Question about card counting.

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I watched the show on the history channel tonight about card counting and was wondering if anyone on here has tried it with any sucess?I know it is frowned upon by the casinos but is it possible if you do it on a smaller scale(try to average 50-100 a day)to go un-noticed and given the boot.Has anyone tried to eek out a profit by similar methods.Any feedback will be welcomed.
 

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Black Jack card counting is extremely difficult today. Counting down a 6 deck shoe takes incredible concentration, casino counter-measures are very sophisticated. Learning how to count, and searching out the fairly rare double deck games with the optimim rules for the player, you might have some success. Problem is working alone your betting patterns will give you away soon or later. imo. very tough way to make an easy living.


wil.
 

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Conditions have worsened significantly these days, but I used to make 1 to 2 bills a day for a time when I was not employed. It was very mentally stressful though.
 

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Boredom is a greater challenge than the "concentration requirements". Counting 6 decks is no harder than 1 or 2 (although there are minor differences in play).

Your earnings are a function of your current bankroll. If you play a 6-deck game with decent rules, and good penetration (cut 1 deck, or 1.5 decks with surrender), you should be able to double your money every 150-200 hours. It gets harder though, when your max bet tops 200. A lot of smaller shops ignore counters who play smaller amounts.

There are a lot of great books on counting, and it's certainly worth blowing $20 to look into it. I'd start with any book by "Stanford Wong", and avoid any book by "John Patrick".
 

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The hardest part is not counting the cards
I can count cards using the Hi-LOw system in my sleep at this point
Defiantly get Wongs professional Blackjack, Black Jack Attack by Don Sleisdenger (not sure of the spelling of his last name) to start with.
I am not a high roller by any means but the hardest thing aboout counting is disipline
It sucks waiting for a monster count and
watching the dealer pull all of the twenties and blackjacks- the flcutations are tough to take and there is a lot frsutatration
Penetration is so important its not even funny and it varies greatly by dealers
You can play a 6 deck game with good rules and make almost 3 times as much if the cut .5decks off as opposed to 1.5
It can be beaten though with a lot of patience
 

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Counting is like riding a bicycle, once you learn as a kid you can still do it even if you haven't for years.

I rarely play now and am fairly rusty but have no trouble with 1, 2 or 6 decks. I have little exposure and play low limits. I used to play regularly in my home town while waiting for a poker seat to open and made good money, but since they went to continuous Shuffle Master I read the newspaper.

If you can find hand held or a real shoe then you might have a playable game but the rules and penetration are so bad that its almost impossible to find a playable game. I spoke with Howard Schwartz at the Gambler's Book Store when I was in Vegas in March and it's his opinion that Blackjack is dead for advantage play. There are so much easier ways to get the money anyway.
 

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