boomtown25
boomtown25
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August 17th, 2018 at 9:56:44 PM permalink
I am a pretty solid BJ player and looking to improve my game by working on my card counting. I know how and have used HI Lo a good bit, but I have an old book I broke out by Frank Scoblietti that deals with only counting low cards and subtracting hands played. This system is cakewalk compared to running count, conversion to TC and etc., but I am wondering if it 1) holds weight and 2) if it does, when and at what count to you incorporate basic strategy deviations?? Thanks in advance..
billryan
billryan
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boomtown25
August 17th, 2018 at 10:07:01 PM permalink
In my opinion, it's not a bad system for casual players, provided you don't pay hundreds of dollars for it.
I'd actually signed up for a week-long seminar in AC that luckily was canceled. Then some South American guy joined a forum and had essentially the same system for free.
Have you looked at some of the advanced KO counts?
The difference between fiction and reality is that fiction is supposed to make sense.
boomtown25
boomtown25
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August 17th, 2018 at 10:09:37 PM permalink
Never looked at KO, but interested in anything that will work and be easy. I live about 3 minutes from every casino in Biloxi so I go daily. I am good at counting, but the ever present "distraction" can get me off my game here and there. I just want the easiest one where i am not swinging from a $10 bet to betting $300 and back down and splitting to 2 or 3 hands out of nowhere.
BlackjackGuy123
BlackjackGuy123
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August 24th, 2018 at 12:49:17 AM permalink
Not strong enough, hi lo is better.
Romes
Romes
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August 24th, 2018 at 7:25:21 AM permalink
Quote: BlackjackGuy123

Not strong enough, hi lo is better.

I agree with this statement. Stick to Hi/Low. If Hi/Low is AT ALL difficult for you, then you just need to practice more. Hi/Low is like breathing to me (any any other counter), and I don't even count that often anymore.

Better betting correlation (BC), playing efficiency (PE) and insurance correlation (IC). Speed count, scoblietti's speed count, ace-5 count, they're all just for beginners to tinker with... any real counting requires a named system, such as Hi/Low.
Playing it correctly means you've already won.
RS
RS
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August 24th, 2018 at 7:29:15 AM permalink
Just learn and use HiLo or KO. Don't use A-5 count. Don't use some convoluted count.
DRich
DRich
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August 24th, 2018 at 7:36:54 AM permalink
Quote: RS

Just learn and use HiLo or KO. Don't use A-5 count. Don't use some convoluted count.



Should I stop using my Wong 1/2 point count with side counts for Aces, Fives, and eights?
At my age, a "Life In Prison" sentence is not much of a deterrent.
mustangsally
mustangsally
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August 24th, 2018 at 9:53:44 AM permalink
Quote: boomtown25

but I am wondering if it 1) holds weight and 2) if it does, when and at what count to you incorporate basic strategy deviations?? Thanks in advance..

both answers are in the book.
for
1) it totally depends on how much weight you want to hold
as at least my version of the book has more than one 'strategy'
and
2) chapter 11 is about OBS
"a new basic strategy the can only be played with speed count"
from 'Beat Blackjack Now!, The Easiest Way To Get The Edge!'
lots of charts too

I have the book in Google Play
imo, a very dry read
in other words
not too much excitment
Sally
I Heart Vi Hart
beachbumbabs
beachbumbabs
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August 24th, 2018 at 11:27:35 AM permalink
Keep in mind, it's best to start fresh with a system that will provide what you want, even with a longer learning curve. If you start simple and switch, you have to unlearn, and you get in your own way.

That said, I don't count, so I have no valid recommendation. I do encourage you to pursue it, though.
If the House lost every hand, they wouldn't deal the game.
billryan
billryan
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August 24th, 2018 at 11:33:59 AM permalink
I learned Fred Renzeys KISS system. It starts very simple but is fully expandable. He also is a fun read and at the time I was using it, was easy to communicate with. KIss starts with you tracking a few cards and slowly expanding. It's an unbalanced count so you avoid the whole dividing the running count by remaining decks to get a true count.
Basic Kiss improves your game just under a half a percentage point. Advanced Kiss comes in just under a full point, as I recall.
Renzeys book also goes into various plays most people never think of. Scavenger plays, doubling for less and a few others.
The difference between fiction and reality is that fiction is supposed to make sense.
Joehyp
Joehyp
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August 24th, 2018 at 4:02:05 PM permalink
I played both KISS 1 and speed count for a number of years. I like both systems and have found them comparable. Now I just use speed count. I enjoy playing more when using speed count, I actually find it fun. They are entry level systems (KISS 1 and SC).

Last year flying home from Vegas, I spotted someone else reading the Golden Touch book and was thrilled to be able to talk to someone else who used speed count. He told me he had been using hi-low and found it a grind, so switched to speed count several years ago.

The Fred Renzey book is excellent. I learned KISS at the recommendation of Bill Ryan on the LVA mssg boards 8-10 years ago! Thanks, Bill!
unJon
unJon
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August 24th, 2018 at 4:08:24 PM permalink
Quote: Joehyp

I played both KISS 1 and speed count for a number of years. I like both systems and have found them comparable. Now I just use speed count. I enjoy playing more when using speed count, I actually find it fun. They are entry level systems (KISS 1 and SC).

Last year flying home from Vegas, I spotted someone else reading the Golden Touch book and was thrilled to be able to talk to someone else who used speed count. He told me he had been using hi-low and found it a grind, so switched to speed count several years ago.

The Fred Renzey book is excellent. I learned KISS at the recommendation of Bill Ryan on the LVA mssg boards 8-10 years ago! Thanks, Bill!

I just bought the Fred Renzey book based on this thread. Been a BS BJ player all my life. May try to casually count next time I go if I’m ready. If nothing else, for making insurance bets.

ETA:

Can’t find the answer to this question, grateful if someone can point me to the right place.

1) How much does HE change if I play BS but bet insurance whenever the count dictates I should,

2) What about if I vary my be with a 1-8 spread based on count but make no variations to BS (no index plays).

Assume strip rules player friendly: 6 or 8 deck, S17, 3/2 BJ, split 4 times, double after split except AA, surrender
The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; but that is the way to bet.
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