Blackjack strategy

LSUpete · Jul 20, 2004

Okay guys, I'm going to Vegas soon and need some advice.

First of all, I usually play craps but I want to include some Blackjack on this trip as well. I am no novice at Blackjack, but am certainly willing to listen to those of you with valuable knowledge of winning strategies. I thought the following system had some merit.....

" You are coming to a resort hotel casino for a three day stay. You have decided to risk up to $1,200 playing "21".You plan to play twice a day and want to receive full value for your play. Only if you have the discipline not to exceed the $1,200 you are willing to put at risk, deposit an amount up to $5000 in the cage and request a casino evaluation toward room, food and beverage comps. If your deposit is large enough this could include airfare. You plan on risking $200 for each of six plays. Take a $300 to $500 marker and play to a consistent Basic Strategy. Your opening bet could be $10.00. After a loss continue to bet $10.00. When you win increase your bet and continue to add to your bet for as long as you win. After a loss start over with $10.00. You should have a number in mind of what you want to win for each segment of your six plays. When that amount is reached that play is over. This amount could be $100 up to a multiple of your $200 at risk. If you reach this goal pay your marker and cash out. If you lose $200 end this play and cash out the balance. Follow this routine for each segment of your play."

Opinions? Please list your favorite Blckjack system as well.

SportSavant · Jul 20, 2004

there was a recent... very long... thread on Blackjack... If one of the mods can find it, it will answer most or all your questions...

UberTout · Jul 20, 2004

Here we go again. There is no blackjack 'system' that doesn't suck ass. The only way to have any potential to beat blackjack long term is ACCURATE card counting. The ONLY way to minimise the house edge aside from counting is to play perfect strategy for the rules of the game you're in.

If you want to churn your money away faster than you otherwise would, consider a 'system' - for this purpose, they are all excellent.

UT

newbie666 · Jul 20, 2004

find a partner,
sit down next
bet the third on what he bets.
see what the dealer has...
if the next card makes the dealer wins
make your self busted,
dealer comes busted 2...

split the difference with your partner...

also. ask 4 the expensive FREE beverage.
drink as fast as you can...
if your drink is over.. take your chips out
until you get your new drink.

when you feel drunk.. get out of the table...

always be.. a pain in the ass...

[This message was edited by newbie666 on July 20, 2004 at 03:51 PM.]

SportSavant · Jul 20, 2004

Uber tout,

you are right, however it is not about breaking the casino or anything, it is simply about reducing your exposure to loss...giving yourself a chance to get lucky & perhaps win some money. If not win at least enjoy the comps & minimize your risk to loss.

With perfect Strategy & the right game you can reduce the house edge to 50.5% so you give yourself a 49.5% chance of winning over an extended period of play....

Without perfect strategy your odds go WAY down... even with simple mistakes.

UberTout · Jul 20, 2004

"Originally posted by SportSavant:
....giving yourself a chance to get lucky & perhaps win some money. If not win at least enjoy the comps & minimize your risk to loss."

EXACTLY.

"With perfect Strategy & the right game you can reduce the house edge to 50.5% so you give yourself a 49.5% chance of winning over an extended period of play."

agreed.

LSU's post, however, is about systems, and there are no systems that improve on perfect stategy, and perfect strategy allows you to play longer, lose slower, enjoy more comps, and enjoy more streaks that allow you to finish up money.

UT

LSUpete · Jul 20, 2004

Exactly Sportsavant!

COME ON UT, I'm talking about an enjoyable weekend of sustained play with minimal exposure to loss. The weekend goal is to come out marginally ahead with some comps from the casino.

drunkguy · Jul 20, 2004

LSU pete-

do a google search on martindale system. That is essentially what you are doing.

packer2012 · Jul 20, 2004

You will lose your ass with the system you mentioned, unless of course, you are lucky and the dealer is busting like crazy.

More importantly, most places that even HAVE a decent room won't even rate your play for less than 25 per hand.

to even discuss room, food, and beverage for 200 buy-ins is crazy.

PS A 300 to 500 buy-in when you are only willing to risk 200 does you no good. These people are not stupid. They rate players every day. You have to make some pretty serious lay-downs for 4 hours a day to get treated very well!

wilheim · Jul 20, 2004

Recreational blackjack play requires a solid basic strategy not any kind of system. I will link a site that has Basic strategy charts for most any situation.

Blackjack

wil.

SSI · Jul 20, 2004

played about 4 hours saturday, 2 hours in each session, won $130 in session 1. and won $75 in session 2 for a $205 total.. i played basic strategy and consider myself pretty decent, played for $25-$50 per hand, so it was a lot of back and forth.. i always feel lucky when i win because you see everyone else at the table losing for the most part..

UberTout · Jul 20, 2004

SSI, you did well. Betting an average of $37.50 per hand for four hours, at a conservative rate of 30 hands per hour, your 'handle' was $4500, so even playing perfect strategy you would be expected to lose a percent or so. You won 4.5% of your handle, not bad.

UT

SSI · Jul 20, 2004

thanks, there was a good bit of talk and a little drinking at the table, as it was a saturday.. this slowed it down a bit, i think...

kyhawk · Jul 20, 2004

Make sure you paly basic strategy. All the giftshops have the little card with correct play.

Woody0 · Jul 20, 2004

You'll be lucky to get any RFB on $10 bets and with a bankroll of 120 units you could easily loose half that in one session on a bad swing. Things like that happen.

packer2012 · Jul 21, 2004

WoodyO,

You are a kind and gratious soul!

Go ahead and tell them the truth.

With $10 bets you cannot EVEN get rated it any decent place.

You could not get RFB for McDonalds food and to sleep in a cardboard box out in the desert!

max1234 · Jul 21, 2004

LSU.

Get on the internet, find a good room rate, eat at the buffets and play some low end BJ and that $1200 should last you the weekend... but as far as getting comped goes, forget it. If you can't average a $100 a bet anymore you're dreaming about RFB.

cincyfred · Jul 21, 2004

I agree that there is no such thing as a system in Blackjack. Playing Basic Strategy to perfection is a must.

I do think that it is universally accepted that a progressive betting system where you increase your bet after a winning hand and return to your minimum bet after a losing hand is a good idea.

Good Money Management is important as well. You need an adequate Bankroll to withstand losing streaks. A good "rule of thumb" is bringing to the table 40X the minimum bet as your Bankroll. So if your playing at a $10 Table you should bring $400, a $25 Table you should have $1,000, etc.

Discipline is also important. You should end your session once you've earned 50% of your beginning Bankroll in winnings. You could terminate sooner but 50% of your Bankroll is a pretty good session and it should be attainable if your Bankroll is adequate based on statistical models I've seen, standard deviation, etc.

Good luck. Hope this helps.

CedarCreaker · Jul 21, 2004

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Packer:
WoodyO,

With $10 bets you cannot EVEN get rated it any decent place.

You could not get RFB for McDonalds food and to sleep in a cardboard box out in the desert!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Pretty funny packer...luv the RFB at McDonalds and cardboard box...but seriously if you play $25-50 per hand for 4+ hrs a day you can get something....just make sure you put the $50 at the start of a new shoe when the Pit Boss comes by,,,you can pull some back after he leaves after the shuffle and take long bathroom breaks...also when get on run you might jump up to $75 or $100 with their money...play for 4+ or so hrs at a sitting and you'd be surprised..

packer2012 · Jul 22, 2004

I'm not saying you can't get something for 25-50 per hand for 4+ hours.

He was asking specifically about 10 per hand. Enjoy a free drink, couse that is all you will ever seeat the 10 level.

Yea, at 25-50 or above with a little luck you MAY occasionally snag a buffet or VERY limited coffee shop comp.