> Two quick comments: 1) Why do you say that you
> increase your bet at +2? You have a clear edge at TC =
> +1 for the game you mention, and you should certainly
> increase your bet there.

Don, you are right, at TC=1 there is an edge in my favor. About +0.60%. I've played with it and found that just going from 1 unit to 2 units here helps the EV and barely moves the s.d. up, so a good suggestion to go ahead and increase at TC=1. Thank you. I did not realize how much this small edge would help the win rate. I assumed (and that is why I'm testing and tweaking, to learn about the math) that the risk of increasing my bet with such a small edge was going to be a much larger increase in s.d. and RoR since it was so close to being a 50-50 split. Turns out to not be so. Thank you.

> 2) With a given bankroll, why do you say that you
> can't spread 1-10? You can spread anything you can get
> away with, but the UNIT size will be somewhat smaller.
> It would appear that you are not only fixing the bank
> but also fixing the unit size, as you try different
> spreads, which is a mistake.

I agree, but my bank is fixed for the trip and the next sentence will tell you why the unit has to be fixed too. Okay, I'm going out on a big limb here: I hope I don't regret this later because I've NEVER gotten heat in LV [knock wood]. The big Strip casinos that offer this game all have $100 minimums. Therefore, my smallest unit has to be $100. By CVCX, my "optimal unit" is calculated as $87. Since I can't bet $87 at a $100 minimum table, that unit doesn't work. I HAVE to fix my lowest unit. And since I am taking on greater risk on the bottom side of the table (when I don't have the advantage), when I spread up to $800 on the top end to try to make up for a bet at Full Kelly (2%), the RoR goes up to over 20%. I am slightly uncomfortable with the Kelly (?) & BJA3 risk of 13.5% of losing my entire bankroll. When it gets around 20%, I am petrified. I'm trying to get it down below 10%, but cannot with any bet schedule. (I can get it to 11.3% if I empoy a 1 unit <=+1; 2 units at TC=2 and 3; 4 units at TC=4 and 5; and 6 units at TC>=6.) I Wong out when the TC goes negative after playing a certain amount of time to minimize the downside, but I have to expect a "play all" approach and try to Wong out when it works out. So, I max out my bet at $600, which keeps the RoR down given the increased minimum bets.

As I said before, I'm not a pro. I have an excellent day job and make excellent money doing it. I'm just a recreational high roller that would like to get the comps and enjoy myself without getting clobbered at the tables. If I don't bet the $100 unit minimum, the comps aren't going to be there (I know from years of playing green chips and getting SQUAT).

I know I'm not making sense in your professional blackjack world that I don't want to optimize my bet schedule for growth of my bankroll, or divide it into the proper units ($87) and spread 1-10 or more. Sorry, I don't need the money to live. However, if I'm going to lose it ALL 1 out of every 5 trips I go on--I might as well invest it in the next "hot stock tip" that comes over the phone.

You've helped me understand the issues with how to go about what I am looking to do. That is all you can do, and your advice has been helpful. Thanks.