Poll

3 votes (30%)
6 votes (60%)
1 vote (10%)

10 members have voted

Acender
Acender
  • Threads: 4
  • Posts: 22
Joined: May 21, 2016
July 4th, 2016 at 3:34:49 PM permalink
Do you keep a side count for Aces when counting cards?

I hear about Ace and Ten side counts off and on and I'm curious if anyone actually keeps a side count.

I've read that it's fallen out of favor with a lot of the veterans as it is large investment of concentration without yielding any significant increases in net gain.

How does the forum feel about Ace counting?

Have you kept an ace count before and do you feel like it helped?
Greasyjohn
Greasyjohn
  • Threads: 135
  • Posts: 2178
Joined: Dec 8, 2013
July 4th, 2016 at 7:07:30 PM permalink
When I learned to count I learned Hi-Opt I with an ace side count. It is very beneficial for DD blackjack. And although I have used an ace side count in a six or eight deck game it is cumbersome.

There are tricks that you can do to keep an ace side count. Let's say that the running count is +3 with 4 aces out. I would remember The Night of the Long Knives, because that happened in 1934 (34). If the count is plus one with four aces out that would be 14, short for 1914, the year the first world war started. If you get distracted or a suit talks to you it's easy to remember the year that the First World War started, 14. This technique was used by the MIT team and it is very useful. Use your imagination to come up with associations.
Last edited by: Greasyjohn on Jul 4, 2016
billryan
billryan
  • Threads: 240
  • Posts: 16282
Joined: Nov 2, 2009
July 4th, 2016 at 8:35:48 PM permalink
I used to use baseball players numbers and achievements. Visuals work much better than simple memorization.
The difference between fiction and reality is that fiction is supposed to make sense.
RS
RS
  • Threads: 62
  • Posts: 8626
Joined: Feb 11, 2014
July 5th, 2016 at 12:23:25 AM permalink
Don't use a side count because it's not worth it, IMO, and I'd rather spend my energy on something else: 1) Takes time to learn, study, practice and the new betting or playing decisions. 2) Rather focus on the pit / players / etc. while playing, not a damn ASC.

It also matters on what count you have already learned as well as which games. HiLo? Don't bother learning ASC. Shoe games? Don't bother. Pitch games & HO I or HO II? Ok, now we're talking about something that'll make a difference.
  • Jump to: