Wong Tootsie, The way this thread has taken off you are going to get more post than the one about Oklahoma tournaments. Nothing wrong with Oklahoma but it is a pisser to keep reading about it when you live in Manchester England. So let us go back to see what started it all. Stanford Wong (Who the majority on here would say wrote the bible on Blackjack Tournament Strategy) starts writing about the technique of dice throwing. Noman and other writers on this site have made their position clear about this and now doubt the author’s credibility. If a new player joined the site and asked what books would you advise him/her to read at the moment on Blackjack tournament play, what would we all recommend? Joe Pane has said on here that you have to go beyond Wong to win at a competitive level and forthcoming books by Hollywood Dave and Ken Smith will probably reflect this. Well maybe Wong’s book is a little bit dated but it is the blue print for all others that will follow. Just for my mate Noman I will come back to dice manipulation. For the record Stanford Wong was the biggest sceptic of dice control until he attended a course run by Frank Scoblete. Then his view changed so maybe he knows something that we don’t. So back to my original question on this thread for which I never received an answer. Why would some of the top gaming authors such as Stanford Wong or Henry Tamburin extol the virtues of dice control knowing that it would leave them open to ridicule and critism by their fellow peers and players? Don’t tell me it’s for money or self-promotion because I am not buying into that (Wong could have wrote about many other subjects on gaming) and not left himself open to this. Andy Ps Sorry Noman for using you as an example, but it is interesting. PPs Off to the Czech Republic for a week. See you all soon.
Droogie!: Enjoy your quarterly vacation. This post will be waiting you on your return. By the time Wong's book came out, seasoned tournament players, Ken Smith, Joe Pane, S. Yama, Richard McKelvey, Edie Olsen and even the loveable TX had gone beyond Wong. Other good and great players, not known to the community at large(one in particular just keeps silently plodding along, making more than anyone else,) continue to reap the benefits of their own particular style and knowledge. So, as a mathematical study and maybe as a progression bet strategy, Wong's book would do well in East Timor. Not to say, as has been noted on this site, "you should be able to learn "something" from every book. You might liken Wong's work to knowing basic opening moves in chess. But, hey, you still have to have a middle and end game. But, in particular, Ken S., Joe Pane and S. Yama have combined "for free" to give out volumes of better information and insight on tournament BJ, on this site. The real question becomes, "if it's so good, why are you tellling everyone else?" (Read late night tv infomercials.) Cause it worked once(maybe twice or maybe more?) but it doesn't have the edge it once did. So to continue the money stream(semi-gauranteed), to continue the "fame," write a book. Cerritos and Yellow Submarine, two savant's, employ the progressions, but that's only a small left over of Wong's. Both have delved deeper and taken side views of the traditional to set themselves apart, or get their particular edge. Simply, I can only equate book knowledge parrotted and exercised routinely to practical knowledge, by example of relying solely on a calculator without knowing the fundamentals behind the answer. To your question: "Why would they do that?" Well, if men can be sold 5-bladed razors, if people still buy "Pet Rocks," if a "Reality Shows" are "good tv," ad infinitem, then, I guess former credible author's, or people with a name can sell a "How to Book." To the dice, again. Since the casinos had long ago established the procedure for a "legitimate" dice toss, it would seem to me, that any disguised deviation from that would be readily recognized, or counter measured, quickly, negating the whole time consuming, wasted practice time to master it, if indeed any or all could master it.(Another somewhat well respected BJ author and strategist, "Revere" left himself an out by saying you had to be "perfect." But Wong did write other treasties. Sports Betting is probably the best one, cause there are plenty of edges there, especially in the proposition bets many houses extoll, to garner more action. There the time, the research, the analysis, et al does provide a more significant edge. albiet that's a "full" time job. But, Juneau, there's a certain personality disorder that compels otherwise sane and rational people to "fool" with that great unknown, when perhaps their efforts would be better well spent in the traditional, mundane, work-a-day-world. Good Fortune(in whatever you do)
Sorry to be Mr Pedantic, Reachy, but ..... That's not quite right. Association Football did not exist yet. Apparently, at the time, various clubs and schools would play 'football', but they each had their own set of informal rules. When two teams decided to play each other, the first thing they had to do was agree what rules they were going to play by! You could say Webb-Ellis was playing Rugby Football, by definition; but there was then a rule against running with the ball in that game. (I think you may have been allowed to use your hands though.) As with most things, Wikipedia has more than anyone could want to know on the subject of the origins of 'football' and the history of the various schisms that have lead to all the different codes that now exist around the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football#Establishment_of_modern_codes_of_football So football, in all its forms, is just one more thing Britain gave to the world.
you don't have to apologise Colin If you want to be pedantic that's fair enough Glad to see that you've finally registered here; about time we had some more cockerney input! Where abouts in the old smoke are you from? Cheers Reachy
"Maybe it's because I'm a northerner ... " ... that I live in London town. I live in Brockley, South East London, and have done for a number of years now. I'm originally from Blackburn in Lancashire though, and would really rather not be thought of as a cockney! (Hmm, maybe this London Colin thing wasn't such a good idea.) Actually, we had this conversation a while ago on Global chat. I recall you live in Somerset. Are you a native? I'm imagining a cider-drinking, Worzel type!
Can't hear Bow Bells therefore not cockney Although the Bow Bells no longer toll of course! Now you come to mention it I do remember having a conversation with you at Global. How's it going? Still tearing up the 1&1s? I, like you, am an immigrant. I am originally from Derby but we moved via Melton Mowbray to Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. There I stayed until I was kicked out to go to University in London which is where I stayed for another 12ish years. Mostly North or East London (never went Sarf of the river bruv) and in fact my son can rightly claim to be a cockney born as he was in Whitechapel. We get him a new pearly king suit every christmas which he loves . Then as the family grew and we needed a home we upped sticks and followed the railway line to the hotbed of international terrorism that is High Wycombe. 2 years after that my company kindly relocated me to The West Country with it's wonderful countryside and excellent surfing opportunites. Here I imagine I shall stay until time catches up. I wil be getting a second home in Vegas though but probably not until next year. Just need that big win... Cheers Reachy
Up and down with more-or-less equal frequency I think. I have a notebook with the records of all my results; I just can't quite bring myself to put it all into a spreadsheet and discover the bottom line!
Avoiding sevens Noman Just in case you thought that I had forgotten you regarding the dice. Have a look at this. http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/births/2006/aug/21/566678420.html I am sure that you will find it an interesting read. Droogie :laugh:
