How is the card counting condition in 2018 comparing to 2012

I was a half-time card counter, had been really active in 2012. I haven't been to Vegas for 5 years, and I'm consider to pick up my game.
A lot of things has changed. There are new casinos. I heard park is not free anywhere which is sad. How is the card counting condition right now comparing to 2012 in terms of heat, more or less good tables, shoe penetration, population, and parking?
Do you guys feel parking problem hurts the mobility as a guerrilla card counter?

The game itself over time has deteriorated each and every year. Hell, back in the 70's and 80's there were places that dealt down to the last card (or so I've heard =) ). The games today are still beatable, especially for a mobile guerrilla (might want to define that a bit more though - do you have spotters or are you just wonging in at a good count and blasting hard and leaving?). What you'll see now in vegas is: Most any and all "low limit" games are 6:5 blackjack, which as far as conventional counting by yourself is just really not worth your time to try to beat. So I'm not sure the level of tables you used to play in 2012, but you should expect to play $25 and up as the table minimum for any kind of "regular" game of blackjack. Hell, even on the strip a $25 game might still look like 6D H17 no surrender. Some places have better games than others, but of course some have more heat than others. I don't feel like parking should hinder you too much, especially if you're staying in a hotel for your trip anyways, then just park there and either find one of the free shuttle routes or take a cheap $5 uber if you're staying anywhere "near" the strip. Most all places off the strip (if that's your plan) don't charge for parking so you shouldn't have to worry about them. Again, if you're planning to attack strip properties, then it might be the same time or easier to just walk the strip to a new property, unless you're going from top to bottom, but again that would just be like a $3-$5 uber ride...

To get a proper heat index and current table conditions I'd recommend you get a copy of the blackjack insider, or whichever one it was to get current table offerings and conditions.

Quote: Romes

The game itself over time has deteriorated each and every year. Hell, back in the 70's and 80's there were places that dealt down to the last card (or so I've heard =) ). The games today are still beatable, especially for a mobile guerrilla (might want to define that a bit more though - do you have spotters or are you just wonging in at a good count and blasting hard and leaving?). What you'll see now in vegas is: Most any and all "low limit" games are 6:5 blackjack, which as far as conventional counting by yourself is just really not worth your time to try to beat. So I'm not sure the level of tables you used to play in 2012, but you should expect to play $25 and up as the table minimum for any kind of "regular" game of blackjack. Hell, even on the strip a $25 game might still look like 6D H17 no surrender. Some places have better games than others, but of course some have more heat than others. I don't feel like parking should hinder you too much, especially if you're staying in a hotel for your trip anyways, then just park there and either find one of the free shuttle routes or take a cheap $5 uber if you're staying anywhere "near" the strip. Most all places off the strip (if that's your plan) don't charge for parking so you shouldn't have to worry about them. Again, if you're planning to attack strip properties, then it might be the same time or easier to just walk the strip to a new property, unless you're going from top to bottom, but again that would just be like a $3-$5 uber ride...

To get a proper heat index and current table conditions I'd recommend you get a copy of the blackjack insider cbjn, or whichever one it was to get current table offerings and conditions.

Fixed that for you. BJI is no longer being published. And it basically turned into a ploppie newsletter anyway.

Quote: WangSanJose

Do you guys feel parking problem hurts the mobility as a guerrilla card counter?

Parking conditions caused me to shift from my usual locations in 1990-2016.

What's changed for me? I don't like to park at places which scan my license plate (given that anything is hackable).
(1) Downtown - Main St Station tiny section (30? spots) is still free. El Cortez needs room key (or high-level playing card).

(2) North Strip - Wynn (any players card) & Venetian/Palazzo are still free.
Fashion Show Mall outside parking (indoor parking closes gates at 10 pm or so).

(3) Center Strip - Planet Hollywood Miracle Mall (the walk is a bitch)...but Cosmopolitan/MGM/Harrahs all require status.
Or Ellis Island (and walk a very long block).
So currently, I park at Cosmopolitan (but don't like that they scan my license plate).

(4) South Strip - Tropicana (outside), Hooters.
I've heard the Mandalay Mall Shops have free parking, but haven't tried it.

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Unusually busy days like NYE (New Years Eve) or Marathon ... cause unusual parking restrictions.
Some lots close after certain hours to non-hotel-guests.

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Lyft/Uber are a massive presence now.
Once a month, I'm lazy & take a taxi up/down the strip for $7-8 + tip = $10-11. (Bus is $6).

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I used to subscribe to CBJN when I was an active card counter.
I read a newer version of CBJN, what amazed me the most is that in 2013, there used to be .48 house edge H17 table everywhere... It seemed to be the standard Vegas Blackjack rule. But now, they seem all gone, and replaced by 6:5 Blackjack.
I used to play a spread from $25 to three hand of $300 in 2012-2013. My favorite place was the MGM's .285 house edge S17 area, Aria high limit was my second favorite. I like low limits area(.48 H17) also because the heat is much less intense than the .285 house edge S17 area. In low limits, I used $10 to two hands of $200 spread short sessions.
I don't feel counting cards fun anymore, If I decide to count card again, I would only do it for the money. When I was active, I always kept my EV at about $100/h in CVCX in order to worth the effort doing so.
I made 5 figures in 2013, it was truly a grind for me... There are two reasons I quit at that time. First, I was never backed off, I was extremely cautious and quite good at disguising myself. but I feel the pit bosses in Vegas are starting to get familiar with my face, so I decided to quit for 4 years and start again for longevity sake. I'm kind of regret now. The second reason is I felt sick when I sit there watching cards go by, I used to play for 10 hours a day at casinos, so it was not fun anymore but a boring grind, so I had to stop counting for my mental health. But now I haven't played blackjack for 4 years, I feel itchy again and willing to play.

I think in today's situation when massive .48 house edge tables are gone, it's not realistic to make real money playing solo anymore! I'll switch my focus to big player team play. I've figured an excellent way to signal teammate the running count without being noticed. Hopefully, I can restart my card counting career in this bad era.