Blackjack - Should You Count Cards?
If you are like the average, recreational Blackjack player, you may play Blackjack in a casino a few times per year and you want to play in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere and have fun. But at the same time, you don't want to play a game where the odds are greatly
against you and you want a good chance of beating the house on any given day. And
you're willing to invest a reasonable amount of time learning to play properly. Does this describe you? If so, you're not alone. About 99% of Blackjack players can
very likely be described as "recreational" players. If you invest the few hours it
takes to lean Basic Strategy and good money management you will reduce the
casino's edge down to about a half percent. This is the closest to playing even with
the house that you'll find in any game in the casino. However, for those of you for whom playing almost even with the house is not good
enough and you want the edge, you must become a card counter. It is an irrefutable fact that you can have an advantage over the casino in Blackjack
by counting cards. There are dozens of books this subject and card counting has
been mathematically proven - literally thousands of times - as a method to more
accurately determine the odds that your next hand will have favorable cards. The long-term advantage gained by card counting is about 1%, versus the one half
percent disadvantage from simply playing Basic Strategy. So why isn't everyone a card counter and why are casino Blackjack profits at an all-
time high and climbing? Two reasons: * Casinos have made the playing conditions very difficult for card counters. * Becoming an expert card counter requires hundreds of hours of practice and a
monstrous bankroll. Even then, a small lapse in concentration at the table will
wipe out the small advantage gained by counting. This does not mean there aren't professional Blackjack counters who make a living
playing Blackjack - there are. However, to be able to make a full time living by counting cards, you'll need to be
able to do the following: * Spend hundreds of hours, and play thousands of hands, to learn to count
cards expertly, plus learn the many subtle variations to hitting and standing
that vary with the count. * Play 100 hours plus per month of actual table time, with average bets of $50
- $100. You can probably double this amount of time - or more - to allow for
breaks, finding good tables, changing tables and casinos frequently, travel,
etc. * Learn how to constantly conceal your card counting skills when playing, to
avoid being asked to leave. * Play at odd hours ? usually very late at night into the early hours of the
morning, because it's best to play one-on-one with the dealer or with as few
other players as possible at the table. * Change tables and casinos frequently, to avoid being detected. * Have a very large bankroll. As a professional, you will need about 300-500
times your average bet, to be able to take advantage of the count by stepping
up your bets dramatically and playing multiple hands, while also being able to
weather the wild swings in your bankroll that will frequently happen in the
short run. This translates to a working bankroll of about $30,000 - $50,000,
based on average bets of $50 - $100, which is what you'll need to earn a full
time living. If you are indeed able to do all of the above flawlessly, then congratulations! You
are an expert card counter and you will make money in the long term. For the 99% of us who are recreational players and unable - or unwilling - to
make the substantial effort required to count cards expertly, then playing Basic
Strategy is the next best thing. This will give a very low edge against you of
about one half of one percent, while still providing the chance to come away a
winner in the short term. Learning perfect Blackjack Basic Strategy takes only a few hours and can be
mastered by virtually everyone. You can play any table, any time, for as long as
you like, without having to worry about being noticed by the Pit Boss. In fact, the
Pit Bosses will welcome you with open arms. You'll still have the lowest odds
against you of any table game in the casino and you'll have a fighting chance of
beating the casino with a good run of cards. This is the best way to play for casual, recreational players who want to have fun
but not lose their shirts. Don't get me wrong: the bottom line is that if you want to be a serious, dedicated
Blackjack player, who gets the most thrill out of beating the casino and is willing
to work hard to do it, then by all means learn card counting. However, for the recreational player, Blackjack should be easy to learn and fun. With Basic Strategy, it is. Tom is the webmaster at http://www.blackjack-for-everyone.com, which is a website dedicated to the recreational Blackjack player.
Related News
Hypocrisy underlies election — again - Youngstown Vindicator
Hypocrisy underlies election — againYoungstown Vindicator, OH -19 hours agoIt should be pointed out that two years ago, when this writer noted the hypocrisy in Ohio toward casino gambling, the governor’s spokesman contended that ... |
Fatal crash highlights lure of casinos for seniors - Baltimore Sun
Prop A: $10M for GovGuam: Opponents say initiative is rife with ... - Pacific Daily News
Odds against tourism boost from casino - Pacific Daily News
Odds against tourism boost from casinoPacific Daily News, GU -Oct 11, 2008My home town experienced a similar debate during the 1960s, with gambling proposed as a solution to a sharp decline in tourism. In the end, casino gambling... |
Las Vegas Strip Casino Revenue Falls for Eighth Month (Update1) - Bloomberg
Fighting casino links in US presidential debates - Daily Nation
Fighting casino links in US presidential debatesDaily Nation, Kenya -7 hours agoHe explained that Frank Fahrenkopf Jr, one of the two co-chairmen of the Commission on Presidential Debates was also boss of the American Gaming Association ... |
Spokane Tribe upset over casino ads - Seattle Times
Spokane Tribe upset over casino adsSeattle Times, United States -Oct 11, 2008... of GOP governor candidate Dino Rossi over TV commercials that suggest the tribe and the state struck an improper deal to expand casino gambling. ... |
Science news straight from the source - ScienceBlog.com
Science news straight from the sourceScienceBlog.com, CA -10 hours agoOur Casino is a collaborator network that was formed to meet the needs of the frequent online casino player. Our casino gambling is a great reserve to find ... |
For both sides, Ohio initiatives about jobs - Lebanon Western Star
For both sides, Ohio initiatives about jobsLebanon Western Star, OH -19 hours ago4 will decide whether to allow casino gambling and whether the state should finance conservation of natural open spaces and the environmental revitalization ... |
Miami Beach commission approves resolution opposing casino gambling - MiamiHerald.com
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Land Casinos Vs. Online Casinos
Since the emergence of a few online casinos in 1996, the growth and popularity of the online gambling industry has skyrocketed at a phenomenal rate. There are currently thousands of online casinos generating an estimated annual revenue of over USD $7,000,000,000. If this figure is divided by 365 days, then it could be said that online casinos generate an average of well over $19,000,000 in revenue every single day.
Gaming Winners
Before you plan a trip to Las Vegas or Atlantic City or going on a cruise with legalized Gambling, certain things you must know of, and the most important one being How To Win. Gamble is all about taking a calculated risk, using your skills combined with a strategy and finally one thing that all of us want, Luck.
Mobile Gaming Leads the Way
The state of online gambling may have just found another highly viable ally. The new world offered up by the mobile gaming industry can be highly rewarding for online casino operators and software providers, as the opportunity to play online, is increased by the popularity of hand-held devices such as PDAs, mobile handsets and palmtops. Soon we could see a growth in various synergies and partnerships between the hugely popular online gambling market and the even trendier mobile gaming industry which could just be the ticket to adding legitimacy to the exceptionally lucrative world that is online gambling.
Roulette System: Discover Why You always Fail At Roulette Game
Online Roulette System: Discover Why You always Fail At Roulette game even you have the best roulette system!!!
Online Gambling Basics
Poker, black jack or any other casino game with a real fancy name, any lay man acquainted with the web knows that these are only a click away. Online gambling industry today is one with the highest growth rate. However which site to choose is definitely the biggest problem that one faces when seriously thinking about gambling online. With sites by the dozen offering "online gambling" there are other hundred offering you to start your own site, the scene can get a lot confusing.
A Beginners Guide to Poker Chips
Poker is one game that has influenced almost whole of the United States of America. The influence of this table game can be seen in any nook and corner of the country and the world as well. The game has picked so well from the fan fairs due to which it made it to the clubs very conveniently. But that was not where it was meant to be. It found an easy opening in the casinos as it was a very popular pass time. And today the people are happy to play it at homes too. Thus the game is going places. But ever imagined the game with out the real accessories? No way can't the game be played with out the surreal stuff. And not all can have the fun with out the actual jazz attached to it.
Winning at Slots, The Best Strategies
Casino gambling is often played with a gambling strategy in mind. This is however not normally the case with slot machines. Many players simply pump in their credits, pull on the arm ? or in the case of a virtual casino, hit the spin button and hope to hit the jackpot.
Poker Hand Rankings
Poker hand rankings are one of the most important aspects of any poker game. When playing online poker, especially fast online poker games such as Texas Holdem Poker, you need to be able to quickly discern which cards are needed to create a better poker hand.
Do the Laundry or Win the Lottery
On the Friday afternoon drive home, I'm relieved the weekend has finally arrived. Sleeping in, afternoons at the pool and?the looming pile of clothes on the laundry room floor! The endless list of household tasks never seems to go away. While stopping for gas along the highway, I pick up a few lottery tickets for the Saturday night draw.
The Concept of Value in Sports Betting!
In sports betting you need to make sure that your bets (and trades) are good value in order to make a profit. If you do not do this you will still win bets but profits may be harder to achieve.
Online Poker --- Is It Safe? --- Is It for Me?
Online Poker Rooms
Free Roll Texas Holdem Tournaments
Free Roll Texas Holdem Tournaments are great because they allow you to play poker absolutely free and actually win REAL money. Does this sound too good to be true? Then go to the Trident Poker online casino to see for yourself.
Playing Online Poker For A Living
Playing online poker for a living is absolutely doable, but it takes a combination of talent, dedication, patience, discipline and disposition to succeed.
Why Use an Internet Sports Book to Make Wagers?
Although I started using online sportsbooks almost ten years ago, I still maintained contact with a couple of local books for the express purpose of getting better lines with regard to the local or favorite teams of choice in my neck of the woods, the reasoning of course was so that if I saw "Value" in going against the the local or favorite teams of choice then what better place to get the best line when going against them then in their home area?
Soccer Livebetting
Live betting is one of the main sources of income for the bookmaker why?
Beat the Casinos
Do you have what it takes to become a successful (and profitable) gambler? Read on and find out:
Poker Tournament Freerolls Payout in Seven Figures
Poker tournaments freerolls are free poker tournaments that are hosted daily by the best online poker rooms. Poker tournament freerolls are often just called freerolls. Freerolls are loved by the poker playing community as they offer the poker players the chance to practice their tournament skills and win some cash prizes without spending a dime. The entry to these freerolls is ? as the name suggests ? free and prize money can range from a few dollars for a placing to a million dollars for winning the largest Texas Holdem poker tournament freerolls.
MTT Poker Win Frequency
Multi Table Tournaments (MTT) are currently very popular due in large part to the success of televising the World Poker Tour Tournaments and the World Series of Poker Tournaments. Thousands of players try their luck and skills daily online and in brick and mortar tournaments. However, few players appear to give much thought as to whether they should have even entered the tournament. They seem to enter just to compete. It doesn't seem to matter how many people have entered the contest. The lower the entry fee, the larger the tournament field. It's not unusual for One, Two and Five dollar tournaments to attract 1500 to 2500 entrants.
Online Poker Gambling Sees Tremendous Growth
Online poker gambling at casinos and poker rooms is one of the fastest growing forms of wagering on the Internet. Fueled by the televised tournaments seen on Travel Channel's World Poker Tour, ESPN with the 2004 World Series of Poker (WSOP), and Bravo's Celebrity Poker, the popularity of the game is seen everywhere. A huge number of the qualifiers for the 2004 WSOP gained their entries from playing in online satellite tournaments for a fraction of the large entry fees paid by others. Look for more players to enter 2005 world series of poker satellite tournaments for this reason.
Introduction to Texas Holdem Strategy ? 3 Concepts
Concept #1 ? Pot Odds
|
