I've got the bug. I'm learning to play blackjack. And I'm doing the mathematician's way. Logically. I'm determining the optimal strategy myself, instead of just trusting the widely accepted basic strategy. I'm determining the optimal strategy for every situation as in basic strategy, but based on the count. My guess is basic strategy assumes the count is 0. By varying your strategy based on the count, you may be able to get an edge in blackjack based purely on strategy change, and without even varying your bet.
Figuring if this is true or not should require some advanced statistical analysis. So I'm busting out the old Hogg & Tanis. Anyways, you can read more about my endeavor at AI Fun, my other blog.
Enjoy ;)
Friday, July 17, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Casino
I don't have a big enough bankroll to play at the casino yet. In other words, if I lose my $200-$600 buy in playing no-limit Texas Hold'Em, I won't be able to pay my credit card bills or rent or buy groceries. So I played bingo for less than $20, and played exactly three hands of blackjack costing me $20. (I only played blackjack because Melissa was egging me on. She contributed $5 of the amount lost.)
So at home I decided to practice counting cards. On one episode of "Breaking Vegas" I heard a professional blackjack player say, "if we could count down a deck in less than 30 seconds, then we knew we were ready." I've practiced counting cards before, and its hard. I'm not sure if its that I think high cards should be +1 and low cards should be -1 instead of the opposite, or what. But I practiced, and I got a little better. Still, when I timed myself, I never broke a minute. In other words, I'm way too slow to count cards like a pro.
I seriously need to learn the basic strategy, and then how the strategy changes with the count, if I'm going to play at the casino. Even if it is just $5 a hand, like I said before, I don't have a big bankroll. I only played 3 hands because I split on two 8s, at the dealer's advice. Which was weird, because she had just said earlier, "I'm not allowed to give advice. I can't tell player's what to do." Then she proceeded to tell me to split 8s against her ace. Nice job dealer. I didn't get her name, even though she was wearing it on her shirt like a good casino employee.
Together there were six of us that went to the casino. I considered it a favor to Carly for her birthday next week. I've never played bingo with them before, and they love to play bingo. Out of the six of us, I think we spent close to $160, and not one of us won a thing. Oh well, that's poker. Err, um life. ;)
So at home I decided to practice counting cards. On one episode of "Breaking Vegas" I heard a professional blackjack player say, "if we could count down a deck in less than 30 seconds, then we knew we were ready." I've practiced counting cards before, and its hard. I'm not sure if its that I think high cards should be +1 and low cards should be -1 instead of the opposite, or what. But I practiced, and I got a little better. Still, when I timed myself, I never broke a minute. In other words, I'm way too slow to count cards like a pro.
I seriously need to learn the basic strategy, and then how the strategy changes with the count, if I'm going to play at the casino. Even if it is just $5 a hand, like I said before, I don't have a big bankroll. I only played 3 hands because I split on two 8s, at the dealer's advice. Which was weird, because she had just said earlier, "I'm not allowed to give advice. I can't tell player's what to do." Then she proceeded to tell me to split 8s against her ace. Nice job dealer. I didn't get her name, even though she was wearing it on her shirt like a good casino employee.
Together there were six of us that went to the casino. I considered it a favor to Carly for her birthday next week. I've never played bingo with them before, and they love to play bingo. Out of the six of us, I think we spent close to $160, and not one of us won a thing. Oh well, that's poker. Err, um life. ;)
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