The Big Player and playing the part: Story Time!

Published by colin on August 20, 2008 in story time. 0 Comments

ColinLet me tell you about the first time I was the Big Player.

I was pretty excited to be the one throwing down thousands of dollars. So before going in to the casino, I started thinking, ” What’s my story going to be?”

So, before entering the casino, I decided to borrow the story of a friend of mine: guitar player in a rock band. A long time friend had recently gotten his band, The Taking*, signed to a major record label deal, and got a large signing bonus in the process. So, young white kids probably all look the same to Casino Pit Bosses, I assumed I could say that I was guitar player for The Taking, and just got a six-figure signing bonus from the record label. Then, if they looked it up online, they’d see that it was a legitimate band, and it would explain why I was throwing around money like it was no object.

RockstarWe enter the casino, and the Big Player act is working perfectly. I’m actually playing next to professional athletes, betting much more than they are, and everyone loves me! I’m up a ton and things couldn’t be better. After several hours, a Pit Boss says to me, “So, you’re in a band, huh?” Even though I couldn’t remember telling my story to anyone yet, I decide to go with it. I say, “Yeah. I play guitar.” I’m just about to go into my story about how “The Taking” just got signed, blah, blah, blah when the Pit Boss replies, “Rocketeer*, right?” My mouth drops and I start to panic, because Rocketeer actually WAS a band that I played guitar and sang for a couple years before. Not a famous band that makes tons of money, but a poor, obscure, short lived band with no website, a 20 person fanbase, and no Major Record deal. Oh no! My cover’s blown. They’ve even figured out the band I used to play in! This is bad.

I had no option but to go with it. So, mustering up false confidence, I say, “Oh yeah. You’ve heard of us?”

A couple hours later, we decide to call it a night. We meet up in the hotel, and Ben says, “So, did you like that story I told the pit boss about you?” It turns out that Ben was playing at a table, spotting for me, and he said to the pit boss, “I recognize that guy. I think he’s the lead singer of Rocketeer!” Since Ben knew about the band I used to be in, he thought it’d be funny if word got back to me that I was famous from the short lived band. The moral of the story is, if you work out an ingenious story as Big Player, make sure the spotters know your story too, so they don’t contradict yours at the tables. Or if your spotters are as witty and mischievous as Ben, be prepared to think on your toes.

*Note: Band names have been changed to protect the innocent and guilty.

Should you join a Card Counting Team?

Published by colin on August 15, 2008 in Team Play, cover, 21 movie and beating blackjack. 0 Comments

Colin When thinking of creating or joining a Blackjack Team, most people are thinking about Team play…you know, the exciting Spotter and Big Player approach talked about in “Bringing Down the House” and shown in the movie ‘21′. You should join a team because of the exciting team dynamics, right?

Well, not exactly. Team play is not the most important reasons to team up with other people. The primary reason I’ve ever teamed up with others in the past is to be able to play off a joint bankroll.

Team PlayThink of it this way: if you and 2 other people each have $5,000, then each person can go to a casino and bet off a $15,000 bankroll. That’s a HUGE deal! You can generate a lot more EV, have lower risk, and counter-balance your variance by teaming up with others.

However, before you put an ad on Craigslist for people to join up with, consider what you’re getting into. Trust is SO important. I cannot overstate this. Take the time to get to know and build trust with anyone before you team up with them. You need to trust their playing ability AND their integrity. If you have ANY questions about either of those points, it’s not worth it. But if you can find a couple people to combine a bankroll with, you can generate more EV per hour, as well as accrue more hours collectively, thus reaching the long run faster.

BJRM 2002 vs. CVCX v.4

Published by colin on August 15, 2008 in beating blackjack and card counting. 0 Comments

ColinPeople are asking me all the time what the best Blackjack Simulation software is. I’m going to compare my 2 favorite canned-sim programs: Blackjack Risk Manager 2002 (BJRM 2002) and Casino Verite Chapter 10 v.4 (CVCX).

A canned-sim program has massive data from a simulation already run, then you can change the criteria to suit your needs. This saves tons of effort, and is a must for any serious card counter who wants to value the EV (expected Value) and Risk of various games.

So which program is better? I find both programs a must, because they each offer some valuable things that the other doesn’t.

BJRM 2002

BJRM: offers a way to calculate how many hands/hr YOU are able to play (BJ Clock). This shows how diverse different playing conditions can be with hand shuffles, machine shuffles, other players, heads up, and so on. BJRM also has some training drills that are useful when you’re still training. And it offers as a way to create your own sim files with Statistical Blackjack Analyzer, but it’s kind of annoying to use. It’s a great program, but still pretty limited.

CVCX CVCX: doesn’t offer any training drills or BJ Clock. I also find the interface pretty annoying. But they more than make up for it with it’s features. One of the most important feature being the ability to run your own massive simulations within the program. If you are using a different playing strategy, different rules, etc., you can run your own simulation that will give you the data to be used within the program. CVCX also offers a way to have a bet spread that changes from 1 hand to 2. Many players I know will add a second hand only when the count has gone up. There’s now a way to do account for this strategy. CVCX has more interactive risk analysis, easy ways to compare your own results with probability. CVCX also has 1/2 count betting strategy options, if you’re changing your bet spread at 1/2 count intervals, rather than whole true count intervals. Finally, it has a way to freeze your custom bets. So you can enter in a bet spread, and see how different rules, penetration, number of players, decks, hands/hr, etc. all effect the EV and risk of that spread. BJRM is just too simple to have any of these options.

So if I were to use just one, I’d have to go with CVCX. The interface can discourage you, but it just can do so much more than any other program out there. I’m pretty sure I’m going to end up coming up with my own design and having a programmer write it for me, but until then, CVCX is where it’s at.

Question from Katie: Can Casinos Hurt You?

Published by ben on August 7, 2008 in card counting and Horror Stories. 3 Comments

This week I got this letter from our friend and member Katie:

“When you count cards at a casino, are the casino employers ( Backroom people, ect.) allowed to use physical force aginst you if they find you counting?I’m not talking throwing you out kind of force, but like breaking your hands, cutting off your fingers, leaving you in a hole in the desert to die force. My father said they still do this in places like Vegas but I told him that they were probably not allowed to use that sort of force against anyone, even if it is on private property. My mother said the same thing. I would like to know what they would do to you if you were caught and the options available as a punishment (Barred from the casino, Backroom, ect.) Thank you for your time.”

Well Katie, I’m glad you asked.. First of all let’s get some perspective here. Most casino surveillance look like this:

casinosur-copy.jpg

Instead of being armed with baseball bats and brass knuckles they are armed with beta max VCRs and donuts.

Now there two things I’m going to do to explain this little concept. The first is to talk about the nature of giant corporations.

Along time ago Vegas (and all other casinos) were run my mobsters and crime families. Nowadays they are owned by big giant corporations. Now in the “good ol days” the mob was the law. If you were counting cards or cheating or ate at the wrong pizza parlor you would find yourself buried in the desert or wearing concrete shoes at the bottom of the river. Well, the times have changed. Now we have the equivalent of Home depot, Disney and MGM owning casinos. So what does this mean? If word gets out that they are breaking in people’s faces or chopping off their fingers , or hell! segregating people in wheelchairs, the ACLU and association of handicapped card counters will sue their asses and they will be in the newspapers and everyone will stop buying frappuccinos or going to Disneyland or whatever the company is trying to sell and they will lose hundreds of millions of $dollars$. All for what? Some card counter that cost them 2 or 20k? Doesn’t really add up.

So, more likely, what you will get is some guy in some corporate suit that is much more scared of you than you are of him saying “…uhhh excuse me sir/mam…c..c…c…cccould you please stop playing blackjack cause if you don’t I could lose my job.”

Here’s the second thing to think about. A casino security guard has no more power than the checker at Wal-Mart. These people are not God, they are not the president, they’re not even cops . So imagine me walking up to you at wal-mart and saying “show me your ID, follow me to some backroom or I’m to punch you in the face and put handcuffs on you. ” You would (or at least you should) say “shut up you idiot, I’m an American Citizen and this isn’t the wild west. If you look at me again I’m going to sue you for sexual harassment or emotionally scarring me!!!”

Whatever, you get the idea. A lot of people think that because they have some shiny piece of metal that the casino gives them and call it a badge you have to listen to what they say or obey them. Keep in mind you are an American citizen and they are too, nothing more nothing less. You have as many rights to punch them in the face and break their knee caps as they do, which, unless it is self-defense, is nil.

A few final notes. Believe it or not, not all security guards are screened for their IQ, and there are even security guards that have not passed the bar exam, which means the 10 cent legal rundown that I just gave you might seem like foreign policy Al Kida nonsense to them. Awesome, let them handcuff you and take you to the ground. Just make sure it is on video camera and let your lawyer explain to the judge why his client does not like to be assaulted and detained and physically and emotionally abused in public (but for 100k his client is willing to forget it ever happened).

Also, watch out on Indian Reservations. Technically they are what is called a “sovereign nation”, which means you are no longer in America. So, you are subject to their laws or lack of them. I always take extra care when in these situation, but remember that these places are still not run by the mob, and they are still the equivalent of giant corporations. Newspaper headlines showing them chopping off customers fingers is not good for business. In all my years of card counting I have had one “bad” experience and I wrote about it here.

Finally, what should you to do to avoid situations like this? If you are approached by security, declare “I am going to cash out my chips and leave the property.” If they ask you to follow them declare again very loudly “I want to leave the property.” Unless they are accusing you of cheating (which you can sue them for later) they are not allowed to detain you.

Then you, (now listen carefully), you put your hands by your side and you walk towards the cage or exit in full site of all video cameras. The last thing you need is to give them an excuse where they can say we handcuffed him in self-defense because he pushed us or whatever.

So, Katie, tell your parents to rest assured that card counting is really quite safe. You are much more likely to get a hex put on you by the degenerate asian lady sitting next to you for stealing her blackjack then getting your fingers cut off.

Next week I will post on how to defend and counter-spell against the hex.

How much money should you bring to the casino?

Published by colin on August 6, 2008 in Money management and beating blackjack. 0 Comments

ColinI’ve been asked this question a lot of times. Your total bankroll might be $500, $5,000, or $50,000. But does that mean you should bring all that money to the casino for each session? Probably not.However, I’d say one of the worst things that can happen is finding yourself under-funded at the casino. You don’t want to leave early, or even worse: be in the middle of a positive shoe and run out of money! Especially if you flew into a town or had to drive a ways to get to the casino. So I’d lean more towards bringing more than you’ll need than not enough. But then again, I’m willing to take the risk of traveling with extra cash on me.

Money

That being said, here’s my advice: Keep in mind that it kind of depends on how long you plan on playing, as well as the variance of the game you’ll be playing. But a decent rule of thumb would be to bring at least 50 big bets. So if your big bet is $100, then I’d bring $5K. That might sound like overkill, but I’ve had sessions where I’ve been in for that many bets or more. If you don’t feel comfortable carrying that much extra money “just in case”, then you can bring less, but I’d rather have too much on me than not enough.So how about deciding how much money to be betting when you start losing, and the money left in your trip bankroll is getting smaller and smaller as the session goes on? An important rule is to always keep 6 bets to back up any bet you place. So if you bet $100, make sure you have another $600 to back it up. The reason being, you need to be prepared to split and double down multiple times. I know what you’re thinking: “But Colin, I just doubled down on a $100 bet, and I only have $500 left. The running count just jumped up to 30! Surely I should put even a larger bet out to win my money back?” No, padawan. You will have many chances to get your money back. But it is always more important to perfectly follow your playing strategy than to bet more money. So i you find yourself with $500, and you’re betting strategy says to bet $100, you’ll have to actually bet $70, so you have 6 bets to back it up.

CVCX

If you want to calculate how much to bring with you with greater accuracy, I would recommend using the “Trip Bank” feature on CVCX or BJRM2002 to help you calculate how much money to bring. You can enter in the length of session or trip you plan on taking, as well as the game you’ll be playing, and it will tell you the risk of running out of money for various trip bankroll sizes. You’ll have to weigh the risk of possibly running out of money on a trip with the risk your willing to take of carrying X amount of money. One last bit of advice: don’t ever advertise how much money you have on you.Neither the casino nor the other gamblers need to know how much you’re hiding in your pockets or wallet. A safe card counter is a happy card counter!

Why the differences in Basic Strategy?

Published by colin on July 30, 2008 in basic strategy and beating blackjack. 4 Comments

UPDATE: Downloads our charts here

Stand 17 Basic Strategy Chart

Hit 17 Basic Strategy Chart

ColinSo you decide you want to play Blackjack right. You download our basic strategy chart, and you go online and start playing a basic strategy game to test your skills. Before long, the game says you made a mistake, but you followed the chart! What the hell? Do Colin and Ben not know what they’re talking about?

Rest assured, Padawan’s. We would never lead you astray. Basic Strategy represents the default optimal strategy for attempting something. So I could say that my basic strategy for Qdoba Mexican Grill is a Steak Queso burrito with black beans, extra cheese, sour cream, corn salsa, and double red hot sauce. I believe that this is the optimal approach to eating at Qdoba. It gives me the best odds of having a great lunch experience.

But back to Blackjack…The problem with basic strategy for blackjack is that it depends on the rules of the game you’re playing. 99% of the time, the difference in strategy centers around one simple, but very important rule: Does the dealer HIT or STAND when they have a Soft 17? If the dealer stays when they have a soft 17 (S17), you are going to treat a few hands differently than if the dealer will hit until they have a hard 17 or better (H17). There are really only a few hands that are played differently depending on the game: A,8 versus 6; 11 versus A; A,7 versus 2.

Be sure to know what game you are playing, and play the basic strategy accordingly. The good news is that if you plan on learning how to count and use playing deviations, all of these decisions will be dependent on what the count is. But since you should always start by building a SOLID foundation of basic strategy, figure out if you’ll be playing a S17 or H17 game. The way to do this is to look at the blackjack felt, and it will either say, “Dealer must draw to 16 and stand on all 17s” for S17, or “Dealer must Hit Soft 17″ for H17.

STAND 17 TABLE FELT

S17 Table

HIT 17 TABLE FELT

H17 table.png

Also, if you’re practicing on a Basic Strategy game, make sure you know if it’s assuming S17 or H17. Most games assume S17, since that was the original way all Blackjack was played, and is still the way played in MOST of the country. If you have the choice, always pick S17, since it favors the player more than H17. Unfortunately, H17 is creeping in more and more, especially in Vegas. Don’t worry though, H17 games are still completely beatable.

I Hope that helps. Now I gotta run to practice my Qdoba basic strategy.

I hate casinos (my recent blackjack trip)

Published by ben on July 10, 2008 in tribal casinos, the back room, card counting and Horror Stories. 5 Comments

I know this is the subject line for almost everything I write but it’s true and the first thing that comes to mind every time I sit down to write about this.

The Commercial

Right before the shake down they were filming a commercial with actors being payed to smile and look like they are winning.

casino floor

The Back Room

This is the bench I sat on in the back room of the casino where they put the real winners and handcuff my friends.

The Security Guard

This is the security guard who tries to act tough and make you think that counting cards is wrong. (He isn’t in the commercials either)

SO, I told everyone that I would try and sit down and pound out a trip report. Now this is a little tricky for 2 main reasons.

1. Most of these details are confidential and the only person who has access to this info are our team members.
2. I hate writing about these stories because there are so many details and I tend to get overwhelmed.

BUT since you are actually reading this I’ll try and bite the bullet and post something worth reading. I think the only thing that can motivate me enough to write this is the sheer frustration/anger from the experience.

So, I am in this un-named casino in this un-named state playing an un-named game. just kidding it was blackjack… and i will give you this clue (which will be important later on): it was a tribal casino on an indian reservation. i’m playing for about 2 hours with perfect playing conditions when out of the blue i see their table games manager who we will call ken (because that’s his name) walk by. 3 minutes later i’m surrounded by security guards and told that i need to follow them.  Now, normally i would say f*** you i’m outta here but the last time someone did this (about a month) earlier they ended up on the floor in handcuffs.

So, i pocketed my 20k+ in chips and followed them to some obscure back room with this Robocop character who was out to prove that the unit between his legs was bigger than the eiffel tower. An hour later after they took my picture numerous times and had me sign a form (threatening that if i didn’t i would be detained indefinitely) i was in the car with my money and life.

Two hours later I have filed reports with the highway patrol and local sheriffs office both of whom say that because it is an indian reservation they can do whatever they want.

Sooo. just another day in the life of a card counter right? i don’t think so. here are a few things you may find interesting:

  1. In my entire career as a counter/team manager this is the worst I have ever been treated as a card counter by ANY casino EVER
  2. Approximately one month before this incident occurred an associate of mine received far worse treatment with the same room + handcuffs. Approximately 1 week after that, that table games manager that I was telling you about, who we’ll call ken (because that’s his name) said in an interview that if they came across a card counter “they would ask them to leave” and that “they have never taken anyone into a back room or never would”
  3. I currently have a complaint registered at the US Indian Gaming Association so we’ll see what happens. While I was at it I also decided to send a letter to the local press so they can publish what an outstanding organization they have in their community.

I’ll keep you updated.

You Can’t Make Money Counting Cards?

Published by colin on July 7, 2008 in gambling, books and beating blackjack. 6 Comments

Then ask me how I pay my mortgage! We were  sent the above clip from this morning talk show in San Deigo on Youtube where a guy, Oliver Galang, is pushing his book entitled “Card Counting: the real truth in Blackjack.”  

undefinedColin’s Response 

  • Oliver main argument is that the reason you CANNOT win over the long haul in blackjack is because the dealer has the same chance of getting 20 or 21 as you. Good point, Oliver. However, did you forget that the player gets paid 3:2 on blackjacks (21 with the first 2 cards)? So it’s an even trade with the dealer for 20’s and multiple card 21’s, but you’re getting 50% more for every blackjack that you get than the dealer. I’ll trade an even number of $100 blackjacks back and forth between me and the dealer all day, because I know that I get $150 for each blackjack, while the dealer only gets my $10.
  • Oliver’s second argument is that HE lost everything. Well, sorry Oliver that you aren’t capable enough, but don’t claim that it can’t be done just because you are inept. Plenty of people “count cards”, but don’t make a profit, for any of a number of reasons… They either do not follow the strategy perfectly, cannot count perfectly, don’t have a winning bet spread, cannot manage their money properly, tip away any advantage they do have, or play unbeatable games. Whatever the case may be, I guarantee that Oliver had too much gamble in him to be a successful card counter.
  • The main casino he mentions is Barona, in San Diego. I must know 30+ card counters who have played Barona (myself included), and we’ve all been backed off from blackjack sooner or later (usually sooner). Barona even has a Blackjack Hall of Fame! They know a successful card counter when they see one. If Oliver was at all apt, he wouldn’t have lasted long at all at Barona. Yet another reason why his problems are with his own Blackjack game, not Card Counting as a science. Sorry Oliver, but you’re like a gunman with horrible aim claiming that guns can’t kill people.
  • Oliver claims he invented the “double up theory”, where you double your bet after you lose a bet, as to win back your original money and always end up even or on top. This is actually called a “progressive bet spread” or “Martingale bet system”, and it’s as old as gambling. I first heard of a progressive bet spread in college in regards to how to beat roulette. This was long before I ever had gambled or knew how to count cards. I don’t need to explain why it’s faulty logic. If you’re interested you can read it here . But I don’t know what’s more asinine: Oliver claiming he invented it, or that he uses it.
  • My final area of amusement from the interview is that Oliver says that he still gambles. After he “lost it all” gambling, he still is either dumb enough or addicted enough that he’s still out there donating his money to the casinos. If you’re going to write a book about the dangers of gambling and how you lost it all, at least don’t be stupid enough to admit you’re still caught up in gambling.

    • So here’s my conclusion: Oliver is yet another gambler making excuses for their lack of self-control and addictive habits. And he’s using his tragedy as an opportunity to make a buck selling a book about it, cashing in on the brief media hype caused by the movie “21″. He can’t admit that he’s too poor at card counting to make it work; he has to say that card counting itself is flawed. Well, that comes as a surprise to myself and all the other advantage players that are able to consistently make a living (or at least supplement their income) from card counting.Oh well… at least might keep a few ploppies from wasting their money at the blackjack tables.

    — 

    Ben Ben’s Response:

    This guy is a tool. “Streak theory”?!?! Common. Streak theory was disproved back when Euclid invented math  2200 years ago. So let’s try and figure out what this guy is saying. He lost all of his money so card counting doesn’t work. Hmmmm….let’s think about this for a second. Maybe, instead of jumping the gun hear and ruling out all the rules of math and logic for the last 4 decades,  there’s another option we can consider: This guys is a ***insert expletive***tard.  Let’s look at the clues:

    1. He went bankrupt from gambling, thinks it doesn’t work….AND IS STILL DOING IT!. Go Winner!
    2. Borona let’s him play there. For those of you who do not know Borona is one of the more savvy joints out there for a couple of reasons. They actually take time to assess people’s play before kicking them out…And they don’t view card counting as a crime and actually treat you with respect  as they ask you not to take any more of their hard earned money. If you’re there you can actually check out their card counters hall of fame. Anyways, back to the topic. I was kicked out of Borona 3 hours and 13 grand later but for some reason they have decided that this guy is not a threat?! Hmmm…
    3. Let’s be honest here. He seems like a retard (”Uh..you will get a 20 or 21 at a 16 count but so will the dealer”). For those of you who do not understand this idea anyone that has heard me teach on blackjack gets this concept in the first 15 minutes. High count = high cards = more blackjacks for everybody BUT when a player gets a bj they get 150% and when a dealer get’s it they only get 100%. So..DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK or be retarded like this guy. I want to show this video at our next bootcamp and tear this guy a new one just to make sure that not one buys into this.

    ps. For all of you who do understand math and logic please do not email me telling me that Euclid did not really invent math. it was a figure of speech.

    PPs. BUT he is credited with most of what we consider modern geometry. 

    Shoes, Shuffles, and Shoddy Machines

    Published by colin on July 7, 2008 in card counting systems, casino info and beating blackjack. 2 Comments

    A lot of people ask me if shoe games (4, 6, 8 deck) can be beaten by card counting. Also, what are the advantages/disadvantages of casino shuffle machines compared to dealer shuffles. As is usually the case with professional Blackjack, it can be a complex answer. But here’s the rundown.

    The Shoe

    access311.jpgShoe games are completely beatable by card counting. The increased number of decks DOES decrease the advantage of the game. But that is often counterbalanced by other factors like better rules or sometimes really great penetration (the number of cards cut off before the shuffle). If you are using a count that converts to a true count, you can still play a great winning game at 6 and 8 decks. The rule of thumb is, if everything else is the same, the game with the fewest decks is the best. But be aware of the other situations like rules, number of players at the table, and penetration.Many casinos still use a hand shuffle. There is nothing to fear about a hand shuffle. Dealer’s aren’t shuffling in a way that cheats the player. They are just following a pattern that the casino has trained them to use that will cause a “random” shuffle for the next shoe. The downside to the hand shuffle is that it takes time, slowing the game down. The upside to the hand shuffle is that, if you’ve mastered shuffle tracking, and the casino has a trackable shuffle, you can sometimes exploit the hand shuffle. But finding trackable shuffles is rare these days.Random Shuffle Machines

    suzorandomplusshuffler.gif

    There are 2 types of shuffle machines. The first of which is a random shuffle machine that takes all the cards (i.e. all 6 decks or 8 decks) and shuffles them together. Then the dealer takes the full stack of cards, has a player cut, and puts it into a shoe and deals. These shuffle machines are great. They speed up the game and having nothing that a player should fear. The only downside is that you cannot shuffle track a game that is not hand shuffled.

     

    Continual Shuffle Machines (CSM’s)

    shuffle.jpg

    The second type of shuffle machine is the CSM. If a dealer deals out 1-4 rounds, then takes the used cards and puts them into a machine that he is continually taking cards out of, then he is using a CSM. These machines continually shuffle together 3-5 decks, making it impossible to predict what types of cards are left in the shoe. Thus, it’s impossible to count a CSM game. Some people panic that all casinos will start using them, and card counting will be a thing of the past. However, they’ve been around for quite a while, but still haven’t caught on. I was in a casino recently, and they had about 30 blackjack tables, of which 4 had CSM’s. The casino was packed, but the CSM tables were empty. Players just don’t like them. Plus, they’re expensive for casinos to have and break down a lot. So I don’t see them taking over.Hopefully this clears up what shuffles and number of decks to play and not play when counting in the casino. You know what, even if you’re not counting, don’t play CSM games, because we just don’t want to encourage them in the casino!

    How Do I Choose a Counting System?

    Published by admin on June 23, 2008 in card counting systems and card counting. 1 Comment

    21 screenshotSo we just got this letter and thought I’d post both Colin and my response for everyone to see:Question: “Hello, Ben and Colin. I was wondering if you know beyond the simple Hi-Low count with index charts, Separate aces count, and so on. For example, do you know Omega II, Hi-Opt or K-O count? Have you used them in the past? I want to choose the best level 1 or 2 system available around, and I will join you guys if you can help me to do so. Thanks for you attention, Damian”Ben’s Answer: Damian, I’m pretty sure Colin wrote back to you as well but I wanted to send you a quick note about this. Unless you are a professional that is planning on living in Vegas for the next 10 years the common consensus is that learning a more complicated counting system than hi-lo is not worth it. I personally have used the halves system and just to give you an idea that system takes about 24 hours of practice time to implement and earns me about 50 cents on the $100 more per hour relative to any other number of factors such as pen and rounds/hour which can more than double my hourly. Obviously, you know that KO is simpler but in our opinion is a little too simple for the EV we want to generate. We have looked at changing our system numerous times as have other teams that we have dealt with but EVERY one of them came back to hi-lo. Do the research, my guess is that you will too. I know that on the onset it may seem like “Why not?” because it will be more money but there’s a lot of other things you can be doing to get more money.ColinColin’s Answer: We have some experience with halves and hi-opt II, but never stuck with either, because the benefits didn’t seem to out way the cost of playing comfortably and efficiently. To pick the best system, I recommend using the blackjack strategy advisor that qfit offers. QFIT WEBSITE On another note, a lot of the information that we teach is universal, regardless of the count system you chose. Money management, dealing with casinos, etc are issues all card counters will have to learn how to deal with. And this is the stuff books talk very little about.