Indulge in blackjack like a professional
The Veteran Player
Veteran's excel in their respective fields, it could be blackjack as well. The game pattern must reflect that the players possess hold over the intricities of the game play. When in blackjack, if you took about three decks off the top of the five-deck stack, it would look like two decks remain in the discard rack. The exact card number for two decks, in the discard rack, is 104. Anything reasonably close to that is accurate enough for TC conversions. However, if you guessed two decks were in the rack and the card number read 140, you were well off-it was much closer to three decks i.e. 156 cards than to two decks i.e. 104 cards. Continue to practice until you're consistently within 5 to 10 cards of the actual number. This technique can be used whether you decide to round to the nearest deck or half-deck.
You can also mix in TC conversion practice by adding in another separate deck. Take a card from the new deck an flip it over. This represents an imaginary RC number for practice. Say you turned over the 8 of clubs. If you've estimated there are two decks in the discard rack, then there are four decks remaining. So 8 needs to be divided by 4, which gives a TC of 2. You can do this with several different cards, one after another, to practice this conversion before moving on to a different number of decks in the discard rack. You can also use red cards, the hearts and diamonds to imitate minus numbers and black, spades and clubs, for positive. Dividing by whole numbers should be fairly easy with this drill. The exactness of decimal points for a TC is unnecessary, and it's generally best to round down to the nearest whole number:
Determining the TC will help in two ways. The main advantage is in being able to bet the correct amounts at the right times. One important thing to remember is that a negative RC always equals a negative TC. So if you are calculating a TC only to determine your bet, you can save yourself the effort on any negative number because you will never change your bet until the RC rises over into the positive side.
The other reason you need a TC is so you can vary your play decisions from basic strategy according to the count. It may sound stupid, after I took so much time explaining the importance of basic strategy, to tell you now that there are occasions when you throw it out the window; but there are good reasons for these exceptions. When an excess of face cards are left in the shoe, it is sometimes wiser to stand on your stiffs and let the dealer bust. Also, you'd want to double down and split more frequently in positive counts and less often in negative decks.
The correct time to deviate from basic strategy is determined by a matrix number. However, you still play basic strategy on the vast majority of your hands. Some of these modifications according to the count can greatly increase your edge. Don Schlesinger, the gifted author of Blackjack Attack, determined the most important hands for changing your play from basic strategy. He dubbed these critical plays "the Illustrious 18." Here are the matrix numbers to use during those critical situations. Sometimes, you may have a decision that is a toss-up-: a hand that is border-line for the number. The best way to resolve such close calls is to go with basic strategy and err on the side of safety.
A serious player must know, all the basics to become an overall winner at the casinos. However, at times this task may seem too difficult or overwhelming, and you may want to give up, but the reward for the work you put in now will be great over your lifetime. Disciplined players who adhere to the proper strategies will win far more often than those who play blackjack by the seat of their pants.
The important principle is to only use what you are able to master. A little knowledge sometimes can be a dangerous thing, and every time good information is dispersed to the gaming public it usually creates more losing players than winners. That is because few put in the work at home before entering the doors of the palaces of chance.
The next step, once your speed and accuracy is adequate, is to take your game out of the kitchen and into the battlefield. However, it is very important not to rush this process. Practice should be done at home, not at the casinos. The cost of your education in the real world can be very high.
Assuming you're ready to tackle the tables, I suggest you start off betting small. Don't make my initial mistake and go in unprepared and overconfident. It is better to start slow and work your way up to higher chip levels. There are many things to keep track of when you first start card counting, and if you are also sweating over the amount of money at risk, you have a recipe for disaster.
If you’ve already learned a valid counting system, there is no need to change if you are comfortable with that. However, more chips wait for you at each additional rung of the ladder. The higher you are willing to climb, the larger the gain. In the next chapter, I'll reveal some insider tips to help you maximize your return at lucrative hand held games. And those chosen few who are diligent and serious about their blackjack game can join the ranks of the true upper class in blackjack-the pros.