How To Know When To Leave A Blackjack Table

If I lose 3 hands in a row I walk. I know it sounds weird, but I feel it's time to find another table. So, sometimes I walk a lot other times I sit for hours and hours. I do not leave after x amounts of losses in a row, only because I know I'm just going to go sit at another table. When do you walk away from the Blackjack table? You can leave a table any time you choose. However, if a table is running hot and everyone is winning, you might want to consider waiting until the next shuffle. Even though leaving will not affect the chances of anyone else winning or losing, a lot of players are superstitious and might get annoyed if they think you are going to break their good run. Start with the player on your left and deal them another card from the deck. Flip the card face-up and set it on top of the first card so you can still read the numbers in the corner. Keep dealing cards to the players around the table, and then set 1 card face-up in front of you. You can then start your round of blackjack.


It’s mathematically impossible for either the house or the player to always win at the game of blackjack if both are playing a perfect game. It also comes down to how you interpret the phrase “always win.”

Is it possible to win every hand in blackjack without cheating? No, not even if the other player makes the worst choice on every hand (hitting on anything other than a 21). If both players draw 21, the push negates any win or loss.

By that reasoning alone, a cheater would have to control the deal to prevent the other player from ever drawing a blackjack.

For the sake of reasonable discussion, I’ll interpret “always win” to mean “leave the table with more money than you took in.” I still can’t offer any guarantees, but the following strategies improve your chances of always leaving the table a winner.

1 – Set a Hard Limit on Earnings

Although card counting doesn’t perform the magic people expect, as you become more experienced at counting cards you should see some improvement in your win/loss ratios. This is why, despite all the precautions they take, casinos still pay attention to card counters.

Even if you don’t count cards and only rely on “perfect play,” once you’re ahead in the game, you now have to protect your winnings.

The basic idea in good gambling practice is to only risk losing money you don’t mind losing. If you really want to get ahead, then your thinking should become more conservative as you accumulate more money.

Rather than change your playing strategy, which is why you’re ahead, just call it quits before you’ve won too much.

How much is too much? If the pit boss is paying unusual attention to your table, that could be a sign you should take a break.

2 – Practice Every Chance You Get


Some of the best blackjack experts in the world say they ran through memory exercises for months before taking on the Vegas casinos.

You need to memorize two things to be successful in blackjack—the rules of the game (including table rules) and the best blackjack strategies for each card you’re dealt.

How to know when to leave a blackjack tablet

How To Know When To Leave A Blackjack Table Game

The basic rules of the game are easy to learn. Casinos add their own rules to limit players’ chances of success or to limit their winnings. The change from 3:2 payouts to 6:5 payouts is an example of how casinos are limiting winnings.

Whether you play free online blackjack games or practice with a partner who flashes index cards at you, the more you practice, the better you’ll become.

You need to react instinctively to the cards on the table. You need to know what you can do and what you should do in every situation.

You won’t get there by losing your money for months or years on end.

3 – Pick Your Tables Carefully

Because casinos have changed many of the old school blackjack rules, standard advice that people followed 10, 15, or 20 years ago doesn’t always apply any more. The old classic blackjack strategy books were great resources in their days, but the world has changed.

Choosing the best blackjack table may be easy. You could walk into a casino that still offers the basic game. You may have to visit a few casinos in your area to find the best game.

Because finding a good table is so hard, some players now prefer playing online blackjack games. They can choose from a variety of casinos, and because of the competition, online casinos offer a lot of different blackjack variations.

When you know the table rules you want to play by, they become part of your strategy as much as part of the house’s strategy.

4 – Bet in Consistent Patterns


Standard card counting technique says you should increase your bets when the deck is favorable. Because everyone shares this advice in books, video tutorials, and articles, it’s not a secret to the casinos.

Varying your bets when the cards are favorable may lead to the unfavorable reaction by the casino—they shuffle the cards.

Although many card counters still swear by the practice, they concede it’s much harder to win this way than in years past. The solo player is less likely to win much money over all than a team.

Instead of trying to win as much as a team wins, be more consistent in your betting. A little bit of subtlety in your patterns may give you the psychological boost you need to keep playing.

How can you be consistent and subtle?

5 – Only Play When the Crowd Is Small

This is more a matter of personal preference. But having spent some time at the blackjack tables, I find it disruptive when people constantly come and go.

That is the exact reason why I stopped trying to count cards.

Whether you prefer to count cards or not, it’s easier to focus on the game without distraction. The more people join the game, the more likely there will be chatter.

If you want to socialize, then chat away if the other players are willing to do that. But if your goal is to win, then treat the game like it’s your job. Do the work when you have the fewest distractions.

If you’re a regular high roller, you might be able to request a private table. And this is another reason why some people prefer to play online blackjack over a game in a casino. Whether it’s a live dealer table or a computer game, if you have the table to yourself, you can play without distractions.

6 – Ignore the Extras in the Game


You might be tempted to play a progressive blackjack game or to take insurance. I’ve done both, but in the long run, these game options just suck your money away from you.

The casino throws in extra options to make the game more interesting, but they’re also after your money.

Surrendering is a borderline practice. If you have the option of surrendering, some experts recommend you only do this when the cards are clearly against you.

Some casinos require late surrender, meaning you must wait for the dealer to check for a blackjack in her hand. Some games allow early surrender where you can forfeit based on the cards you see in your hand and the dealer’s face card.

Some surrender articles speak in terms of probabilities.

Should you really sit there and compute the probabilities on every hand? Not if you’ve memorized your strategies correctly.

Your decision to surrender preserves capital. You should take into consideration what the face up cards show, what the table’s rule for dealer stands is (soft 17 or not), and the number of decks in the shoe (4 to 8).

Players usually surrender on a hard 16 if the dealer shows a 9, 10, or ace. They usually surrender on a hard 15 if the dealer shows a 10 or ace.

Some players criticize a player who surrenders. It’s your decision, not theirs.

Conclusion

As a player you want to enjoy what you’re doing even if you’re there to win. It’s hard to concentrate when you feel like every hand is against you. The psychological side of the game is important.

It’s just like going to work every morning, do you love your job or not?

Unless you’re there as part of a team, you don’t have to keep playing if the game isn’t fun anymore. Choosing to play only when you have a good time builds your confidence.

Confidence doesn’t contribute directly to winning, but you’re more likely to trust your choices when you’re confident. Winning makes you confident but winning can be the result of random chance.

Your job begins before you make the first bet. Study the rules, practice good strategy, and set a goal of achieving perfect play through instinct and experience.

Whether you count cards or not, the better you play the game, the more likely you’ll leave the table a winner.

MrZippy1023
Does anybody have a good rule for getting up from the blackjack table for someone playing basic strategy?
More specifically, assuming an initial stake of $100, $5 flat betting with basic strategy on a Vegas 3:2 table with six decks.
My goal is to get $100 up and as a rule will then leave the table.
The question is, how much can I get down before getting to my goal of $100 up becomes seriously improbable.
My gut feeling is that once I drop below $40-50 it is a good time to go.
However, I was just wondering if there was any math to backup the typically irrational gut.
And I do get that actually winning is mathematically improbable to start with.
------------------PLEASE SEE MY POST BELOW AS I TRIED TO CLARIFY MY QUESTION------------------

How To Know When To Leave A Blackjack Tablet

Yoyomama
I play $5 (with 1,2,3,5x progression) and usually buy in for $300 and have at least another $500 backup. My own goal is $300. I have walked away after 20 minutes play once I hit $300.
I think the casinos thrives on people with limited funds. They are the ones sitting there playing $5 a hand, every hand, and not pressing , splitting or doubling down every chance they get. They lose, like you say, $40-50 and walk. I may be down $2-300 at some point but have the bankroll to continue play come back. I've played 4-5 hrs just to come back and break even. I think if you have to walk based on your bankroll you probably shouldn't be playing or expect to win very often.
For me, it's like a roller coaster. I'm either up $300 or down $300. It's just a matter of leaving when I am up.
I don't sit down unless I have at least $800-1000 and prepared to play 6-8hrs, if necessary. And that's at a $5 table!
Good luck to you.
JIMMYFOCKER
Are you using a count strategy of some type?
Asswhoopermcdaddy

Does anybody have a good rule for getting up from the blackjack table for someone playing basic strategy?
More specifically, assuming an initial stake of $100, $5 flat betting with basic strategy on a Vegas 3:2 table with six decks.
My goal is to get $100 up and as a rule will then leave the table.
The question is, how much can I get down before getting to my goal of $100 up becomes seriously improbable.
My gut feeling is that once I drop below $40-50 it is a good time to go.
However, I was just wondering if there was any math to backup the typically irrational gut.
And I do get that actually winning is mathematically improbable to start with.


A $50 loss = 10 consecutive losses. I've seen 10 consecutive losses in BJ using perfect strategy so many times I wanted to puke. I've seen players martingale 10 consecutive losses and look much worse. You should leave when:
1.) The game no longer becomes fun.
2.) When the players / dealers stink literally or figuratively
3.) When you hit a predetermined loss limit based on your own risk tolerance.
If you're thinking of leaving at a $50 loss, your risk tolerance is probably even less than that. It might be somewhere around $25 or 5 losses. See how you feel at walking away from the table at a $25 loss, and clear your head before jumping into the next game. I caveat one thing though, setting a win goal of 1X bankroll seems a bit aggressive to me. Assuming I'm up in BJ, I walk when I:
1.) obnoxious people enter the game
2.) shoe ends and new shuffle begins
3.) and from a dollar perspective, I lose 50% of the peak value of my profit starting from a profit level of $40 (at $5 mins). Under $40, I keep going.
MrZippy1023
Thank you for the considered responses,
However, I wanted to clarify my question as my interest is really independent of actual specifics regarding initial stake, min bets and when to walk away.
What I was interested in is with an initial bank roll starting at X and a fixed goal of Y what is the mathematical probability of actually achieving it, and does the probability of getting to my goal of Y increase, decrease, or remain the same depending on the positive or negative changes in bank roll of X.
In other words, is there math to support my notion or hunch that the further I get from a goal of Y the probability of not achieving it increases? And is that decrease in probability a straight line or a curve.
As I keep reading about blackjack, you keep hearing that playing by your gut is a bad idea. So the intent here is to have a better understanding of the dynamics of the game in order to make realistic decisions at the table. Intent is to reasonably set a goals and to understand when your chances to get there have become unreasonable. I am just looking for something, if possible that is more informed than my ever expanding gut.
I am no math genius so if my question is ridiculous then please tell me so and I will gladly go away.
Thanks again for your consideration
Yoyomama
No such thing as a ridiculous question. Not sure there's a good answer though. Odds are against you even winning!
'When my search for an old-fashioned 21 table took me to the upscale Venetian, I found a couple of high-stakes tables offering a decent game of double-deck blackjack. But with a $200 minimum bet -- and figuring that a blackjack bankroll ought to be 50 times the basic wager — $10,000 seemed like an excessive amount to risk for a few hours of honest fun.' LA Times
I have heard 10x (if you flat bet) all the way to 200X base bet (based on 20hrs play).
Lots of variables. I play in Canada and Vegas. BIG DIFFERENCE! I lose 10 hands in a row in Vegas & I walk and go to another of a thousand other tables. In Canada, you don't have that luxury. You walk from one table and there may not be another BJ table open.
Basic strategy & your betting strategy is a big factor too.
I play basic strategy by the book. I also bet 1x, 2x, 3x, 5x ($5-$25). I go back to 1x if I lose or win 5x. These people that guess and 'think' make me crazy. 'Oh, I thought the dealer had a 5 underneath.' WT.....? My system works for me. No guessing or crystal balling.
Now I am just rambling. Good question and good luck with the answer.
P90
Know

Does anybody have a good rule for getting up from the blackjack table for someone playing basic strategy?


Not really. Well, when you have seen a lot of aces come up recently. You don't have to count, but just avoiding playing in a seriously cold shoe can save you a lot of money.
Quote: MrZippy1023

My goal is to get $100 up and as a rule will then leave the table.
The question is, how much can I get down before getting to my goal of $100 up becomes seriously improbable.


There is no hard limit really. I've been down to 62 bets not so long ago, with a bankroll of 200 bets - and left with 210. Didn't want to try my luck or rather nerves further, one close call (I had a soft stop loss at 40 bets, so that was 22 till the curtains) is enough for one day. That's not counting outright miraculous recoveries from the last few bets.
Variance in Blackjack is massive, going down to 1/3 and up to 2x the bankroll in a session is nothing unusual.How to know when to leave a blackjack tables
As a general rule, I suggest quitting when one is down to 20x average bet, or 40x base bet, but since you start out with less than 40x, that's clearly not an option. You should hard-quit when you have less than 4 bets (or better 6), though, since past that you can't take full advantage of doubles and splits.
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dwheatley
Let's say you start at $100, tying to get to $200. Assuming BJ is a coin flip (which it isn't, but it's close enough), you probability of achieving your goal before going bust is 50%.
If you start at $50, trying to get to $200, your probability of success is 50/200 = 25%. Your CURRENT bankroll is a big factor in trying to get to some preset win goal.
In general, your probability of success is (current bankroll) / Y.
So, let's say you want at least a 10% chance of getting back to $200, you need to leave at $20.
But... if your stop loss is at $20, your bankroll X isn't actually $100, it's only $80, which adjusts the initial probabilities. That is, you are only fooling yourself if you go in with $100, thinking that is your bankroll, when you plan to leave if you drop to $40. It's good practice to have a stop point, and the higher it is the less you lose, but for calculating the original probability of success, you have to use your real bankroll.

How To Know When To Leave A Blackjack Table Free

Say you plan to only lose $60, or win $100. probability of success is 60/(100+60) = 37.5%
Wisdom is the quality that keeps you out of situations where you would otherwise need it

How To Know When To Leave A Blackjack Tables

dm

Does anybody have a good rule for getting up from the blackjack table for someone playing basic strategy?
More specifically, assuming an initial stake of $100, $5 flat betting with basic strategy on a Vegas 3:2 table with six decks.
My goal is to get $100 up and as a rule will then leave the table.
The question is, how much can I get down before getting to my goal of $100 up becomes seriously improbable.
My gut feeling is that once I drop below $40-50 it is a good time to go.
However, I was just wondering if there was any math to backup the typically irrational gut.
And I do get that actually winning is mathematically improbable to start with.
No. I have one rule: if I get up, say $50, on BJ or any slot, I never quit with a loss. I will cash out with a $5 profit. Even a $1 profit on a slot. Nothing worse than turning a good win into an actual loss.
------------------PLEASE SEE MY POST BELOW AS I TRIED TO CLARIFY MY QUESTION------------------

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