I have an insane memory

Hey guys, I really have an insane memory. I turned 21 last month and I went to a casino and played BlackJack. My friend was really excited because he knows I have an insane memory. He knows a couple of stats and he knows what to do for a given hand and he wanted me to learn to count cards. However, I realized I could remember almost every single card dealt at an 8-decks BJ table. Is there any topic explaining how I can decide what's the best move if I know exactly what cards are left in the shoe and considering I'm pretty good at mental calculations?

Thank you for your time! :)

If 8 deck shoe games are all that's available, then find a very precise count (or two) and use that/those. Most people can't keep up, but you'll be able to. I'd probably find a very involved counting method, and also keep a side-count of aces.

But, with a gift like this, you might do better to find a double deck game that's dealt face-up or a 4 deck shoe game and play that instead. They'll have comparable rules to the 8 deck game, but your knowledge will be more powerful on those games.

Thanks for your advice! Mathematically, why do you tend to suggest me to play on tables with less decks? If I can keep count how many of each cards are left, wouldn't it be an advantage for me to play at 8-decks table? For example, if I'm having 16 against a 7-8 up card and I know there's almost no more 3s and 4s in the shoe, it would be in my interest to stand! And that seems less likely to happen in a 2 or 4 decks shoe?!

"Lots of queens. Lots of queens." -Rain Man

The greatest impact from counting (or better, perfect counting) is near the end of the shoe. In a smaller shoe, the composition of the remaining cards is more volatile. You are more likely to be in an advantageous situation, and your perfect counting will give you a stronger edge in those situations

It's called "End Play".

Ok, and what card counting system would you recommend me?

Quote: memoryMF

Thanks for your advice! Mathematically, why do you tend to suggest me to play on tables with less decks? If I can keep count how many of each cards are left, wouldn't it be an advantage for me to play at 8-decks table? For example, if I'm having 16 against a 7-8 up card and I know there's almost no more 3s and 4s in the shoe, it would be in my interest to stand! And that seems less likely to happen in a 2 or 4 decks shoe?!

Your memory will put you at an incredible fundamental advantage with respect to counting cards, but that's only one piece of the puzzle.

What you are discussing about has to do with something called Deck-Composition Strategy, which it sounds like you'll be able to learn to use optimally, and that is going to give you a tremendous advantage. However, perfect Deck-Composition Strategy would still result in the House Edge being against you, overall, if you are flat-betting, even if you make all the right plays and find yourself in advantageous situations.

The largest piece of the Blackjack card counter's puzzle is spreading your bet with the count, which simply means to bet more when, "Off the top," you are at a fundamental advantage in the game. There are two types of counts that you will need to learn about to better facilitate this, and those are the, "True Count," and the, "Running Count."

I would explain the True Count as what the count would be if there were only a single deck of cards remaining. The ratio of Tens/Aces to other cards as if there were only a single deck of cards left...this will often result in a decimal, of course. In any event, if you have a running count of +5, for example, playing a double-deck Blackjack game, that count is going to be a lot more meaningful than a running count of +5 (after the same number of hands) in an eight-deck game.

IOW, you could find yourself at an advantage after only one round in a double-deck game, and that's extremely unlikely to be the case in an eight-deck shoe.

Basically, a lesser amount of decks (all else being equal in terms of rules) is more beneficial to any card counter than a greater number of decks. This is true simply because you play a lesser amount of hands at a disadvantage, "Off-the-top," compared to those you play at an advantage.

Now, you just need to go to a jurisdiction that allows more than $100 max bet.

Quote: CrystalMath

Now, you just need to go to a jurisdiction that allows more than $100 max bet.

That will help. :)

Quote: dwheatley

The greatest impact from counting (or better, perfect counting) is near the end of the shoe. In a smaller shoe, the composition of the remaining cards is more volatile. You are more likely to be in an advantageous situation, and your perfect counting will give you a stronger edge in those situations

Not just that, but in a smaller shoe, you get to the end of the deck faster, and have more overall opportunities to take advantage of a +EV shoe should one appear in a given time period, like an evening in the casino. But a lot would depend on deck penetration (how far back on the shoe they place the cut card) regardless of the number of decks.

Quote: teddys

"Lots of queens. Lots of queens." -Rain Man

teddys, you're a bad influence, yes, yes you are. I had to go find this. If anybody's in the mood for some wild dialogue, the whole thing's at the link at the end. It's compulsive reading at its finest.

- Rain Man? - Yeah.

- Let's play some cards. - Yeah.

- You want a hit? - No. You've got 18.

- Want a hit. - Sir, you have 18.

- He doesn't want a hit. Hit me. - Definitely want a hit.

Hitting 18.

- He doesn't want a hit. - Hit me.

You took my queen. I've got a ten. I needed that queen.

- I can't take it. - Sir, please don't touch the cards.

- I need my own queen. - There's lots of them.

- 'There's lots of them'? - Lots and lots of them.

Hold on here for a second.

I'm gonna double down.

Queen. Queen.

- Queen. - Yes!

Yes, sir. You gotta love this town.

I'm goin' for it, Nick.

It certainly looks Like it.

- You wanna bet one chip or two chips? - Bet two.

Bet two?

What's your secret, guys?

We cheat.

This is Sam. Tape table 47.

- About 85,000. - 85,000?

- Yeah. - Did you call the eye in the sky?

- Sam did. - Okay, I'll take over from here.

Do it again. Do it again.

- Do it again. All right! - Yes!

You're doing well. I'm happy for you, sir.

What do you see?

He's not catching the hole card, and he's not past posting us.

- He's not using a computer. - No, but something's not right.

No one can count into a six-deck shoe.

Hold it here.

- Watch my chips. I'll be back. - Go ahead, sir.

What are you doing? You don't Leave in the middle of a hand.

We are red hot! The Babbitt brothers, kickin' ass in Vegas!

- Wheel of Fortune. - Cleopatra and Caesar are over there.

-Come on, Ray. -Look at all this glamorous merchandise.

- A little one for bad, two for good. - Yeah. Twenty.

- Twenty? - Yeah.

- It's gonna hit on twenty? - Yeah. Definitely twenty.

$3,000 on 20.

- Definitely twenty. - Definitely twenty?

- It's not your game. - Yeah.

- I lost $3,000. - Yeah.

That's $3,000 I lost. Come on, Ray.

Little black-- No? Easy, easy.

Don't start banging yourself.

- Maybe we'll play later. - Yeah.

- I'm gonna cash in. - Yeah, cash in.

- You make me sad, Ray. - Yeah.

Twenty.

We won $86,000 and some change.

- Right, Ray? - 86,500.

Rainman script

Fewer decks more volitility near the stop-card... could be in your favor.
More decks less volitility... if its in your favor, it tends to stay that way longer, but the converse is also true.

Qfit.com nuff said.

Quote: memoryMF

Ok, and what card counting system would you recommend me?

Wong Halves with 13 side counts. :-) Can you do it? You may also want to find a game with a beatable side bet. Lucky Ladies comes to mind.

Winning will be the easy part while being allowed to play will be more difficult. Don't be too quick in obtaining a player's card. Once they have your information they will have it forever.

Who told them to put in the line that "No one can count into a six deck shoe"?

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If you have a memory as I think you are explaining it to be, that should also apply in poker. I would suggest learning poker. Not for remembering cards that wont be any help. being able to remember how players played exact hands and remembering their tendency's in different situations along with remembering odds needed for drawing situations. put all this together and your probably going to make far more money from NL poker.

Thank you all for your time! I think I'd stick on BJ since I enjoy it more than poker and I'm better at recalling numbers than tendencies! Let's say I have practice the 13 counts method and can use it, where can I find formulas to determine the combinatorial probability to know what is the best move? Sorry for my poor English, I recently moved from Quebec.

Start Here: Blackjack from the Wizard because I don't know your level of expertise, and then scroll down and use the website links as appropriate. Best free info anywhere thanks to the Wizard. Then he recommends a lot of books on the site; look for that as well.

Quote: memoryMF

Thank you all for your time! I think I'd stick on BJ since I enjoy it more than poker and I'm better at recalling numbers than tendencies! Let's say I have practice the 13 counts method and can use it, where can I find formulas to determine the combinatorial probability to know what is the best move? Sorry for my poor English, I recently moved from Quebec.

Qfit.com. Some methods require side counts of certain cards such as aces. My 13 side count comment was kind of a joke meaning that your excellent memory will enable you to remember many more cards than most of us. Qfit has everything you need. Use it with confidence.