Counting cards does not guarantee that you will be a winner every time! It just gives you a very slight statistical advantage over the casino… about one to two percent. In fact, the best blackjack players in the world will walk away from the table a loser about four times out of ten.
For this reason you really have to take a long term perspective on the game and not risk more than you can comfortably lose in any one outing (because there is a very good chance that you will lose it).
When playing high level blackjack, you should not be “gambling” in the truest sense of the word. You have to control your emotions no matter how good or how bad things are going. You should almost play like a robot – your only job is to keep track of the count and them modify your bets and plays according to the account.
That being said… you should never act like a robot, or else there is a very good chance that you will get booted from the casino. Try to look and act like everyone else who is playing. I would order an alcoholic drink (because most other players do) and just lightly sip on it every once in a while.
If you are counting cards and playing good blackjack than you are certainly going to get some heat from the casinos. This comes in the form of getting booted from the casino, banned from playing blackjack but being allowed to play other games or getting rule changes implemented that apply just to you (such as not being able to alter your bet). This just comes with the territory of being a card counter. Do everything within your power to avoid getting heat, but always make the correct plays. I would rather be booted from a casino as a winner than walk away on my own a loser because I was scared to play my best blackjack.
Lastly, almost as important as how you play is where you play. You have to find a good beatable game. The number one determining factor as so whether it’s a good game or not is penetration. The dealer should deal deep into the cards so that high true count situations arise more frequently and last longer. Penetration is huge. Other factors are important, such as the number of decks and whether you can double down after splitting… but penetration is paramount.
Basic Strategy
Learning How To Count Cards
How To Modify Your Bets and Strategy When Counting Cards
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