We had the opportunity to ask BJA member “The Phoenix” about his blackjack journey. He’s been to a couple bootcamps, played on a larger scale team, and won a good amount of money from card counting. It’s probably the most cryptic interview we have, so the answers are short, but hopefully you still learn from and enjoy his responses!
1. How did you get into card counting?
It started with the martingale system. Then lost some money with that, but got a bit of the gambling bug
2. How long have you been counting cards?
I feel like it has been 3 years now.
3. How long did it take you to trust your skills? How do you know you’re any good?
Well, this is a tricky question. I practiced on my computer for 3 months until I could keep the count and adjust bets skillfully. On the simulation I lost a lot of money, but then won it all back and made some money. That’s when I took my skills to the tables which was a little pre-mature.
4. What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced/had to overcome?
Not making as much as I would like. Expenses and being patient.
5. Any advice you would give to others? Anything you wish you would have known?
Advice would be to not count for more than 10 hours a session. And be stingy and take the time to find the best games.
6. Any highlights of your career so far?
Being on a team and winning 37,000 in 5 days.
7. What’s your favorite thing about being a card counter?
You have a skill that can make you money and that opportunity is never going to go away.
8. What’s the most you’ve ever won/lost in a day? How did that feel? How did you respond?
listed above is the biggest team win in 5 days. The biggest single day team win was 23,000 in a day. The best I have done in a day was 2,800. Winning money always makes you feel good. Winning money can sometimes gives me delusions of granger so I have to watch that.
9. Any memorable story(stories) you’re willing to share?
I got handcuffed for 30 minutes outside a tribal casino once.
10. What’s your favorite advantaged play have you done in your life that didn’t involve blackjack or casinos?
Asking for more pay at my motion graphics work?
