Here are some more great card counting questions (and answers) I wanted to share with you guys. Remember, get involved on the forum, as that’s the best way to network with other card counters!
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Q1: Should My Friend and I Team Up?
Hi I recently started practicing card counting about 3 months ago with a good friend of mine. We are starting to feel confident enough to go to the casino but we are not sure how to manage our bankroll. Would it be better to combine our money or have separate bankrolls?
Colin’s Answer:
Do you and your friend trust each other completely? I mean, do you trust each other’s honesty and integrity, playing ability, decision making, ability to bet properly (even when losing or getting heat), etc? If not, don’t consider combining bankrolls. If YES, then it might be worth talking about what it would look like to partner. I would try something out first, like pooling your money and each playing 50 hours (at separate tables, obviously), then reevaluating if it’s working out well or not.
In regards to how much money to bring, I would bring at least 20 big bets to a casino. The more money you bring, though, the less likely you will be to run out of money if you hit a losing streak. But before you bet any serious money, I would play at least 20-50 hours with a “training bankroll”, where you’re betting much smaller as you get comfortable playing in a casino.You don’t want to play the same table (unless it’s just for practice, to see if you both have the same running count). Other than that, playing tables with better rules or penetration are preferable.
Q2: How Large of a Bankroll Do I Need?
One very important question: My goal is to make $500 per day or more. What kind of bankroll requirement do I need to clear this, assuming a 5-6 day per week. $2500-3000 per week?
Colin’s Answer:
First off, you can’t just go out there and win $500/day. All you can do is generate EV. Some days you win, somedays you lose. But, let’s say you want to generate $500 in EV in a 6 hour day, you’d need to generate roughly $80/hr of EV. If you were playing at 10% Risk of Ruin (which is as high as I’d recommend for someone trying to play fulltime), you’d need a $20K bankroll*. I know that sounds like a lot of money, but you’re talking about trying to make $10K/month, so it would take some capitol. *Better yet would be if you had $30K, so you could keep RoR at 3-4%.
The beauty of card counting is that you can start relatively small, and if you don’t spend the money, you can grow your bankroll into something that you can make serious money with. You just need to perfect the craft and have patience. *And if you anyone still thinks card counting will
get you rich instantly, read my post about it
here. So if you’re growing a bankroll, be patient, perfect your game, and enjoy having the advantage. It might sound insurmountable, but we grew six-figure bankrolls from only a couple thousand dollars, as have many others out there.
Q3: Why do I Tend to Lose Big at High Counts?
I been noticing though that when the count gets high, I’m losing at my top bet which therefore is wiping out my bankroll.
Colin’s Answer:
Those high counts are when you are going to win big and lose big. Let’s say that your top bet is out at a true 5. Remember, the count goes up about .5% per true count, so at a true 5, you have about a 2% advantage. So even though you should win more hands at a true 5 over the long haul, you’re still going to lose 48% of the time. There will be times when you’re slowly winning at low counts, then you lose a couple big bets that wipe out your winnings. Other times, you’ll be slowly losing, then you win a few big bets that make up for those losses. But regardless, you have to trust the math, bet accordingly, and not get nearsighted.
One thing I can’t fail to mention is that this is all assuming you are playing, counting, and betting perfectly. We’ve taught loads of people how to play perfect blackjack, but it doesn’t happen overnight. And it doesn’t happen without training like a jedi! So before you blame the system or blame it on bad luck, make sure YOU’RE not the problem!
Living Differently,
Author: Colin Jones
Colin-
Having a BR at 2K, it’s obvious I have to Wong in and out of shoes. Needless to say, players at the table don’t like this. In fact in one of the videos you posted you said you actually got a lady backed off for jumping from table to table.
What’s the best way to handle these players? I don’t have the bankroll to play through a bunch of negative counts if I want to generate any EV whatsoever. I’m playing well and making money, but listening to other players bitch and moan every time you Wong in/out of the table gets a little much. It may even bring a heat on me just since people make such a big deal out of it. What do you suggest?
Questions
1.) Does single deck have better odds of making you money if it is 6 to 5 than double deck that pays 3 to 2?
2.) I see different basic strategy charts per game. Did you change your basic strategy based on the game you were playing? Were you able to remember all the basic strategy charts and keep them straight in your mind? (I think their are 3 charts for american BJ)
3.) When the true count is 3 or above and you are in an insurance situation (the dealer has an ace showing). Do you include the showing cards on the table into the count or do you automatically insure based on the 3 true count you had before the cards were dealt?
4.) the 1 basic strategy chart that I look at says to not double down on an 11 against an ace. Is that true even if we find out that the dealer does not have black jack.
5.) I have now been kicked out of 4 casinos. They have all said “you can’t play here”. Can I ever return? At what point does does it become illegal for me to count cards at their establishment?
6.) have you ever won any of the prizes at a casino? Like a new car or prize money?
OMG thanks for the numbers on “how large of a bankroll do I need?” I have been playing around with similar numbers but now I feel a lot more confident seeing the numbers from the pro. Thanks again Colin!
In regards to losing at high counts. I have been getting killed recently at HC. I don’t think it’s my game since I always check it on CVBJ. Could it just be variance? I hope so.
Phoenix,
1. No, 3:2 Double Deck is better than 6:5 Single Deck.
2. We teach people to just memorize the basic strategy we have on the site, then move on to the deviation chart for the game they will primarily be playing (S17 or H17). But there are really only a few differences between H17 and S17 deviation charts).
3. Always take all cards into consideration. The more information you can use to make the decision, the better.
4. This basic strategy is based off of S17. So, yeah, you still wouldn’t double 11 v. Ace in an S17 game. For H17, you actually will always double 11. v Ace.
5. That’s a tough question. It depends on whether you’ve been backed off or trespassed. If they’ve read you the tresspass act, I wouldn’t go back in. If it was just a back off, I take that more lightly.
6. I’ve won prize money before. Nothing huge. Maybe $1,000.
JIuce13,
I don’t worry about it. We’re there to make money, so I wong in when I need to wong in. I just play dumb and ignore other people at the tables. If they’re really bothering you, try to just back count other tables.
Hope that helps.