What about balanced strategies?

In this chart, we go through exactly the same procedure, but for Hi-Lo. Again, we see the two lines, with a penalty for using the wrong optimal betting ramp. However, the penalty is less dramatic using Hi-Lo than REKO. This is because unbalanced strategies, with a wider range of counts, can make better use of optimal betting ramps. Or to put it another way, unbalanced strategies require more variation in betting ramps, as penetration changes, to generate optimal results.

www.qfit.com/book/z4091Chart.gif

Surely, there is a reasonable compromise between using one batting ramp for all penetrations and using 100 different betting ramps. Let us look at using two. I created one betting ramp optimized at 97-card penetration and another at 58 cards. The idea is to use one for 4.5 deck penetration and above and one for below 4.5/6. I did this for both REKO and Hi-Lo. Now, I calculated the SCOREs for every penetration for KO and HiLo using this scheme and plotted them below.

On the next page, you will find two charts. The first chart compares REKO and Hi-Lo with each strategy using one fixed betting ramp at all depths. This is the same data depicted in the red lines in the two previous charts. The second chart uses two betting ramps as I just described.

(Note: All charts assume S17, DAS, 1-15 bet spread.)

 © 2009 Norman Wattenberger