Zero Proximity

[ndmyers]

Hi Guys,

I purchased the ZP manual sometime (more than a year) ago. Are there any updates I should know about? Counts etc.?

Is Zero Proximity still the most relevant for current casino conditions?

TY,

Neil Myers

PS I own all of the BJ manuals with the exception of the Team BJ Play, as I have no intention of forming a team.

PPS Ellis commented in a previous thread that current BJ conditions in BJ are better than he has seem in 30 years. Why is that exactly, and does this apply to other casinos or just Vegas

[Guest]

Hi Guys,

I purchased the ZP manual sometime (more than a year) ago. Are there any updates I should know about? Counts etc.?

Is Zero Proximity still the most relevant for current casino conditions?

TY,

Neil Myers

PS I own all of the BJ manuals with the exception of the Team BJ Play, as I have no intention of forming a team.

PPS Ellis commented in a previous thread that current BJ conditions in BJ are better than he has seem in 30 years. Why is that exactly, and does this apply to other casinos or just Vegas

Hi Neil. I think just about everywhere. Certainly Atlantic City and Tunica which I have recently played. I'll be playing S. Florida next month and the Gulf Coast shortly thereafter. I achieved a 95% table win rate over 20 tables in Vegas, 100% over 15 tables in Tunica and 80% in Atlantic City.

I'm playing by the book 3rd base NBJ and sticking to 2 deck with a few 1 deck thrown in. I'm playing mostly head to head and occassionally with one or two other players. Mostly high stakes rooms but with some floor play thrown in.

Yes. 0 Prox is still the best table identifier but it is now easy to find low count tables due to lack of play - even on Fri and Sat nights, esp. if you avoid 6 deck. And it is easy to find head to head games.

I attribute these better than ever conditions to declining interest in the game due to greater interest in the poker and Bac table games and a few other crowded table games. The card counters never get a count high enough to react to in one and two deck games. I didn't see a single card counter at 20 tables.

For instance, I played Binions and Golden Nugget high stakes (25 and $50 2 deck) last Sunday night during peak casino hours. While Fremont street and both casinos were crowded and while I amassed large amounts of chips in plain view, I was not molested by any players getting in the games or even looking over the games. The dealers seemed happy and relieved just to have someone to play with and stayed extremely (overly) courteous even though I was literally killing them. I've never seen conditions even close to this anywhere in over 30 years of play. This did not happen overnight. I've been watching these conditions gradually building over the last 5 years.

I'm playing NBJ basic strategy. I never split and often take insurance and double on 8 vs 7 with highs running. I'm playing mostly a 1,2 prog with a very occassional 3 thrown in. But I never increase my bet with lows running but always hit to a good hand regardless of the dealer up card. The clumps are short and seldom last more than 2 or perhaps 3 rounds. I don't usually win every shoe but I tend to win every table.

[ndmyers]

Thanks Ellis, a very useful reply. It seems like there are now more opportunities in BJ than there were a few years ago.

I live close to Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, and one and two deck shoes are not an option at either place. Mohegan is very crowded at the weekend. Any specific advice on handling those specific conditions? How would you handle them?

Best,

Neil

[Guest CarlosM]

I avoid crowded days. As long as the table you choose has only a few players in it or head to head and the game is not over clumped or too dealer biased, I play. Usually when the casino is crowded, the high limit rooms are sometimes better.

[ndmyers]

Thanks for the input. Looking over the ZP manual again, I sometimes get confused:

It seems that ZP is best played in a neutral count shoe, from 3rd base, using mostly BS and a 3-step negative progression. Yet it also indicates that as soon as clumping (but not over-clumping) is detected as reflected in the count, it is best to use the First Base Strategy. Have I got this right.

Also, Ellis seems to indicate that he often uses a 1/2 progression. How to use this with the First Base method is clear, but I am unsure how Ellis handles third base. Ellis, are you playing third base BS, or first base, or switing between the two? It seems that ZP and new cards are a good match.

Lastly, Ellis how exactly did you get that big score at the Taj, doing a demo when you were only betting a 1/2 progression? Can you describe what happened in more detail?

Also, am I right in my belief that ZP is a lot easier to play than Precision BJ?