Blackjack Team Play:Team play in blackjack is a concept that should be explored by every advantage player. Although winning at card counting can be very lucrative team play done correctly can be even more lucrative. Let's look at team play and what it means. By definition, it means two or more card counters pooling their resources and talents for the common goal of making money counting cards. There is one huge benefit to blackjack team play that we need to discuss. Bankroll... This simple concept is what makes blackjack team play so appealing. Simply stated, If you have a $5000 bankroll your big bet would be $33.33, according to the Money Management chapter. But, let's say you and two friends form a team and you all have $5000, you now have a $15,000 bankroll and each of you can use your individual $5,000 as if it was $15,000. This gives each of you the playing power of a $15,000 bankroll. Your big bet would now be $100.This alone is enough reason to form a team. This concept involves each player going out on his own and playing his own sessions. Because of the money involved the teammates must be friends and they must be honest otherwise this team will be doomed to failure. Trust is the key factor in blackjack team play. The other factor is ability. You must be able to determine your teammates card counting ability and help each other improve. After all, you wouldn't want someone on your team that plays badly and loses more than he wins. Compensation also becomes an issue. Does each player keep his own winnings. I don't think so. Whatever plan for payment the team decides on must be adhered to. Suggestions… On payoff day…there must be an agreed upon payoff day. Pool the profits. Then turn in your expenses… you should have agreed on what expenses are to be repaid. Pay each player for his expenses, then split the profits using a prearranged formula. The one I like is to divide the profit into two equal parts. Each player will receive an equal share of the first half. The second half will be paid by the hours each player has logged. Let's do a theoretical split. There are four players. They decide to split the profits on the 1st of each month. On Jan. 1st they pool $17,000 in profit, quite a tidy profit. All players turn in their expenses. There are $1000 in expenses leaving $16,000 to split four ways. Pile #1 has $8,000 to be split equally, so each player receives $2,000. Pile #2 also has $8,000 to split according to hours played.
Add all of the hours together and you get 200 total hours then divide 200 hours into $8,000 to determine the hourly rate. That's $40 per hour. Now multiply each players hours played by 40 to determine their pay.
Again, I must stress that each player must be honest and trustworthy otherwise the team will not last long. Honesty and trust are, by far the biggest reasons for teams failing. There are two team concepts that I'd like to explore some more. But first something must be said about playing alone, without a team or partner. Although team play is not necessary to be a winning counter your win rate is ultimately determined by how big of a spread you can use without taking heat. A one to ten spread is probably the biggest spread you can use without drawing heat. Sometimes it's less. It's all related to your dealer, the floor person and the pit boss. If they don't care or are distracted by other things or if you disguise your play very well you should have no trouble with a 1 to 10 spread. However, if none of these things are true you may be looking for a new casino or, at the very least a different pit. Now, let's explore the team concept... With two or more players a whole new world opens up. Player number one sits at the same table for the entire session and flat bets the table minimum, never changing his bet. When the shoe turns plus, usually +2 or +3, he signals his partner and he enters the shoe placing table maximum bets or a predetermined bet. For instance the table minimum is $5 so player number one will bet $5 for the entire session. The table maximum is $500 so the second player will come in with $500 bets. You have just destroyed the 1 to 10 spread and made it 1 to 100. This is the optimal way to play winning Blackjack. There are drawbacks to this method, number one is that there may not be a seat at your table when the count changes and number two is that some casinos may not allow midshoe entry. Team play is the reason for this rule. I have seen signs on the higher limit tables saying no midshoe entry, or words to that effect, but usually no signs on the lower limit tables. So you must look for the casinos with the best playing conditions. Another team concept has been created by the greed of the casinos. It's called "backbetting". Some casinos allow players standing behind the table to bet on a seated players hand. Some casinos even have boxes behind the players betting box for backbettors. This ladies and gentlemen can be your license to print money. There are pitfalls to this concept if you are working alone. First, you need to stand behind the table long enough to count the deck down and also get a grasp of who, if anyone is a good basic strategy player. Then you make your bet on the good basic strategy players hand. But, suppose on this hand he goes brain dead and hits a 16 against the dealers 4 up card. He gets a ten and busts. This is not where you want to put your money. On the other hand, suppose that the player that is playing third base is your teammate. You know that he plays perfect basic strategy and he knows the count. After all, he has given you a signal that the count is right for a big bet. So, you simply backbet his hand. You stay there until the count either goes negative or the shoe is over. At that point you toss the dealer a tip and also your partner. As I've stated before, I am a firm believer in tipping the dealer. the added dimension of tipping the seated player will also have a good effect on your image and, after all the money gets split at the end of the session who cares who has the money. These methods can be used by two or more players on a team. You may want to set up two or three tables with table minimum bettors and two or more players waiting for signals to enter the shoe. One word, backbetting is best used when the table is full, otherwise the pit crew may begin to wonder why you are betting on someone elses hand when there are seats open at that table. These are the ways I use team play. There are more concepts but I've found these to be to my liking and fit my style of play. One more thing. Team up with people you trust, for obvious reasons. I suggest that if you are serious about team play you read as much as you can on the subject. |