The effect of using variations to the strategy is dependent on the card counting system employed, the depth of penetration and the number of decks in play. In case you participate in a single-deck game, the potential profit, you could achieve by changing basic strategy plays based on the count with perfect play, could be 66% greater than the expected profit from basic strategy play. In case you expect to gain $150 per hour, relying on basic strategy play in a single-deck game, you could expect to profit as high as $249 per hour, if you play all strategy variations based on count in a perfect manner.
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When it comes to multi-deck games, the potential profit, which an appropriately sized bet could bring, is higher than the profit from perfect play. In this case, you may expect to gain about 41% additionally, if you play all strategy variations perfectly. If you expect to gain $150 per hour, relying on basic strategy play in a multi-deck game, you could expect to profit as high as $211.50 per hour by using count-based perfectly played variations to the strategy.
If you are to reach such a level of perfection, you need to learn quite a lot playing variations, but what is more important, you need to employ them with utmost precision. Experts such as Don Schlesinger came to the conclusion that, at some point, the expected return starts to decrease, thus, he came up with 18 key play variations to the basic strategy, which he called the Illustrious 18. They are as follows:
1.1 You should use Insurance in single-deck games, in case your count equals or is larger than +1.4;
1.2. You should use Insurance in double-deck games, in case your count equals or is larger than +2.4;
1.3 You should use Insurance in shoe games, in case your count equals or is larger than +3;
2.1 If you have a hand of 16 against the dealer’s 10-valued card in single-deck games, you should stand at a count of 0 or higher;
2.2 If you have a hand of 16 against the dealer’s 10-valued card in double-deck games, you should stand at a count of 0 or higher;
2.3 If you have a hand of 16 against the dealer’s 10-valued card in shoe games, you should stand at a count of 0 or higher;
3.1 If you have a hand of 15 against the dealer’s 10-valued card in single-deck games, you should stand at a count of +4 or higher;
3.2 If you have a hand of 15 against the dealer’s 10-valued card in double-deck games, you should stand at a count of +4 or higher;
3.3 If you have a hand of 15 against the dealer’s 10-valued card in shoe games, you should stand at a count of +4 or higher;
4.1 If you have a pair of 10-valued cards against the dealer’s 5 in single-deck games, you should split at a count of +5 or higher;
4.2 If you have a pair of 10-valued cards against the dealer’s 5 in double-deck games, you should split at a count of +5 or higher;
4.3 If you have a pair of 10-valued cards against the dealer’s 5 in shoe games, you should split at a count of +5 or higher;
5.1 If you have a pair of 10-valued cards against the dealer’s 6 in single-deck games, you should split at a count of +5 or higher. If H17, you should split at a count of +4 or higher;
5.2 If you have a pair of 10-valued cards against the dealer’s 6 in double-deck games and if S17, you should split at a count of +4 or higher. If you have a pair of 10-valued cards against the dealer’s 6 in double-deck games and if H17, you should split at a count of +4 or higher;
5.3 If you have a pair of 10-valued cards against the dealer’s 6 in shoe games and if S17, you should split at a count of +4 or higher;
6.1If you have a hand of 10 against the dealer’s 10 in single-deck games, you should double at a count of +3 or higher;
6.2 If you have a hand of 10 against the dealer’s 10 in double-deck games, you should double at a count of +4 or higher;
6.3 If you have a hand of 10 against the dealer’s 10 in shoe games, you should double at a count of +4 or higher;
7.1 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 3 in single-deck games, you should stand at a count of +3 or higher;
7.2 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 3 in double-deck games, you should stand at a count of +3 or higher;
7.3 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 3 in shoe games, you should stand at a count of +2 or higher;
Running Count Keeping Hints
Learning to Keep a True Count
True Count Drills
Fab Four Basic Strategy Variation
The Illustrious 18
8.1 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 2 in single-deck games, you should stand at a count of +4 or higher;
8.2 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 2 in double-deck games, you should stand at a count of +4 or higher;
8.3 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 2 in shoe games, you should stand at a count of +4 or higher;
9.1 If you have a hand of 11 against the dealer’s Ace in single-deck games and if S17, you should double at a count of -1 or higher. If you have a hand of 11 against the dealer’s Ace in single-deck games and if H17, you should double at a count of -2 or higher;
9.2 If you have a hand of 11 against the dealer’s Ace in double-deck games and if S17, you should double at a count of 0 or higher. If you have a hand of 11 against the dealer’s Ace in double-deck games and if H17, you should double at a count of -1 or higher;
9.3 If you have a hand of 11 against the dealer’s Ace in shoe games and if S17, you should double at a count of +1 or higher. If you have a hand of 11 against the dealer’s Ace in shoe games and if H17, you should double at a count of 0 or higher;
10.1 If you have a hand of 9 against the dealer’s 2 in single-deck games, you should double at a count of +1 or higher;
10.2 If you have a hand of 9 against the dealer’s 2 in double-deck games, you should double at a count of +1 or higher;
10.3 If you have a hand of 9 against the dealer’s 2 in shoe games, you should double at a count of +1 or higher;
11.1 If you have a hand of 10 against the dealer’s Ace in single-deck games, you should double at a count of +2 or higher;
11.2 If you have a hand of 10 against the dealer’s Ace in double-deck games, you should double at a count of +3 or higher;
11.3 If you have a hand of 10 against the dealer’s Ace in shoe games and if S17, you should double at a count of +4 or higher. If you have a hand of 10 against the dealer’s Ace in shoe games and if H17, you should double at a count of +3 or higher;
12.1 If you have a hand of 9 against the dealer’s 7 in single-deck games, you should double at a count of +4 or higher;
12.2 If you have a hand of 9 against the dealer’s 7 in double-deck games, you should double at a count of +4 or higher;
12.3 If you have a hand of 9 against the dealer’s 7 in shoe games, you should double at a count of +4 or higher;
13.1 If you have a hand of 16 against the dealer’s 9 in single-deck games, you should stand at a count of +5 or higher;
13.2 If you have a hand of 16 against the dealer’s 9 in double-deck games, you should stand at a count of +5 or higher;
13.3 If you have a hand of 16 against the dealer’s 9 in shoe games, you should stand at a count of +5 or higher;
14.1 If you have a hand of 13 against the dealer’s 2 in single-deck games, you should hit at a count of 0 or lower;
14.2 If you have a hand of 13 against the dealer’s 2 in double-deck games, you should hit at a count of 0 or lower;
14.3 If you have a hand of 13 against the dealer’s 2 in shoe games, you should hit at a count of 0 or lower;
15.1 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 4 in single-deck games, you should hit at a count of +1 or lower;
15.2 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 4 in double-deck games, you should hit at a count of 0 or lower;
15.3 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 4 in shoe games, you should hit at a count of 0 or lower;
16.1 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 5 in single-deck games, you should hit at a count of 0 or lower;
16.2 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 5 in double-deck games, you should hit at a count of -1 or lower;
16.3 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 5 in shoe games, you should hit at a count of -1 or lower;
17.1 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 6 in single-deck games and if S17, you should hit at a count of +1 or lower. If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 6 in single-deck games and if H17, you should hit at a count of -2 or lower;
17.2 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 6 in double-deck games and if S17, you should hit at a count of 0 or lower. If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 6 in double-deck games and if H17, you should hit at a count of -3 or lower;
17.3 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 6 in shoe games and if S17, you should hit at a count of -1 or lower. If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 6 in shoe games and if H17, you should hit at a count of -3 or lower.
18.1 If you have a hand of 13 against the dealer’s 3 in single-deck games, you should hit at a count of -1 or lower;
18.2 If you have a hand of 13 against the dealer’s 3 in double-deck games, you should hit at a count of -2 or lower;
18.3 If you have a hand of 13 against the dealer’s 3 in shoe games, you should hit at a count of -2 or lower;
Keep in Mind
To split against Fives or Sixes may be an effective way to play, but you should know that it could draw undesired attention from the dealer or the pit boss and it may intimidate other players. In case you wish to avoid such attention, you may simply not split.
We should note that a few strategy variations based on negative count are featured in the Illustrious 18, because of the fact that players should either bet the minimum, or not bet at all in negative counts.
Among all strategy variations illustrated above, insurance is of the highest value to a player. When using the Hi-Lo System, you should employ this strategy variation, if your count is +3 or even higher for multi-deck games, +2.4 or higher for double-deck games and +1.4 or higher for single-deck games. In case you give preference to this strategy variation only, then you could achieve about 33% of the profit, which can be squeezed from the whole Illustrious 18 set of variations.
Another key play in Illustrious 18 is to stand on a 16 against the dealer's 10, if you have a count of 0 or higher. And the third crucial play in the set is to stand on a 15 against the dealer's 10, if you have a count of +4 or higher. In case you give preference to these 3 strategy variations only, then you could achieve about 60% of the overall profit from the set. In case you use the first 12 variations from the set, you could achieve about 90% of the profit.
FAQs
Yes, if followed strictly, the Illustrious 18 is a pretty efficient way to success. Naturally, you have to memorize basic strategy first and be ready for a lot of card counting.
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