I continue to be amazed by the lack of blackjack posts and general interest in BJ on the forum.

Given the very low edge at some casinos if one plays basic strategy consistently and carefully, why is there such a lack of interest here, d'you think?

With a suitable money management  it's not impossible to overcome the edge sufficiently often to make and stay in profit.

So why the lack of interest?

Quote from: esoito on November 07, 2017, 02:29:15 PM
I continue to be amazed by the lack of blackjack posts and general interest in BJ on the forum.

Given the very low edge at some casinos if one plays basic strategy consistently and carefully, why is there such a lack of interest here, d'you think?

With a suitable money management  it's not impossible to overcome the edge sufficiently often to make and stay in profit.

So why the lack of interest?

You are very wrong in thinking that people can make (possibly consistent) profits from playing BJ under current conditions.

By current conditions, I am referring to 8-deck shoes and 70% (maximum) shoe penetration --  applying basic strategy (which was originally developed for one or two deck shoes) is not going to pay dividends with the above-mentioned two conditions which are common in most casinos nowadays.

QuoteThe only casino game where the odds are in the players favor is blackjack.

you can read the above quote in a thread about roulette strategy and if you pay attention you will see that it is from newbies: http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=3502005

Blackjack falls into the casino game of attracting suckers in my opinion.

Loose slots here .......... Beatable games here ............

.....win the game of blackjack with traditional basic strategy here .. what is missing is that they give you the book and put you in the seat your pay day . it is not like this so I agree with doctorsudoku.

it is common sense to realize that no casino game gives a positive edge to the player with published methods.  casinos are entitled to change game rules at their convenience and they do so. it only happens that it suits them that the beatable myth remains alive so that inexperienced players believe the tale any person can enter and make a fortune by learning a few rules in the beatable game they host from their good heart where they allow the player to have the positive advantage and they will not do anything about it.

the game of blackjack had its day and any card counter of the true golden age will tell you that it would have been preferable if it had remained a secret.

One of the worst things you have to deal with playing a table game BJ is that you have to bet every hand ( paying rent ) until the deck turns positive........and unfortunately the deck is positive only about 30% of the time.

And of course once you raise your bets they will eventually bar you............complete waste of time.

Even with a 1.5 % edge, you can still lose 50% of your bankroll.

Only way to bet the game is with a team like the Holy Rollers or MIT teams or the original Ken Uston / Al Fransesco teams ( who started the team concept in the early 1970's ) ....and even now I'm not sure they would win in today's casino environment.....................however with the new Stadium BJ which is dealt by a real dealer in the casino, you can sit out hands........and  I saw someone win $ 30,000 in a few hours playing BJ on the Stadium BJ.

Quote from: DoctorSudoku on November 07, 2017, 04:03:56 PM


You are very wrong in thinking that people can make (possibly consistent) profits from playing BJ under current conditions.

By current conditions, I am referring to 8-deck shoes and 70% (maximum) shoe penetration --  applying basic strategy (which was originally developed for one or two deck shoes) is not going to pay dividends with the above-mentioned two conditions which are common in most casinos nowadays.

Plenty of high limit 2 deck games in casinos, on the main floor--no, but the main floor in most places is for recreational and tourists anyways, seriously.  Anyone saying otherwise--is fooling themselves.

Quote from: alrelax on November 07, 2017, 08:48:01 PM
Plenty of high limit 2 deck games in casinos, on the main floor--no, but the main floor in most places is for recreational and tourists anyways, seriously.  Anyone saying otherwise--is fooling themselves.

What percentage of gamblers have the financial wherewithal to play in high limit rooms?

You may be in a position to regularly play in high limit rooms, but most gamblers are not in that position.

There are, of course, diffferent basic strategies 'out there' depending on the rules and structure of different BJ games on offer -- number of decks, DAS, peek/no peek and so on, Dr Suduku.

Presumably a player would choose the game that's more to his/her advantage, based on the rules on offer.


Meanwhile, to continue as the Devil's Advocate, are there or are there not professional BJ players who have overcome the points made in all the posts thus far?

Several have an online presence.  They all seem to be selling something!

So that raises the vexed issues of :

• which of them is lying outright?
  
  
• which of them lives in a fantasy world of wishful thinking?
  
  
• which of them  really is  making a living from BJ?
  
  
• and how can we differentiate?
  
  

Blackjack never appealed much to me even after associated with casino games for so long. I even enjoyed playing some slots but never Blackjack despite knowing the least house edge factor. The way I want to use a money management may not fit this game well. Actually I am not even sure of that. Roulette and baccarat are easiest to play with simplest MMs. No hit, stand, double, card counting and losing still.

My guess is, because there are fixed ways to play BJ (basic strategy) so not much scope for creativity there, and card-counting is no longer a viable option. Although often billed as an even chance game it's not really, at least not in the same way that Baccarat is.