BlackJack Anyone? Card Counting?

[SD_Stack]

Okee-Dokee Fellars... Ya'll all know that I just returned from Vegas and I have a few questions.

I am an avid craps player. I fully understand it and absolutely love it. Overall, I have always won playing craps. I never make the sucker bets on the "Hard" numbers or the Field. I make a Pass Line Bet and put down maximum odds and sometimes place odds on the six and eight. I also "NEVER" roll the dice.

I embarked on Blackjack this time and I didn't do too bad there either but I didn't win anything. I need some opinions.

I know the basic rules of when to hit/stand/double down/split based on what you have and what the dealer has showing. I am wondering about "counting cards." I played single-deck BJ at the casino we stayed out. The counting that I do is really simple.

• Tens count as -1 (minus 1)
• 7, 8 and 9 count as 0
• 2 through 6 count as 1 (plus 1)

When the deck is first shuffled and delt... You start back at zero each time the deck is shuffled... The idea is that if you are counting and your count is at zero or a negative number, the odds are against you. If you have a plus number, the odds are in your favor. The idea is to bet your normal wager (table minimum) times the "plus" number. If you are at zero or a negative, bet the table minimum.

I can do this without any problem. It is very easy to keep a running total of the "count" based on the cards drawn but I still don't get how this helps a person.

Even if I have a count of "plus 5" the dealer has a chance of getting the same cards as me... right?

Someone help me understand how this helps.

Thanks.

 

[CoventryCat86]

Ah, BUT you have to divide the count by the number of decks left in the shoe to get the TRUE COUNT. Oh, you forgot that aces count as -1. You've got the counting system down pat BUT you also have to study the tables to know what to do when the count is for a particular situation that differs from the basic strategy situations. For instance, basic strategy says to stand on a hard 14 if the dealer has a ten showing BUT if you know the count then you STAND if the true count is higher than 2 (because there are too many tens in the deck), get it? That is FANTASTIC that you found a single deck Blackjack game. :thumbs:

In Vegas, you stand a chance of getting a game where they only use one deck but not in Atlantic City or at Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun, they use eight decks. They use an automatic shuffling machine so the count always must be divided by eight which means the true count seldom if ever goes much past -1 or 1 at any given time therefore knowing the true count is essentially worthless.

Yes, the dealer has the same chance as getting the same cards as you but when the count is positive, it is in your favor because the chances of tens coming up is higher.

Take it from me, STICK TO CRAPS!!

I know Blackjack probably better than I know craps but I almost always lose at blackjack and usually win at craps.

At the craps table, I never play the pass line, I only place the inside numbers 5,6,8 & 9 and I never make come bets. Since I never play the pass line, I never shoot either. I only will if NO ONE else will at a cold table in order to keep the table cold because I usually seven out pretty quickly which means I'm shooting from the "dark side" or from the don't pass.

If the table is ice cold, I play the don't pass, lay OUTSIDE numbers (4,5, 9 & 10, depending on my mood, I'll pick one or two of those four) and make as many don't come bets as I can and get paid when the shooter sevens out. Ice cold to me means you see a seven about every third roll instead of the true odds of it coming up which is one in six.

When I'm placing numbers, I usually take all bets down after three or four payoffs. Yep I sit out the "big" rolls after getting paid four times but they only happen once in a blue moon.

NEVER do the sucker bets in the middle of the table which are:
hard ways
horn bets
yo
any craps
and NEVER, NEVER do "any seven", it's the worst bet in the casino!!
The house edge on all of the above is way too high :angry:

As you can see, I don't go to casinos too often :sign:

 

[AVB]

I wondered how you paid for those Jags :0

 

[emodx]

If you found a house with only one deck, why play anything else anywhere. Not only are the odds best in Black Jack, you can easily come out big in the long haul. Granted the pay off is low, but I'll take the odds over the pay off any day. Well almost any day.

 

[ricmac25]

Ah Coventry, the mere mention of Foxwoods has me reminiscing to a beautiful time....College. Back then I was a Roulette junky. I somehow ended up on the plus side playing only roulette. Now I'm a craps guy. I hate you don't pass people. When I played at Vegas the table was on fire and up walked this 120 year old man that looked like the grim reaper and played the Don't Pass. I don't need to tell you what happened to that table. I play pass line, max on the odds, and occassionally 6 and 8. Sometimes I play the 4 and 10 when I "Feel" it coming. Actually done well on the 4 and 10.

 

[Horse]

Even if I have a count of "plus 5" the dealer has a chance of getting the same cards as me... right?

Someone help me understand how this helps.

1. The dealer has a higher chance of busting since he/she MUST draw on anything short of 17. You, on the other hand can merrily stand on a 12.

2. Also, if the dealer is showing 2,3,4,5 or 6, and you have a total of 7-11, you may consider doubling down where you might not have before.

3. Splits become more enticing if dealer is once again showing 2,3,4,5 or 6 but NEVER split 10's->K's...a. it's most likely a winning hand b. they'll start watching you as a card counter.


Its scenerio's 2 & 3 that put you in the winners circle, getting to double your bet when the odds are in your favor.

BlackJack is all I play, simply because it's as close as you can get to 50-50 odds, if you play it right.

 

[gr8full2day]

I am a little slow on the +1, 0 -1 counting scheme SD laid out...BUT..as was stated before Blackjack is a much more level playing field on odds...I really don't understand all the bets on craps, but I certainly enjoy all the action. I stick to Blackjack and would go nowhere else than a one deck table for $25/hand, where in Vegas was that anyway.... ...

 

[CoventryCat86]

I hate you don't pass people

LMAO @ Ricardo

I only play the don't pass when the table is ice cold. Ice cold tables are easy to spot, NO ONE has any chips in front of them, they keep pulling cash out of their pockets to play the sucker bets and the pass line only to have a seven come up on the third roll. To me in those situations, anyone is crazy to bet "right" 'cause you'll lose your shirt.

One werid thing that seems to happen in craps about 70% of the time is that the table "trends" one way or the other. I've played many hours of craps and ahve never seen a situation where a red hot table goes ice cold immediately. Maybe one shooter like your grim reaper will have one bad roll but again, I've never seen a "hot" table turn on a dime and go ice cold immediately.

Which ever way your are playing "right" (pass, come, place) or "wrong" (don't pass, don't come, lay) if you LOSE on three straight shooters, LEAVE the table because obviously whatever method you're using is NOT working. This is where I've seen too many stubborn people keep losing their money (yes, including me when I'm not thinking straight).

My method is boring and doesn't win you lots of money BUT it prevents you from losing lots too.

Since they build casinos all over the world, do you think most people make money or lose money at them?

This is where I strive to stay in the minority :sign:

 

[SD_Stack]

Thanks Horse. That really helps me a lot. For some reason, CC thinks I was asking about craps! :lookup: Didn't I already say that I was an "avid" craps player? ???

:sign:

where in Vegas was that anyway....

I was at the Boardwalk Casino beside the Monte Carlo. I also saw other single-deck signs around though.

 

[Horse]

:sign: Any time my friend, now if'n you wanna stake me to some startin' $$.................... :sign:

 

[smokers only]

I love playing blackjack,but every time i play there is always someone that will come to the table iam playing at and mess it all up! I hate when people come and play the game when they dont even know how!!! owell thats why i learned to play in the vip room,where people know how to play! It just sucks that you have to play at lease 200.00 a hand.

But my fav game has to be poker (hold em) love the game and one of the casino's here has a poker room.Great game....

-matt