When to walk away from a table

[Coyote]

I'm done with this one.

[Norm]

BlackKing, may I suggest you attend the Tuesday beginner’s chat. We were all beginners once.

[jaygruden]

It takes a very special income bracket for a person to strongly desire to make serious wage from gambling.

It helps but not necessarily true. It depends on what you consider to be a "serious wage". If playing at an advantage you can start with a relatively small BR and grind it out until you have sufficient funds to play for higher stakes.

[Nogumby]

I agree jaygruden, do you suggest adding all of your winnings to your BR or just part of your winnings until you have sufficient funds...

[Three]

Until you have a sufficient BR there is no room for taking winnings.

[Coyote]

Until you have a sufficient BR there is no room for taking winnings.

This is so true if you want to bet anything of significance in the future!!!!!!

[somtum]

BlackKing.. by the way.. your first two questions are myths. I'd recommend learning an easier system like KO from the book Knockout Blackjack. If your using this system is much easier to always play a game with the same number of decks with the same rules.. such as whether or not the dealer hits soft 17 or stands on soft 17 otherwise you'll have to memorize a whole set of new numbers for each different game with KO.

[Aslan]

When sitting down at a Blackjack table, how bad should you be doing before deciding to walk away. After losing the first 3/4/5 hands in a row? If I sit down at a $25 table with $500 in my capital, how should I decide when to walk away before losing all of my money. In other words, how quickly in terms of time and money, should I decide that the deck is not on my side and I should try another table.

I like to go to a casino with $2,000 and where I like to go the lowest table min is $25. This means that I would optimally bring $500 to said table for adequate capital. That being said, if I were to spend all of the 500 and lose at 4 tables, my bank roll would be gone. So I'd like to keep myself from getting slaughtered if possible.

It's difficult because I once sat down at a $50 dollar table with $500 bankroll, and with my last 50 bucks I ended up walking away with $5,000. But more often than not, when you've lost half your money and you feel like you're going to lose the rest of it, you do.

I'm also looking for opinions on these matters:
1) Fact or myth: Is it just me, or is it VERY difficult to get in a good win streak in double deck tables
2) Fact or myth: In my limited experience, I've had much much more success on higher limit tables with fewer players (pref heads up). Now I know about the concept that playing heads up means the dealer gets 50% of the BJ's, but can having several people at the table dilute the cards so much that it's hard for you to win consistently?

PS. I do not count cards (not much knowledge of it, I'm only 22 so I haven't been playing long but I would like to be as experienced as possible without cheating)

I follow a simple progressive betting method that minimizes losing streak damage and maximizes those lucky long winning streaks.
I've already had enough bad experience with regressive bets, like the time I took $100 to $900 on roulette, just to lose it all in a matter of minutes.

Thanks for any info guys.

You mentioned minimizing losing streaks and maximizing winning streaks. Sounds good, but it's utter nonsense. If anyone knew when a winning or losing streak was about to begin, they would be millionaires. All progressions are losers.

Gamblers tend to minimize the amounts they've lost and focus on the amounts they've won. It takes balls to be a gambler, because a gambler is going against the odds. He figures to lose over time. All he can do is grin and bear the losses, and enjoy the wins when they come. He is forced to live for the big wins, because overall he will be a net loser. If you don't mind losing more than you win, but live for the occasional big wins, then you'll do fine just the way you are. But if you want to be a net winner, and if you want to play with the knowledge that you are playing with the odds on your side, then you would be wise to heed the advice given by others above.

Most gamblers I know don't want to learn how to play smart. That is because they falsely believe they are already playing smart. They trust their instincts. They raise their bets when they feel they are due for a win. They believe totally in themselves with no basis whatsoever for that dogged belief. When it goes right, they say, "See, I told you so!" When it goes bad, they have a thousand excuses.

"The guy at third base took the dealer's bust card."
"Every time I had 20, the dealer had 21. Every time I had 21, the dealer also had 21, or else, a blackjack."
"I never saw anything like it; I was dealt a stiff 10 times in a row and busted them all."
"Every time I doubled on 11, I was dealt an ace!"
"Houdini couldn't win when the cards are running this bad."
"I should have played my hunch and bet my bankroll last hand. I got a blackjack, but I only had $25 bet."
"No one can win when the cards are cold."
"All the stupid plays this table is making is ruining the flow of the cards."
"That should have been my 5!"

The real reason a player loses is because the house has the advantage. All the rest is incidental. If you learn how to play at an advantage, you will be better able to weather the misfortunes that typically beleaguer blackjack players and when the smoke clears you will in the winners circle. Are you guaranteed to win? No, the only sure things in life are still death and taxes. But you will have the advantage and mathematically you will be winner in the long run. Playing with a 1% advantage is still a gamble, only you will have slightly the best of it. That is certainly better than the house having the best of it.

Regarding winning streaks at double deck, advantage players do not play for streaks, and you would be wise not to do so either. "If only I had used my progression when I won those 10 hands in a row, I would have made a fortune!" Baloney!! Since streaks are only known in hindsight, a player would likely lose a fortune before they ever made that fortune.

Regarding the number of players at the table, without an advantage, the difference between playing with a full table or heads up is nearly moot. Actually, for you the full table is better because you will play less hands per hour and therefore you will lose at a slower rate. IF you are playing heads up, the dealer does not get 50% of the blackjacks on average-- if you are playing two hands. But that fact will not save you if you are playing at a disadvantage.

Decide what you want. If you want to continue as you are, then please don't try to convince anyone here of the wisdom of your ways. If you want to learn how to play at an advantage, ask questions, listen and learn.

[Three]

When I was getting serious I had some bad losses while playing tired. I am not sure but I believe my fatigue may have been at least partially responsible for the losses. You must be honest with yourself and do your best to find the best playing conditions when and where they are and play them at your peak performance. All those hours of playing crap are better spent relaxing and enjoying the trip. Just make sure your are well rested, properly hydrated and your blood sugar is at a good level for peak performance. You will get the money without giving it back to either crappy games or poor performance.

[Thunder]

Just make sure your are well rested, properly hydrated and your blood sugar is at a good level for peak performance.

That means not playing right after you've hit the buffet.. Having to make a 100 yard dash to the toilet seat only to find out that the restroom is not open when the count is the highest it's been all trip long is not good for the mind or body.

[Three]

My brain doesn't function well when digesting a meal. All the blood is going to another destination. Adolescent boys have the same problem around a hot girl. Like they say don't play blackjack for an hour after you eat.

[Kat]

My brain doesn't function well when digesting a meal. All the blood is going to another destination. Adolescent boys have the same problem around a hot girl. Like they say don't play blackjack for an hour after you eat.

So why can't you divert the blood away from your groin when you play blackjack?

[White Rabbit]

So why can't you divert the blood away from your groin when you play blackjack?

Do you contribute anything to this forum other than sarcasm and stupid memes?