This is an almost 4 minute preview clip of our upcoming episode with AP playing partners Steve and Chris.

In this installment of our little experiment in imaginary radio, something that we like to call the Tens and Aces Podcast, we sit down with an advantage player who goes simply by “X” — a former athlete turned blackjack assassin whose journey from lacrosse fields to casino felt is anything but ordinary. What starts as a girlfriend‑sparked nudge (“you need direction”) turns into a full‑blown descent into the rabbit hole of Blackjack, Card Counting, and Advantage Play.

X breaks down his obsessive year‑long training regimen — three to four hours a day with nothing but notebooks, fake bankrolls, and rage‑inducing variance — before ever stepping foot back into a casino. From a $2,200 starting bankroll to nearly 700 hours and over $50K in earnings, he recounts the highs, the brutal lows, and the psychological warfare of staying sane while the math does whatever the hell it wants.

The conversation hits everything: emotional tilt, ploppy chaos, surrender stigma, insurance debates, back‑offs, sweaty shops, graveyard shifts, networking, traveling play, and the bizarre cast of characters who populate casino life — including rappers, degenerates, and the occasional rent‑money hero.

It’s raw, funny, honest, and packed with real‑world insight into what it actually takes to grind out an edge in a casino ecosystem designed to chew you up. If you love stories from the trenches of Blackjack, Casino culture, and Advantage Play, listen up, because we're about to give you some T&A!

Key Topics Covered

• X’s “superhero origin story” in Blackjack

• Transition from athlete to Advantage Player

• Training for card counting without software

• Building a bankroll from $2,200

• Emotional control, tilt, and mental toughness

• Understanding variance and staying below EV

• First back‑offs and navigating sweaty casinos

• Playing graveyard vs. day shifts

• Networking through BJA, regional chats, and AP communities

• Using cover, table selection, and shift rotation

• Ploppy behavior: insurance myths, surrender stigma, “bus card” drama

• Stories from Vegas, rent‑money gamblers, and celebrity encounters

• The importance of scouting, penetration, and dealer speed

• Why promotions and side plays matter

• Long‑term goals: hitting $100K and expanding beyond counting

Highlights & Quotes

• “I wasn’t stepping foot in a casino unless I was a threat.”

• “Losing fake money in my bedroom pissed me off more than it should have.”

• “Ploppies keep the lights on — but man, they make it hard.”

• “My girlfriend made me a $10K trophy. Then I lost $17K in two weeks.”

• “First rule of Fight Club: don’t yell ‘Mike AP!’ at the table.”

Key Words:

Blackjack, Card Counting, Casino Advantage Play, AP Blackjack, Counting Cards, Blackjack Apprenticeship, Back‑offs, Casino Stories, Blackjack Podcast, Advantage Player Lifestyle, EV, Variance, Penetration, Double Deck, Shoe Game, Blackjack Strategy