always the same count (eg 4 plugs pulled
> then topped on each half before laddering)
> but only 2 dealers out of 11 known pull the
> plugs from the same segments @ same size +/-
> 3 cards approx. This is performed
> immediately after plugging the cut-off at
> bottom/60%/85% in three slices into the
> discard.

You should always eyeball the plugs for every dealer, every shuffle, every time. No dealer will ever plug consistently, depending on your level of skill. That is, to Bettie's eye, 6 or more cards away from the proper plugging position is a stray plug, while to a noob there may be an unintentional fault tolerance of up to a half deck. If you're good enough, every plug will be off.

Therefore, you should watch EVERY plug so that you refine your slug estimates based on more and more refined information (that is, your ability to know what cards are being plugged into).

A lot of beginning trackers put an over-reliance on mapping, which can lead to disaster when you bet big into small cards. Only use mapping to understand the mechanics of a shuffle...don't use it to attack the shuffle.

Arnold's assertion that you probably won't be able to do this is only as false as your willing to stare at cards every day so you become a visual tracker, not a shuffle mapper.

That was a bit vague, but I hope it helps.

Good Cards,

V

[Norm Wattenberger]

While I agree that over reliance on mapping can be very dangerous; I still believe many shuffles are vulnerable to mapping. Particularly if you map from post-plug. In some cases even if you don't. I think that some of the negative feelings about the usefulness of mapping come from poor tools. In particular, mapping by hand is nearly useless. In simpler words, I don't think we've squeezed all the possibilities out of simple mapping.

[Viktor Nacht]

George would probably agree with you, but I'll respectfully disagree. I think it's too dangerous.

Good Cards,

V

[Norm Wattenberger]

Looks like I'm going to gave to sim it

> George would probably agree with you, but
> I'll respectfully disagree. I think it's too
> dangerous.

> Good Cards,

> V

[Sharmon]

One of the two dealers I mentioned had the adorable habit of putting her thumb nail against the felt on the outside of the stack during this giving me a very handy guage of her precision. This in turn led to my question because her pulls were done within 3 cards because her opposite thumbnail was guided by the cuticle of this very stable measure every time it came up to slice the bottom of the next (1st-4th) plug. Sadly her pull thickness varied between 18-26 cards but that lovely thumbnail (the one on the felt) left a "protected" bottom that is only subjected to a ladder then a final RR.

> Looks like I'm going to gave to sim it

[Sharmon]

Hi Norm,

As was my suggestion of an exact image on the screen of 1-312 and another of 1-416 . The user inputs the number then enters it , this value is entered into a "score object" which also contains the real info on the discard count. The image now rotates to the next randomly selected stack. This exercise should be adjustable in size inorder to be useful for calibration. A lateral rotation would be helpful for cut perception once the discard estimate damage is done. The "score object" should then be used to track the users improvements a weaknesses , even creating a table at the end of each session. Heck make it a screen saver to enforce the pratice during "office hours" Realism is not important just adjustability is , eg a block on the screen would be fine with a pseudo edge of the discard tray along one side as I like next to 3rd base

> Looks like I'm going to gave to sim it

[Norm Wattenberger]

CVShuffle V2 includes drills for cutting cards and determing cuts by other players. All drills keep historical graphs. The screensaver is a neat idea.

> Hi Norm,

> As was my suggestion of an exact image on
> the screen of 1-312 and another of 1-416 .
> The user inputs the number then enters it ,
> this value is entered into a "score
> object" which also contains the real
> info on the discard count. The image now
> rotates to the next randomly selected stack.
> This exercise should be adjustable in size
> inorder to be useful for calibration. A
> lateral rotation would be helpful for cut
> perception once the discard estimate damage
> is done. The "score object" should
> then be used to track the users improvements
> a weaknesses , even creating a table at the
> end of each session. Heck make it a screen
> saver to enforce the pratice during
> "office hours" Realism is not
> important just adjustability is , eg a block
> on the screen would be fine with a pseudo
> edge of the discard tray along one side as I
> like next to 3rd base

Serious Blackjack Software

[Viktor Nacht]