Split, Double, Destroy - Blackjack Apprenticeship Card Counting Resources

Split Double Destroy – Odd Casino Countermeasures

May 20th, 2012

Once they suspect you of having an advantage, casinos sometimes take odd measures in trying to defeat you. In two instances that I can remember, they tried to dissuade me by slowing the game down in infuriating and equally hilarious ways.

I was at a small casino where I had played several long sessions over the course of weeks. A new dealer checked in and dealt extremely slowly. No worries, I thought. I saw my favorite dealer on deck, and she was one of the fastest dealers I had ever seen. As long as your game isn’t thrown off, fast dealers drive your EV up by virtue of raising your hands per hour. The slow dealer checked out and the new dealer came in, but she too, was dealing extremely slowly.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. I could see it was bothering her. She made it clear in not so many words that she had been told to slow the game down. She loved dealing at her own speedy rhythm, and this was killing her. As we continued, she slowly sped up until she was back to her normal speed. The casino owner himself appeared from a back room, pulled a pit boss aside, and I couldn’t help but notice he was yelling about my dealer’s speed. The pit boss tapped her out for another dealer and the tyranny of tree sap dealing began anew.

Another time, I was destroying a medium-sized tribal casino in one of my biggest sessions ever. I had just emptied a rack in the middle of a shoe, and an emergency fill was ordered. We waited and waited, and when the fill finally came, it was in the form of all green and red chips ($25 and $5 respectively). Of course it was only a few hands later that I emptied the rack again. Another emergency fill was ordered. We waited and waited and waited. I complained to the pit boss about the wait, and about the fact that if they had brought larger denomination chips the first time, this wouldn’t have happened. He assured me it was being taken care of. We waited and waited. I couldn’t leave. The shoe was hot, I was owed money, and the other tables were too crowded to realistically bide my time spotting. When, after three epochs and an ice age the fill finally came, it was all reds and greens AGAIN. The casino was trying to defeat me by paying me out as slowly and awkwardly as possible.

I played out the shoe that way, winning the whole time. Our table had become a circus side show with massive piles of red chips moving back and forth. Betting a three foot stack of reds got me a quicker payout by virtue of the dealer being able to “size in” than did betting black chips. When the show ended, I had to stack rack upon rack of green and red chips in my arms and teeter off to the cage, whereas a small pile of purples would have sufficed. I was laughing the whole way.

—Loudon Ofton

Posted in card counting, casino info, gambling, Split, Double, Destroy, story time | No Comments »

Moneyball and Blackjack

March 31st, 2012

The Golden Globes and Academy Awards handed out shiny trophies to triumphs of filmmaking recently, and I was pulling for the awards to go to one of the best card counting movies ever made—Moneyball.

I know what you are saying. Moneyball is a movie about baseball, not blackjack. And you are right. And yet it was all about blackjack. Did you catch the references in the film?

I grew up watching the Oakland Athletics play baseball, so when the book by Michael Lewis came out about how an underfunded baseball franchise exploited an edge over the big market teams by cheaply employing perceived wash-ups (old, overweight) whose contributions on the field were redeemed by manager Billy Beane and his sabermetrics, it was a delightful read. I happened to be in training to play professional blackjack at the time, and the similarities between the card counting and sabermetrics struck me over and over.

Perception, instinct,and superstition have long ruled approaches to beating both games. With a deeper look at the numbers, and a commitment to using them a smarter person can defy his own flawed instincts and gain an edge against those who mistakenly rely on old-guard understandings. In Billy Beane’s world walks and slugging percentage were undervalued and steals, fielding, and pitching speed were overvalued. In the blackjack player’s universe, the floating advantage based on the kinds of cards waiting to come out of the shoe should guide things like bet size, doubles, splits and whether to take insurance.

A winning blackjack strategy forces you to confront your own humanity if you are ever to take down the goliath casinos at their own game. That story (confronting your own weaknesses and instincts) is as old as the Earth, and if you look around, it is written into the fabric of every story of human triumph.

—Loudon Ofton

Posted in beating blackjack, card counting, card counting systems, card counting training, movies, Split, Double, Destroy | 9 Comments »

2012 Blackjack Ball Recap

February 10th, 2012

by Loudon Ofton

Rarely in my travels do I run into other card counters. Once a year, I run into all of them. Myself and a few of us here at BJA headquarters have just returned from the annual and notorious Blackjack Ball, and as usual it was a strange and wonderful evening. As per usual, the extravagantly catered event is held at a secret location in Las Vegas. Attendance is by invitation only.

Hosted by Max Rubin and sponsored by Barona Casino (who also house the Blackjack Hall of Fame) the stars came out this year. A smiling and gracious Ed Thorp was in attendance to receive special honor on this the 50year since his revolutionary book “Beat the Dealer”, which transformed the game of blackjack and launched card counting as a legitimate craft and career.

The great Stanford Wong was on hand. Also in the room, members of Tommy Hyland’s team, MIT team, Arnold Snyder, James Grosjean, blackjack publisher Anthony Curtis, and many many more.

After a vote of those in attendance, Ian Anderson (Burning the Tables in Las Vegas) was selected to be inducted into the Blackjack Hall of Fame. After a fierce competition, friend to BJA “Mr. Yuk” won the 2012 Calcutta prize for Blackjack.

The evening will continue to pay dividends for BJA members as friendships were forged that will soon result in new interviews (yes! we’re resurrecting the podcast, just be patient) and guest posts from some of the greats and new voices in the card counting world.

In other good news, Las Vegas is still playable. That’s all I am willing to say about that. Now quit making excuses. Get the blackjack training you’ve always intended to, hit the tables, and start earning the kind of recognition that will get you invited to Blackjack Ball one year from now.

–Loudon Ofton

P.S. – We have a special guest speaker at our March 24th Bootcamp! For the first (and possibly last) time, we have a recently retired surveillance employee who is going to share insider tips on avoiding detection as a card counter. He’s promised to keep everyone’s identity anonymous and has no ties to any casinos anymore. He’ll be giving a guest lecture for us!

There are only 2 spots still available for the bootcamp if you want to get in on the training. There is a good chance this will be our only training this year, so don’t miss out!

Posted in beating blackjack, card counting, card counting training, how to count cards, Split, Double, Destroy, story time | 2 Comments »

It’s a Plunderful Life! – Card Counting Story

January 1st, 2012

Happiest of holidays to you from my card counting bunker to yours. I have been hunkered down at the grand opening of a new casino. As it turns out, no heat and a big comeback win were two of my Christmas miracles this year. I am always surprised when that happens. Particularly when the owner himself recently backed me off at a sister casino down the road.
When it comes to plundering casinos, the holiday season can be the most plunderful time of the year. Holidays, celebrations, and special events always represent special opportunities to card counters. Distractions abound.

Your counterparts in the pit are human, and are forced to deal with the same sort of disruptions that the holidays bring you. They are busy with gift shopping, sluggish with holiday ham, and tired from spending time with (and/or avoiding) family. The kids are out of school. Seasonal church events, work parties, and festivities of all kinds always put mental energy for work duties on the back burner. Everyone is slacking off a bit from the floor to the surveillance room, thinking of vacation days and just surviving to the new year. Owners are on holiday. Second stringers and temporaries are holding down the fort. Pit bosses are watching bowl games and pro games with playoff implications.

Add to that the sliver of good will toward humanity and general seasonal merriment everyone feels inclined to participate in and it often adds up to letting things slide with regards to catching and ousting card counters.

May your Christmas stocking be stuffed with cash, and may your New Year’s Resolution involve a bigger and brighter sacking of the casinos in 2012.

—Loudon Ofton

P.S. We’ve released our new eBook: 29 Minute Card Counting Book. So far, we’re getting great reviews of it. If you’re interested in finding out more about it, you can check it out here:

Posted in basic strategy, beating blackjack, card counting, gambling, Split, Double, Destroy | No Comments »

Split Double Destroy [card counting dispatches from behind enemy lines]

October 16th, 2011

The money moves fast. When I lose count of the chips stuffed in my pockets or the cash I have extracted from them, or just when I need to dodge a little heat, compose myself, or strategize, I retire to my office—the casino bathroom.

In addition to its traditional offerings, the bathroom stall is every counter’s respite—often the only place in the casino without those pesky eyes in the sky following your every move. I don’t know how many millions of collective dollars I have unpacked, counted, recounted, rubber-banded and tried not to pee on inside these stained walls. Don’t drop that thousand dollar chip, because it has a mind for rolling into the next stall and then the scramble is on.

If you have never poured out a Budweiser into the toilet and refilled the bottle with water, you haven’t lived. Well you have lived, maybe quite well, but you have never lived as a shrewd card counter. Just don’t spill your water-filled Budweiser at the table like Ben once did. Oops!

A few stalls—the Wynn and Venetian in Las Vegas come to mind—have doors that go all the way to the floor. Privacy is nice when you are pulling 40 grand out of your socks. A ledge is nice, but more often than not, the top of the toilet paper dispenser is your only hope if you are looking for something resembling a flat surface to stack chips on. I hate automatic-flush toilets. God help me if I ever drop a chip into that bowl and am forced into a quick-draw duel with the hair-trigger sensor. It’s bad enough that while I am counting chips the toilet is flushing the whole time. Other patrons must think I ate at the buffet. Which brings to mind what I hear most while I am in there—buffet cursing, sports cursing, and casino-took-my-money cursing. I once heard a cellphone ringing one stall over. “This is the wolfman,” the man answered with a grunt. That explains the smell, I thought.

Here’s a fun fact—I have never been backed off in a bathroom. But I have been followed into a few, so keep your wits about you.

Tonight I had a handicapped stall to myself. The bigger office is always preferred. I had plenty of space to count, rubber-band, and re-pocket. Ten minutes later I sauntered out, and was met with the scowl and crossed arms of a man waiting in a wheelchair.

Posted in basic strategy, beating blackjack, card counting, card counting systems, card counting training, gambling, how to count cards, Las Vegas, Money management, Split, Double, Destroy, story time | No Comments »

Split Double Destroy [card counting stories from behind enemy lines]

September 29th, 2011

I was driving to a Tribal casino recently. When the GPS beeped with the announcement that I had arrived at my destination I pulled over and looked around. I was on a dusty road with empty desert in all directions. GPS is great, but never let it be the substitute for advance planning.

More than once I have been led to a casino’s administrative building, tribal gaming office, or an outdated address. One time I was led to a KFC. They had no table games, but they did have a Double Down sandwich, which I DID NOT eat. I am a card counter, not a gambler.

Prepare for a trip in such a way that you can find your way without GPS. You never know when your phone will decide it can’t get a signal, or conk out altogether because you dropped it in the airport garage. Use casino websites. Map everything out in advance. Know drive times and where the casinos are in relation to one another so you can make the most efficient travel decisions.

When I get into town, I tend to start at either the casino with the best game, or the casino closest to the airport. From there I have my options mapped out on one sheet of paper. Nothing is clumsier or more time consuming than fumbling with a map on the side of the road. Hands-free driving is best. Be sure you know what texting or cell phone usage laws exist in the state or city to which you are traveling.

Many factors inform my choices in how I launch a regional blackjack assault, from reported conditions to drive times to available lodging nearby (I don’t get those sweet comps so much anymore). As I play, new factors continue to inform my choices, from new information I have received about local games to traffic conditions to whether I suspect I have been flyered.

Remember, the longer you play, the more assured you are that you will be victorious for your career. Trip efficiency is crucial to getting maximum hours each time out and working towards that long run victory.

Posted in basic strategy, beating blackjack, card counting, card counting systems, card counting training, casino info, gambling, how to count cards, Split, Double, Destroy, story time, tribal casinos | 1 Comment »

Split Double Destroy [Card Counting dispatches from behind enemy lines]

August 18th, 2011

I was at a casino recently that didn’t offer surrender—not in the reports, not in the posted rules, not in the signage. Nevertheless, at my first 16 against a dealer’s face card I asked if I could surrender it and get half of my bet back. The dealer shrugged. The pit boss shrugged. Then he said, “Okay.” I like to think they added the rule BECAUSE I asked for it, but in any case the asking made all the difference.

Do your research on blackjack table conditions, and always confirm the information before you play a hand. It hurts the soul of a card counter to find out at the END of a session that what you thought was a six-deck game was actually a five-deck game (they do exist!). It also hurts to make a long drive only to find the place so crowded you can’t get a seat. Call ahead to ask about table limits, rules, and times of day that tables are closed or crowded.

Likewise don’t rule out a casino just because of reported conditions. Casino games are organically changing. If money isn’t coming in the doors, or if the casino down the road made its rules better, the casino is often forced to compete for patrons.

If card counters are storming a place because of great reports, the game often deteriorates. Stay ahead of the curve by combining good online research with your own research. A report that discourages counters means that foot traffic has decreased and conditions may have changed. I popped my head into a casino recently where they supposedly offered only bad games to find an amazing double-anything single deck game that wasn’t on any of the reports. I played it all night, and the pit was happy to have me as I took them for a healthy chunk of change. Punchline—this dream scenario happened in Las Vegas. No don’t go looking for it. It’s not there anymore. I’d like to think I was the reason they put that table out to pasture, but who knows. I will bet that when the casino is under the gun to boost its numbers, that game may well come back.

In the time it took to read this dispatch, the conditions at a blackjack table near you just got better. Go find it and have a roll in the EV on my behalf.—Loudon Ofton

Posted in beating blackjack, card counting, card counting systems, card counting training, Deviations, how to count cards, Split, Double, Destroy | 2 Comments »

Split Double Destroy [Card Counting dispatches from behind enemy lines]

July 7th, 2011

I was playing blackjack at a large casino last night I had never been to before. They had multiple pits separated by whole minefields of slot machines. I did some wandering back and forth, back-counting and bombing into tables as I saw fit, and playing carefully. I was getting heat from the various pit personnel. I figured I wouldn’t last much longer. That is, until I came across Ramon.
I was playing a table with a feisty dealer. Ramon was an employee approaching the pit. He started stepping over the chain barricade between two tables. One foot was over when the dealer chirped, “Hey! You can’t go that way. You have to go around!”
“You’re right,” Ramon conceded. “I’m sorry,” he pulled his foot back.
“I’m totally kidding,” the dealer said raising his arms in surrender.
“No, you are right,” said a flustered Ramon, and he walked around. The dealer felt a little bad for his verbal assault, and my mouth dropped as I watched Ramon clock in as the pit manager for the next shift.
At that moment I knew that I didn’t want to leave this pit for the whole night. In an industry of bruisers and bulldogs, I had found a beagle. Ramon was a pushover.
In not so many words, I made it clear to Ramon that I belonged here, that my big money was welcome, that I was not the droid he was looking for and that he was doing a great job. I played the rest of the night without any heat, making sure I never ventured beyond Ramon’s pit.
It’s difficult enough to play perfect blackjack, let alone size up, distract, or charm a pit boss in an attempt to throw them off your scent. I know a handful of card counters who are bulldogs in their own right in this way. I have never been much of a bulldog. But if you learn to keep your ears perked, once in a while a pit boss will give away their weakness. When they do, strike.

—Loudon Ofton

Posted in beating blackjack, card counting, cover, gambling, how to count cards, Split, Double, Destroy, story time | 1 Comment »

Split Double Destroy [Card Counting dispatches from behind enemy lines]

March 3rd, 2011

“Who here can tell me how to win this game?” I asked as I bellied up to a crowded blackjack table. Everyone started talking at once. “Wait,” I held up my hand. “First off—who has won more than they’ve lost in the last year?” Dead silence.

Blackjack: everyone’s got an angle on winning, but very rarely do they seem to do it with any regularity. You’d think a long losing streak in the same direction would shut the peanut gallery up a little. You’d think.

I was playing a table in Arizona this week with, who some might describe as, a big ol’ redneck. He was playing one hand of $100. I was varying back and forth indiscriminately between one hand of $25, and two or three hands of $500. He was getting two things—no love from the cards, and right pissed off. His red neck spread upward and steam started leaking out of his ears.

“Go ahead and clean HIM out!” Mr. Redneck said to the dealer, jerking a thumb in my direction. “Then we can go on back to playing reg-uh-ler.”

Mr. Redneck turned to me. “I hope you get cleaned out bub. Cleaned OUT!”

“This should about do it, yes?” I said, moving from one hand of $25 to two hands of $500. The vein in his neck throbbed.

“A FOOL and his money are soon parted!” he decreed.

“I wouldn’t know about that,” I said. “I don’t read the Koran.” The dealer flipped a blackjack. I moved to three hands of $500. Mr. Redneck burst into flames.

“It’s not a guessing game, BUB!”

“What kind of game is it?”

“It’s about statistical averages. I should know. I come here every day, week in and week out. I’m trying to get back over two grand back I lost just this week.”

“So how are those statistical averages working out for you?”

His cowboy hat hit the roof riding on a geyser of steam.

“It’s not about how big you bet, motherf***er!”

“No. You’re right. I’m sorry to hear you and your money were parted. It was too soon.”

“Come on guys,” the dealer begged.

“The difference between you and me,” the man said, spittle sizzling behind his clenched teeth, “is what you got parked out in the lot and what I got parked out in the lot!”

“I don’t even know what that means.”

Mr. Redneck grabbed his chips in a huff and stormed off.

“I drive a Ford Festiva,” I said after him.

Every loudmouth with his or her oddball blackjack strategy will have a unique reaction to the way you play. Roll with the punches. Don’t let people get under your skin, and don’t let them intimidate your EV play. Playfulness is better than defensiveness. You are not on trial.—Loudon Ofton

Posted in basic strategy, beating blackjack, card counting, card counting systems, how to count cards, Split, Double, Destroy, story time | 3 Comments »

Split Double Destroy [real-time dispatches from behind enemy lines]

September 3rd, 2010

The player next to me—as is often the case—was tipping the dealer tonight. I—as is always the case—was not. The dealer thanked Mr. Tips more noticeably each time for the table scraps coming his way, and Mr. Tips responded by ever more loudly espousing the eternal virtues of tipping. They were addressing each other, but they were talking at me.

This happens on a regular basis. I have become accustomed to being the lone big bettor at a table, raking it in hand over fist, and nevertheless wearing the label Ungrateful McCheapy-Pants for not tipping a dime.

Finally Mr. Tips got up the nerve and asked me to my face why I don’t tip. I remembered that this player had been talking earlier about signing up for a blackjack tournament.

“Do you ever tip the dealer in a blackjack tournament?”

“NO WAY!” He chortled. “Why would I do that?”

“You tip the dealer here, why not in a tournament?”

“Every dollar counts in a tournament. It might make the difference between winning and losing.”

“That’s why I don’t tip,” I said. A long silence followed.

“Well,” the player finally said, “What goes around, comes around, you know? It’s about Karma.”

“The same Karma that is suspended for blackjack tournaments everywhere?”

Over the long haul, the casino takes a few cents every round from the average player. The advantaged player turns that on its head to take a few cents every round from the casino. Don’t let your moments of high positive variance fool you. Your margins are a lot smaller than your chip stack. In the long run, he who gives away his cents makes neither cents nor sense. –Loudon Ofton

Posted in Columns, Split, Double, Destroy, Uncategorized | 5 Comments »

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