Bank Roll/Bet Question

Hi Everyone,

I have been playing basic strategy for about 4 years now and recently started dabbling in counting. I usually play a $10 table with a 1-8 spread and a $1000 bankroll (replenishable) for the trip. Most trips involve about 8-12 hours of play. My question is should I stay at the $10 table? This is where I usually play, but last week I went up and played at the $25 table. I bought in for $250 (10 minimum bets) and was up and down for a few hours, but then I hit a good deck, I won 6 hands with 2 splits and was playing a 1-6 spread. I walked out with 2k, my biggest win to date. Is this just a lucky fluke or is this a decent strategy I can keep at?

2 deck table
Hit Soft 17
Surrender
4 splits
Double on any cards
3:2 BJ
80-85% penetration

Thanks!

It's a lucky fluke.

That doesn't mean that you shouldn't move up. What is your actual bankroll (not just your trip bankroll) and how much are you willing to add to it every month if you are losing? And how often do you play? Are we talking about 1 trip every 2 weeks? Or 1 trip every 3 months?

My actual bankroll is around $2500 in my gambling account. I go on about 8 trips a year and can add 300-500 a month if I am losing. From the sound of things it seems like I should stick to the $10 table with a 1-8 spread. I felt like the $25 table had better players and much more 1 on 1 with the dealer. I noticed on all my trips in the last year or two that I play better by myself than with a full table.

Quote: Awall41

My actual bankroll is around $2500 in my gambling account. I go on about 8 trips a year and can add 300-500 a month if I am losing. From the sound of things it seems like I should stick to the $10 table with a 1-8 spread. I felt like the $25 table had better players and much more 1 on 1 with the dealer. I noticed on all my trips in the last year or two that I play better by myself than with a full table.

Well, you certainly play faster with fewer players. If other players at the table are affecting you, you need to work on that, preferably before moving up. That will come with practice.

If you are going to keep spreading 1-8, that would be a $200 max bet at the $25 table. You can lose your $1000 in a hand. (Admittedly, not likely, but possible). Losing it in 3-4 hands is not that unlikely. Are you ok with that? This is more of a psychological question than a financial one.

How come you only have $2500 if you just won $2k and you took $1k with you. Shouldn't you have come home with $3k just from that one trip?

I'd stay at the $10 level to build some skill until you've won enough that you know you are beating the game, then move up. Make your mistakes for cheap. When you move up, take more money with you. 5 max bets is really nothing, it can go in an instant. If you're not comfortable taking more money at one time (again, psychologically, even if you can afford it financially) then don't move up.

2500 is a popular number.

I won't $1750, walked out with $2000 and I used that money to pay for my hotel stay and rest of my vacation.

I think I will work on playing with multiple players at a $10 table and maybe play a 1-10 spread for a little more action. No heat when playing red chips is also a good thing. Maybe if I'm playing well i will move up tables. If I was to play $25 what would be your suggested buy in?

Quote: Awall41

Hi Everyone,

I have been playing basic strategy for about 4 years now and recently started dabbling in counting. I usually play a $10 table with a 1-8 spread and a $1000 bankroll (replenishable) for the trip. Most trips involve about 8-12 hours of play. My question is should I stay at the $10 table? This is where I usually play, but last week I went up and played at the $25 table. I bought in for $250 (10 minimum bets) and was up and down for a few hours, but then I hit a good deck, I won 6 hands with 2 splits and was playing a 1-6 spread. I walked out with 2k, my biggest win to date. Is this just a lucky fluke or is this a decent strategy I can keep at?

2 deck table
Hit Soft 17
Surrender
4 splits
Double on any cards
3:2 BJ
80-85% penetration

Thanks!

The rules are okay but it's the penetration that makes this game desirable. Is it NMSE by any chance? I have to wonder how you can put in those hours without any heat. Are you playing rated? Is dabbling another way of saying not really counting?

Bankroll requirements can be simmed by inputting all pertinent data for the game you are playing and it is very accurate. In the absence of that, I'm going to say that I would not be comfortable with a $1000 trip bankroll in this case. Given the hours played and the $100 top bet that you are considering, I would want at least $3000.

Where in the name of god do you get a 2 deck game that you can surrender. That's like unheard of.

I"m not asking the casino mind you, just like....the city, state, or country.

80% penetration is also so unlikely I find it hard to believe. 75% is amazing and rare, why would a casino ever give 80% penetration in a deck that already has pretty decent odds for the player. Does not make sense unless they are just a small casino, in which case they are going to be watching even more closely.

Quote: zhakran

Where in the name of god do you get a 2 deck game that you can surrender. That's like unheard of.

I"m not asking the casino mind you, just like....the city, state, or country.

80% penetration is also so unlikely I find it hard to believe. 75% is amazing and rare, why would a casino ever give 80% penetration in a deck that already has pretty decent odds for the player. Does not make sense unless they are just a small casino, in which case they are going to be watching even more closely.

Assuming double after split, which wasn't mentioned, I get a house edge of 0.39% using the Wizards calculator. Not the lowest but with that penetration I don't think anyone is going to quibble. It makes no sense to me either unless it's a counter trap. When I hear of something like this I always wait for "the rest of the story". As is, even the most clueless casino is not going to let you camp out on this game.

You can find double deck games with a lower house edge but you'd be hard pressed to find them for less than $50 to $100 minimums.

Quote: 1BB

Assuming double after split, which wasn't mentioned, I get a house edge of 0.39% using the Wizards calculator. Not the lowest but with that penetration I don't think anyone is going to quibble. It makes no sense to me either unless it's a counter trap. When I hear of something like this I always wait for "the rest of the story". As is, even the most clueless casino is not going to let you camp out on this game.

You can find double deck games with a lower house edge but you'd be hard pressed to find them for less than $50 to $100 minimums.

Where is the Wizard's calculator?

Wanderer, click on Wizard of Odds at the bottom of this page and then game calculators at the top of that page.

Quote: 1BB

Wanderer, click on Wizard of Odds at the bottom of this page and then game calculators at the top of that page.

Thanks. So it's just a calculater to indicate the house edge vs. basic strategy under various table conditions?

Quote: Wanderer

Thanks. So it's just a calculater to indicate the house edge vs. basic strategy under various table conditions?

I think you mean rules rather than conditions. The calculator assumes perfect basic strategy. There is software that considers conditions such as penetration and hands per hour among others.

That's what I meant. Rules/conditions.