by “Sharkgod”
Blackjack does not care. It is completely impartial and does not care about your race, religion, sex, body type or upbringing. It is the great leveler and treats all equal as to those regards. Instead, Blackjack is beholden to only two things; the laws of mathematics and spiritual laws. While we all understand how Blackjack operates in the realm of mathematical law generating returns from a given set of circumstances based on the composition of a deck, we may not all be aware of the underlying spiritual laws that govern the game. They are as real and as true as the mathematical laws and I will attempt to uncover a few here for your pondering and practice.
Law 1- You will reap what you sow. This is true in all matters of life and certainly true in BJ. People are often unaware of this law because the reaping and sowing don’t correspond to a short and observable time period. The reaping does not occur the moment of planting but must wait until the “season” is right for the harvesting. For example, plant the seeds of a daily workout and eventually reap the reward of physical fitness. Or plant the seeds of drinking heavily each day and reap the disaster of alcoholism. In BJ, sow the seeds of practice and more practice and eventually your effort will reap the reward of positive EV. It will not occur at once but your work will inevitably result in EV.
Law 2- You will become what you think. In life, if you think you can do something, you have an infinitely better chance of succeeding than if you think you can’t. If you believe yourself to be a winner, you will have a better chance than if you think you are a loser. We seem to draw to ourselves what we think. We manifest in the existing world what we think. Therefore, before each session of BJ, envision yourself winning with blackjack after blackjack and pat hands against the dealers 5 and 6. You will be amazed at how this envisioning actually occurs. If you are skeptical, try it.
Law 3- When you have no vision, you will perish. This law simply says that if you don’t have a goal any result will suffice. It’s like a ship without a destination for its sails. Any harbor will do and sometimes that harbor isn’t all that good or downright undesirable. Therefore, as advantage players, we must have strict goals. We need monetary goals, playing hour goals, goals for the cash we win and ultimately life goals. Plato said, “the unexamined life is not worth living”. Without the goals, we will perish.
Law 4- There are more possibilities in the Universe than you can imagine. How many times at the table do we see the impossible occur? You have a twenty facing the dealers 2. The count is positive 9. He throws over a 10 for a 12. The then proceeds to draw 4 aces and a 5. There are more possibilities than you can imagine. This also means that the universe is unlimited. Think about how life was 150 years ago versus today. If the universe was limited we would never have the technology and life that we have today. It also means that you and I are not limited. We can become what we desire.
Law 5- You will be treated exactly how you treat others. This one will be a bit controversial. The math says, “don’t tip”. But the law, which exists in every philosophy, religion, or historical wisdom, says treat others as you would be treated. So what are we to do? Often times I look at the dealer and I see another struggling human being trying to make a living. Personally, I believe what I give ultimately is returned to me but that is at odds with the math. Tipping in a way is a bit of trust that things will ultimately work out. This one is a personal decision where you decide between the laws of math and spiritual laws.
Blackjack is a means of not only a bankroll growth, but the growth of your spirit and the growth of your humanity. Go not only for the money, but for the growth in who you are.
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