Norm Wattenberg and the CV Product Suite

If you are like most players you started your AP training by reading Ed Thorps book Beat the Dealer.  After that you studied and memorized all of the basic strategy charts from that book. You then moved on to dealing yourself countless hands of blackjack on the kitchen table using the Hi-Lo card counting method.  And then, when you thought you were ready, you went to a casino and played.  Sometimes you would win and sometimes you would lose, but you never really knew what your advantage was or how much you would expect to win (or lose), or even if you were accurate in your execution.  The CV product suite by Norm Wattenberg has changed all that. You now can know everything you ever wanted to know about your blackjack approach in a fraction of the time.

The CV product Suite is divided into 3 parts. The CVBJ , CVCX, CV Data and CV Shuffle is a 4 program set and comprises the most powerful set of blackjack tools I have ever come across in terms of Blackjack strategy evaluation and training. The flagship product for QFIT is the CVBJ product, although CVCX is rapidly approaching the CVBJ sales benchmark.  It has a series of drill options for a player to sharpen the skills needed to attack the game of blackjack for profit.  These include flash card running count drills, decks remaining drills, true count conversion drills and basic strategy drills.  And most importantly it keeps track of whatever errors you make so you can track your positive progress.

Full table drills are also a part of the drill set.  It allows the player to practice glancing at a table and picking up the count.  There are a lot of options that the program offers when you are in live play mode.  You can choose from a variety of counting systems, and you are able to instantly check how accurate you are playing, while you are playing.  The ultra realistic layout gives the player the feel of being at the casino blackjack tables.  And the closer you get to what the actual experience is like the less surprised you will be when you sit at the tables. Another feature that experienced and novice players will find useful is the “heat-detector” located in the options menu of the live-play game.  This gives the probability that the player will be exposed as an advantage counter by either the pit or surveillance.

CVBJ also has a listing of every casino in the US and Canada. It is complete with the rules that they offer and how deep they cut.  This is another great feature that sets the CV products apart from other training and evaluation software.  The software covers all versions of blackjack and you can choose whatever strategy you want and apply it, and it even lets you know when you make a mistake.

CVCX and CV Data are both simulation software programs where several setting can be adjusted to see what the result would be when those stipulations are adhered too.  CXCX calculates optimal betting given a specific bankroll and what the risk of ruin will be associated with that strategy. Here you can set “wonging” parameters -the method of play where you sit out unfavorable counts and play favorable counts. This was first published by one of the original pioneers of blackjack theory and founder of bj21.com, Stanford Wong.  The value of CVCX is that gives you an accurate advantage calculation and specific hourly win rates.  Also you can easily determine what your win rate would be for a given trip by inputting the hours played and the hands per hour rate.  It is a very useful tool.  There are a few other features but these are the high points, and the ones most often used.

CV Data is for lack of a better term a real geek-out program for the hard core statisticians out there. It gives you every blackjack related statistic that you could ever want for any counting centric strategy you want to create.  It is a customizable version of CVCX, with so many extras.  It is a must have for anyone who wants to get beyond the superficial aspects of blackjack theory. You can test original theories that you may have and check if they are profitable.  And because casinos are familiar with all of the traditional methods of counting the astute player must be creative in their approach, and the validation of these theories can be done with CV DATA.

CV Shuffle is a card tracking software that is able to map any hand shuffle that a casino can throw at you.  The purpose of this is to determine where the slugs of high cards, 10s & Aces will end up post shuffle, so they can be cut to and brought to the beginning of the shoe.   The slugs of low cards can also be located so they can be cut out of play and be avoided.

CV products have been around since 1993.  I first purchased CVBJ in 2004 and as the need for the more advanced products occurred I bought them as well.  With each release the features get better and better.  It is the best training software by every measure.  The drills, the stats, the feel all make it a must have for any serious student of the game.