# Episode 125: The X You Want To Talk To Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/t-a-tens-and-aces-an-ap-blackjack-podcast-turning-the-tables-from-las-vegas-to-local-casinos-2994489/episode-125-the-x-you-want-to-talk-to Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/t-a-tens-and-aces-an-ap-blackjack-podcast-turning-the-tables-from-las-vegas-to-local-casinos-2994489/episode-125-the-x-you-want-to-talk-to.md Podcast: [T&A: Tens And Aces. An AP Blackjack podcast. Turning the tables from Las Vegas to Local Casinos](https://stenobird.com/podcast/t-a-tens-and-aces-an-ap-blackjack-podcast-turning-the-tables-from-las-vegas-to-local-casinos-2994489) Published: 2026-01-09T04:21:49+00:00 Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ta21/episodes/Episode-125-The-X-You-Want-To-Talk-To-e3clvsa Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/3bea66dc/podcast/play/112966986/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2025-11-22%2Fb0934ce3-2b55-9d17-cc09-2b7043d2338e.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/t-a-tens-and-aces-an-ap-blackjack-podcast-turning-the-tables-from-las-vegas-to-local-casinos-2994489/episodes/episode-125-the-x-you-want-to-talk-to Duration seconds: 5251 ## Resource 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 navig… ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/t-a-tens-and-aces-an-ap-blackjack-podcast-turning-the-tables-from-las-vegas-to-local-casinos-2994489/episodes/episode-125-the-x-you-want-to-talk-to/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/t-a-tens-and-aces-an-ap-blackjack-podcast-turning-the-tables-from-las-vegas-to-local-casinos-2994489/episode-125-the-x-you-want-to-talk-to.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.