A single player can of course only play a certain number of hands at a time. So it might make sense to play on a team to increase hourly wages.
Team play has been successfully practiced by groups such as the MIT Blackjack Team, a number of Massachusetts Institute of Technology students who later became the inspiration for the Kevin Spacey film “21”. The most popular type of team counting strategies are those in which the members of the team each play a table and signal the rest of the team when to move in with the big money at the table. One advantage of team play is that you can choose to only get in with a large stack knowing that a table is really cheap for the player.
The downsides are that group games are a pretty big operation, and besides the immediate risk of getting caught, there are many stakeholders who all want a part of the win. In addition, a floor manager will certainly pay extra attention to a high role jump between the tables, so that there is once again the risk of getting caught.
If you still feel like trying a team game, or just want to know how it could work, here is a classic structure of what a team game line-up could look like:
The Back Spotter
This is a member of the team who doesn’t necessarily have to be at one of the tables. By observing the tables from a distance, the back spotter can signal to the rest of the team when the gorilla should move in at the table.
The Spotter
That team member is an active player at the table, but their main job is to accurately count the deck at that particular table. The casinos constantly check for betting irregularities at the tables, so the scout keeps betting on the minimum bet and instead signals to the gorilla or a team manager when the deck is hot.
The Gorilla
Gorillas are not known for their math skills, and therefore the gorilla doesn’t have to count. Instead, that team member moves from table to table and only plays for the maximum stakes when the table is really hot. A classic gorilla character is that of a drunken millionaire who moves from table to table, throwing his big money around in a seemingly reckless way.
The Big Player
The role of the big player on the team is to keep the rest of the team from being discovered. A high roller with a proficient game of blackjack is sure to grab the attention of casino staff. Remember that playing perfect strategy at the blackjack tables is not illegal and a skilled player with the same bankroll as the Gorilla will surely catch the casino’s eyes before the rest of the team does.
Become A Blackjack Superstar By Counting Cards!
If you want to wallow in piles of cash like you have seen players in the movies do, start counting while playing blackjack online at a desktop or mobile casino! Although the card counting is set to try you, it is definitely worth it once you learn how to use it against the house. So if you don’t succeed at first, try again; remember that slow and constant wins the race. Assuming you want to practice before heading to a real money casino, we recommend that you use our free blackjack game first to get the right feel for it.
