By Ron DiBenedetto
Introduction & Betting Tactics
PBJ was developed around the reality of today's volatile games. The casinos are making the game tougher, so we have to employ innovative approaches in order to survive those games. Recognizing the strengths and drawbacks of all the systems I have been involved with, combined with my own analysis and playing experience, I have developed a cultivated blend of advanced card play techniques and betting tactics, designed to negotiate Blackjack in a low risk, yet exploitive manner.
Our program is for serious players who wish to play Blackjack as a long term business. The success of the long term is achieved via short term goals, which include table win locks, stop losses, as well as, trip win locks and stop losses. We are extremely concerned with protecting our bankroll and preventing excessive "Give Back" to the casino. These concerns among others are automatically protected by the PBJ betting options, rule less and table departure criteria. We have to recognize the six (6) main ingredients of successful blackjack play. They include money management, table selection, card play, betting , table departure and of course, discipline.
Regarding table selection ...
We are trained to appraise blackjack table conditions as they exist. Each table must present an investment opportunity from our advanced point of view. We are trained and prepared to enter games that exhibit player favorable conditions, where it is apparent that "basic strategy" is responsible for player winning activity. By the same token, we are also prepared to enter tables that lack "basic strategy" traits, but appear to be playable from an advanced angle of attack.
The casinos have drastically tampered with card flow randomness, which traditional "basic strategy" is reliant upon. Ever wonder why the casinos sell "basic strategy" books in the casino gift shops and why they offer "basic strategy" lessons on the floor of the casino? Are they training us to beat them, or are they training us to beat ourselves? I think you know the answer. In order to negotiate today's conditions, which are stacked against us, we have to know when to play straight "basic strategy" and when to deviate from "basic strategy," as a means to increase our hands won percentage and to help defuse one of the casino's built - in advantages. However, we must recognize that even with advanced card play capabilities, games can be so dealer strong that even our good card sense can be overcome by the casino, despite the fact that we know why we are losing. Fortunately, I have built in safe guards which essentially protect us from over staying enticing games where we are calling the cards, but losing anyway.
"PBJ" is a very comprehensive document written in an educational -instructional type format. It is designed to rehash the basics and graduate the student to an Expert Player section.
PART ONE involves segments on educating the student in the aspects of the casino industry - basic Blackjack information - and segments which depict stages leading up to the "PBJ" method, derived from traditional fundamentals that cannot be over looked.
PART TWO involves segments regarding advanced information and graduates the student into those stages.
PART THREE provides the student with information and tactics which arm the player with more strength and flexibility than ever before. Money management, in the form of low risk, yet exploitive betting to address game conditions as they exist and change. Part three also contains The ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE" version of betting and the "BETTING GUIDES REFERENCE SECTIONS."
PART FOUR offers power tactics including Spot Betting, Head On Play, Team Play, and a Card Counting Enhancement.
PART FIVE is the EXPERT PLAYER SECTION which expands the player's horizons by introducing semi aggressive betting. The expert section still remains within a low risk area, due to all the betting angles and options. That portion of the manual also contains an extensive upgraded betting guides reference section.
PART SIX details casino documentation, trip plans, follow - up services and home practice.
Betting Tactics
PBJ betting tactics were designed around game volatility and those adverse radical changes that occur. Betting is based on the premise that "nothing good lasts forever." Therefore, all betting tactics and options anticipate game break-downs. Never-the-less, the betting tactics were also designed to address game type conditions as they exist and change. Our advantage is created due to the fact that we can not only exploit games where we tend to be winning more hands than the dealer, but we can even exploit games where we are alternating wins and losses with the dealer. PBJ utilizes (2) main betting themes. Both involve mathematical common sense and logic. These betting methods address the streaking game and the choppy game. The ultra conservative section of the manual illustrates the "up as you win" scheme, utilizing mode levels of betting. This mild up as you win involves safeguard modes which are staggered in between the bet increments, as a means to assure table lock wins, upon game breakdowns and to minimize losses upon table departures. The up as you win method contained in the expert section is slightly more aggressive than the ultra conservative section, yet still remains within a low risk level. There are no safeguard modes involved with the expert method. It's a straight up as you win and pull type betting scheme. Once the player graduates to the expert section it is incumbent of the player to get a little more aggressive, in an effort to get more money out faster during player favorable sections of the shoe.
PBJ uses a safe progression designed to address the common "choppy" back and forth type games. Recognize that our rules of table departure will automatically limit losses in a bad game , where no advantage is working and prevent excessive "give back" in good games that break-down.
We train the player to recognize when to switch from one betting tactic to the other in order to swing with changing conditions that occur throughout the shoe. In addition to our (2) primary betting schemes, we have clever betting tactics involving the 1st base position and an optional card counting enhancement which can be incorporated into the mainstream of PBJ. All PBJ betting is designed to minimize losses in bad games and safeguard table wins in good games, by win locking and preventing excessive "give back." The manual details betting guides for different size bankrolls and base betting units. This becomes very significant when we incorporate the "table minimum spread factor" and "chisel ploy" tactics into our low risk attack.
As mentioned earlier, our table departure criteria is designed to minimize losses and assure table wins, by preventing excessive "give back." We are trained to recognize when our entry into a game ruins the game, when we fall into a poor player zone and when a good game has come to an abrupt end. Remember, we are not there to wage a war against a dealer; we are there to win more money than we started with. If a dealer is strong we have to move on. That's one of the realities of casino blackjack. We can leave the table, because we have a choice. The dealer can't!
PBJ teaches casino insight so that the player is aware of what he is up against. We cover variables created by the casino and enlighten the player as to how to recognize those variables and deal with them. PBJ also teaches the player to recognize variables which are created by other blackjack players as well. We learn how to use other players to our advantage and when to recognize that other players become a hindrance to our intentions. PBJ also touches upon casino marketing, gimmicks and proper utilization of "comps."
Now, Let's talk about the few good tables in casino.
For starters, we have to recognize that a good table exists because basic strategy is working in that particular game for those particular players. Those type games are characterized by the following characteristics ...
Most of the players are winning, the dealer is doing her share of breaking , the players are receiving good double down cards and the game is stabilized.
We can still find those types of game, but we have to seek them out. From a PBJ perspective, when those type games are located, we enter them and lean towards "basic strategy" card play. However, provided that we can get into the game, one of three things will occur ... We will either disrupt a fragile player favorable bias, we will not disrupt the game or we may fall into a poor player zone. Having a PBJ background, many times we will be able to adjust to a game change, via our advanced card play capabilities and betting tactics.
So, how do we handle Basic Strategy?
We've included a "Fundamental Strategy" chart in the manual for several reasons. First of all, the chart is just slightly more conservative than traditional "Basic Strategy" charts. The chart is needed so that the novice player, as well as the experienced player, can use it as a fundamental guideline to making flexible card play decisions. I consider "Fundamental Strategy" as a transitional mode of card play , if you will. In other words, we employ fundamental strategy as a safe strategy, until we deem the game a "basic strategy" game. We are also trained in how to fluctuate from traditional standards of card play to flexible approaches as we see fit in our round to round analysis.
PBJ recognizes team play as playing blackjack at it's highest level. We have tactics designed for partner play and elaborate tactics which can be utilized by larger teams. We are also continuing research on these two very powerful concepts and will be doing seminars solely on team play.
Concerning Head On Play, PBJ details the advantages and the perils of taking on a dealer "head on." We are trained to recognize head on opportunities, create opportunities and when to back off. We can win a lot of money quick and we can lose a lot of money quick during head on play. So, we have to have an idea of why a dealer is standing alone at a table. Especially, a low stakes table, when the casino is crowded.
Let's move on with a discussion on the problems associated with contemporary multiple deck blackjack conditions . . . First, the problem with "BASIC STRATEGY" ... Today's knowledgeable player must recognize that basic strategy was the first mathematical system devised for the game of blackjack. However, basic strategy was developed years ago by mathematicians and it was developed with a reliance upon card flow randomness. What makes matters worse is that basic strategy was also devised for only single deck play.
As you know, the good card counters put a dent in the industry years ago, so the casinos had to take action against their attackers. They took measures to subvert the mathematics of basic strategy and proficient card counting techniques and betting. As a result, the casinos turned to the multiple deck game and hired consultants to make their games harder to beat. Now for the problem ... How many times were you in a game when either you or someone at the table made a remark like "Where are the (10's) and doesn't this dealer ever break? What you were experiencing at that time was the result of non random card flows and their adverse impact on straight basic strategy card play. Therefore, if card flow patterns are non random, then the cards must be running in like card clumps. In other words, low cards are traveling with low cards and high cards are traveling with high cards more than they randomly should. Shoes that are characterized by an abundance of these card clump runs will kill the straight basic strategy player. It is so clear. All you have to do is use your eyes. The evidence will speak for itself. Consider it the "PAINT ON THE TABLE".
Keep in mind that low cards are dealer favorable and high cards are player favorable. Also, keep in mind that the dealer can't break when low cards are running, except for sometimes a 6. This is one of the reasons why dealer strategy always seems to favor the dealer. The only real advantage that the dealer has is that the dealer hits last and if the player breaks ahead of the dealer, the house wins. So, if the cards are running in clear recognizable clumps, then they become predictable to the point that, you the player, can use that information to judge the dealer's strength, by making a logical prediction on the dealer's down card. You can also use this card flow information to make predictions on your hit cards. And that becomes very significant in increasing your hands won percentage and for good quality double down plays. What I'm leading to here is the employment of advanced card play, termed "flexible strategy".
The Precision Blackjack Home Study Course - The Author, Developer and Player
Ron is an accomplished pro-player and instructor - 24 years in the making. He says, "This course teaches the insight, skills and techniques necessary to address today's casino blackjack conditions." Ron markets his course on his website, Precision21. He can be reached at (610) 376-2113 or by
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