On a hand by hand basis folding is free 8 times out of ten in a regular holdem game. The cost of transportation and "free" buffets .. I would consider them to be a cost of doing business.
Please don't misunderstand my suggestion of Revere's book, we have made many playing modifications over the last couple of decades. It's kind of fun to look back on "the day" when Kenny Uston was VP at the Pacific Stock Exchange, and was posting his team winnings in the Las Vegas Review Journal (not simultaneously, obviously). I remember when he returned to the Options floor, with 2 "hot women" arm-in-arm, playing the role as "The Big Player".... As we all know, "team play" is only good for the team leader and the poorer players....but still good reading (The Big Player). The primary difference of opinion that I might express between BJ and trading is that there is a finite number of possible outcomes in BJ, which makes it a "winnable" game (when played correctly, under decent condiitons, penetration, etc.). Trading has an infinite number of variables being thrown at you on a minute by minute basis.....everything from Greenspan to war to having the CEO taken away in handcuffs. Sure, we can use correlated pairs, opening strategies, and tape reading to beef up our edge....but there is still the unforeseen event that leads us back to realiity (no crystal ball, unless you're a "time traveller"). Trading systems must be constantly monitored with human intervention (IMO) to keep any edge that may have been designed. Automation is valuable, pure "black box" systems are still few and far between (and, again, must be monitored). Anyway, as a final note.....don't "gamble" ....learn to play BJ properly....and don't trade foolishly, learn to trade with all the tools and market savvy possible. Don
Blackjack Forum is a good newsletter for those interested in current playing conditions, etc. www.bjfonline.com and the published "RGE" (rouge et noir....red and black). You can search back for the interviews with my brother. Don
I was a card counter years ago and now day trader for a living for several years. I agree that casinos changed some rules so it is now more difficult to win ( not impossible). For example they put the mark in the middle so that they only draw half of the shuffle. Some casinos are equipped with automatic machine giving cards to the dealer so that it is a neverendingstory. No shuffle tracking possible etc..... In money management there is a lot of things in common between BJ and DT. Bet small when Y loose for exemple and not the opposite