Not sure of the protocol for this but, I wanted to introduce myself here as a new member. Basically, I enjoy the game of blackjack and especially enjoy posting "live" trip reports so others can join me for the ride.
I have been on an epically horrific run this past year and attempting to remedy that but, this past weekend did not help (I am going to copy/paste the TR I made on my blog herein — it was basically live as I posted but, as it was not on a forum, nobody commented).
I am hopeful this forum is hospitable, informational and, above all, fun.
Feel free to ask anything you'd like to know.
BLOG FROM YESTERDAY'S TRIP
On the road to Atlantic City for my first blackjack session of 2016 - thinking positive thoughts that this is a winning year!!!
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Sat down for my first session of 2016...
It was the usual roller coaster but then, half-way through the shoe, I was up 300
I decided to press and put the 300 up...I was dealt 3,3 versus dealer 4--time to split
Split the 3,3 and:
First 3 dealt a 6 for 9 so I doubled and was dealt an Ace for 20
Second 3 dealt another 6 for 9 so I doubled and was dealt another Ace for 20
I now had 1200 out on the table
The dealer had a 6, turned over a 5, then a 2, then an Ace and finally, a 7 for 21
WTF?!? I cannot win when I double on a 9 EVER!!! I was raging and by the end of the shoe, was down to my last chip on a 1500 buy-in
that one hand was a 2400 swing - I could've been relaxing and getting ready to watch football
I actually got 300 back the next shoe and another 400 the shoe after that
On the final shoe I played I won the first 5 hands but was too afraid to press
Trip is EVEN
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Sat down to a brand new shoe and lost 14 of 16 hands - the dealer didn't bust once
down 1400
FML!!!
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Ok so I took a walk and caught my breath and sat down to play again
the first shoe started off great and I had quickly regained 500 of the 1400
however, about three quarters of the way through the shoe I made the following hand:
7,6 and drew and 8 for 21
however, the dealer made the following hand:
7,6 and drew 8 for 21
YUP!
after that hand I did not win another hand the rest of the shoe (I pushed 2 hands)
oh, as an aside, I have stopped doublin down on 9 as the dealers always seem to make 21 when I do -- so, I was dealt a 4,5 v dealer 4 and did not double -- I draw a 10 for 19 -- the dealer has 4, turns over a 6 then an Ace for 21 (I guess a 9 versus any dealer 3 through 6 is not m hand)
By the end of that shoe I had lost the 500 I had regained plus another 600 -- I was now down 2k for the trip
The next shoe started and WOW! -- it was as if the poles reversed -- I won 10 of 12 hands and recovered the 2k I was down plus another 100
Trip is +100
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Had some Italian food for dinner and thought I'd relax and play some blackjack after dinner - however, there would be no relaxing...
The dealer I played with made me dizzy - his motion to draw a card from the shoebox deal comprised about eight different motions - it was disconcerting...
I immediately began losing hand after hand after hand -- within one quarter of a shoe, I only won 1 hand - a quick 1500 had vanished
Trip was -1400
I switched tables and started fresh--or so I thought as I proceeded to lose the first 7 hands - I was then dealt a blackjack - finally I won a hand and pressed it up only to have the dealer get a blackjack of her own the next hand - then I was dealt 8,8 v dealer 6 -- on the first 8 I was dealt a 7 for 15 and on the second 8 I was dealt a 6 for 14 -- the dealer proceeded to turn over an Ace for 17 - I then lost the next 6 hands and I quit that table down another 1200
Trip was -2600
I finally switched tables again and rode the roller coaster until such time as the dealer made 5 blackjacks in 10 hands
At this point I was down 5500 and basically thinking if I lose my final 500, I am taking a loooooong break from blackjack
The blackjack gods must have not wanted me to give up as I began an AMAZING run, winning 4 double downs, 3 splits, getting seat 2 blackjacks and actually watching the dealer bust on a few hands
I took that 500 I was down to all the way back up to 3700 is one shoe and am not taking a break
Trip is -2300
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So I was feeling calm and relaxed and decide to sit down and continue to mount my comeback
So this is what happened on first hand of the shoe:
200 bet
dealt 4,4 versus dealer 5 so I split and got another 4
first 4 got 7 doubled got a 5 for 16
second 4 got Ace doubled got 10 for 15
third 4 got 10 for 14
dealer has 5 showing turns over a 10 and draws a 2
a 2k swing
so now I was down 3300
of course, I lost the next 7 of 9 hands after that (no Star Trek pun intended) to be down 4K
the shoe ended and there was a dealer change - the next shoe was nothing to write home about but I did gain 300 back to put me down 3k
the next shoe, however, was like the nectar of the gods...
I won 5 of 6 doubles and was able to press my bet nicely - as such, by the end of the shoe, I was only down 1700
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I watched some of the NFL Wild Card games and sat down again to play...
As the dealer was about to deal, another gentleman sat down, we both lost the first 3 hands
From that point on, my comrade's luck changed, mine did not
After 10 hands I vacated my seat and moved to another table, having lost 500 there, the trip now being down 2200
The next table proved to be about the same and, after one shoe, I was down another 200, total of -2400
The third table did not prove to be a "charm" — the gentleman at the table with me told me he needed to make a "BIG comeback" - he decided the best way to do this was to play one hand on one deal then two hands the next, and so on and so on…it was making me dizzy
After half a shoe I had lost another 350 and was now down 2750 for the trip
I once again switched tables to play with a dealer who was "nice" to me earlier — however, just as I sat down, she was going on a break but I decided to play anyway — bad idea…
The following "highlights" occurred during the 20 minutes he was dealing:
Ace,Ace split v. dealer 7
First Ace dealt a 2
Second Ace dealt a 5
Dealer turns over a Queen for 17
2,2 v. dealer 2
First 2 dealt a 10, hit and bust
Second 2 dealt a 3, then a 4, then a 7, then a 10 to bust
So then my friendly dealer came back from break, but this time, I was down 5200
In the first shoe, I started with a blackjack
I won the next 4 of 6 hands and, more of the same continued until the end of the shoe
I was now only down 3750
Second shoe started out nicely - the first two hands were double downs and I won them both
A few more doubles and splits throughout and I was on my way
After this shoe I was only down 1950
Finally, I decided the next shoe would be my last shoe as it was getting late and I was being to get tired...
The blackjack roller coaster started taking me for a ride, I lost the first 3 hands before finally pushing three 20's in a row…from there, I won three in a row, pressing each hand…the run I was waiting for appeared at the tail end of the shoe, where I was able to gain back another 1k
So, the trip, although exciting, frustrating and anger-inducing, did not end as badly as it could have - but it did not give me any positive vibes for Blackjack year 2016
I am keeping my fingers crossed that 2016 can be the year I get back all that I lost in 2015.
Good luck to everyone.
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