Let's get started!
So here we were after a only a week in the world of card counting ready to start our training. We'd watched the movie '21' and even seen 'Beating BlackJack with Andy Bloch' a few times, it was time to start our training.

Step 1 was learning Basic Strategy. Now I've played blackjack before and am well aware of the basic rules of the game and have even come up with a few strategies of my own. Man was I in for a shock about how many basic strategy rules I've been breaking!

Let me just start by saying that I consider myself to be a numbers guy. I've always liked and understood numbers and statistics. This is what has kept me away from casinos in the past. I know that casinos are a business based on percentages and all their games are created to give them the edge. They're always going to win in the long run (unless you count or cheat).

So I was more than ready to accept the fact that card counters relied on proven maths to beat the game. Basic Strategy is a mathematically proven optimal strategy for playing the game. It gives you the highest possible EV (expected value). I wasn't going to sit and waste time proving that basic strategy was right, I just did, after all most of the plays made sense.

So the first thing I did was a quick trip to the local casino (let's call this Casino Big for future reference). They played 6 decks, dealer stands on soft 17, early surrender, double any two and double after split. I went over to http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bjbse.php and got the appropriate basic strategy card.

Now, learning the basic strategy card wasn't difficult. A lot of the plays made a lot of sense such as doubling when you have a 10 against a 9 or less, or splitting twos against 7 or less. It was the optional plays that were a bit more difficult. Plays like 16 against a 10. Surrender if possible, otherwise hit. In my pre card counting blackjack life, when you get a 16 against a 10, you usually stand and hope he busts. Of course, according to basic strategy this is the wrong play. If you're like me, you take the chicken approach to blackjack. Play it safe and hope for the best. However Basic Strategy seemed much more aggressive comparatively. It didn't matter what I thought though. Basic Strategy is right, so I just knuckled down and learnt it. If you can't follow the rules then get out of the game.

I'm happy to say that it took no longer than a couple of hours to master basic strategy. I simply learned each number at a time. (e.g. When you have 7 or 8, you always hit. If you have a 9, you double from 3-6 otherwise hit etc etc).

Step 1 complete already! This is going to be easy!
Next comes Card Counting.

What is Basic Strategy? Please refer to the previous post:
http://confessionsofacardcounter.blogspot.com/2008/12/intoduction-to-basic-strategy.html
Ready for the nexy post?
http://confessionsofacardcounter.blogspot.com/2008/12/hi-lo-system-of-counting-cards.html