Just want to bounce this off you guys about changing home casino for a while.

Hey Guys,

The casino I usually go to has been one losing session after another. I am very sure it is not my game and I am as sure they can be they are not cheating. I was thinking about trying another casino which is only twenty minutes further; and their game is slightly better with S17. (The decor is nicer too. Lol.) I was wondering if anyone else has had this and what they did. Also, I understand that it doesn't make any difference, OK? But maybe a switch in casinos might take off some of the "fear" I have too.

Anyways, what say you?

Quote: BigJer

Hey Guys,

The casino I usually go to has been one losing session after another. I am very sure it is not my game and I am as sure they can be they are not cheating. I was thinking about trying another casino which is only twenty minutes further; and their game is slightly better with S17. (The decor is nicer too. Lol.) I was wondering if anyone else has had this and what they did. Also, I understand that it doesn't make any difference, OK? But maybe a switch in casinos might take off some of the "fear" I have too.

Anyways, what say you?

S17 will make you 5 cents a hand more than H17 with an average bet of $25. That's $4 an hour at 80 hands an hour. Now weigh that against the 40-minute round trip. Of course, a change of scenery and a new store to visit is fun.

I wouldn't let the fact that you've lost session after session stop you. It happens. It's happened to me at some stores. It's just the way luck runs.

Thanks.

BigJer, any semi-serious BJ player has come across this situation. I've lost for months. My partner and I had a losing couple months over the past year as well. There comes a time when it just feels like everything you do will lose and you're just giving your money away. Here's what I like to do in this situation:

1) Review my stats! We keep accurate statistics of our play (hands played, average bet, game conditions, etc, etc). Work out your EV and your Standard Deviations and see where you really are. If you're more than 3SD out, then SOMETHING is wrong. It's either you or the casino, but something is definitely wrong!

2) After you see that you're still within a couple SD's then you can re-assure yourself you're just on a run of poor variance. Check your skills by asking another competent player to check you. Take your game out of the equation. After that, if you know you have a winning game, then you really just need to keep playing to get more hands to dampen the variance and get back towards EV.

3) Read. Read more and more. There's always something more to learn, always another angle to take. Check out my 3 articles on A to Z Counting Cards in Blackjack. I talk a LOT about way more than just "+1 and -1" =). Perhaps there's 1 thing in there you haven't heard of that you can start using to make more EV! Revisit your EV spreadsheets (that you should have) and check your spread/etc. Make sure you're getting the max EV you can out of the situations.

4) Learn more. Say you know I18, well find the next 12 highest return deviation plays and learn those! Make yourself a more complete player in any way you can. At the very least the practice will ensure you're sharp and 100% on top of your game.

Lastly, as was already pointed out by GJ, you should really be playing this S17 game. If I had 2 games near me like that, that S17 game would be my main game, and I might play the other just to spread my action around. 20 min of driving is WAY WORTH IT for a S17 game over H17! You should notice this when you re-evaluate your games/spread/etc in researching how to maximize your EV!

Quote: BigJer

The casino I usually go to has been one losing session after another. . . . . Also, I understand that it doesn't make any difference, OK? But maybe a switch in casinos might take off some of the "fear" I have too.
Anyways, what say you?

Hi BigJer,
Let's face it, most of us play mostly for entertainment and less so for profit. I know there are some pro APers, but even many of the counters and APers like to enjoy the 'game*'
If it stops being enjoyable, change something - anything. If there's an alternative venue with nicer decor, prettier dealers, tastier food, better game, then taking your business there is a no-brainer. There's nothing wrong, IMHO, in getting fed up or irrationally fearful of a venue where you have a bad streak. Mathematically it's neither here nor there, but we are not just machines.

One thing though . . . . . . . Bad losing streaks can get much worse and much more painful if your bankroll management goes to hell. Do you ever find yourself throwing your session bankroll at the table to try to get some sort of revenge, thus snatching defeat from the jaws of victory? Maybe getting ahead and then getting greedy? Do you ever find yourself without the funds to cover a double or split?

Enjoy.
*The game to me is every aspect and not just the turn of the cards. It's the social aspect, the cheeky double, the pure pleasure of even the smallest AP, winning an extra smile from the dealer.

Embrace the variance :o)

Thank you too.

BTW I will probably go to the further casino since I have some free play.