Blackjack glossary, guide to blackjack

2004-09-03T17:12:00.000-07:00

Blackjack 101 - Offers online sale of techniques and instructions delivered on cassette and manual.
Blackjack 4 Living - Book written by insiders using gaming trade secrets along with card counting strategies.
Blackjack Adviser - Provides a system that show how to play blackjack in real-time.
Blackjack Data Repository - Contains thousands of pages of statistics and charts from the simulation of 300 billion hands.
Blackjack Worldwide - Offers a book that assists players on strategies for internet blackjack.
Casey Computer - Blackjack strategy card counting computer.
Complete Blackjack Center - Offers a basic blackjack strategy book online.
Ferro's Eye - Lenny Ferro's blackjack money management system.
iMediaInternational Inc. - Video with Ken Uston teaching his unique winning methods. Includes both beginning and advanced methods.
Lucky Ike - Offers a custom blackjack betting system. Live seminars also available.

Blackjack 101 - Offers online sale of techniques and instructions delivered on cassette and manual.
Blackjack 4 Living - Book written by insiders using gaming trade secrets along with card counting strategies.
Blackjack Adviser - Provides a system that show how to play blackjack in real-time.
Blackjack Data Repository - Contains thousands of pages of statistics and charts from the simulation of 300 billion hands.
Blackjack Worldwide - Offers a book that assists players on strategies for internet blackjack.
Casey Computer - Blackjack strategy card counting computer.
Complete Blackjack Center - Offers a basic blackjack strategy book online.
Ferro's Eye - Lenny Ferro's blackjack money management system.
iMediaInternational Inc. - Video with Ken Uston teaching his unique winning methods. Includes both beginning and advanced methods.
Lucky Ike - Offers a custom blackjack betting system. Live seminars also available.

Blackjack glossary, guide to blackjack - Links

2004-09-03T17:08:00.000-07:00

21 Ace - Reviews of two basic strategy and card counting books.Ace-Ten.com - Information about the casino game of blackjack, including articles, discussions, tips, strategies, and interactive resources.Advantage Player - Message board and reference library available to everyone, with other features accessible to subscribers only.All Things Blackjack - Henry Tamburin introduces the game: basic rules, tips, and advanced strategies.BJ Math - Explores the mathematics of blackjack.Blackjack 4 You - Rules, tips, strategies and jokes.Blackjack at Home - History, rules, tips, and links.Blackjack Book List - Listed by categories and recommendations.Blackjack Cafe - Contains a tutorial on card-counting and other advantage play techniques as well as statistics, tools and various strategies.Blackjack Center - Free guide to playing and winning at blackjack. Learn card counting, basic strategy and betting systems.Blackjack Info - Provides free basic strategy charts for any set of rules. Also explains rules of casino blackjack.Blackjack King - Strategy, rules, payout charts, table layout and related articles.Blackjack Man - Strategy, advice and an interactive shockwave simulation of the world's favorite casino card game.Blackjack Pro - Silent, pocket-sized device allowing blackjack players to count cards discreetly.Blackjack Review Network - Message boards, chatrooms, rules and conditions, archives, free links and a full product catalog.Blackjack Today - Buy Richard Harvey's gambling strategy books online. Also get blackjack tips and an event calendar.Blackjack Without Tears - Explains card counting, clumpling, shuffle tracking and betting systems. Forum, message board and course.Blackjack-Info.net - Providing rules, strategies, downloads, table guide and odds for the game.Bubba Blackjack - Introductory strategy information, online quiz and possibility to order a book.Fat Tony's Blackjack - Rules, odds, tips and strategy advice.John Marchel Enterprises - Provides services, products and blackjack gambling tips for the novice and the experienced player.Online Blackjack Strategy - Game strategies and advice on specific casinos.Precision 21 - Complete advanced blackjack methodology.Rec.gambling.blackjack FAQ - Frequently asked questions from the usenet newsgroup.Strategic Blackjack - Strategy and advice for playing under the rules of specific online casinos.WaterRock - Advanced strategy tools for blackjack games. Featuring free online seminar and computer game.White Knight Blackjack - Australian blackjack site with free strategy, card counting and casino information. Advanced coaching is available.
Blackjack Sites
Games not Blackjack
Regional Websites
AdvantagePlayer.com. Message boards, Trackjack, chat, & more, by RGE.Basic Strategy Engine. Your choice of BJ rules. By Ken Smith.BJ21.com.ar. Discussion of BJ in Spanish. Too many popup ads. Not associated with BJ21.com.Blackjack411 Tournament Calendar. Has information on upcoming Blackjack Tournaments.BJ21 as it was. A look at BJ21 on selected past dates.BJRnet.com. Message boards, chat, and more, by Michael Dalton.BJstats.com. Repository of simulation data.BJInsider.com. General blackjack information and articles.BlackjackTournaments.com. A website devoted to blackjack tournaments.Bob's Blackjack University. Basicstrategy and articles. By Auston Chipmaker. -->CardCounter.com. Message board, essays, and more.Countingedge.com. Help with counting and basic strategy.Flash Cards. Practice to see cards quickly. Caution: Contains multiple pop-up ads.GamblingTools.net. Software for analyzing blackjack, keno, and video poker.Hitorstand.net. Has an interactive shockwave basic strategy tester. Fun and informative.Mathematics. Articles &amp; message boards maintained by Richard Reid.MindPlay.biz. Sells a blackjack table that counts cards.Qfit: Home of Casino Verite. Excellent blackjack practice software.RobTougher.com. Card-counting practice drills.Russia. Message board discussing blackjack in Russian.SBA: Statistical BJ Analyzer. Excellent blackjack simulation software.Swedish BJ Site. Blackjack site in Swedish and English.Swedish Site: Kasinocentralen.nu. In Swedish. Has message boards.Tournament Blackjacktime. Play in online BJ tournaments.Yahoo blackjack groups. Message boards.
Card Games: The House of Cards. If it's a card game, then there's info about it on this site.General: GameMaster. Advice on playing casino games.General: Smart Gaming. General information for casino players.General: Wizard of Odds. Advice on playing casino games.Poker: FAQ. Frequently asked questions about poker.Poker: Poker Pages. Message boards, tournaments, and more.Poker: Pokersearch. 12 Forums - Travel - Large poker links section.Poker: The Poker Forum. A place to talk poker.Poker: TwoPlusTwo. Message boards maintained by Mason Malmuth and David Sklansky.Sports: Covers.com. Lots of helpful statistics for sports betting.Sports: DonBest.com. Scores, lines, and news.Sports: News Links. Newspapers for NFL cities.Sports: Offshore Books. Feedback on which ones you can trust.Sports: SharpSportsBetting.com. The Pi Yee Press sports site. Mostly message boards. Good collection of sports links.VPhomepage.com. Links of interest to VP players. By Skip Hughes.VP: Jazbo. Strategies by Jazbo Burns.VP: Statman’s Page.VP: Video Poker Review. Message board.VP: Zamzow. Publisher of Bob Dancer Presents Video Poker. Good collection of links.
American Casino Guide. Steve Bourie's large collection of info and links. Has a message board.Blackjack Australia. Info on blackjack in Australia.Indian Gaming News. Daily, from Pechanga.MS: Information. Links, map, weather, etc.MS: Tunica Information.MS: Jackpot Magazine. Offers in-depth news coverage of gaming in the Southeastern United StatesNJ: Casino Control Commission.NJ: PressofAtlanticCity.com . Atlantic City daily newspaper.NV: Las Vegas Advisor. Top ten values in Las Vegas.NV, Las Vegas: aGlitter. Hotels, dining, & more.NV, Las Vegas: A2Z. Hotels, dining, list of conventions, &amp; more.NV, Las Vegas: CheapoVegas. Hotel info, maps, how to do Vegas cheaply.NV, Las Vegas.com. News and area info.NV: Las Vegas Leisure Guide. Places to stay in the Las Vegas area.NV, Las Vegas: Lodestone. Message board, comps, video poker, & slot clubs.NV, Las Vegas: MiningCo. Hotels, dining, &amp; more.NV: Las Vegas Online. Entertainment info & message board.NV: Las Vegas Review Journal. Daily newspaper.NV: Las Vegas Show Schedule.NV: Las Vegas: Sovereign Solution personal security vaults NV: Las Vegas Strip-Club Review.NV: Las Vegas Strip History. All names ever attached to any Las Vegas casino, with dates.NV: Las Vegas Sun. Daily newspaper.NV, Las Vegas: Vega$trip.com. Map and hotel/casino info.NV, Las Vegas: Viva Las Vegas. Email lists for free newsletter and free coupons, from Billhere.NV: Las Vegas Weather. Four-day weather forecast. Other US cities too. From Yahoo.NV: Reno/Tahoe Information.NV: Tahoe/Carson City Information.Nevada Gaming.WisconsinGaming.com. Info on Wisconsin casinos. Websites Related to Gambling LawMiscellaneousGambling and the Law. Nelson Rose's site. Includes his articles.GamingLabs.com. Click on "Links to Regulator" for links to dozens of regulatory agencies.Law: MI. Info on gaming in Michigan.Law: MS. Mississippi's Gaming Commission.Law: NV. Nevada's Gaming Commission and Gaming Control Board.Law: Structuring. Trying to evade the Currency Transaction Report.Tax Service Specializing in Gamblers.NetLingo. Online acronym and Internet dictionary.Bet2Gamble.com. Info on offshore casinos. Has message boards.Casino Surveillance News. An online trade journal. Understand the opponent.
ChicagoSun-Times.Weekly gambling column by John Grochowski.-->Dictionary. Merriam-Webster.Internet Addiction. Are you spending too much time on BJ21?Links. Great collection from RefDesk.com.Map: Road-by-road instructions for driving from point A to point B.Maps to Casinos. Locate most, but not all, of the casinos near you.Memory Improvement. Info from lef.org on drugs for improving memory.Privacy.net. Info collected about you when you visit a web site.Statistics. Basic tools & hypothesis testing.Statistics. Links to web pages that perform statistical calculations.Travel: Best Fares. Air travel, hotel, and rental car information.Travel: Cheaptickets.com. Airline reservations at good prices.Travel: HotelKingdom.com. Gives good room rates for every hotel in Las Vegas.Travel: Southwest Airlines. Lots of flights to and from Las Vegas.Travel: Travelaxe.com. Search engine to find best rate for every hotel in any city.Travel: Travelocity.com. Airline reservations at good prices.Trolls: from Members.AOL.com. What is a troll, and how to respond to a troll.Travel:Trip.com. Find expected arrival time for any flight, any airline.-->

Other Casino Games

2004-09-03T17:06:00.001-07:00

Other Casino Games
Sites are listed in random order: (Switch to alpha order)
Optimal Gambling:
An online casino gambling guide to make your online casino experience the most enjoyable possible.
GamingBroadcast.com:
Featured Online Casino Gambling News And Information, With Streaming Television Videos
The Wizard of Odds:
Excellent site with analysis of most casino games.
About Online Slots:
All about online slot machines.
learnFree's Guide to Casino Games:
Covering the most popular games.
JimKilby.net:
Casino Operations & Management
RouletteBucks.com:
Online Craps:
Rules of Craps, Strategies, Odds and Money Management
Casinobeat.com:
Nice rules info and more.
Kelly's:
A bar in Wisconsin with a very elaborate web site
Video Poker Play:
Latest online video poker tips strategies and online casino bonuses
Slots-Info.com:
All about online slots and slot machines
Slot-Machine-Games.net:
Info on Slots, Slot Clubs, Online Slots, etc.
KenoTown.com:
Tons of keno information! Come check out our keno articles, tips and reviews
StannardCo.com/gaming:
A nice overview of money management and strategies.
How to Lose Less at Video Poker:
PlaceYourBet.net:
FREE Casino with real prizes, gambling news & tips.
SmartGaming.com:
Henry Tamburin's excellent site.
Roulette2002.com:
All about roulette, winning tips and info, strategies
People Helping One Another Know Stuff:
Virtual-Video-Poker.com:
Free games, free strategies and more
Keno-Info.com:
Your online keno headquarters
CasinoTips.org:
Tips and Strategies for the Online Casino Player
VidPoker.com:
Strategies for Blackjack, Video Poker, Three-Card Poker & more
Slots:
Play slot machines for real, or just for fun
Virtual-Slot-Machines.net:
Guide to Online Slot Machines
CasinoMan.Net:
All things casino and gambling related.
The GameMaster Online:
Lots of good info.
Gambling Il Dado:
An in-depth site covering all the games.
The Gamblers Edge:
Online guide to Gambling Topics
Gambling & Betting Guide:
Free VidBook advice on blackjack, craps, and more
OnlineSlotPlayer.com:
Online Slot Machine Information
Craps7.com:
Beat the casinos playing craps
Keno.com:
Online keno game, information, tips, strategies, & more!
DoubleSix-Casino-Online.com:
Basic information about several casino games.
Poker Games:
Live Poker Games
Free-Slots.ws:
The Online Slot Guide
Texas Hold'em School:
When you play Texas Hold'em for fun with your friends or for money at a casino, we'll improve your game.
Video-Poker-Strategy.net:
Strategies, and a nice free VP game applet.
Ah Craps!:
Lots of information about the dice game.
Virtual-Roulette.net:
The Internet's Premier Roulette Portal
Free Slot Games:
Free slot machine games are made available with real casino software by signing in as a guest.
Casino-Challenge.com:
Articles and tips for gambling online.
The Calculator Online Center:
Neat: A list of every web-based calculator known.
Texas HoldEm:
Texas HoldEm strategies, online poker rooms, and HoldEm resources

Other Casino Games
Sites are listed in random order: (Switch to alpha order)
Optimal Gambling:
An online casino gambling guide to make your online casino experience the most enjoyable possible.
GamingBroadcast.com:
Featured Online Casino Gambling News And Information, With Streaming Television Videos
The Wizard of Odds:
Excellent site with analysis of most casino games.
About Online Slots:
All about online slot machines.
learnFree's Guide to Casino Games:
Covering the most popular games.
JimKilby.net:
Casino Operations & Management
RouletteBucks.com:
Online Craps:
Rules of Craps, Strategies, Odds and Money Management
Casinobeat.com:
Nice rules info and more.
Kelly's:
A bar in Wisconsin with a very elaborate web site
Video Poker Play:
Latest online video poker tips strategies and online casino bonuses
Slots-Info.com:
All about online slots and slot machines
Slot-Machine-Games.net:
Info on Slots, Slot Clubs, Online Slots, etc.
KenoTown.com:
Tons of keno information! Come check out our keno articles, tips and reviews
StannardCo.com/gaming:
A nice overview of money management and strategies.
How to Lose Less at Video Poker:
PlaceYourBet.net:
FREE Casino with real prizes, gambling news & tips.
SmartGaming.com:
Henry Tamburin's excellent site.
Roulette2002.com:
All about roulette, winning tips and info, strategies
People Helping One Another Know Stuff:
Virtual-Video-Poker.com:
Free games, free strategies and more
Keno-Info.com:
Your online keno headquarters
CasinoTips.org:
Tips and Strategies for the Online Casino Player
VidPoker.com:
Strategies for Blackjack, Video Poker, Three-Card Poker & more
Slots:
Play slot machines for real, or just for fun
Virtual-Slot-Machines.net:
Guide to Online Slot Machines
CasinoMan.Net:
All things casino and gambling related.
The GameMaster Online:
Lots of good info.
Gambling Il Dado:
An in-depth site covering all the games.
The Gamblers Edge:
Online guide to Gambling Topics
Gambling & Betting Guide:
Free VidBook advice on blackjack, craps, and more
OnlineSlotPlayer.com:
Online Slot Machine Information
Craps7.com:
Beat the casinos playing craps
Keno.com:
Online keno game, information, tips, strategies, & more!
DoubleSix-Casino-Online.com:
Basic information about several casino games.
Poker Games:
Live Poker Games
Free-Slots.ws:
The Online Slot Guide
Texas Hold'em School:
When you play Texas Hold'em for fun with your friends or for money at a casino, we'll improve your game.
Video-Poker-Strategy.net:
Strategies, and a nice free VP game applet.
Ah Craps!:
Lots of information about the dice game.
Virtual-Roulette.net:
The Internet's Premier Roulette Portal
Free Slot Games:
Free slot machine games are made available with real casino software by signing in as a guest.
Casino-Challenge.com:
Articles and tips for gambling online.
The Calculator Online Center:
Neat: A list of every web-based calculator known.
Texas HoldEm:
Texas HoldEm strategies, online poker rooms, and HoldEm resources

Other Casino Games
Sites are listed in random order: (Switch to alpha order)
Optimal Gambling:
An online casino gambling guide to make your online casino experience the most enjoyable possible.
GamingBroadcast.com:
Featured Online Casino Gambling News And Information, With Streaming Television Videos
The Wizard of Odds:
Excellent site with analysis of most casino games.
About Online Slots:
All about online slot machines.
learnFree's Guide to Casino Games:
Covering the most popular games.
JimKilby.net:
Casino Operations & Management
RouletteBucks.com:
Online Craps:
Rules of Craps, Strategies, Odds and Money Management
Casinobeat.com:
Nice rules info and more.
Kelly's:
A bar in Wisconsin with a very elaborate web site
Video Poker Play:
Latest online video poker tips strategies and online casino bonuses
Slots-Info.com:
All about online slots and slot machines
Slot-Machine-Games.net:
Info on Slots, Slot Clubs, Online Slots, etc.
KenoTown.com:
Tons of keno information! Come check out our keno articles, tips and reviews
StannardCo.com/gaming:
A nice overview of money management and strategies.
How to Lose Less at Video Poker:
PlaceYourBet.net:
FREE Casino with real prizes, gambling news & tips.
SmartGaming.com:
Henry Tamburin's excellent site.
Roulette2002.com:
All about roulette, winning tips and info, strategies
People Helping One Another Know Stuff:
Virtual-Video-Poker.com:
Free games, free strategies and more
Keno-Info.com:
Your online keno headquarters
CasinoTips.org:
Tips and Strategies for the Online Casino Player
VidPoker.com:
Strategies for Blackjack, Video Poker, Three-Card Poker & more
Slots:
Play slot machines for real, or just for fun
Virtual-Slot-Machines.net:
Guide to Online Slot Machines
CasinoMan.Net:
All things casino and gambling related.
The GameMaster Online:
Lots of good info.
Gambling Il Dado:
An in-depth site covering all the games.
The Gamblers Edge:
Online guide to Gambling Topics
Gambling & Betting Guide:
Free VidBook advice on blackjack, craps, and more
OnlineSlotPlayer.com:
Online Slot Machine Information
Craps7.com:
Beat the casinos playing craps
Keno.com:
Online keno game, information, tips, strategies, & more!
DoubleSix-Casino-Online.com:
Basic information about several casino games.
Poker Games:
Live Poker Games
Free-Slots.ws:
The Online Slot Guide
Texas Hold'em School:
When you play Texas Hold'em for fun with your friends or for money at a casino, we'll improve your game.
Video-Poker-Strategy.net:
Strategies, and a nice free VP game applet.
Ah Craps!:
Lots of information about the dice game.
Virtual-Roulette.net:
The Internet's Premier Roulette Portal
Free Slot Games:
Free slot machine games are made available with real casino software by signing in as a guest.
Casino-Challenge.com:
Articles and tips for gambling online.
The Calculator Online Center:
Neat: A list of every web-based calculator known.
Texas HoldEm:
Texas HoldEm strategies, online poker rooms, and HoldEm resources

Other Casino Games
Sites are listed in random order: (Switch to alpha order)
Optimal Gambling:
An online casino gambling guide to make your online casino experience the most enjoyable possible.
GamingBroadcast.com:
Featured Online Casino Gambling News And Information, With Streaming Television Videos
The Wizard of Odds:
Excellent site with analysis of most casino games.
About Online Slots:
All about online slot machines.
learnFree's Guide to Casino Games:
Covering the most popular games.
JimKilby.net:
Casino Operations & Management
RouletteBucks.com:
Online Craps:
Rules of Craps, Strategies, Odds and Money Management
Casinobeat.com:
Nice rules info and more.
Kelly's:
A bar in Wisconsin with a very elaborate web site
Video Poker Play:
Latest online video poker tips strategies and online casino bonuses
Slots-Info.com:
All about online slots and slot machines
Slot-Machine-Games.net:
Info on Slots, Slot Clubs, Online Slots, etc.
KenoTown.com:
Tons of keno information! Come check out our keno articles, tips and reviews
StannardCo.com/gaming:
A nice overview of money management and strategies.
How to Lose Less at Video Poker:
PlaceYourBet.net:
FREE Casino with real prizes, gambling news & tips.
SmartGaming.com:
Henry Tamburin's excellent site.
Roulette2002.com:
All about roulette, winning tips and info, strategies
People Helping One Another Know Stuff:
Virtual-Video-Poker.com:
Free games, free strategies and more
Keno-Info.com:
Your online keno headquarters
CasinoTips.org:
Tips and Strategies for the Online Casino Player
VidPoker.com:
Strategies for Blackjack, Video Poker, Three-Card Poker & more
Slots:
Play slot machines for real, or just for fun
Virtual-Slot-Machines.net:
Guide to Online Slot Machines
CasinoMan.Net:
All things casino and gambling related.
The GameMaster Online:
Lots of good info.
Gambling Il Dado:
An in-depth site covering all the games.
The Gamblers Edge:
Online guide to Gambling Topics
Gambling & Betting Guide:
Free VidBook advice on blackjack, craps, and more
OnlineSlotPlayer.com:
Online Slot Machine Information
Craps7.com:
Beat the casinos playing craps
Keno.com:
Online keno game, information, tips, strategies, & more!
DoubleSix-Casino-Online.com:
Basic information about several casino games.
Poker Games:
Live Poker Games
Free-Slots.ws:
The Online Slot Guide
Texas Hold'em School:
When you play Texas Hold'em for fun with your friends or for money at a casino, we'll improve your game.
Video-Poker-Strategy.net:
Strategies, and a nice free VP game applet.
Ah Craps!:
Lots of information about the dice game.
Virtual-Roulette.net:
The Internet's Premier Roulette Portal
Free Slot Games:
Free slot machine games are made available with real casino software by signing in as a guest.
Casino-Challenge.com:
Articles and tips for gambling online.
The Calculator Online Center:
Neat: A list of every web-based calculator known.
Texas HoldEm:
Texas HoldEm strategies, online poker rooms, and HoldEm resources

Blackjack Software

2004-09-03T17:06:00.000-07:00

Blackjack Software
Best Picks
OpenBlackjack.com:
Blackjack Training Software, Java, Open Source!
Other Sites, in random order: (Switch to alpha order)
BJ Mentor:
Blackjack practice software for Palm, Pocket PC, Windows
Blackjack Gold:
Blackjack Software for the Macintosh OSX, PPC and Windows.
SOS Blackjack Analyzer:
Unique software tool for developing and evaluating blackjack strategies and methodologies.
Rpsoft 2000 Software:
Blackjack software, plus free blackjack info.
Statistical Blackjack Analyzer:
The best simulation tool available. Super-fast.
SuperBlackjack21 Software:
Award-winning shareware.
LDW Software, LLC:
Developer of intelligent casino games for Palm and Clie devices
Conjelco:
A great online gambling bookstore.
Diana Gruber's 3D Casino Software:
Pocket BJ:
Freeware blackjack software for Pocket PC
DealMeIn.org:
Mark Pilarski's popular columns (all 101 of them) online.
Download a free Texas Hold'em game:
Fun free games download

Blackjack Software
Best Picks
OpenBlackjack.com:
Blackjack Training Software, Java, Open Source!
Other Sites, in random order: (Switch to alpha order)
BJ Mentor:
Blackjack practice software for Palm, Pocket PC, Windows
Blackjack Gold:
Blackjack Software for the Macintosh OSX, PPC and Windows.
SOS Blackjack Analyzer:
Unique software tool for developing and evaluating blackjack strategies and methodologies.
Rpsoft 2000 Software:
Blackjack software, plus free blackjack info.
Statistical Blackjack Analyzer:
The best simulation tool available. Super-fast.
SuperBlackjack21 Software:
Award-winning shareware.
LDW Software, LLC:
Developer of intelligent casino games for Palm and Clie devices
Conjelco:
A great online gambling bookstore.
Diana Gruber's 3D Casino Software:
Pocket BJ:
Freeware blackjack software for Pocket PC
DealMeIn.org:
Mark Pilarski's popular columns (all 101 of them) online.
Download a free Texas Hold'em game:
Fun free games download

Blackjack Sites

2004-09-03T17:05:00.000-07:00

Blackjack Sites
Best Picks
Stanford Wong's BJ21 message site: A great online Blackjack community.
Life And Blackjack: A novel about winners and those that could be winners
The Mathematics of Blackjack: Excellent site about all things blackjack and math.
Casino Verite: Excellent blackjack software tools for novices and experts alike.

Other Sites, in random order: (Switch to alpha order)
Black Jack Online: CheatTheDealer is a fantastic new means of player blackjack online, where you get the upper hand.
IMediaInternational.net: Suppliers of a Blackjack Video featuring Ken Uston.
Statafactor.com: Several in-depth articles on strategies, and non-random shuffling.
Blackjack-At-Home.com: Interesting facts and stories, useful tips, strategies and links
Virtual-Blackjack.net: Your free online blackjack information source.
BJCenter.com: Nice site, with Java strategy trainer, card counting details, and message forums.
BlackjackMan.com: A free online game using Shockwave, with sound effects.
Online Casino Blackjack: OnlineCasino.com's focus on blackjack
Blackjack from Greedy Hog: Blackjack tips, for online play and land-based casinos.
Online Blackjack at BlackjackWinner: Blackjack Winner provides free blackjack games and free lessons for beginners and advanced card counters.
The Swedish Blackjack Site: Pick your language, English or Swedish.
21Ace.com: Nice basic strategy quiz, blackjack book reviews and more.
Blackjack Player: #1 Resource for Blackjack Players Online. Free Games, Strategy, Tips, Tournaments.
TexasTournaments.net: A new organization holding blackjack tournaments in Texas, for cash prizes!
SterlPerl.com: A basic strategy trainer. Choose hard totals, soft totals or splits.
Online Blackjack Winner: A method for winning at online blackjack
BJ by TomT: Lots of info
BettorsBlackjack.com: Features a free Shockwave game.
Beat The Casino: A former pit boss teaches card counting.
Blackjack2002.com: Lots of informative articles about the game.
Online-Blackjack.com: Features rules, strategies, and advice.
InsiderBlackjack.com:
Blackjack Strategy Guide: Free Blackjack Strategy Cards
Blackjack-StrategyCard.com: Strategies for single-deck, multi-deck, and European style blackjack.
CardCounter.com: Lots of good essays. Useful for basic strategy players too.
Blackjack Help: Covers basic strategy, choosing a table, and betting strategy
Gambling-Pro.com articles: Blackjack Strategy, Rules & Tips: An article covering blackjack basic strategy and rules
Mastering-Blackjack.com: Nice information, rules, a free game and strategy checker.
Blackjack Bob's: Devoted to helping you increase your winnings
Beginner's Blackjack: Information for the beginning player.
Blackjack Palace: Enter the palace and discover how and where to win big at online blackjack.
HitOrStand.net: A really cool Flash Blackjack game
Blackjack-Info.net: Online Blackjack Portal
Black-Jack.md: Rules & Strategy: features black jack rules, strategies, online guide, house edge and black jack history
Fat Tony's Blackjack: Your source for the best hard-nosed blackjack advice on the net
Blackjack-Info.com: Learn the basics. (Similar name, but no affiliation.)
Blackjack System Tester: Table of real-life results from 24 shoes of play.
Williams-Hills.com Blackjack Guide: Rules, strategies, and money management.
Online Blackjack Guide: 10 Ways to cheat the online casinos
FreeBlackjackTips.com: Rules, Strategy, Counting, and more.
AllAboutBlackjack.com: Including historical info.
Blackjack On the Web: Provides basic strategy to succeed at blackjack, along with casinos with best odds.
Free Blackjack: Free blackjack game, find the best and most secure online blackjack
AdvMathAppl.com: Provides a Blackjack calculator to figure theoretical advantage.
House-of-Blackjack.com: Home of the world's most popular card game.
Blackjack Tipps: Strategien, Tricks und Tipps zum Blackjack
AdBar: How to play online blackjack, and earn an income at the game.
CountingEdge.com: Learn to count cards in blackjack, with the card counting tutor.
American Blackjack: America's Premier Blackjack Portal
Blackjack-Guru: Rules, tips, basic strategy, card counting, and a free game
BJ Insider: A monthly e-newsletter on blackjack
Online Blackjack: Guide to playing blackjack in online casinos - best free casino bonuses
Strategic Blackjack: Blackjack strategy and recommended casinos.

Blackjack Sites
Best Picks
Stanford Wong's BJ21 message site:
A great online Blackjack community.
Life And Blackjack:
A novel about winners and those that could be winners
The Mathematics of Blackjack:
Excellent site about all things blackjack and math.
Casino Verite:
Excellent blackjack software tools for novices and experts alike.
Other Sites, in random order: (Switch to alpha order)
Black Jack Online:
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The Powerful Rule of 2,4, and 5

2004-09-03T17:04:00.001-07:00

A few years back, in an article in Blackjack Confidential magazine, I first detailed an idea that has proven to be among the most useful tournament strategy shortcuts that I know. The "Rule of 2, 4, and 5" allows you to quickly determine an optimal bet in many situations where you are trailing the table leader, but must bet ahead of him. This tool belongs in every tournament player?s bag of tricks, and deserves another look. While I?m at it, I?ll add a few extra items to the mix.

One of the more frustrating spots at a tournament table is when you?re behind in chip count, and betting in front of the leader. No matter what you bet, the leader has the ability to roughly match your bet and snare both the high and the low for this hand. Add to that a tournament rule that limits the time you are allowed to think before betting, and it can be tough to make a good bet. Fortunately, there?s a great shortcut that you can use to choose a bet size that maximizes your chances of passing the leader, without having to do a lot of calculations.

As usual, we?ll use some concrete examples here, so get ready to think a little. Let?s imagine our tournament allows betting limits of $5 to $1000, and we?re trailing the leader with $2000 in chips compared to his $2050. The good news is that we?re only $50 out of the lead. The bad news is that the leader can margin our bet easily, since we?re "on the button" and must bet first. The dealer is awaiting your betting decision, and time is running out. How can you decide the best bet size? If there are several hands to go yet in the round, it would be nice to take the lead here, but we don?t want to risk any more chips than are necessary to help the cause.

Since the leader can match your bet behind you, you can?t catch him with a single bet win unless he makes a betting mistake, or you get better cards. However, options for doubling, splitting, and blackjack all give you additional ways to overtake the leader. Let?s look at a few of these possibilities.

First, consider how much the leader can bet behind you. His optimal bet will likely be whatever you bet, plus almost all of his lead. If you bet $100, he can bet up to $149 and still have both the high and low. (For definitions of the "high" and "low", see this previous article: Free Hits.)

You?ll overtake the leader if you win while he pushes or loses, and also if you push while he loses. That?s true anytime you bet at least your deficit plus a chip. However, your bet of $100 adds an extra way for you to win, that the minimal $51 bet does not provide. Let?s assume that he bets $149 behind you. Now, if you can win a double-down bet, you?ll overtake him even if he wins his hand. You gain $200, he gains $149, and now you have a $1 lead. That?s no coincidence. But, we can do better yet.

This time, you bet $200. He places an optimal bet of $249. You?ve just added an extra way to win. A double-down obviously still wins for you, but now look what happens if you draw a blackjack. A blackjack on your $200 bet pays $300. If he wins his $249, and you win $300, you?re $1 ahead again. Again, no coincidence there.

One more time, this time you bet $250. Your opponent bets $299. This time, he?s the lucky one, drawing a blackjack. You groan, but then push out the money to double on whatever hand you have. If you succeed in your double down, you win $500. The leader picked up only $448.50. You now lead by $1.50.

Each of these decisions involves several calculations, and going through this process at the table is clearly a problem. That?s where the shortcut comes in. You?re guaranteed to have these extra ways to win if you simply make sure you bet at least the following multiples of your deficit. In our example, we had a $50 deficit going into the hand:

Bet 2x your deficit ($100): You win with a double-down over a single bet win by the leader.
Bet 4x your deficit ($200): You win with a blackjack over a single bet win by the leader.
Bet 5x your deficit ($250): You win with a double-down even over a blackjack by the leader.
So, when in doubt, try to bet 5 times the deficit. If a bet that large endangers your position to other players at the table, consider betting 4 times or 2 times the deficit instead. Worst case, drop back to 1x plus a chip.

Sometimes these multiples overdo it, and a smaller bet will accomplish the same thing. If your bet is near or at the maximum, the leader won?t be able to bet much of his lead on top of the matching bet. Also, if betting must be in multiples of $5, sometimes these multiples overshoot the target by a little. But, the real beauty of this rule is its simplicity. It?s quick and easy to calculate, and you?re guaranteed to have the benefits described.

You?ll also often find that the leader will not make anywhere near an optimal bet behind you. They may bet too little, and give you extra ways to overtake them, or often, they?ll overbet and give you the low on the hand. Even though you have a considerable bet working, you might be pulling for the dealer to wipe out the table.

Of course, in each of these cases, the leader can double-down behind you to retake the high. But, hey, you?re trailing, on the button. Of course you?re an underdog! You have to make the best of your circumstances. Using the Rule of 2, 4, and 5 gives you an easy way to do just that.

Doubling for Less, A powerful tournament strategy

2004-09-03T17:04:00.000-07:00

In casino blackjack, the rules for doubling and splitting have one key difference. While both of these rules allow a player to increase his wager after the initial cards are dealt, splitting specifically requires the player to match the original bet amount with an equal wager on the second hand, while doubling down has no such restriction. The casino will gladly allow you to "double for less", by adding an amount less than the original bet in return for drawing only one additional card. That's not surprising, since doubling for less is never the correct strategy for a player at a regular game. If it is advantageous to double, it's best to get as much money on the table as possible. Remember, you're also giving up the ability to draw more than one card to your hand.

While doubling for less is always a mistake in a live game, tournament play is different. In fact, when used properly, doubling for less is a powerful technique for getting an extra edge over your opponents. In this article, we'll look at two examples when it's appropriate.

In the article on position, I discussed the importance of position in tournament play, and noted that players to your left are a bigger threat than players to your right. The reason is simple. On most hands, the players to your left get to see your bet and playing decisions before they make their own decisions. As a result, having a second opportunity to change the amount of your wager can be valuable. That means doubling and splitting are more useful than in regular table play.

Example 1: Stealing a shot at the lead

Let's imagine that you are trailing a player to your left by $50, and you are nearing the end of the round. If you can't afford to wait until the button passes you to make a move for the lead, doubling or splitting can be your best shot. Let's say you bet $100, and your opponent matches that bet behind you. The cards are dealt and you have a hard 12, he has a hard 18, and the dealer shows a 4 upcard. Here's a situation where basic strategy says you should stand. However, it's also a great opportunity to steal the lead from your opponent. By doubling your 12, you can take the lead if successful. However, since this is generally a poor play, you should double for as little as possible to accomplish your goal. In this case, doubling for $55 or $60 is appropriate.

While this can be a strong play, there are several factors you should consider before pulling the trigger on the double. How many hands are left? How many hands will he be betting behind you? What is the maximum bet, and what are the bankrolls? Perhaps the most critical factor is how damaging a losing swing would be to your chances. If you bust the 12, and the dealer busts behind you, you are now $305 behind. If the max bet is $300, that's a terrible handicap, and unless the round is nearly over, you should perhaps skip this opportunity and hope for a better shot later. On the other hand, if the max bet is $1000, and you both have plenty of chips, then a $305 deficit is no big deal, and this is probably a great time to take a shot.

Note that the same factors apply to your opponent after you double. If you succeed in drawing a good card to your hand, he may consider doubling his hard 18 behind you. While it's almost a sure loser, if a negative swing is not a big deal it might be the right play for him.

Example 2: Forcing your opponent to make a choice

Here's a powerful technique that I've never seen mentioned in print before. Though it's far from unknown among tournament pros, I've seen very few players use it, although the situation comes up pretty frequently.

Back at the table, you're still trailing Lefty by $50, but now it's the last hand. You've bet $250, and Lefty matches it. You have an 11, Lefty has a pair of face cards, and the dealer shows an 8. You have a basic strategy double-down, and it is quite apparent that you should double if you want to have any reasonable chance of winning the round. In the last example, we had a poor double-down and wanted to minimize the cost by doubling for less.

This time, with a solid basic strategy double, most players would choose to double for the full amount. That would be a huge mistake! Consider what happens if you draw a poor card on your double. If your double ends up stiff, with a total of less than 17, Lefty can now lock you out of any chance to win. He can split the face cards, stand on any stiff, and you have zero chance of winning the round. It's over!

To eliminate this possibility, you should double for less. If you double for anything between $55 and $195, you've created a difficult choice for your opponent. He can no longer lock you out with a split. If he splits, and the dealer beats both of you, you now advance instead of him. Since he can't split for less, you force him to choose between "first high" and "first low". He must decide whether he wants to cover you winning or the dealer winning, since he cannot do both. All this, just because you doubled for less than the full amount.

This tactic works wonders, no matter what the dealer upcard, and almost no matter what you draw on your double-down. Doubling for less is almost always preferable to doubling for the full amount any time your opponent has a pair that they would prefer to split rather than double.

This is a powerful play, and it arises often enough that it deserves a name. Since I've never seen it mentioned by other authors, I'll go out on a limb and christen it "Ken's Quandary", with the quandary being your opponent's, after you double down. Few plays will provoke a stronger grimace from across the table.

Getting Something for Nothing, Free Hits in tournament blackjack

2004-09-03T17:03:00.001-07:00

Here's a little addition to your blackjack tournament toolbox that can give you an extra edge in many final hand situations. You may have heard experienced tournament players talking about a tournament situation where a player had a "free hit". In this article, we'll see what is meant by that phrase, and see how you can learn to recognize the situations where it applies.

Tournament experts sometimes seems to have a language all their own, using phrases such as "taking the high", "taking the low", "playing for the swing", or "free hit". Since all of these phrases describe circumstances important to our topic, let's look at these one by one.

Taking the High: This means you've made a large enough bet so that if all players win their bets, you'll be in the lead. This is easy to do when you're in the lead, but may also be an option when you bet behind the leaders at your table.

Taking the Low: This means you've left enough unbet chips in front of you so you'll be in the lead if the dealer beats the entire table. By making a small bet, you hope the dealer has a strong hand, and wipes out your opponent's larger bets.

Playing for the Swing: This describes playing your hand in such a way that you increase the likelihood that you will win this bet while your opponent loses his or her bet. This means you'll be hitting to a higher total than your opponent, and hoping the dealer ends up in between your hands.

Free Hit: A free hit is a situation where busting your hand is no worse than standing with your current total. Therefore, you can safely take another card, with no cost if the card causes you to bust.

Hopefully, some examples will make each of these concepts clear. In our examples, imagine a final table featuring only two remaining players, A and B. Player A is on the button in the example, meaning he must bet and act before Player B. The tournament allows betting limits of $5 to $500, and surrender is not available.

Example 1: Player A leads, by a little.

Let's say player A has $1300, and player B has $1100. Player A has two good choices for his bet. If he chooses to bet at least $455, he is "taking the high", since no matter what Player B bets he has the bet covered if they both win. Betting $305 actually takes the high as well, but causes problems if Player B has a good double-down hand.

If Player A chooses instead to bet $195 or less, he has "taken the low", by holding back more unbet chips than Player B's bankroll. If Player B doesn't get paid, Player A wins the round.

If Player B is an experienced tournament player, Player A's chances are best when he takes the low here, but we're not currently debating the merits of these two approaches. Instead, we're just illustrating the choices.

Let's assume Player A bet $455 in this case, perhaps because he thought Player B might make a max-bet behind him. However, let's assume that Player B was more astute than that, and made an optimal bet of $250. Now Player A has the high, and Player B has the low.

Player A is dealt a hand of 18 and stands, vs a dealer 6. Player B has a hard 17. Here's where things get interesting. If Player B stands, he wins if the dealer makes 19, 20, or 21. Any other result means a win by Player A. However, this is a textbook example of a free hit opportunity for Player B. Player B's hand at this point is almost meaningless. He has a hard total of 17, and doubling down has a much lower chance of success than standing. Note however, that Player B has bet $250, and he trails by only $200. If the dealer draws out to push Player A's 18, then a single-bet win by B eclipses A's total. B in this case should hit to a total of at least 19. If he busts, he's no worse off than he was by standing. If he happens to catch a total of 19, 20 or 21, he now wins if the dealer makes 18 in addition to the already winning totals of 19,20 and 21.

And that's a "free hit" for sure. Hit the 17, and if you draw an Ace, hit it again. It's a small extra percentage chance, but it comes at absolutely no cost.

Example 2: Player A leads, by a lot.

Let's turn up the heat on Player B a bit. Player A has $1800 and Player B has $1100. Player A should bet at least $305 here, to cover a double-down max-bet win by B. In fact, since $405 covers a three-bet all-in win by B, I'd advise that amount. Unfortunately, either of those two bets opens a small window of opportunity for Player B. Still, it's worth the risk. Besides, it gives us a chance to illustrate playing for a swing.

So, Player A wagers $405. Player B should bet at least $355, and I like a max $500 bet because of the benefits of winning $750 with a blackjack. So, let's assume B bets $500. Now what?

Player A has both the high and the low. If all bets win, he wins. If all bets lose, he wins. Let's assume the dealer has a 6 up, and Player A stands with 18. However, this time Player B has a (3,4) for a hard 7. For Player B, standing has a 0% chance of winning, so eliminate it from the list. Doubling is no better. The best card you can draw is the Ace, but that unfortunately only matches A's total of 18.

It is apparent that Player B must hit, and he should hit to exceed A's total by at least 2 points. In this case, that means hitting to a total of 20 or 21, or bust trying.

B wins if he draws to 20, and the dealer makes exactly 19.
B wins if he draws to 21, and the dealer makes 19 or 20.

This process of hitting to your opponent's total plus two points is typical of "playing for the swing." Just remember, you must give the dealer a total on which to land between you and your opponent. It's certainly not much to get excited about, but it's your only shot.

Keeping your eyes open for similar situations can give you that little extra edge that makes the difference.

How and when to make a "Catch-Up" bet

2004-09-03T17:03:00.000-07:00

It's rare to win a tournament round without having to make a catch-up bet somewhere along the way. Deciding when and how to catch the chip leaders at your table is therefore the most common decision a player must make, but it's also a decision where many players make fundamental errors. This article will look at ways to make the right play.

First, how do you decide when to make your move? If the chip leaders at your table are still within a max bet of your bankroll, you can usually afford to wait a bit, and see if they continue to make large bets. If they're betting large, you can bet small and hope the dealer wins. Of course, your opponents will often extend their lead in these situations. Still, the best way to catch another player is to bet opposite of them. As long as that has a reasonable chance of working, you should postpone any riskier plays.

Usually, one way or another, those small waiting bets just won't get the job done. If the leaders begin betting small, and you're still within one max bet of them, your best chance is winning one large bet to take the lead. You're much better off trying to regain the lead in one hand, rather than hoping to win several of the next few hands with medium-sized bets. If you find yourself multiple max bets behind the leader, you'll need to be lucky to catch up, winning several large bets. In those cases, there's often little strategy involved. Bet big, and hope for the best.

If you instead can achieve your goal with one bet, you should time your bet for optimal effect. Assuming you have a few hands left before the final hand, you are usually best served by waiting for the first-base button to pass you before making your catch-up bet. Being able to see all your opponents bets before you make your large bet allows you to bet enough to take the lead, and no more. If you're forced to make your catch-up bet from another position, you'll have to guess what your opponents are likely to bet. Worse yet, your opponents can easily margin your bet once they see you are making a run for the lead.

Sometimes you don't have the luxury of waiting for the button to pass. In those cases you should try to guess what your opponents will bet behind you. If you've been paying attention to their bets all along, you may have picked up on their 'favorite' bet size. That's valuable information.

Now, how much to bet? Let's look at an example.

Seat 1 : Bankroll $850 Bet $10
Seat 2 : Bankroll $550 Bet $100
Seat 3 : Bankroll $320 Bet $60
Seat 4 (You): Bankroll $520 Bet ?

Assume there are 5 hands left, and betting limits are $5 to $500.

The leader has $850, which is a considerable lead of $330 over your $520. Since the leader has made a small bet, this is a good spot to risk a large bet. How much should you bet? I've seen players who would bet $335 here, betting their deficit plus a chip. That's fine if the leader pushes or loses this hand while you win, but that's not the most common outcome. If you win, the leader is likely to win as well, since you're both playing against the same dealer cards.

A better bet is $345, so that if you both win, you still lead by $5. But you can do better yet. Since the leader has bet so little, you can easily cover several other possible problems. If the leader gets a blackjack, or a double down, the $345 bet comes up short. Why not add a few more chips to cover those possibilities?

In general, if you can cover an opponent's double-down bet with just a few more chips, do it. I like a bet of $355 here, and I might consider $365 or $375 as well. These amounts cover multiple splits or doubles after split. However, an opponent is unlikely to win more than double his initial bet, so $355 is probably my choice unless I have chips to spare.

Now, let's change one key part of our example. Assume instead that this is the next to last hand of the round. Now what's the best bet? It's not the same, because the value of your unbet chips is very different now. If you lose a $355 bet, you're left with only $165. $165 is useless on the final hand, unless your opponents really make a big mistake. If losing a bet will leave you in a hopeless situation, you should make a max bet. Your best bet on the next to last hand is a max bet of $500. If you have to win the hand to have a chance, you may as well be paid as much as possible for it. The extra chips you win can be decisive on the last hand.

Position, A critical part of blackjack tournament strategy

2004-09-03T17:02:00.000-07:00

When you take a seat at a tournament table, you should be armed with a basic strategy of how you plan to approach the game. But there's one unknown about your round that won't be settled until you sit down at the table. Seating position can have a big impact on your chances for success in a tournament round. Most tournaments assign seats in a random fashion, by having the player draw from a blind set of seating choices. However, some tournaments allow players to choose their seats. When available, this option can give you an extra edge if you know how to take advantage.

Let's take a look at why some seats are better than others. There are two main areas in which position matters. First, there's the impact of the betting button. In tournament play, the first-base button moves around the table, and each player in turn must bet and act in sequence starting at the button. If you're "on the button", that means you're forced to choose your bet before the other players, and don't have the benefit of knowing what they will bet behind you. Also, during play of the hand, you'll have to play your hand before seeing any of your opponents play. By way of contrast, the player to your immediate right has a considerable advantage on this hand, being able to see all players bet amounts before making a decision.

By rotating the button around the table, each player has a roughly equal number of bets "on the button" and "last to act", as well as everything in between. But, not all hands of a round are of equal importance. In particular, the last hand is usually the determining factor of who advances and who is eliminated. With that in mind, there's a big advantage to be gained if you manage to be last to act on the final hand.

If you'll have that edge on the last hand, you can afford to be a little more conservative in the rest of the round, knowing that you'll be able to fine-tune your bet at the end by seeing everyone else's bet. If you're last to act on the final hand, you don't necessarily have to be the chip leader to be the favorite to advance. On the other hand, if you're on the button for the last hand, being the chip leader is very important for your chances.

Of course, most tournaments choose the starting button position randomly, meaning you can't pick a seat that is more likely to have a favorable last hand button. There are exceptions. I've played some mini-tournaments where the button always starts at seat 1, to the dealer's left. If you're able to choose your seat in an event like that, it's well worth the effort to figure out the most likely final button position, and ask for the seat to the immediate right of it. For example, if there will be 6 players, and the round has 20 hands, I'd ask for seat 1. If all 6 players stay in for the entire 20 hands, the button will end up in front of seat 2 on the last hand. By asking for seat one, I have a better than usual chance of having last bet on the final hand. Of course, players often drop out before the end, causing the button position on the last hand to be unpredictable. Still, it's a nice opportunity to get an extra edge, even if it doesn't always work.

Much more commonly, tournaments have a random way of choosing the button position for hand one. In the Las Vegas Hilton Million tournament, all players are dealt a five-card poker hand, and the highest ranking hand gets the first button. Other tournaments roll a single die, or deal out cards to players until the first Ace. In these events, there's no advantage available by choosing a particular seat. However, once the random choice of button position has been made, it's still valuable to know where that puts you.

An example might help: Assume you're playing at the Las Vegas Hilton, where most of the rounds are 30 hands with 6 players. You're seated in seat 3, and you "win" the poker hand meaning that the button will start out in front of you in seat 3. If you figure out the final hand button position assuming all the players hang around until the end, you'll see that the final button will be in front of seat 2, making you second to bet on the last hand. So, "winning" the poker hand is not a lucky thing in this case. But, now that you know you'll likely have poor position at the end of the round, you can tailor your playing strategy to minimize the damage. Knowing you'll likely be second to bet at the end, you may want to try to accumulate a few extra chips along the way. A little extra risk may be worthwhile, because the extra chips you could win will be worth more from early position on the final hand.

If any players at your table lose all their chips in the middle of the round and are eliminated, you'll have to refigure your final position. Because this is pretty common, many players don't bother with the button position until late in the round when the final outcome is likely to be more predictable. Still, I like to know up front.

The second important aspect of position has to do with the players around you at the table. Players on your left are a bigger threat than players on your right. If a player on your left has a chip advantage over you, it's much tougher to catch him or her than a similar player on your right. A player to your immediate left is said to have position on you, because that player gets to see your wager and action on every hand but one per round of the table. In a 6-player format, the player to your left acts after you on 5 out of 6 hands. This gives him or her the ability to margin any of your attempts to catch up, and to easily guard any lead by matching your bets.

Because of this impact of position, it's helpful to pay extra attention to the players behind you. If you have opportunities late in the round to double or split and pass their chip totals, it's probably worth considering. If you find yourself trailing the players to your left, you might consider waiting until they are on the button before trying to catch up. By seeing the amount of their wager, you can size your bet more effectively. Since you only get the chance once every 6 hands, you don't want to miss the opportunity.

In events where you can choose your seat, it's useful to know something about your opponents. If you have a particularly strong tournament player at your table, it would be best to have them seated on your right, where they have less of an advantage over you. Also keep in mind that the player at third-base is considered to be to the right of first-base or seat 1.

Choosing a seat can be helpful when it is allowed, but being aware of your button position is important in every tournament round. Taking your opponent's relative position into account when deciding how to bet against them in the middle hands of a round can make the difference between advancing and being eliminated. Best of luck out there, and, please, don't sit to my left!

Blackjack Tournament Strategy Basics

2004-09-03T17:00:00.001-07:00

In tournament blackjack, having just a little knowledge about tournament strategy can dramatically improve your chances of success. In this article, we'll look at the general principles that form the most important ideas in tournament strategy. These concepts will give you a big edge over most opponents, and they're simple enough that you don't have to study to make use of them.

Like most types of informed gambling, effective tournament strategy is all about Risk Management. To win a table, you'll usually have to risk much of your bankroll at some point. The key to long-term success is to make sure that you get full value for every big bet you make. If there's one thought process that's important in every single decision you make at the tournament table, this is it. Weigh the risk and reward of your choices. If you constantly think in those terms, you can assess the value of different strategies according to your current situation at the table.

One of the defining characteristics of blackjack tournament play is that all players are competing against the same dealer. That means that players will generally tend to have similar outcomes on any given hand. If the dealer draws a blackjack, the entire table is likely to have the same result, a loss. While it's certainly possible (and often necessary!) to gain ground by having better cards than one of your opponents, it's a lot easier to gain ground by betting and playing your hand differently than that opponent.

Knowing correct basic strategy is important to your tournament success, but you may be surprised to learn that it's actually not that big a factor on most of your hands. If you're limiting risk by betting small on most hands, then mistakes on those hands won't amount to much. However, playing your big bets incorrectly can be a costly mistake, so solid basic strategy rounds out our trifecta of tournament concepts. That's "Risk and Reward, Similar Outcomes, and Basic Strategy."

Now let's take a look at how to apply these ideas at the table. These examples assume that you're playing a typical elimination-style round, competing solely against the other players at your table.

Risk management starts with bet sizing. Smaller bets reduce, or even eliminate, your risk of ruin at the tournament table. Once you run out of chips during a tournament round, you're done. You can't buy more chips for a second chance. That means that you should choose your battles wisely. Years ago, when most of the competitors were new to tournaments, a conservative minimum-bet strategy would almost always guarantee you a great shot at going into the final few hands of a table with either the lead or at least second or third chip-count. Many players at the time believed that the only way to succeed in tournament play was to make lots of big bets, and amass a mountain of chips. While those players sometimes succeeded, they busted out a lot more frequently. A player who instead preserved his initial bankroll until the final ten hands or so was a big favorite in these events. Although catching those successful big bettors in the end was difficult, it was also not unusual to win a table by default when the dealer was hot and wiped out everyone before the round had even finished. Much of my early success in tournament play was attributable to this simplistic approach. Bet small until the end, then bet large enough to catch the leaders if there are any.

Times have changed a lot, as tournament players have become much more sophisticated. Once lots of players began mimicking this timid approach, its effectiveness declined sharply. In current play, I often base my decision of strategy on how timid or bold my opponents seem to be. If the entire table is making small bets, it's often wise to make an early large bet. However, if I have a few wild bettors at the table, I'm perfectly willing to still use the same simplistic approach I used with great success years ago.

Much more common these days is a hybrid approach, where risk management really starts to shine. By making mostly small bets, and choosing opportunities for large bets, you can effectively combat both styles of players. Since most tables will have a mix of aggressive and minimum bettors, this gives you the ability to carefully choose hands where a large bet will be most effective. In mid-round, I'll usually wait until the button has passed my spot, so that I can see the bets of all my competitors before choosing my bet size. This gives me the ability to bet precisely enough to take the lead, without risking any extra chips. The idea is simple: Betting just enough to get the job done maximizes the value of the chips you're risking. Anytime you're choosing to make a substantial move, remember the key second concept, that all players' results are usually similar. If you bet enough to reach your target even if your opponent also wins his bet, your bet is probably sized appropriately. There are exceptions, particularly when you're substantially trailing the chip leaders. Usually though, betting enough to take the lead if the dealer pays the entire table is your best plan.

Once in the lead, you should still remember that similar outcomes are the rule. Making minimum bets as the leader just gives all your opponents free chances to pass you. Instead, see if you can margin their bets by betting a similar amount. Though you'll often be the victim of poor cards, and see them pass you as a result, risking a medium sized bet to match your trailing players is the stronger strategy.

Choosing your battles means not placing a large bet unless you have a reason. Players who habitually bet medium-size amounts on most hands are severely handicapping their chance of success. Those bets individually can't accomplish much, yet the cumulative effect on risk of ruin is considerable. I tend to be a player of extremes. You'll usually see me making very small bets or very large bets. If I place a medium sized bet, it's for one of two reasons: Either I'm in the lead and margining my opponent's bets, or a medium-sized bet is large enough to accomplish my immediate goal, and thus it's really a large bet of sorts.

Consider a situation where you're trailing by nearly a full max bet. If the leader has made a small bet, you should consider the risk and reward of making a max bet on this hand to take the lead. You're likely risking most of your bankroll, but the reward is possibly substantial. Depending on how many hands are left in the round, this may be the last opportunity to retake the lead with a single bet. If you decide that the time is right for that risk, determine how much you really need to bet to accomplish the goal of being chip leader. You might not need to make a full max bet. If possible, bet enough to take the lead if the leader also wins his small bet, or perhaps even a double down. The main idea here is don't make a medium-sized bet and hope to gradually get there. If you need to take the lead, do it all in one hand if possible. It may seem paradoxical that minimizing risk means risking your entire bankroll on one hand. But, one successful large risk can eliminate the need for many medium-sized risks.

The advice to not risk extra chips has one common exception. Anytime you're risking so much in a bet that your remaining chips would be ineffective if you lose the bet, you should go all-in. That is, if you're late in the round, and need to bet $350 of your $400 bankroll to take the lead, you should probably bet the $400 instead. Otherwise, the $50 you could have left over is probably just dead money. Going all-in has its disadvantages since you can't split, but if you need to win an amount that is more than half your bankroll, you're better off trying to do it with a single bet win instead of hoping for a good double or split hand.

Those ideas will go a long way toward insuring long-term tournament success. Most tournaments are won with just the basics and a little luck.

Introduction to Blackjack Tournaments

2004-09-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

What are they?
A typical blackjack tournament consists of several rounds of play, with tables of 6 or so players competing against each other in each round. The format is usually an elimination format, where only 1 or 2 players at each table will advance to the next round of play.

Each round consists of a set number of hands. All players begin the round with a equal amount of chips. At the end of the round, the player or players with the highest bankroll will advance. Rounds are usually between 20 and 50 hands each. Each player must play each hand with a bet in the allowed range. Some tournaments are played with real money chips, while others are played with non-negotiable tournament chips issued to the players.

Rather than the dealer always dealing to the first chair (first base) first, a button is placed on the table in front of a player, who serves as first base on this hand. The button then moves consecutively around the table with each passing hand. This gives each player the opportunity to play as first base and third base in turn. More importantly, since players must bet in turn starting at the button, the disadvantage of betting and playing before the other players moves around the table.

Most tournaments consist of 3 to 5. A typical format might be 2 of 6 advance, 1 of 6 advance, then the finals. This format with 6 players at the final table would allow for 108 entries at 18 first round tables. Often in smaller tournaments, the first round will be split up into several qualifying rounds, so that if you do not advance, you can re-enter for another first round seat.

Why should I play?

The prize pool for a tournament is usually, but not always, 100% of the entry fees paid by the players. This means that the casino has no advantage over the players in the tournament. Indeed, the skillful player can have a huge advantage over the other players if those players are less experienced in tournament strategy. Many casinos will guarantee the prize money even if the tournament does not fill up with entries. In these cases, the casino is literally paying the players to play the tournament! From the casino's viewpoint, it is a good marketing play, since they are drawing new players to the tables between the tournament rounds.

Since the larger tournaments usually include special room rates and free food, you can save some money on your vacation to Vegas by booking it around a tournament. If you're headed to a casino destination anyway, scheduling your trip to coincide with a tournament can save you some money, and give you a chance to play for a big prize with minimal risk.

What are the typical prizes?

The prize money varies widely as you may expect. Smaller tournaments might have an entry fee of $10, and pay $500 or $1000 for first place. Most tournaments pay at least 6 places. Larger tournaments might have an entry fee of $300-$500, with a correspondingly larger payout. As I'm writing this in early 2004, popular events in Las Vegas include the Stardust, New Frontier, and Las Vegas Hilton, with first place prizes ranging from $30,000 to $1 million.

How do I find out about tournaments?

You can always call the casinos directly and inquire about their tournament schedules. With an increase in tournament popularity, many properties are adding a tournament program to their promotional calendar

Blackjack Tournament Information and Strategies

2004-09-03T16:59:00.000-07:00

Blackjack Tournaments, whether played online or at land-based casinos, offer one of the best values in the gambling world. Competing against other players instead of against the casino itself means that a smart player can get a big edge by learning to play better than the average gambler.

LAS VEGAS BLACKJACK MINI-TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

2004-09-03T16:52:00.000-07:00

Monday

Cannery Hotel & Casino

Single deck. First round 10am, every 45 min ending at 1pm, semis at 1:45pm, and the finals at 2:30pm. Entry is $10 and first place pays $599 plus trophy if sold out (otherwise first place gets 49% of entry fees).

Longhorn

$10 entry, starts at noon, first place receives 75% of entry fees.

Santa Fe Casino

Non-elimination format, $15 entry fee ($25 re-entry), starts at 6pm. First Monday of each month.

Tuesday

Rampart Hotel & Casino in Summerlin

Single deck. $10 entry, first place receives $599 plus trophy. Start at 10 am.

Fiesta Henderson

Single deck, $25 entry, two advance from the first round into the semis, one from the semis goes to the finals. $1,000 1st place is guaranteed. Starts at 6pm.

Longhorn

Starts at noon. See Monday for details.

Wednesday

Green Valley Ranch

Held every other Wednesday. Entry fee $25. First place receives $1300. Starts at 2pm.

Longhorn

Starts at noon. See Monday for details.

Thursday

Rampart Hotel & Casino holds their tournament the same time and format as their Tuesday mini-tournament

Sunset Station Hotel & Casino

Six deck. Entry $25. Starts at 6pm. First place guaranteed $2,000.

Rampart

Same as Tuesday except double deck.

Longhorn

Starts at noon. See Monday for details.

Friday

Longhorn

Same as Monday.

Saturday Morning

Boulder Station Hotel & Casino

Double deck. $25 entry. Starts at 11 am. First place $1,350.

Sunday

Silverton Hotel & Casino

$20 entry fee. First prize $600 if sold out. Starts at 11am.

My Top 3 Las Vegas Blackjack Mini-Tournament Picks are:

Sunset Station
Fiesta Henderson
Boulder Station

TUNICA TRIP REPORT

2004-09-03T16:51:00.000-07:00

It’s the holiday season and that means it’s time for my year-end blackjack sojourn to Tunica, Mississippi. This year I’m up slightly. Coincidentally I’m playing much less at the southern Indiana riverboats close to my home because the casinos are crowded and have poor penetration. Instead I’m spending more time at places like Tunica that offer conditions more favorable to card counters like single and double deck games, less crowded tables and generally more favorable rules. Before you start selling your stock in Tunica area casinos, let me report that there are so many poor blackjack players in Tunica that it is difficult to imagine any well-run casino not making money here.
There are four of on this trip including Louie our resident comedian and my blackjack-playing buddy. I use the half count while Louie favors the KO count. After a long drive we stop at The Grand Casino. After 1-½ hours of double deck, I’m up $117 spreading my bets from $10 to $30. It was one of those sessions where my doubles seemed to work out well and the blackjacks came when I had my high bets out. As is usually the case in Tunica, a dinner comp for two was easy to come by.
After dinner I head back to the same $10 double deck table for more blackjack. I am eking out a small win when Louie comes over to give me an update on his play. It seems he was down $1,400 playing at a $25 double deck table. The pit boss then raised the minimum to $50 and Louie hung in there to pull out a $1,700 win for a net $300 profit. Spreading from $50 to $200 did not seem to raise any concerns in the high roller pit.
Day two started at the Grand at a $10 double deck game. Penetration at the Grand was fairly consistent at a mediocre one deck. My dealer was friendly and pulling for the players. Little did I realize that Norma did not know how to bust. She kept pulling 5’s to fifteens and sixteens wiping out just about everybody at the table. Unfortunately I knew that I had the long-term advantage in this game and that it was only a matter of time before the cards would change. I finally discovered that it would take more time than I had. The session ended with a $140 loss.
A short trip to Harrah’s brought some outstanding conditions. I started at a six-deck shoe game, which was dealt down to one deck. I then switched to a double deck game dealt down to half deck. At one point Louie came over to announce that he had just lost 16 hands in a row. I was just doubling a 10 against a dealer 4. The dealer turned over a 7 in the hole and proceeded to give himself a 10 for a 21. I lost the hand and blamed Louie for my loss. I told him he couldn’t be satisfied with loosing 16 hands in a row; he had to bring his bad luck over to my table to make it 17 hands in a row. Louie replied, "I thought you didn’t believe in luck, mister random number generator". I explained that my play had nothing to do with luck, but that his bad luck was legendary and would he please take it back to the other table. Unfortunately I could not win at either game and dropped another $161 before walking over to Hollywood.
At Hollywood I sat at a $10 double deck game spreading from $10 to $30. After an hour I was down $10 and our group took a break for dinner. I was able to get two Hollywood buffet comps after playing only about 15 minutes.
We headed back to the Grand where I sat down at a $10 double deck game. Finally the cards started turning my way. It seemed that my double downs were working out and my blackjacks came when I had larger bets out. One ploppy did amuse me. She had a fit when the guy at third base spread to two hands and the dealer wound up with an Ace up. She lost the hand when she stayed on a 15. Of course in her mind staying on a 15 had nothing to do with her loss. It was the guy at third base that screwed up the table.
Day three started with another double deck session at the Grand. I was down around $200 early but hang in long enough to go up $39 for the session, spreading from $10 to $30. Penetration at the Grand double deck games continues to be poor.
A short trip to Fitzgeralds brings the best blackjack conditions I have encountered in several years. At Fitzgeralds dealers keep their own tokes and they are famous for good penetration and friendly dealers. Two different dealers cut off about 22 cards on a double deck game so when you finally get a good count, it last for several hands. After 1 1/2 hours I am up $192 spreading from $5 to $30 dollars. Bet spreads at the $5 tables do not seem to bring any concern from the pit and the dealers are definitely pulling for the players. The only problem is finding a seat at these popular 21 games.
After a very pleasant comped dinner, it’s back to the Grand double deck game. As usual comps throughout Tunica are easy to get even by lower level bettors. Of course it helps that my wife is a slots player and the casinos will do just about anything to entice her to play. The evening turns out to be uneventful. Bouncing up and down at a full table I give up after 3 ½ hours, down $100.
In the morning I once again take on "no bust" Norma at the double deck table. She must have had a crash course in busting last night, because today she is busting and the cards are finally going my way. I win $240 spreading from $10 to $30. Once again the Grand cut off 1 deck on the double deck game.
A short session at Bally’s brings a $26 win and then it is back to Fitzgerald’s for some good playing conditions. Another dealer is cutting down to ½ deck and I win $110 in 2 hours spreading from $5 to $30. A short session at the Gold Strike brings a $31 win at their six-deck shoe game. After taking in a show, we head back to the Grand.
Louie and I try a $10 double deck game. Our dealer is hot and keeps drawing 20’s. Louie gets mad and storms off, after which the dealer bust 3 hands in a row. I call Louie on his cell phone to give him the good news that without him at the table the dealer is busting. He can’t decide weather to throw his cell phone at me from across the casino or laugh. The reprieve is short lived as the dealer pulls 2 naturals in a row on the first two hands of the next shuffle, one of them pushing my natural. She follows that with 2 more naturals on the next shuffle, one with a true count of –5. I decide to try another table. Louie finds me a few minutes later and mentions that I seem to be at another table. I am forced to admit that Louie wasn’t the problem after all; it seems the dealer was just hot. I leave shortly thereafter with a $204 loss.
Our last day starts with an $84 loss at a double deck game at the Grand. As is common in loosing sessions at one point I was up around $100 before a combination of bad cards with a high count did me in. To add insult to injury the pit boss tells me I am not playing strong enough for the comp I want. Our party hits the road and winds up at the Sheraton. I loose $138 at a double deck game. Louie is sitting right next to me and wins $114. Splitting 8s’ four times with one double down against a dealer 10, I loose all 5 bets which hurt my chances of any kind of win in a short one hour session. The environment at the Sheraton is pleasant. The tables are less crowded with only 6 player spots and a generally less crowded and smoky casino. They even let you resplit aces.
We walk across to the Gold Strike where I manage a $104 win at a double deck game in 1 hour. Louie sitting right next to me again wins only $17. Penetration is a little more than one deck.
Back at the Grand all the low limit double deck games are crowded, so I try a 6-deck shoe game. In a half hour I am up $150 spreading from $10 to $25. Knowing that I prefer the double deck game Louie seeks me out to let me know he is saving a spot at a $10 double deck table for me. Now that I have my preferred game I am ready to gamble. An hour later I am down $83, spreading from $10 to $25.
This was my last session for this trip and it netted me a $395 profit. Not bad by my standards considering the most I risked on any one bet was $40. More importantly I end up for the year on the plus side, reversing a two-year negative trend. Next month I will give Vegas a try. Stay tuned.

LAS VEGAS BLACKJACK REPORT

2004-09-03T16:50:00.001-07:00

Hi, LV Tournament Pro here. I trust you enjoyed reading my report in BJI issue #49 that described the blackjack playing conditions in some of the local’s casinos located in the Northwest side of Las Vegas. This month I’ll focus on blackjack conditions in several casinos located on the south end of the strip that cater to tourists (note: the conditions were those that I observed and played against on the weekend of March 13-14).
My first stop was Mandalay Bay, which is in my opinion, one of the top three hotels in Las Vegas as far as amenities and service. Their blackjack game is also not bad as long as you do some scouting before you plop yourself and your hard earned money down at the table.
The casino has 73 blackjack tables but not all the games are the same. Let me start with the good games that I observed which include 43 six deck shoes games with a penetration of 70-75% and the following rules: dealer stands on all 17’s, double after pair splitting allowed, aces can be resplit up to 4 hands and you can late surrender.
Folks, you are not going to find a better shoe game in town (you may find a similar game in several other casinos, but not better). When you factor in the world-class service and atmosphere, why look any further for a good shoe game? The betting ranges on these games were from $10-2,000 to $25-2,000 and in the High Limit pit from $500-10,000.
It appeared to me that you could move your chips (especially black and green) pretty good in the main casino without too much heat. As far as my results, I didn’t do as well as I wanted. That’s because I usually don’t play shoe games that often because I have so many double and single games to choose from. But playing shoe games is where the majority of counters wind up. When you are first making your "bones" as a beginning counter, playing against single and double deck games is the place to be. Once you gain experience and a larger bankroll you may decide to increase your betting level above red chips. Unlike betting only reds where it’s fairly easy to play and count undetected, when you start betting greens you’ve got to be more cognizant of being detected. I still have a few places that I can play single and double deck games, so I do. But the shoe games are definitely in my near future.
I took a seat in a 6-deck shoe game with a plan of spreading 1 to 8 units. Most counters will tell you to beat a shoe game you need to have a bet spread of at least 1 to 8 or 1 to 10 units. I chose the smaller spread considering the good rules and conditions and my lack of playing time on shoes. I will tell you that it was a pleasure to put $80 in the circle and not hear the dealer yell "checks play" to any suit that will listen (in contrast, play single and double deck games, put 50 to 75 bucks in the betting circle, and watch the dealer yell "checks play"). My results on the shoe were not positive. I played for about an hour and lost $210, which was not a good start (if you are new to counting, understand that you that you can’t win every time you sit down to play).
The other blackjack games being offered at Mandalay Bay were 10 tables of 8-decks with a penetration of approx. 70% with dealer’s hitting soft 17’s. So if you want a little flavor of what it’s like to play blackjack in Atlantic City, take a seat in this pit of 8 deck games.
I thought to myself, "Why play 8 decks when there are 6 deck games with better rules?" This is a no brainer yet the 8 deck games were busy. This beats the stuffing’s out of me. There is also 15 tables of 5 deck games dealt from a Continuous Shuffling Machine (CSM) for the players who just don’t like the down time of a dealer’s shuffle. There are also 5 double deck games with a betting range of $100-5,000 offering late surrender, resplitting aces up to 4 times, and 60-65% penetration. I’ve seen the betting limits lower but this was "fight weekend" and limits are always higher. The High Limit pit offered six 6-deck games with betting limits of $500-$10,000. Even higher betting limits are available upon request
I left Mandalay Bay with a $210 loss and took the tram to Luxor. Leaving your car behind on any weekend is always a good thing, but on a fight weekend it is a must. So the free tram ride over to the Luxor was just the right touch. The Luxor is also owned by the same parent company that owns Mandalay Bay. The company is called Mandalay Bay Group ("Circus Circus" for you old timers). I always thought that a casino named Circus Circus would be a great place to get married. If it didn’t work out you could always say "how serious do you think I was about this marriage if I did it at Circus Circus?"
Anyway, lets get back to blackjack, where the rules are much different at Luxor. They have 63 Blackjack tables mostly 8 deck games, dealer’s hit soft 17s with a 70% penetration and betting limits of $5-1000. I also observed 4 double deck games with a 60-65% penetration but unlike Mandalay Bay they do not offer surrender on their Double Deck game but you can resplit aces up to 4 times. Here’s a plus (I like that word when playing blackjack): the game is dealt face up so if you are sitting at 3rd base when it’s time to play your hand there are no secrets except for the dealer’s hole card (your count will be exact). So this is where I attempted to recover the money I lost at Mandalay Bay.
The double deck game had a betting range of $25-2,000 (again on non-fight weekends I have seen the limits lower). I took a seat and played for 45 minutes spreading 1 to 5 units, a small spread but one my bankroll can afford. I managed to recover $75 of my $210 losses. Like I said you can’t always show a profit in every session, but over the long run you will. Their 6 deck games had a betting range of $25-2,000 & $50-3,000, dealer stands on all 17s and late surrender. In the high limit pit they had one double deck with betting limits of $100-3,000 and three 6-deck shoe games at $100-5,000.
So it was back on the tram to the end of the line, which is Tropicana Ave. A short walk across the bridge to NY NY where I won’t be able to give you any live play results as I have been asked not to play there anymore. This was after a night of being stuck $6,000 on their double deck game, then winning it all back but had to really expose my play in the process and pump up my spread. As long as I was losing they let me play but as soon as I finally turned a profit they shut the lights on me. I thought this was a gambling establishment. I guess the Casino Manager, Rick Field’s bonus was coming up and he didn’t want to jeopardize that.
As far as playing conditions go at NY NY they have 15 single deck games paying an UGLY 6 to 5 payout on blackjack with no mid deck entry and no even money if you have blackjack. So if you get dealt a blackjack with a dealer having an ace up and you take insurance and the dealer does not have blackjack, you’ll get paid less than even money. You do the math - you bet $5 and you are suppose to get paid an UGLY 6 dollars to start with but now you have to put up $2.50 for insurance, so you essentially invest $7.50 to win $6 (and you had blackjack). Now that’s insane. Folks, listen to me and stop playing this 6:5 game because you can’t beat it. Go play keno – you’ll have a better shot (only kidding about keno being better a bet but you have to stop playing those 6 to 5 single deck games.
The rest of the casino has 29 6-deck shoe games with a betting range of $10-1,000 to $25-2,000 and in the High Limit pit $100-5,000. There are also 3 double deck games with a betting range of $25-2,000 and 65 % penetration (but no surrender). Their shoe games offer surrender but the dealers hit soft 17s and they allow a mid deck entry with a $200 max bet.
So it was off to my last stop, the MGM Grand. This place is just too big for me. If you have to look for someone here, good luck and good hunting to you. They have 77 tables all 6 decks with a 70-75% penetration, late surrender, and dealers stand on all 17s. They also have 6 single deck games with betting limits of $25-2000 but again paying 6 to 5 on blackjacks and no even money. The betting ranges on the shoes were from $10-1,000 to $100-10,000. The tables were crowded and the casino was busy. Las Vegas is alive and well, fully recovering from 9/11 jitters.
Based on my observations, if you are coming to town and you happen to be on the south end of the strip, Mandalay Bay is my pick to play and stay. So until next time keep them aces coming with a little paint on them.
Good Luck
LV Tournament Pro

CHICAGO AREA BLACKJACK REPORT

2004-09-03T16:50:00.000-07:00

Blackjack players in Chicago have learned to take the good with the bad.
The good? None of the eight casinos within a 45-mile drive of the Loop has tried the 6-5 payoffs on blackjacks or the "Super Fun 21" abominations that are bleeding bankrolls on the Las Vegas Strip. Continuous shuffling machines are rare --- there are a few at Harrah’s in Joliet, Ill., but for the most part they were rejected by the marketplace a couple of years ago when they were rolled out in force on the Indiana side of the state border at Harrah’s in East Chicago and Majestic Star in Gary.
The bad? If you’re playing near Chicago, you’re playing a shoe game. The only double-deck game within hailing distance is at Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City, Ind., about an hour and a half drive from the city. Penetration is iffy, with it being commonplace to cut two decks out of a six-deck shoe. And Chicago is no paradise for low-limit players. The only $5 table in the area is at the least busy casinos, Gary’s Trump and Majestic Star. Elsewhere, table minimums start at $10, and usually rise to $25 and up on busy nights and weekends.
What’s left is a fairly solid collection of shoe games, with the best for basic strategy players being at Empress and Harrah’s in Joliet (six-deck shoes at both, with dealer standing on all 17s, double on any first two cards, double after splits, resplit Aces), and at Trump in Gary (six or eight decks, stand on all 17s, double on any first two cards, double after splits, late surrender).
Double-deck blackjack has been tried in the Chicago area, but it’s never lasted very long. Part of the difficulty with the game is that in Illinois, it’s illegal to deal pitch style, from the hand. All cards must be dealt from shoes, and all player cards must be dealt face up. Empress in Joliet several years ago offered a two-deck shoe game with the same rules as its six-decker. It was a terrific game for basic strategy players, and even at 50-percent penetration, not a bad one for card counters, who could easily see every card dealt. The game disappeared in a few months.
Hollywood in Aurora, Ill., also tried a double-deck shoe, but made the rules so tough that no one lasted long at the game. Using the slogan "2-4-6-8, our blackjack is really great," Hollywood offered two-, four-, six- and eight-deck shoes, but playing with fewer decks meant a game where the dealer hit soft 17, double downs were restricted to two-card totals of 9, 10 or 11 and doubles after splits were not permitted. Today, only the six- and eight-deck shoes remain.
Pitch games are permitted on the Indiana side, but the current two-deck game at Blue Chip is dealt from a shoe. One other difference in gaming regulations between the two states is that in Indiana casinos, the dealer must stand on all 17s, while in Illinois casinos may choose to have the dealer hit soft 17. Competition in Joliet, with competing casinos just a few miles apart, has led both Empress and Harrah’s to stand on all 17s. Hollywood in Aurora, meanwhile, has the dealer hit soft 17 at low-limit tables, while dealers hit soft 17 at all tables at Grand Victoria in Elgin.
Let’s make the rounds through the blackjack pits at the eight casinos nearest Chicago --- four in Illinois, four in Indiana --- and, for good measure, go a little farther afield to throw in Blue Chip with the nearest double-deck game:
ILLINOIS
EMPRESS, Joliet: Decent basic strategy game, six-decks, dealer stands on all 17s, double after splits, resplit Aces. Penetration about 70 percent. Minimums usually $10, but can rise to $25 at peak periods, with $3,000 max.
GRAND VICTORIA, Elgin: This is the most popular, most profitable casino in the Chicago area --- and one of the weakest blackjack games. Ever since its opening in 1994, Grand Victoria has offered the same six-deck game in which doubles after splits are permitted but the dealer hits soft 17. For a few months in 2003, this was actually a pretty decent counters’ game, with 83 percent penetration. In October, penetration dropped to 67 percent. Also in October, Grand Vic added eight-deck tables with the same dismal rules. $10 minimums available weekday mornings, $25 most of the rest of the time, $5,000 max.
HARRAH’S, Joliet: Rules are the same as at Empress on six-deck tables. At high-limit tables ($50-$5,000), penetration is 67 percent, no mid-shoe entry. Low-limit tables ($10-$1,000) have slightly better penetration, perhaps 70 percent. There are also three tables with the same rules, $10-$1,000, but which use four-deck continuous shufflers. The best deal in the casino is at the low-limit six-deckers.
HOLLYWOOD, Aurora: Big players get a better deal than the low-limit folks. At six-deck tables, dealer stands on all 17s, double after split permitted, 70 percent penetration, $25 minimums to $5,000 maximums. Low-rollers get eight-deckers, dealer hits soft 17, double after split, 70 percent penetration, $10-$1,000. Games aren’t all that terrific, yet Hollywood seems more concerned about advantage players than most Chicago area operators. Outright banning is rare --- the Illinois Gaming Board says it has never approved internal controls that permits barring players --- but Hollywood has been known to limit spreads, telling one player of my acquaintance that his maximum bet was $25, at a $25-minimum table.
INDIANA
HORSESHOE, Hammond: The standard Indiana game has the dealer stand on all 17s, double after splits permitted, no other frills. That’s what you’ll get at Horseshoe, which caters to big players with high limits and easy comps. Six-deck games have 67 percent penetration, $25-$10,000. Eight-deckers have 70 percent penetration, $10-$5,000.
HARRAH’S, East Chicago: Same rules as at Horseshoe, but all games use six-decks. At high-limit tables, $25-$5,000, there’s 67 percent penetration with no mid-shoe entry. Low-limit tables, $10-$1,000, are one of the strongest players in the area, with 75 percent penetration.
MAJESTIC STAR, Gary: Same rules as Horseshoe and the Indiana Harrah’s, with a mix of six- and eight-deck games. Six-deckers are for big players, $25-$10,000, with no mid-shoe entry, 67 percent penetration. Eight-deck games, $5-$1,000, have 80 percent penetration --- this is the spot for low-limit advantage players.
TRUMP, Gary: Trump adds one wrinkle to the standard Indiana game --- late surrender is offered. At six-deck tables, $25-$1,000, penetration ranges from 70 to 75 percent; at eight-deckers, $5-$1,000, penetration is 70 percent.
BLUE CHIP, MICHIGAN CITY: For those with time on their hands, or for overnight stays, Blue Chip may be worth the extra drive. Most of the tables are the standard Indiana game, dealer stands on all 17s, double after split, but penetration is very good. Six-deck games, $10-$5,000, penetration is 80 percent. For higher stakes, there are two double-deck shoe games that really are no bargain --- $25-$2,000, dealers stands on all 17s, no double after split, 50-percent penetration. Bottom of the barrel at Blue Chip are three tables with standard rules, but four-deck continuous shuffling machines, $5-$500.

ATLANTIC CITY BLACKJACK

2004-09-03T16:49:00.000-07:00

Atlantic City has lost almost 2 million patrons since 2001, yet the town is making more money than ever before. How are the casinos doing this? On the tables, the $10 game is almost extinct on the weekends and it is rare that you’ll find many $5 minimum tables at most places during the week. Yes, you might stumble upon one or two or, at Borgata, three or four, but these are always packed with players. And slots are still socking the patrons as AC slot machines return in the low 90 percent ranges for 25 cent and dollar machines. Yuck!
Sands has changed its advertising and they are now saying that they have 10X odds at craps at "all times," which means someone must have read BJ Insider and realized that they can’t advertise something they don’t actually offer. That’s the power of the Internet press! Unfortunately, the 6-deck Sands games are all coming in with $25 minimums and it looks as if their experiment of being a "gambling house" has become something of a failure. Their single-zero roulette is now $25 minimum as well. We are not going back there any time soon but our friends give us the reports and we give them to you.
With Harrah’s about to take over Caesars Entertainment, the AC scene will look like this: the three Trump properties (Marina, Plaza and Taj Mahal), Tropicana, Resorts, Sands, Borgata and then Harrah’s babies: Hilton, Caesars, Wild Wild West, Bally’s Park Place, Claridge, Harrah’s, Showboat. That’s 50 percent of the AC casino landscape.
And what of blackjack? There really has been very little change from last issue. The summer is the summer – higher minimums, shallower cuts, mobs of people. The younger folks are out in force – those 20 and 30-somethings that frolic and play at the beachside bars and then become loud when they enter the casinos. Ugh!
The students who have been using Speed Count from our Golden Touch Blackjack course are able to find beatable games in a few of the casinos and these they have been beating. Of course, 8-deck shoes are awful and even the 6-deckers aren’t all that great anymore. And brother do you need patience to play those shoes! Many novice card counters don’t realize that when you count into a shoe, there are long periods of play when nothing happens. The counts don’t get positive and you play and play with minimal bets out. But if you want to beat blackjack, you must develop patience.
***********************************************************************
If you’re going to play blackjack, why not play with an advantage? Golden Touch Blackjack will give you the easiest method for getting an advantage at the game. We’ll be having an upcoming class in September in Las Vegas. The cost is a mere $895. Call 1-800-944-0406 to sign up or for more information.

Here are our ratings for August 2004.
Rating system:
***** = Excellent
**** = Very Good
*** = Good
** = Fair
* = Poor.

BALLY’S PARK PLACE: Always a crowded place. The 8-deck games have about 75 percent penetration. Penetration is about 1.8 decks on the six-deck games in the high-roller pit and these games are almost always $100 to $200 minimums. You can resplit for a total of three hands, but aces can only be split once. Multiple Action and Spanish 21 are also available for minimums of $10. Good place for Golden Touch Blackjack. ***
BORGATA: Every table is 6-decks. Penetration has sunk to about 70 percent. Standard AC rules which means that for basic strategy players it’s a fine game. Plenty of $10 games and some $5 games as well. * * ½ *
CAESARS: No change from last issue. Table game action has improved and that is very noticeable in the blackjack pits. Six-deck games in high roller room have 75 percent penetration as do the eight-deckers on the main casino floor. Good casino for Golden Touch Blackjack. Multiple Action and Spanish 21 available at $10 and up! ***
CLARIDGE: No change from last issue. The high-roller action was six-deck games with $50/$100 minimums most days, with penetration about 80 to 85 percent when we visited. You can resplit pairs up to four hands in high-roller room (but no more resplitting of aces). The rest of the casino, all eight-deckers, doesn’t allow any resplitting. Multiple Action and Spanish 21 available for $10 and up. To stay here, you have to make the trek to Bally’s Park Place to register, which is not the best thing for the senior citizen crowd, which really likes this place. Great place to play Golden Touch Blackjack. *** ½ *
HARRAH’S: No change from last issue. Very friendly dealers and pit personnel. Penetration now ranges in the 75 percent area. Resplitting allowed except aces. No midshoe entry. Play here and at Showboat and your play counts all across the nation. For those of you who like to go to Vegas you can get some good comps for AC action in the desert! A room that would be discounted for $80 in AC would be free in Vegas based on the same play – this is not official but based on our calculations of the offers we’ve received. Good place for Golden Touch Blackjack. ***
HILTON: Depending on the dealer, you can still find some very good penetration at the Hilton. Resplitting allowed except aces. High roller room is 6-decks, rest of the casino is 8-decks. Pits have been quick to jump on suspected counters, so be wary. High table minimums, especially on weekends, a lot of $25 tables, rare $10 tables. Penetration about 75 percent throughout the casino. The Multiple Action and Spanish 21 also have okay penetration for $10. Good place to play Golden Touch Blackjack. ***

RESORTS: No change from last issue. Casino is fresh and bright. Great penetration has arrived. Now in its 25th year of operation, Resorts looks better today than it did when it opened and it is undergoing major renovations. Resorts penetration is about 75 percent now. Most of the $5 games have become $10 games, even midweek, but this is still a bargain by AC standards. Resplitting is allowed at all tables. Casino also offers multiple-action blackjack and Spanish 21 at $10 minimums. Good place to play Golden Touch Blackjack. Pits are friendly. ***
SANDS: Going downhill again with raised table minimums. The place is also very loud with their nightclub almost on the casino floor. You can resplit up to three times as you go deaf. A good place to play Golden Touch Blackjack, if you can afford the minimums. ***
SHOWBOAT: No change from last issue. Six-deck games in the high roller room have standard penetration of about 75 percent. Resplitting now allowed up to three hands. Eight-deck games have 80 percent penetration. Can now occasionally find $25 games in high roller room. They announce them with a big sign during slow times. You can get great deals in other venues by using your card as it’s a part of the Harrah’s Total Rewards program. Good place to play Golden Touch Blackjack. ***
TROPICANA: No change from last issue. Blackjack games have actually improved here. Still the low man in the city but any positive movement is a good thing. **
TRUMP MARINA: No change from last issue. The joint is losing money. This place has a big youth clientele -- and youth is fickle -- because of all the rock bands that play here. So if you like the high energy of often-dimwitted young folks loudly having a good time, this is the place for you. Six-deck games in high roller room and eight-deck games on the main floor have penetration of 75 percent mark, but you won’t find any dealers going much deeper. Games are mostly $15/$25 and up, especially on weekends. **1/2*
TRUMP PLAZA: No change from last issue. Six-deck blackjack games in high limit area are about 75 percent penetration with $100 minimums – sometimes the dealer will now go even deeper. Sometimes when it’s slow, they will honor a request for $50 minimum. The eight-deck games have penetration ranging from 70 percent to 75 percent on all, depending on the dealer. No midshoe entry on eight-deck games outside high-roller pit but you can find $25 (a few) to $50 minimums on these. Allows resplits, except aces. Most eight-deck tables are $10 and higher. Good place to play Golden Touch Blackjack. ***
TRUMP TAJ MAHAL: We are becoming patrons of the Taj. In the past few months the friendliness of the pit crews and dealers is winning us over. Good game with 75 percent penetration, dealer dependent. Multiple Action, Double Exposure and Spanish 21 are still available at $10/$15 minimums and up. Good place to play Golden Touch Blackjack. ***
WILD, WILD WEST: Penetration has deteriorated in the last couple of months to slightly under 75 percent on all games. Still a good place to play, atmosphere wise. ** ½ *
THE BEST BLACKJACK IN ATLANTIC CITY: Claridge
Atlantic City has lost almost 2 million patrons since 2001, yet the town is making more money than ever before. How are the casinos doing this? On the tables, the $10 game is almost extinct on the weekends and it is rare that you’ll find many $5 minimum tables at most places during the week. Yes, you might stumble upon one or two or, at Borgata, three or four, but these are always packed with players. And slots are still socking the patrons as AC slot machines return in the low 90 percent ranges for 25 cent and dollar machines. Yuck!
Sands has changed its advertising and they are now saying that they have 10X odds at craps at "all times," which means someone must have read BJ Insider and realized that they can’t advertise something they don’t actually offer. That’s the power of the Internet press! Unfortunately, the 6-deck Sands games are all coming in with $25 minimums and it looks as if their experiment of being a "gambling house" has become something of a failure. Their single-zero roulette is now $25 minimum as well. We are not going back there any time soon but our friends give us the reports and we give them to you.
With Harrah’s about to take over Caesars Entertainment, the AC scene will look like this: the three Trump properties (Marina, Plaza and Taj Mahal), Tropicana, Resorts, Sands, Borgata and then Harrah’s babies: Hilton, Caesars, Wild Wild West, Bally’s Park Place, Claridge, Harrah’s, Showboat. That’s 50 percent of the AC casino landscape.
And what of blackjack? There really has been very little change from last issue. The summer is the summer – higher minimums, shallower cuts, mobs of people. The younger folks are out in force – those 20 and 30-somethings that frolic and play at the beachside bars and then become loud when they enter the casinos. Ugh!
The students who have been using Speed Count from our Golden Touch Blackjack course are able to find beatable games in a few of the casinos and these they have been beating. Of course, 8-deck shoes are awful and even the 6-deckers aren’t all that great anymore. And brother do you need patience to play those shoes! Many novice card counters don’t realize that when you count into a shoe, there are long periods of play when nothing happens. The counts don’t get positive and you play and play with minimal bets out. But if you want to beat blackjack, you must develop patience.
***********************************************************************
If you’re going to play blackjack, why not play with an advantage? Golden Touch Blackjack will give you the easiest method for getting an advantage at the game. We’ll be having an upcoming class in September in Las Vegas. The cost is a mere $895. Call 1-800-944-0406 to sign up or for more information.

Here are our ratings for August 2004.
Rating system:
***** = Excellent
**** = Very Good
*** = Good
** = Fair
* = Poor.

BALLY’S PARK PLACE: Always a crowded place. The 8-deck games have about 75 percent penetration. Penetration is about 1.8 decks on the six-deck games in the high-roller pit and these games are almost always $100 to $200 minimums. You can resplit for a total of three hands, but aces can only be split once. Multiple Action and Spanish 21 are also available for minimums of $10. Good place for Golden Touch Blackjack. ***
BORGATA: Every table is 6-decks. Penetration has sunk to about 70 percent. Standard AC rules which means that for basic strategy players it’s a fine game. Plenty of $10 games and some $5 games as well. * * ½ *
CAESARS: No change from last issue. Table game action has improved and that is very noticeable in the blackjack pits. Six-deck games in high roller room have 75 percent penetration as do the eight-deckers on the main casino floor. Good casino for Golden Touch Blackjack. Multiple Action and Spanish 21 available at $10 and up! ***
CLARIDGE: No change from last issue. The high-roller action was six-deck games with $50/$100 minimums most days, with penetration about 80 to 85 percent when we visited. You can resplit pairs up to four hands in high-roller room (but no more resplitting of aces). The rest of the casino, all eight-deckers, doesn’t allow any resplitting. Multiple Action and Spanish 21 available for $10 and up. To stay here, you have to make the trek to Bally’s Park Place to register, which is not the best thing for the senior citizen crowd, which really likes this place. Great place to play Golden Touch Blackjack. *** ½ *
HARRAH’S: No change from last issue. Very friendly dealers and pit personnel. Penetration now ranges in the 75 percent area. Resplitting allowed except aces. No midshoe entry. Play here and at Showboat and your play counts all across the nation. For those of you who like to go to Vegas you can get some good comps for AC action in the desert! A room that would be discounted for $80 in AC would be free in Vegas based on the same play – this is not official but based on our calculations of the offers we’ve received. Good place for Golden Touch Blackjack. ***
HILTON: Depending on the dealer, you can still find some very good penetration at the Hilton. Resplitting allowed except aces. High roller room is 6-decks, rest of the casino is 8-decks. Pits have been quick to jump on suspected counters, so be wary. High table minimums, especially on weekends, a lot of $25 tables, rare $10 tables. Penetration about 75 percent throughout the casino. The Multiple Action and Spanish 21 also have okay penetration for $10. Good place to play Golden Touch Blackjack. ***

RESORTS: No change from last issue. Casino is fresh and bright. Great penetration has arrived. Now in its 25th year of operation, Resorts looks better today than it did when it opened and it is undergoing major renovations. Resorts penetration is about 75 percent now. Most of the $5 games have become $10 games, even midweek, but this is still a bargain by AC standards. Resplitting is allowed at all tables. Casino also offers multiple-action blackjack and Spanish 21 at $10 minimums. Good place to play Golden Touch Blackjack. Pits are friendly. ***
SANDS: Going downhill again with raised table minimums. The place is also very loud with their nightclub almost on the casino floor. You can resplit up to three times as you go deaf. A good place to play Golden Touch Blackjack, if you can afford the minimums. ***
SHOWBOAT: No change from last issue. Six-deck games in the high roller room have standard penetration of about 75 percent. Resplitting now allowed up to three hands. Eight-deck games have 80 percent penetration. Can now occasionally find $25 games in high roller room. They announce them with a big sign during slow times. You can get great deals in other venues by using your card as it’s a part of the Harrah’s Total Rewards program. Good place to play Golden Touch Blackjack. ***
TROPICANA: No change from last issue. Blackjack games have actually improved here. Still the low man in the city but any positive movement is a good thing. **
TRUMP MARINA: No change from last issue. The joint is losing money. This place has a big youth clientele -- and youth is fickle -- because of all the rock bands that play here. So if you like the high energy of often-dimwitted young folks loudly having a good time, this is the place for you. Six-deck games in high roller room and eight-deck games on the main floor have penetration of 75 percent mark, but you won’t find any dealers going much deeper. Games are mostly $15/$25 and up, especially on weekends. **1/2*
TRUMP PLAZA: No change from last issue. Six-deck blackjack games in high limit area are about 75 percent penetration with $100 minimums – sometimes the dealer will now go even deeper. Sometimes when it’s slow, they will honor a request for $50 minimum. The eight-deck games have penetration ranging from 70 percent to 75 percent on all, depending on the dealer. No midshoe entry on eight-deck games outside high-roller pit but you can find $25 (a few) to $50 minimums on these. Allows resplits, except aces. Most eight-deck tables are $10 and higher. Good place to play Golden Touch Blackjack. ***
TRUMP TAJ MAHAL: We are becoming patrons of the Taj. In the past few months the friendliness of the pit crews and dealers is winning us over. Good game with 75 percent penetration, dealer dependent. Multiple Action, Double Exposure and Spanish 21 are still available at $10/$15 minimums and up. Good place to play Golden Touch Blackjack. ***
WILD, WILD WEST: Penetration has deteriorated in the last couple of months to slightly under 75 percent on all games. Still a good place to play, atmosphere wise. ** ½ *
THE BEST BLACKJACK IN ATLANTIC CITY: Claridge

Directory: Blackjack glossary, guide to blackjack

2004-09-03T16:45:00.000-07:00

Blackjack Sites

Games not Blackjack

Regional Websites

AdvantagePlayer.com. Message boards, Trackjack, chat, & more, by RGE.
Basic Strategy Engine. Your choice of BJ rules. By Ken Smith.
BJ21.com.ar. Discussion of BJ in Spanish. Too many popup ads. Not associated with BJ21.com.
Blackjack411 Tournament Calendar. Has information on upcoming Blackjack Tournaments.
BJ21 as it was. A look at BJ21 on selected past dates.
BJRnet.com. Message boards, chat, and more, by Michael Dalton.
BJstats.com. Repository of simulation data.
BJInsider.com. General blackjack information and articles.
BlackjackTournaments.com. A website devoted to blackjack tournaments.

Bob's Blackjack University. Basic
strategy and articles. By Auston Chipmaker. -->
CardCounter.com. Message board, essays, and more.
Countingedge.com. Help with counting and basic strategy.
Flash Cards. Practice to see cards quickly. Caution: Contains multiple pop-up ads.
GamblingTools.net. Software for analyzing blackjack, keno, and video poker.
Hitorstand.net. Has an interactive shockwave basic strategy tester. Fun and informative.
Mathematics. Articles & message boards maintained by Richard Reid.
MindPlay.biz. Sells a blackjack table that counts cards.
Qfit: Home of Casino Verite. Excellent blackjack practice software.
RobTougher.com. Card-counting practice drills.
Russia. Message board discussing blackjack in Russian.
SBA: Statistical BJ Analyzer. Excellent blackjack simulation software.
Swedish BJ Site. Blackjack site in Swedish and English.
Swedish Site: Kasinocentralen.nu. In Swedish. Has message boards.
Tournament Blackjacktime. Play in online BJ tournaments.
Yahoo blackjack groups. Message boards.

Card Games: The House of Cards. If it's a card game, then there's info about it on this site.
General: GameMaster. Advice on playing casino games.
General: Smart Gaming. General information for casino players.
General: Wizard of Odds. Advice on playing casino games.
Poker: FAQ. Frequently asked questions about poker.
Poker: Poker Pages. Message boards, tournaments, and more.
Poker: Pokersearch. 12 Forums - Travel - Large poker links section.
Poker: The Poker Forum. A place to talk poker.
Poker: TwoPlusTwo. Message boards maintained by Mason Malmuth and David Sklansky.
Sports: Covers.com. Lots of helpful statistics for sports betting.
Sports: DonBest.com. Scores, lines, and news.
Sports: News Links. Newspapers for NFL cities.
Sports: Offshore Books. Feedback on which ones you can trust.
Sports: SharpSportsBetting.com. The Pi Yee Press sports site. Mostly message boards. Good collection of sports links.
VPhomepage.com. Links of interest to VP players. By Skip Hughes.
VP: Jazbo. Strategies by Jazbo Burns.
VP: Statman’s Page.
VP: Video Poker Review. Message board.
VP: Zamzow. Publisher of Bob Dancer Presents Video Poker. Good collection of links.

American Casino Guide. Steve Bourie's large collection of info and links. Has a message board.
Blackjack Australia. Info on blackjack in Australia.
Indian Gaming News. Daily, from Pechanga.
MS: Information. Links, map, weather, etc.
MS: Tunica Information.
MS: Jackpot Magazine. Offers in-depth news coverage of gaming in the Southeastern United States
NJ: Casino Control Commission.
NJ: PressofAtlanticCity.com . Atlantic City daily newspaper.
NV: Las Vegas Advisor. Top ten values in Las Vegas.
NV, Las Vegas: aGlitter. Hotels, dining, & more.
NV, Las Vegas: A2Z. Hotels, dining, list of conventions, & more.
NV, Las Vegas: CheapoVegas. Hotel info, maps, how to do Vegas cheaply.
NV, Las Vegas.com. News and area info.
NV: Las Vegas Leisure Guide. Places to stay in the Las Vegas area.
NV, Las Vegas: Lodestone. Message board, comps, video poker, & slot clubs.
NV, Las Vegas: MiningCo. Hotels, dining, & more.
NV: Las Vegas Online. Entertainment info & message board.
NV: Las Vegas Review Journal. Daily newspaper.
NV: Las Vegas Show Schedule.
NV: Las Vegas: Sovereign Solution personal security vaults
NV: Las Vegas Strip-Club Review.
NV: Las Vegas Strip History. All names ever attached to any Las Vegas casino, with dates.
NV: Las Vegas Sun. Daily newspaper.
NV, Las Vegas: Vega$trip.com. Map and hotel/casino info.
NV, Las Vegas: Viva Las Vegas. Email lists for free newsletter and free coupons, from Billhere.
NV: Las Vegas Weather. Four-day weather forecast. Other US cities too. From Yahoo.
NV: Reno/Tahoe Information.
NV: Tahoe/Carson City Information.
Nevada Gaming.
WisconsinGaming.com. Info on Wisconsin casinos.

Websites Related to Gambling Law
Miscellaneous
Gambling and the Law. Nelson Rose's site. Includes his articles.
GamingLabs.com. Click on "Links to Regulator" for links to dozens of regulatory agencies.
Law: MI. Info on gaming in Michigan.
Law: MS. Mississippi's Gaming Commission.
Law: NV. Nevada's Gaming Commission and Gaming Control Board.
Law: Structuring. Trying to evade the Currency Transaction Report.
Tax Service Specializing in Gamblers.
NetLingo. Online acronym and Internet dictionary.
Bet2Gamble.com. Info on offshore casinos. Has message boards.
Casino Surveillance News. An online trade journal. Understand the opponent.

Chicago
Sun-Times.
Weekly gambling column by John Grochowski.
-->
Dictionary. Merriam-Webster.
Internet Addiction. Are you spending too much time on BJ21?
Links. Great collection from RefDesk.com.
Map: Road-by-road instructions for driving from point A to point B.
Maps to Casinos. Locate most, but not all, of the casinos near you.
Memory Improvement. Info from lef.org on drugs for improving memory.
Privacy.net. Info collected about you when you visit a web site.
Statistics. Basic tools & hypothesis testing.
Statistics. Links to web pages that perform statistical calculations.
Travel: Best Fares. Air travel, hotel, and rental car information.
Travel: Cheaptickets.com. Airline reservations at good prices.
Travel: HotelKingdom.com. Gives good room rates for every hotel in Las Vegas.
Travel: Southwest Airlines. Lots of flights to and from Las Vegas.
Travel: Travelaxe.com. Search engine to find best rate for every hotel in any city.
Travel: Travelocity.com. Airline reservations at good prices.
Trolls: from Members.AOL.com. What is a troll, and how to respond to a troll.

Roulette - Roulette - Roulette - Roulette!

2004-09-03T16:40:00.001-07:00

1.1 If Red has come up 5 times in a row, wouldn't you have an edge if you bet Black?

Definitely not. In fact, you wouldn't have an edge if you bet Red either. The wheel has no "memory." Whatever happened on the last spin has no impact on the current spin. Roulette is a game of independent trials, unlike Blackjack where the composition of the deck changes as the cards are dealt out.

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1.2 I have heard how you can take advantage of "streaks," where either high numbers are hitting, or low numbers are hitting. Is there any truth to this?

No. The human mind is a tricky dude. We are programmed, as human beings, to search for patterns and make sense of the world around us. When a gambler sees a pattern in a roulette game, they want to believe they have found something special. That they are special. Therefore, they give meaning to these random events and assume the pattern will continue. Don't fall for this. There is a reason Las Vegas keeps building newer and more expensive hotels.

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1.3 Why are the numbers laid out on the wheel in such a weird sequence?

The original designers of the wheel figured that the only way they could lose would be if somehow the wheels were bias. That is, a certain physical section of the wheel was favored because of some defect. In order to combat exploitation of this with "easy" bets, they arranged the numbers so that it is difficult to bet them in sequence. They were arranged so that even/odd numbers and high/low numbers alternate, generally in groups of two. This is true on both the double zero and single zero wheels. For some reason, the folks responsible for the double zero wheel decided to lay the numbers out differently than the folks who designed the single zero wheel. Why? I don't know. Probably for the same reason we drive on the right, and the Brits drive on the left.

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1.4 What are neighbor bets?

Answer 1: Something we should have in Vegas. Answer 2: A convenient way to place a bet on consecutive numbers, as they are laid out on the wheel. For example, if you bet zero and the neighbors, you hand the dealer a 5 unit bet (generally $25), and one unit each will be played on the 5 numbers centered by zero. On a single zero wheel, you would be playing 3, 26, 0, 32 15. On a double zero wheel, you would be betting 14, 2, 0, 28 and 9. Great way to bet. Generates tremendous action outside of North America. For some reason (which I believe is totally unfounded), the casinos in North America do not offer this bet, and somehow feel that they will be taken advantage of if they do.

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1.5 Are there any bad bets in Roulette?

Not really. The beauty of Roulette is that you don't have to worry about the house "vig" when you place your bet. Look at craps, which most people think is the best "deal" in the house. You get raped for 30 for 1 on a 35 to 1 bet. Craps is only a "deal" if you bet the most boring bet on the face of the planet. The only technically "bad" bet in double zero roulette is the 5 number bet 0,00,1,2,3. The house edge on this is over 7%. All other bets are a fixed 5.26% (still pretty bad, but consistent). Single zero roulette offers a vig of 2.7% and no bad bets. In most single zero games, you will also only lose 1/2 of your even money bet (red/black, even/odd, etc.) if zero comes up. Only a 1.35% vig if you stick to outside even money bets.

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1.6 I've heard of "dealer signature." Is there anything to this? Can the game be beaten this way?

There is something to dealer signature, but the dealer needs a lot of help from the wheel. Dealer signature is when you have a correlation between the release point (the number under the ball when the dealer release the ball) and the final outcome. As a playable system, you are just wasting your time. In other words, given the right situation (which I discuss in my book) a dealer can hit a favored section, but unless you have the cooperation of the dealer, you can't predict the final number just by looking at the release point number

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1.7 Do biased wheels exist?

Yes, biased wheels do exist, but they are rare and it takes a lot of bias to overcome the 5.26% edge. Biases form because of physical defects in the wheel, and older wheels are more susceptible to biases. If you are going to seriously try and find bias wheels, then you need to read my Biased Wheel Report.

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1.8 Is there any way to beat this friggin game?

Yes. For many wheels, there is a correlation between the motion of the ball and the wheel and the final outcome. The game can be beat because the casinos (wisely, I might add) allow you to bet AFTER the ball is in motion. It is like an adult video game. If you know what to look for, you can analyze the motion of the wheel and the ball, and get a bet down that has an edge. It is not easy, but that is what my system - and this forum - are all about.

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1.9 How much can I expect to earn playing Roulette?

Like most everything else with Roulette, the answer starts with, "it depends..."

A competent visual player can expect to play with an overall 15% to 20% edge over the house. Why not more exact? Because it is impossible to get enough trials under the same conditions to definitively establish a true edge. Some situations only yield a small edge (5% - 10%), and it is very difficult to detect that you have an edge at all. This is the difference between winning 1 out of 11 times vs. 1 out of 12 times on a 3 number bet. When you factor in normal variances, you would have to play about 100 trials under these conditions to confirm your edge.

A more realistic, and detectable edge, is 20%. This is equivalent to winning 1 out of 10 vs. 1 out of 12. This is what I am able to do consistently. However, sometimes I can go on maddening streaks where I don't hit for 40 or 50 spins. Normal variance of the conditions, and situations where the ball just keeps landing inbetween the numbers I bet contribute to this situation.

In prime conditions, you can get an edge in excess of 40%. I define 'getting an edge' by what the results are during an hour of good play. You can't just walk up to a wheel, hit on the first try, and then claim you have a 400% edge! Others may define it differently, but 1 hour of play (about 25 - 30 bets) is how I define it.

So, let's assume you become technically competent and are able to gain a 15% overall edge in playable situations. And, let's assume that you can find enough playable situations so that you can get in 3 hours of quality play per day. This is very possible in the major casino cities, and if you are fortunate enough to live in the U.K., or somewhere else where being a roulette 'regular' doesn't mark you as a pervert, you can nurture a few continuous opportunies. Either way, let's assume you are prepared to put in the scouting and legwork to get 3 hours of quality play per day. And, further assume you can play 6 days a week. A total of 18 quality hours.

It then becomes an exercise in how well you can get the money down on the layout. It generally will not be a problem to get down $20 on a prediction bet. This is one stack of $1 chips. And, you can assume that at busy times (weekends, etc.) you will have the opportunity to put down a stack of $5 chips. Given the normal ups and downs, it is reasonable to assume that your average bet - in the long term - could be as high as $25. I say "per bet" because you won't be betting every spin. You will find you will be averaging about 25 prediction bets per hour. Again, this is not an exact science. It depends...

So, you will put out 25 X $25 = $625 per hour. Given a 15% edge, you would make about $93/hr. 3 hours of play a day = ~$280/day. 6 days a week = $1,680 per week = $87K per year, cash.

Does this make it worth the effort? Only you can determine that. Given a reasonable M.O. that will last in the long term, you would need a bankroll of about $12,500 to sustain this level of income with a 1% risk of ruin. In my book, I give complete risk of ruin/bankroll requirements for all combinations of visual play.

I will finish by saying this: Most people do not understand what a 20% edge looks like in Roulette. They equate this to winning every spin. They are thinking in Blackjack terms. 20% is a very fragile edge, and it takes a great amount of skill to detect that you are maintaining this edge. Again, I cover this in detail in the system materials. It is very easy to get discouraged if you don't understand the statistics of high variance betting. Consider: a 20% edge in roulette is like playing a wheel of fortune with 30 numbers that pays out 36 when you win. But, the cavet is that you can only bet between one to five numbers on this wheel. Payout aside, can you see how just through normal variance you could go 40, 50 even 100 spins without a win? It takes a very special type of individual to persevere in this type of enviornment.

Paycheck Cashing Bonuses

2004-09-03T16:40:00.000-07:00

Establishment Bonuses Special Restrictions
Ariz. Charlie's Boulder swipe slot card at kiosk for random prize check(s) must total $50+
Ariz. Charlie's Boulder. swipe slot card at kiosk for random prize 'personal' check for $100+
Ariz. Charlie's Decatur swipe slot card at kiosk for random prize check(s) must total $50+
Ariz. Charlie's Decatur. swipe slot card at kiosk for random prize 'personal' check for $100+
Barbary Coast token for video poker machine (minimum prize is a drink)
Barley's drink
Bighorn drink, $5 ace for BJ
Boulder wheel spin check(s) must total $50+
Cannery bingo machine play: 72.6% win drink, 16.1% win gift certificate, & 11.3% win cash or 4-of-a-kind bonus coupon
Charlie Holder's $1000 bonus if royal flush within 24 hours check(s) must total $50+
Club Fortune token for a special slot machine (minimum prize is nothing) check(s) must total $100+
Eldorado drink, special 10-spot keno ticket for 50¢, 100 coin bonus for four-of-a-kind in 5-10s in next 24 hours check(s) must total $50+
Ellis Island drink, coupon 0-10 at BJ (loses on a push) only paychecks of employees of other casinos
Emerald Island scratch card check(s) must total $40+
Fiesta Henderson play on video poker machine, cash-for-new-points offer ($10 = 1000pts) check(s) must total $50+
Fiesta Rancho token for video poker machine check(s) must total $50+
Gold Coast token for Paycheck Bonus machine (minimum prize is a drink or $1 bonus at BJ)
Gold Spike 2 for 1 meal coupon check(s) must total $250+
Golden Palm drink
Green Valley wheel spin check(s) must total $50+
Hard Rock drink
Jerry's Nugget token for Millionaire Machine, entry into monthly drawing check(s) must total $200+
Joker's Wild drink, $1 keno ticket for 50¢, 100 coin bonus for four-of-a-kind in 5-10s in next 24 hours
Key Largo hit hand pay jackpot on any machine in next hour and receive double pay on paycheck (max of $250)
Longhorn drink
Monte Lago drink
Nevada Palace token for vp machine check(s) must total $50+
Opera House wheel spin check(s) must total $75+
Orleans (The) token for Paycheck Party machine (minimum prize is a drink or $1 bonus at BJ)
Palace Station wheel spin check(s) must total $50+
Palms swipe slot card for a random prize check(s) must total $50+
Plaza token for video poker machine (minimum prize is a drink)
Poker Palace wheel spin check(s) must total $50+
PTs drink must have PTs' check cashing card
Railroad Pass entry into weekly drawing
Rainbow drink, one play on payroll machine check(s) must total $50+
Rampart scratch card
Sahara drink
Sam's Town computerized wheel spin check(s) must total $50+
Santa Fe wheel spin check(s) must total $50+
Slots-A-Fun drink
Suncoast token for Paycheck Payout machine (minimum prize is a drink or $1 bonus at BJ)
Sunset Station wheel spin check(s) must total $50+
Terrible's automated bingo-style-game play check(s) must total $50+
Texas drink, wheel spin check(s) must total $50+
Tuscany video poker play (you can actually get nothing)
Wild Wild West drink
Wildfire drink, entry into monthly drawing
_Aladdin nothing
_Alibi Casino nothing
_Aztec Inn will not cash paychecks
_Bally's nothing
_Barcelona nothing
_Bellagio will not cash paychecks
_Boardwalk nothing
_Bourbon St. nothing
_Caesars Palace will not cash paychecks
_California nothing
_Casino Royale nothing
_Circus Circus will not cash paychecks
_Danny's Slot Country nothing
_El Cortez nothing
_Eureka nothing
_Excalibur nothing
_Fitzgeralds nothing
_Flamingo will not cash paychecks
_Four Queens nothing
_Fremont nothing
_Gambler Casino (Popo's) nothing
_Gold Rush nothing
_Golden Nugget nothing
_Greek Isles will not cash paychecks
_Harrah's will not cash paychecks
_Hyatt Regency will not cash paychecks
_Imperial Palace nothing
_Klondike nothing
_Klondike Sunset nothing
_La Bayou nothing
_Lady Luck nothing
_Lake Mead Lounge & Casino nothing
_Las Vegas Club nothing
_Las Vegas Hilton nothing
_Luxor nothing
_Magic Star nothing
_Main Street Station nothing
_Mandalay Bay nothing
_Mermaids nothing
_MGM Grand nothing
_Mirage (The) nothing
_Monte Carlo nothing
_New Frontier will not cash paychecks
_New York-New York nothing
_O'Sheas nothing
_Paris nothing
_Renata's nothing
_Rio will not cash paychecks
_Riviera will not cash paychecks
_Roadhouse nothing
_San Remo nothing
_Silver Nugget nothing
_Silverton nothing
_Skyline nothing
_Stardust will not cash paychecks
_Stratosphere nothing
_Terrible's Town Casino & Bowl nothing
_Treasure Island will not cash paychecks
_Tropicana will not cash paychecks
_Venetian will not cash paychecks
_Western nothing
_Westin nothing
_Westward Ho will not cash paychecks
Commentary
Paycheck bonuses are commonly available at Las Vegas casinos that cater to locals. Casinos that aim exclusively for the tourist market have no such promotions and often will not cash any paychecks, even those of their own employees.

Casinos with paycheck bonuses invariably have two requirements: (1) Nevada photo ID and (2) check(s) from a firm that is established locally or government checks (social security, tax refunds, etc.). Casinos will usually not accept other types of two party checks: dividend checks, etc.

Casinos have been known to accept paychecks issued by large corporations (nationally known firms) presented by individuals who claim to be moving to the Las Vegas area and possess another state's photo ID.

In all cases, the paycheck amounts must be reasonable, i.e. hundreds of dollars as compared to thousands of dollars.

The format of the of the above table is the top part is an alphabetical listing of establishments that have a paycheck bonus offer and the lower part is an alphabetical listing of establishments that either have no such promotion or do not accept any payroll checks.

The format of the lines in the initial part of the above table is first the establishment's name, followed by a description of the bonus, which is, in turn, followed by any special restrictions.

Many of the paycheck promotions contain a random element, e.g. wheel spin, slot/video poker play, drawing ticket, scratch card, etc.

Slot Club Sign-Up Bonuses

2004-09-03T16:37:00.000-07:00

Casino Sign-Up Bonus
Aladdin baseball cap at 25 pts
Aladdin. buffet after 100 pts and within 48 hours of sign up using coupon from Casino Player
Ariz. Charlie's Boulder petty gift
Ariz. Charlie's Decatur petty gift
Bally's see Park Place Connection
Barbary Coast funbook (no gaming value, drink)
Barley's 1500 pts and an additional 500 pts for email address
Bellagio $10 machine play at 1500 pts, buffet for two at 2000 pts, see MGM-Mirage Players Club
Boarding Pass best to sign up at Santa Fe and receive both
1) coupon package ($2.35+ value) containing 5-10 BJ, 3x for the first 24 hours, keno ticket, drink
2) 'random' (lower value bias) gift of machine play ($5-$100 value)
Boulder Station see Boarding Pass
Caesars Palace see Park Place Connection, special awards at various levels (for points earned at Caesars): medallion (10 pts), hat (75 pts), T-shirt (125 pts), Gucci watch (50,000 pts)
Cannery gift
Casino Royale funbook
Circus Circus see One Club
Doc Holliday's Saloons registering at web site generates a coupon for 10,000 Gamblers Bonus pts ($10.00) when obtaining any four-of-a-kind at any of the six locations
El Cortez 4000 pts ($8 value)
Excalibur see One Club
Excalibur 2x for first 24 hours (min 200 pts) only if joining One Club at Excalibur
Fiesta Rancho gift
Fitzgeralds 250 pts ($2.50 value) with voucher
Flamingo see Park Place Connection
Four Queens earning 40 pts within 24 hours of sign up yields T-shirt
Gold Coast gift
Gold Rush 1000 pts ($2 value)
Golden Nugget buffet at 1500 pts
Green Valley Ranch see Boarding Pass
Hard Rock funsheet containing 10-20 any game ($4.79 average value), 2 slot/VP coupons, & choice of deck or shot glass
Hard Rock 2x on first day using coupon from Casino Player
This offer is only valid if you play machines that will guarantee the casino that you lose.
Hyatt Regency gift
Jerry's Nugget 2000 pts ($2 value)
Key Largo 300 pts ($1.50 value) with funbook coupon (see Free Funbooks)
Lady Luck funbook
Las Vegas Club prime rib dinner at 1000 pts
Las Vegas Hilton see Park Place Connection
Luxor see One Club
Magic Star 1000 pts ($2 value)
Mandalay Bay restaurant discounts at 200 pts, see One Club instead
MGM Grand earning 1500 pts (all earned at MGM) yields $10 free play and two buffets, see MGM-Mirage Players Club
MGM-Mirage Players Club Sign up bonuses are property specific. The sign up bonus has a company-wide limit of one. Best offer is at MGM Grand.
Mirage (The) two buffets at 1500 pts (play can be at any casino in the system), see MGM-Mirage Players Club
Monte Carlo see One Club
MonteLãgo (Casino) if signup is online you will receive 2000 points ($10 moreplay value); otherwise you will get no bonus
Nevada Palace 2500 points ($5 value)
New Frontier 300 pts ($3 value)
New Frontier. funbook ($2.90+ gaming value) containing 5-10 BJ, one $1 6-spot keno ticket (very long run), one bingo card, bull ride, ticket to Gilley's, drink
New Frontier.. using proper page from 'What's On' will lead to the validation of two coupons: 5-10 BJ and a free breakfast buffet
New Frontier... completing various play requirements (1, 2, 3, & 4 hours) within first 24 hours of membership generates meal(s) at a selection of restaurants and lodging
New York-New York taxicab cap
One Club sign up at Luxor has benefit that playing $25 (at Luxor) in first 24 hours yields $25 airline voucher
Opera House nothing unless one signs up online in which case one has a choice between two rather valuable promotions, each worth about $20
Orleans (The) funbook containing coupon for 1000 pts ($2.50 value) with slot card sign up, poor keno coupon, one drink at each of four Coast casinos, gift (necklaces)
OSheas see Park Place Connection
Palace Station see Boarding Pass
Palms use coupon in American Casino Guide for $10 in machine play
Paris coupon for meal discount
Park Place Connection sign up at Paris to obtain coupon for meal discount
Plaza photo key ring; 500 points ($1.00 value) with coupon from funbook (see Free Funbooks)
PT's 10,000 points ($5 value)
Rampart $5 in gasoline and $2 Nevada Numbers ticket
Riviera earning 60 pts in two days yields a gift: cap, hot dog & drink, or two show tickets
Sahara funbook containing 2-3 BJ ($.46 value), 2x (200 pts max, $10 value), painter's cap
Sam's Town deck
San Remo steak and egg breakfast or prime rib dinner; sign up must be at machine with customer service floor representative (not at slot club booth)
Santa Fe Station see Boarding Pass
Silver Nugget 500 pts (50¢ value) unless one signs up online in which case one has a choice between two rather valuable promotions each worth about $20 or, alternatively, one can ask for $100 in bingo play as a sign up bonus. Special awards at various levels: personalized jacket (1,000,000 pts), $200 (2,000,000 pts), $500 (3,000,000 pts), $600 (4,000,000 pts), $700 for each additional one million points
Silverton use coupon in American Casino Guide to receive 1000 pts (no cash value)
Silverton special introductory funbook (actually a funsheet)
Slots-A-Fun see One Club, gift after reaching 25 points
Stardust key chain after earning 50 points (requires funbook coupon)
Stratosphere 100 pts with Stratosphere funbook coupon for 100 pts (20¢ value)
Suncoast gift, also 1000 pts ($2.50 value) using the coupon in American Casino Guide, awards at various levels: baseball cap (10,000 pts), T-shirt (25,000 pts), sweatshirt (50,000 pts), polo shirt (100,000 pts), polar fleece (200,000 pts), super jacket (1,000,000 pts)
Sunset Station see Boarding Pass
Texas Station see Boarding Pass
Treasure Island one buffet at 1000 pts, see MGM-Mirage Players Club
Tropicana deck, 2x for 24 hours, during first 24 hours: 30 minutes play yields T-shirt, 1.5 hour play yields two magic show tickets, 2.5 hours play yields two ticket to Folies Bergere
Tuscany funbook which contains 5-10 any game, souvenir (key ring), drink, 1000 points ($2 comp value, no cash value), 5x (1000 pts. only), earn 500 pts. for $5
Venetian earning 25 pts in first week yields spin on wheel, earning 50 pts in first week also yields $10 voucher for food court
Westin $10 in machine play: slot, video poker, etc.
Wild Wild West 1500 pts (no cash value)
Wildfire 'random' (lower value bias) gift of machine play ($5-$100) using coupon from American Casino Guide
Commentary
The bonuses described in the above table are given without the loss of any slot points from your account. These bonuses are limited to one per account and cannot be obtained if you already have an account. Although the bonus item(s) may require extensive machine play, e.g. Gucci watch at Caesars at 50,000 points, the gratuity is still one per the 'not so new' player.

Casino games

2004-09-03T16:35:00.000-07:00

BLACKJACK
These Unified Gaming sites all offer single-deck blackjack which actually offers an advantage for the player because of the early surrender rule (which allows players to surrender against a dealer up card of ace). The player advantage is about 0.53%. You can find the basic strategy for the game at www.thewizardofodds.com , a site which has a lot of great info on online gambling and also can point you to other online casinos.

This is obviously a great play – an advantage game with huge bonuses. Where’s the catch? A number of serious players have doubted the fairness of this game, although the evidence for a non-random game is not hugely compelling. In my experience with about 50000 hands, I am about 1.5 standard deviations below expected (which means that instead of being ahead .5%, I am down about .3%). This happens by chance about 1 in 10 times.

Even if the game is not completely fair (which it may be), it is certainly not grossly unfair. With a 12% bonus on a deposit requiring 3X wagering, a player can still expect to be ahead 12%-.(.3%*3)=11% ahead. Again, if the game is actually fair, then one can expect to be ahead 13.5% in this case.

Although I suspect the game might be not completely fair, I continue to play because the bonuses are fantastic.

VIDEO POKER
Full-pay deuces wild (100.76%) used to be available at many of these casinos earlier in this year. Now, almost all deuces are 99-99.5%. Again, this is not a good long-term play, but a great way to earn bonuses. As I stated earlier, 9/7 db is a good way to play a match-play bonus.

Use the strategies on my strategy page -- they are not optimal for short-paying games, but will get you close enough (within 1% of optimal for Deuces Wild and within .1% of optimal for 9/7 double bonus) given that you are way ahead on the bonuses. If you play deuces wild, then hold two-pair (or four to the flush) over one-pair if the full-house pays 4 bets.

My experience with video poker makes me strongly believe that the game is fair. My results at video poker (at more than 15 unified gaming sites) are above expectations. In fact, I had a great run of luck --- hitting more royal straight flushes than I could have thought possible playing online.

ROULETTE
This is a terrible game to play (with a house edge of about 6%) UNLESS you are playing with your match-play bonus. Playing match-play with Roulette is the best game, as most of the money returned is winnings on a single bet (see match-play section above for details). One way of reducing the variance is to play 2 numbers, this will produce about a 90% win on the match-play without quite so much variance as betting a single number

Internet Gambling Page

2004-09-03T16:32:00.000-07:00

All of the sites listed here give bonuses on the initial deposit. THIS BONUS GIVES YOU AN INCREDIBLY LARGE EDGE OVER THE HOUSE – THIS BONUS IS THE MOST LIKELY THE BEST GAMBLING DEAL ON THE PLANET.

BONUS TYPES:

Cash bonuses added to your account: These are the best.

Match-play bonuses: Many casinos are now offering match-play bonuses – these are not as good as cash bonuses. With match-play bonuses, the house gives you money to wager and you only keep what you WIN on each bet. For example, if you play blackjack, you would win about 50% of the time (winning 1 bet) and lose 50% of the time. Therefore playing blackjack will yield about 50% of the match-play bonus on average. DO NOT PLAY BLACKJACK WITH YOUR MATCH-PLAY.

Roulette is a good game to play. For example, if you have 38 dollars in bonus, you can bet a single number at 35-1 with 38 1$ bets. On average, you will win 1 of these bets, and since you will win $35 on that bet, you will win 35/38 = over 90% of your match-play on average. Of course, this can be high in variance, so you can play lots of roulette with smaller bets to reduce this. For example, if you get a $200 bonus, 200 $1 roulette spins will give you an expected return of about $180 without too much variance. VIDEO POKER IS OK, BUT YOU WANT TO PLAY A GAME THAT HAS MORE OF THE RETURN IN HIGHER PAYOUTS. 9/7 DB (a common offering at these casinos) will yield about 80% of the match-play on average -- some casinos have recently stopped offering roulette for match-play use. Deuces Wild is not too bad, but don’t play jacks or better or bonus poker, because a significant part of your return is from two pair, which will only pay you 1 bet when you use match-play.

Bonuses can only be redeemed if you play through (or wager) a certain factor of your deposit amount. Many of the sites listed here require a 3 times wager, which means if you deposit 1000, then you must WAGER 3000. Given that the bonuses are usually 10-15% (8-12% match-play), then even if you play a –1% game, and lose 3% with your deposit wagered 3 times, you will still be 5-12% ahead. For those sites that require only a one time play through – the advantage is even greater.

Multiple Slot Point Promotions

2004-09-03T16:28:00.000-07:00

Casino Amounts and Times
Amigo Club 3x (60,000 pts max) for 24 hours after presenting Las Vegas Advisor coupon
Barbary Coast 2x 9/(6 & 12)
Barley's 2x (M,W-Sa)(mid-8am); 5x Su & Tu
Barley's. 3x (30,000 pts max) using Las Vegas Advisor coupon
Bighorn 2x M-Th, 3x F-Su
Boulder Station 3x (60,000 pts max) for 24 hours using Las Vegas Advisor coupon; see also Boarding Pass
Cannery 5x M,W,& F Note: All multiple slot point promotions at Cannery are limited to slot/vp machines that are guaranteed to generate long-run losses for the customers.
Casino Royale daily [3x(7am-9am), 2x(11am-2pm), 3x(4-7pm), 2x(8-11pm)]
Charlie Holder's 3x on birthday
Ellis Island 3x daily
Fiesta Henderson 5x F, see Amigo Club
Fiesta Rancho 5x F, see Amigo Club
Four Queens 2x (500 points max) during current trip using Las Vegas Advisor coupon
Gold Coast 2x 9/(6 & 12)
Gold Rush 3x W
Golden Nugget 2x W & F, must have local ID
Green Valley Ranch 3x (60,000 pts max) for 24 hours using Las Vegas Advisor coupon; see also Boarding Pass
Hard Rock. 2x for 24 hours (limited to slot/VP machines that qualify as losers) using Las Vegas Advisor Coupon
Key Largo 3x daily
Las Vegas Club 3x (500 points max) for 24 hours after presenting Las Vegas Advisor coupon
Longhorn 2x M-Th, 3x F-Su
Magic Star 3x W
Monte Lãgo 2x Tu & W & 9/6
New Frontier 3x (40,000 points max) for 24 hours after presenting Las Vegas Advisor coupon
New Frontier. 2x on birthday if 10,000 points earned in previous 12 months
Opera House 2x Tu
Orleans 2x 9/(6 & 12)
Palace Station see also Boarding Pass
Palms 3x (40,000 pts max) for 24 hours after presenting Las Vegas Advisor coupon
Railroad Pass 2x W; 3x Th
Rampart 2x Tu & Th
Sam's Town 6x 9/(4 & 5)
Santa Fe between 2x and 5x (random) only when the whistle blows (random times) on a special bank of $1 slot machines called Santa Fe Express
Silver Nugget 2x M,Tu; 2x daily (11pm-7am)
Slots-A-Fun 2x W
Suncoast 2x 9/(6 & 12)
Sunset Station see Boarding Pass
Terrible's 5x Th
Texas see Boarding Pass
Tuscany 2x Tu & Th
Westward Ho 3x daily (9am-9pm) on balloon-marked machines
Wild Wild West 5x on any Sunday after presenting Las Vegas Advisor coupon
Wildfire 2x for 24 hours after presenting Las Vegas Advisor coupon
Commentary
If you plan to do considerable play at any particular casino, I would suggest that a phone call to the slot club would be in order. Politely inquire if the casino has any special multiple slot point promotions. This procedure can often be very beneficial if done prior to extended play by using preferred times.

I will add that although multiple slot points can be valuable, it is far more important that you select good machines to play. Favorable banking slot machines and advantageous video poker machines should always be your first consideration, with multiple slot point promotions of secondary consideration.

Additionally, I should draw your attention to an often unnoticed quality of this list. The list is surprisingly short. Most of the roughly eighty casinos in the Las Vegas area never offer such promotions. For unspecified reasons, their management team have elected not to engage in multiple slot point programs.

Glossary of Blackjack Terms

2004-09-03T16:27:00.000-07:00

Ace Can have a value of 1 or, at times 11, dependending on the value of other cards in the hand.
Ace-Neutralized Count Aces are assigned a value of zero and, in such counts, a side count of aces would be required for betting purposes.
Ace-Reckoned Count Aces are assigned a value other than zero and, in such counts, a side count of aces is not necessary for betting, but may be used for play variations.
Action Term used to identify the total amount of money a player wagers during the course of a session.
Backcounting Method where a player stands by a blackjack table, or tables, without playing, but while counting the cards, with the intent of jumping into the game once the count becomes favorable.
Balanced Count Count system where the total of all the plus-value cards and the total of all minus-value cards equal zero.
Barring Preventing a player from further playing blackjack in a casino, by formal notification from a casino employee.
Basic Strategy Derived set of play decisions that represent the optimal method of play, based solely on the player’s first two cards dealt and the dealer’s upcard.
Bet Spread The range between the player’s minimum and maximum bets.
Betting Circle Spot on the blackjack table directly in front of the player, where the bet (wager) is placed.
Betting Efficiency A measurement that shows the power of a card-counting system for betting purposes.
Burn Card A card removed from the top of a freshly shuffled deck, indicating that it will not be dealt in play.
Bust To take an additional hit(s), so that the card totals exceed 21, resulting in a losing hand.
Chip Tray The tray directly in front of the dealer, used to hold chips, sorted by denomination.
Comp A free product or service extended by the casino to the player.
Cut Card A colored plastic card, with two purposes:
The card is inserted by the player somewhere within the deck(s) to determine where the dealer will cut.

After the cut, the dealer inserts the card to indicate at what point the deck(s) will be reshuffled. In this use it can also be referred to as a shuffle card or stop card.

Discard Tray The tray/holder on the table, to the dealer’s right, where all previously dealt cards and the burn card are placed face down.
Double Down The option for the player to place an additional bet, up to equal in value to the original wager, based on the value of the first two cards dealt. Doubling down is sometimes limited by the casino rules. When doubling down, the player receives only one additional card.
Early Surrender A rule that enables the player to give up one-half of the wager after looking at the first two cards dealt, for an immediate loss. If the dealer has an ace or 10 upcard, this option may be exercised before the dealer checks for a natural.
Element of Ruin The percentage chance of a player’s losing an entire bankroll.
Expected Value (EV)* Percentage of return expected from a single bet (in this case, a hand of blackjack), based on a long-term average.
Face Down Game The player’s first two cards are dealt face down, and the player is required to handle the cards.
Face Up Game The player’s cards are dealt face up, and the player is not permitted to handle the cards.
First Base Seat located on the far right of the player’s side of the blackjack table.
Hard Hand A hand where no ace is present, or where the ace is present but can be used only as a 1 value card, as being used as 11 will cause a bust.
Heat A term used to describe when casino personnel start watching a player very carefully.
Hit Either the player’s request or the dealer’s requirement to be dealt an additional card.
Hole card One of the dealer’s first two cards, which is dealt face down and not available for the player’s viewing.
Insurance A side wager offered when the dealer’s upcard is an ace. The player has the option of placing up to one-half the value of the original bet, which will win at a 2:1 rate if the dealer’s hole card is a 10, giving the dealer a natural. Winning an insurance bet offsets that of the original wager (losing bet), with the overall result being a push, unless the player has a natural.
Insurance Efficiency Measurement of the power of a card-counting system for insurance decisions.
Late Surrender A rule enabling the player to give up one-half the initial wager after looking at the first two cards dealt, for an immediate loss. However, if the dealer has a natural, the player will lose the entire bet.
Multi-Level Count The point values assigned for each card are plus 1, minus 1, zero, and also higher numbers such as plus 2, minus 2, etc.
Marker Draft signed by a player requesting chips advanced against either a credit line arranged with the casino, or money held on deposit (“front money”).
Natural When the first two cards dealt to a player or dealer are an ace and a 10. When a player receives a natural (also called a “blackjack”), the player is paid at a rate of 3:2, unless the dealer also has a natural.
One-Level Count The point values of each card are assigned plus 1, minus 1, or zero.
Pair Split The ability for the player to place an additional bet equal to that of the original wager, when the first two cards dealt are of equal value, thereby splitting the two cards to create two separate hands.
Pat Hand* A Hard Hand totaling 17-21.
Peek When the dealer is dealt an ace or 10 upcard and manually checks the hole card to determine if the hand is a natural.

Note: Today many casinos use special “auto peek” devices built into the table, which automatically read 10s or aces, as appropriate, from those cards that are specially coded. With such devices, dealers no longer manually peek at the hole card.
Penetration How far down into the deck(s) the dealer deals before shuffling.
Pitch Method whereby cards are dealt by the dealer from deck(s) held in the dealer’s hand.
Playing Efficiency Measurement of the power of a card-counting system for “play of hands” decisions.
Play Variation Play of a hand that differs from that prescribed by basic strategy, based on use of a count system.|
Point Value Plus number, minus number, or zero, which is assigned to a specific card in the deck (also called “tag value”).
Push When a player’s hand total is equal to that of the dealer (a “tie”).
Rating Method where the pit keeps track of how much money a player puts into action, mainly for the purpose of offering comps.
Running Count The cumulative count maintained, based on the point values of the cards already dealt.
Risk of Ruin* See Element of Ruin
Shoe Device used to hold cards, usually when four or more decks are used.
Snapper* Slang for a Natural, or a blackjack.
Soft Hand A hand in which an ace is present and such ace can be counted as 1 or 11.
Stand Either the player’s request or the dealer’s requirement not to be dealt any additional cards.
Stiff A hand totaling 12–16.
Ten-Value Card Tens, Jacks, Queens, and Kings all have a value of 10.
Third Base Seat to the far left of the blackjack table, from the player’s view.
Toke Tips, either given directly to the dealer or in the form of a bet placed on the dealer’s behalf.
Toke Box Small, clear box, attached to the table, with a slot used for the dealer to deposit chips received as tips.
True Count The number determined by a formula of taking the running count and dividing it by the number of undealt decks or half-decks.
Unbalanced Count A count system in which the total of all the plus-value cards and the total of all the minus-value cards does not add up to zero.
Upcard One of the dealer’s first two cards, which is dealt face up, available for the player’s viewing. |
Wonging* See Backcounting

Historic rec.gambling.blackjack FAQ List

2004-09-03T16:24:00.000-07:00

4.1 What do these funny acronyms mean... ?

(Adbul Jalib M'hall)

The acronyms that are often used in rec.gambling.blackjack are listed below.

Abbreviations:

BSE = Basic Strategy Edge
H17 = Hit soft 17 (dealer must hit)
S17 = Stand on any 17 (dealer must stand)
DOA = Double On Any first two cards
D10 = Double on 10 or 11 only
DAS = Double After Splitting is allowed
RSA = Re-Splitting Aces is allowed
ESR = Early Surrender
LSR = Late Surrender
O/U = Over/Under 13 side bets are allowed

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4.2 What special terminology is used by blackjack players?

(Steve Jacobs, Dave Everett)

Blackjack Terminology:

basic strategy
a playing strategy that is designed to minimize the house edge as much as possible without using techniques such as card counting, shuffle tracking, or dealer tells. Basic strategy is used as a foundation for card counting, but is also used by many non-counters.

burn card(s)
cards that are discarded without being dealt to the players. After the cards are shuffled by the dealer and cut by one of the players, one or more cards are "burned" before any cards are dealt to the players.

bust
after a "hit," the player is said to "bust" if the new card causes the player's total to exceed 21.

card counting
a system for improving the player's edge by assigning "weights" to each card face and summing the card weights as each new card is turned face up. The "count" indicates when the game is favorable for the player, so that the player can place larger bets and/or make changes in playing strategy.

cut card
a (usually colored plastic) card that is used to cut the cards after they have been shuffled by the dealer.

double down
to double the initial bet and receive exactly one more card. The option to double is often allowed on the players first two cards only, although some casinos allow doubling after splitting a pair. Many Northern Nevada casinos allowing doubling only with a two-card total of 10 or 11. It is very rare to find games that allow doubling of hands that have more than two cards.

double for less
to double down with less than 2X the original bet. Generally, when doubling is allowed, the player does not have to actually double his bet, but may increase it by any amount up to (but not more than) the original bet.

early surrender
surrender which is allowed even when the dealer has a natural. Very valuable to the player, but rarely offered by the casinos.

even money
taking insurance when holding a blackjack results in a net gain of one bet. Some casinos will allow the player to be paid without actually placing the insurance bet. This is called "taking even money." (See "insurance.")

first base
the first player at a table to act on his/her hand is said to be sitting at "first base."

flat bet
to bet the same amount on each successive hand.

hard hand
any hand that is not a soft hand.

heads up
playing at a table that has no other players.

hit
drawing a new card to add to the player's or dealer's hand.

hole card
the dealer's card that is placed face down.

insurance
a side bet, of up to 1/2 the original bet, that is offered when the dealer's upcard is an ace. This bet pays 2:1 if the dealer has a natural 21. (Also see "even money.")

late surrender
surrender which is only allowed when the dealer does not have a natural. If the dealer has a natural 21 (blackjack), the player's bet still loses in its entirety. If the dealer does not have a blackjack, the player loses half the bet and doesn't play the rest of the hand.

natural
a hand that totals 21 on the first two cards.

over/under
a rare bet that the first two player's cards will total over 13, or under 13, when aces are counted as one.

preferential shuffling
shuffling when the deck is favorable to the players, while avoiding a shuffle when the deck is unfavorable to the players.

push
a tie hand, the original bet is returned to the player.

shoe
a "box" for holding the undealt cards, usually used in multi-deck games.

soft hand
any hand that includes an ace that can be counted as 11 without having the value of the hand exceed 21. It is always possible to draw one card to a soft hand without busting.

split hand
hands that start with two cards of the same rank can be split to form two independent hands. This option is exercised by adding a new bet to the second hand, and these hands are played independently.

spread
to place more than one bet before the cards are dealt.

stand
to stop drawing cards.

stiff (hand)
any hand that has a small chance of winning regardless of how the hand is played (usually 12 — 16).

surrender
the option to give back the player's first two cards in exchange for a refund of 1/2 of the original bet (rarely allowed). Some hands, such as 16 vs. dealer's 10, are so bad that surrender is less costly than playing the hand.

third base
the last player at a table to act on his/her hand is said to be sitting at "third base."

upcard
the dealer's first card, dealt face up. The correct playing decision often involves some consideration of the dealer's upcard.

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4.3 What special terminology is used by card counters?

(Steve Jacobs)

Card Counting Terminology:

betting correlation
a measure of how well the card weights correlate to the change in the player's favorability when the cards are seen by the player and removed from the deck. This gives an estimate of the accuracy of the card counting system.

back counting
counting cards and waiting for the count to become favorable before sitting down to play. Usually done standing in back of the players.

balanced count
any counting system that has a count starting at zero when the cards are shuffled, and ending at zero when all cards in the deck(s) have been exposed. Most counting systems use a balanced count.

bet spread
the ratio between maximum and minimum bet size. A player who uses $20 maximum bets and $5 minimum bets is using a 4:1 bet spread.

card weight
the "value" assigned to each card face. This weight is added to the "count" as each new card is exposed. Weights are usually small integer values like -1, +1, or +2.

count
(noun) a number that represents the player's estimate of how favorable or unfavorable.

cover bet
a bet (usually large) placed at the "wrong" time, in order to fool the pit critters into thinking that the player is not counting cards.

insurance correlation
a measure of how well the card weights correlate to the change in the player's favorability for placing insurance bets. This gives an estimate of the accuracy of the card counting system for predicting when to take insurance.

penetration
the number of cards that are dealt before the cards are shuffled. Penetration is usually expressed as a percentage of the cards, as in "75% penetration." Good penetration is extremely important to card counters.

playing efficiency
effectiveness of strategy variations in tracking the optimal playing strategy as the deck composition changes. Efficiency is given by E = AG / PG, where AG is the actual gain from making the strategy changes, and PG is the possible gain that could be made by using a playing strategy that is "computer perfect."

running count
the total of the weights of all cards that have been exposed since the cards were shuffled.

shuffle tracking
a system to predict which sections of the deck/shoe will be favorable to the player, based on the locations of favorable sections of the previous deck/shoe, and on studying the method used to shuffle the cards.

side count
a count in addition to the "main" count, usually involving a single card face, as in "ace side count."

strategy variations
varying from basic strategy when the count indicates that it is profitable to do so.

ten poor
a deck that has a lower than average density of tens and face cards.

ten rich
a deck that has a higher than average density of tens and face cards.

true count
a count that is adjusted according to the number of undealt cards, usually by dividing the running count by the number of undealt *decks* (or half-decks).

unbalanced count
any counting system that has a count that starts or ends on a non-zero value (see "balanced count"). Red 7 is an example of an unbalanced count.

wonging
improving the player's edge by placing bets only when the count is favorable for the player, and "sitting out" when the count is unfavorable.

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4.4 Why is there so much talk about blackjack in rec.gambling?

(Steve Jacobs)

Blackjack is the most popular table game in American casinos, and the abundance of blackjack articles in rec.gambling is a reflection of this popularity. Unlike many other casino games, skillful play in blackjack allows the player to gain a slight advantage over the casino. However, there is no single form of the game that is found in all casinos, and it is often possible to find several slightly different forms of blackjack within the same casino. When playing blackjack, the "correct" strategy to use will depend on the number of card decks used and on the particular "house rules" that are in effect during play. All of these factors combine to make blackjack a very complicated topic.

[Note: this question is obsolete now that rec.gambling.blackjack is a separate group. This question will eventually be deleted from the rec.gambling.blackjack FAQ.]

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4.5 Is casino blackjack a "beatable" game?

(thunk)

Background: Many books have been written that claim that BJ is beatable.

Answer: Simulations performed by rec.gamblers show different amounts of potential player advantage in theory in BJ, depending on strategies, exact rules, and playing conditions. These numbers typically approach 1% (an average penny gain for every dollar bet), though in certain particular, ideal circumstances this can get somewhat higher. There is disagreement on the net about how much advantage this translates into in "real-world" casinos, but it's generally believed that players can play with a small, long-run advantage in BJ. The variance is very high in this game, however, which makes the slight advantage in BJ far from a sure thing.

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4.6 How much of an advantage can card counting give?

(Steve Jacobs)

A typical card counter will have an edge of 1.5% or less, depending on the counting system used, the skill of the player, and the particular house rules that the player is fighting against. It is quite unusual to find playing conditions that allow the player to get more than a 2% edge against the house, even against single deck games. The player's edge against multi-deck games is generally less than 1%.

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4.7 Is card counting illegal?

(Steve Jacobs)

No. The casinos would like you to believe that card counting is illegal, immoral, and fattening, but the fact is that card counters are simply using a greater level of skill than the typical blackjack player. The Nevada courts have ruled that blackjack players are free to use any information that is made available to them, provided that there is no collusion between a player and casino personnel. For example, if a dealer accidentally handles the cards in such a way that a player can see the dealer's hole card, the player can make use of this information without breaking the law.

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4.8 Can the casino ban card counters?

(Steve Jacobs)

This depends on where you play. In Atlantic City, where games of skill are not permitted, the casinos are not allowed to ban skillful players. In Nevada, casinos are allowed to refuse service to anyone at any time for any reason. Players are routinely "barred," usually by being asked to leave or by being told that they are welcome to play any game other than blackjack. If you are barred but persist in trying to play, the casino can have you arrested for trespassing.

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4.9 What is the correct basic strategy for single-deck blackjack?

(Steve Jacobs)

The following basic strategy is for single deck games without DAS (double-after-splits).

+-- Player's hand
|
| dealer dealer
||-might bust-| |-might stand-|
V 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 X A <------- dealer's upcard
---+-------------------------------
XX | S S S S S S S S S S never, ever, ever split
99 | PS PS PS PS PS S PS ps s s split if (d <= 9), except 7
88 | Ps Ps Ps Ps Ps Ph ph ph ph ph always split
77 | ps ps Ps Ps Ps ph h h s h split if (d <= 7), stand against 10
66 | ph ps ps Ps ps h h h h h split if (d <= 6)
55 | DH DH DH DH DH DH DH DH H H never split, treat like hard 10
44 | h H H DH DH H h h h h never split, double against 5, 6
33 | h h Ph PH PH ph h h h h split if (d >= 4) and (d <= 7)
22 | h ph Ph PH PH ph h h h h split if (d >= 3) and (d <= 7)
AA | PH PH PH PD PD PH PH Ph Ph Ph always split
---+-------------------------------
A9 | S S S S S S S S S S always stand
A8 | S S S S *DS S S S S S double against a 6
A7 | S DS DS DS DS S S h h h* double 3-6, hit against 9, 10, A
A6 | DH DH DH DH DH H h h h h double low, hit high
A5 | h h DH DH DH h h h h h A4 | h H DH DH DH H h h h h \ double against 4,5,6
A3 | H H DH DH DH H H h h h /
A2 | H H DH DH DH H H h h h /
---+-------------------------------
21 | S S S S S S S S S S always stand
20 | S S S S S S S S S S always stand
19 | S S S S S S S S S S always stand
18 | S S S S S S S s s s always stand
17 | s s s s s s s s s s always stand on HARD 17 or above

16 | s s s s s h h h h h 15 | s s s s s h h h h h 14 | s s s s s h h h h h > hit if dealer might stand,
13 | s s s s s h h h h h / stand if dealer might bust
12 | h h s s s h h h h h / (special case against 2, 3)

11 | D D D D D D D D D D always double
10 | D D D D D D D D H H double if (d < 10)
9 | DH DH DH DH DH H H h h h double if dealer might bust
8 | h H H DH DH H h h h h double only against 5, 6
7 | h h h H H h h h h h
6 | h h h H H h h h h h (4-2)
5 | h h h H H h h h h h (3-2)
4 | h h h H H h h h h h (2-2 pair if no more splitting allowed)
---+-------------------------------
S=stand H=hit D=double P=pair(split)
DH= double if allowed, otherwise hit
DS= double if allowed, otherwise stand
[uppercase] = "strong" hand, favorable to player
[lowercase] = "weak" hand, favorable to house

(*) notes:
Playing A7 against dealer's ace:
hitting gains 4.08% if dealer must hit on soft 17
standing gains 0.74% if dealer must stand on soft 17

Playing A8 against dealer's 6:
doubling gains 1.96% if dealer must hit on soft 17
doubling gains 0.03% if dealer must stand on soft 17
(this rule may be ignored to simplify the strategy)

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4.10 What is the correct basic strategy for Atlantic City blackjack?

(Steve Jacobs)

The following basic strategy is for typical Atlantic City rules.

HOUSE RULES:
Cards are dealt from 6 decks.
Dealer must stand on any 17.
Double-down allowed on soft hands.
Pairs may be split only once.
Player may double-down after splitting pairs.
Surrender is not allowed.

Strategy Table

|---might bust---| |---might stand---| <---- dealer possibility
---+----------------------------------------
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 X A <---- dealer's up card
---+---------------------------------------- Pairs
XX | S S S S S S S S S S
99 | PS PS PS PS PS S PS ps s s
88 | Ps Ps Ps Ps Ps Ph ph ph ph ph
77 | ps ps Ps Ps Ps ph h h h h
66 | ph ph ps Ps Ps h h h h h
55 | DH DH DH DH DH DH DH DH H H
44 | h H H PH PH H h h h h
33 | ph ph Ph Ph Ph ph h h h h
22 | ph ph Ph Ph PH ph h h h h
AA | PH PH PH PH PDH PH PH Ph Ph Ph
---+---------------------------------------- Soft Hands
AX | S S S S S S S S S S
A9 | S S S S S S S S S S
A8 | S S S S S S S S S S
A7 | S DS DS DS DS S S h h h
A6 | H DH DH DH DH H h h h h
A5 | h H DH DH DH h h h h h
A4 | h H DH DH DH H h h h h
A3 | H H H DH DH H H h h h
A2 | H H H DH DH H H h h h
AA | H H H H DH H H h h h
---+---------------------------------------- Hard Hands
21 | S S S S S S S S S S
20 | S S S S S S S S S S
19 | S S S S S S S S S S
18 | S S S S S S S s s s
17 | s s s s S s s s s s

16 | s s s s s h h h h h
15 | s s s s s h h h h h
14 | s s s s s h h h h h
13 | s s s s s h h h h h
12 | h h s s s h h h h h

11 | DH DH DH DH DH DH DH DH DH H
10 | DH DH DH DH DH DH DH DH H H
9 | H DH DH DH DH H H h h h
8 | h H H H H H h h h h
7 | h h h H H h h h h h
6 | h h h h h h h h h h
5 | h h h h H h h h h h
4 | h h h h H h h h h h
---+----------------------------------------
S=stand H=hit D=double P=split Q=surrender

NOTES:
1) If more than one option is listed,
options to the left are preferred
over options to the right. Options
less favorable than STAND or HIT are
not shown.

2) Use the "Hard Hands" table only
when the other tables do not apply.

3) If splitting Aces is not allowed,
use the "Soft Hands" table.

4) Uppercase options favor the player,
lowercase options favor the house.

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4.11 What is the house edge when playing basic strategy?

(Steve Jacobs)

The expected gain for basic strategy play depends on the house rules and the number of decks. The following table summarizes the player's expectation for a variety of games. All numbers are in units of percent of initial bet.

<-- number of decks -->
| 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 20 | 100 |
------------+-----+------+------+-----+------+-------+
AC | .1541 -.2228 -.3991 -.4569 -.5368 -.5638 |
AC + LSR | .1761 -.1717 -.3323 -.3843 -.4552 -.4790 |
AC + ESR | .7694 .3952 .2265 .1721 .0968 .0714 |
------------+-----+------+------+-----+------+-------+
strip | .0409 -.3214 -.4889 -.5437 -.6245 -.6447 |
strip + LSR | .0707 -.2685 -.4239 -.4744 -.5429 -.5659 |
strip + DAS | .1809 -.1795 -.3472 -.4021 -.4779 -.5034 |
strip + ESR | .6511 .2927 .1320 .0801 .0084 -.0157 |
------------+------+------+-----+------+-----+-------+
vegas |-.1527 -.5257 -.7015 -.7590 -.8445 -.8663 |
vegas + LSR |-.1095 -.4594 -.6221 -.6747 -.7469 -.7713 |
vegas + DAS |-.0103 -.3813 -.5570 -.6146 -.6951 -.7223 |
vegas + ESR | .5403 .1720 .0046 -.0493 -.1245 -.1500 |
------------+------+------+------+------+-----+-------+
reno |-.4291 -.7400 -.8906 -.9404 -1.0154 -1.0337 |
reno + LSR |-.3858 -.6737 -.8113 -.8560 -.9178 -.9387 |
reno + DAS |-.3121 -.6176 -.7658 -.8151 -.8840 -.9073 |
reno + ESR | .2639 -.0423 -.1846 -.2307 -.2307 -.3174 |
------------+------+------+------+------+-----+-------+

"AC" rules: (typical of Atlantic City)
dealer stands on soft 17
double down on any two cards
double after splits
no resplitting

"strip" rules: (typical of Vegas Strip)
dealer stands on soft 17
double down on any two cards (but not after splits)

"vegas" rules: (typical of Vegas Downtown)
dealer hits soft 17
double down on any two cards (but not after splits)

"reno" rules: (typical of Reno, northern Nevada)
dealer hits soft 17
double down allowed on two card total of 10 or 11 only

DAS = Double After Splitting
LSR = Late Surrender
ESR = Early Surrender (no longer available)

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4.12 Why are single deck games better than multi-deck games?

(Adbul Jalib M'hall)

There are some surface differences, such as single and double deck usually being hand-held, while four or more decks are dealt from a shoe, but there are fundamental mathematical differences too.

Single deck blackjack is usually better than multiple deck blackjack for card counters, basic strategists, and the clueless. Additional decks make busts less likely, since one can draw to hands like 2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2 (for 18) which are improbable/impossible in single deck. Busting less often helps the dealer's hand more than yours, since the dealer is forced by the rigid rules to hit more often than you. Blackjacks are also less frequent, which is bad since you get paid 3 to 2 for those. All in all, multiple decks will cost a basic strategist nearly 0.5% in advantage, which is more than all but the very best package of favorable extra rules will give you. This was an intuitive explanation; a complete mathematically sound (albeit huge) proof can be generated by a combinatorial analysis program.

Card counters face the additional problem that the count is less volatile with multiple decks and hence offers less frequent opportunities for large favorable bets. Consider the difference between an urn with 1 black and 1 white marble versus an urn with 100 black and 100 white marbles. Draw half the marbles: what is the probability that all the remaining marbles are white? In the 1 and 1 case, there is a 1 in 2 chance. In the 100 and 100 case, there is only a 1 in 100,891,344,545,564,193,334,812,497,256 chance!

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4.13 Do "bad" players at third base have any effect on expected gain?

(Steve Jacobs)

No. It is a common misconception that incorrect plays by the player at third base will "take the dealer's bust card" or "leave the dealer a good card." As long as the shuffle is sufficient to randomize the cards, improper play of other players will be just as likely to help as it is to hurt. However, bad players can cause frustration and anxiety which may increase the likelihood of making mistakes. It is best to avoid the temptation to strangle bad players.

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4.14 Where is the best place to sit at a blackjack table?

(Steve Jacobs)

It depends. For basic strategy players, seat position has no significant effect on the player's expected return. For card counters who use strategy variations, it is probably best to sit at third base in order to see as many cards as possible before playing the hand. When playing against a "front loading" dealer, the best seat is whichever seat gives you the best shot at getting a glimpse of the dealer's hole card. When playing at the Rio, the best seat is the one that gives the best view of the cocktail waitresses.

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4.15 How is card counting done?

(Steve Jacobs)

The card counting system described below is an unbalanced 10 count that is 100% accurate for determining when to take insurance. As a general purpose card counting system, it is relatively weak and not particularly recommended, but it illustrates many of the principles behind card counting. This is intended only to give a feel for how card counting is done, and is not recommended for actual practice, although I've used it because of its simplicity. This counting strategy is listed as "Unbalanced 10 Count" in other parts of the FAQ list.

For single-deck games:
1) Start the count at -4 when the deck is shuffled.
2) Count -2 for 10, J, Q, K.
3) Count +1 for everything else (including aces).
4) Bet low when the count is negative, high when the count is positive (actually, simulations show that you can bet high for a count of -2 or above).
5) Take insurance when the count is positive.
6) Play basic strategy at all times.

For N-deck games:
1) Start the count at (-4 * N).
2) All other rules are the same.

Notes:
The unique feature of this counting method is that it is perfectly accurate for dealing with insurance. When the count is positive, the player has the advantage when taking the insurance bet. When the count is negative, the house has the advantage, so insurance should not be taken.

Counting is best done by counting several cards at once. It is easy to practice this counting method in the following way:

1) Count through a deck of cards, counting one card at a time. Start at -4, and count through the entire deck. After all of the cards have been seen, the count should be ZERO. If it is not zero, a mistake has been made somewhere. Repeat counting through the deck one card at a time, until you can do it quickly without making mistakes.

2) Count through the deck, counting two cards at a time. Look for the following patterns, adding the correct amount for each pattern (X = 10, N = non-ten).
NN: +2
XN: -1
XX: -4
Again, the count should be zero after all cards have been seen. Repeat until you can do it efficiently.

3) Count through the deck, counting three cards at a time. Look for the following patterns, adding the correct amount for each pattern (X = 10, N = non-ten).
NNN: +3
XNN: 0 (this pattern is common)
XXN: -3

4) Practice against a computer blackjack game. When I play, I usually count the cards by counting an entire hand (player's or dealers) at once. If there are more than three cards in the hand, I mentally break it up into groups of 1, 2, or 3 cards (I usually look for "XNN" patterns and ignore those cards, since they add up to zero). I usually count the cards just before the dealer picks up the hand (exception: for insurance, you should count your cards and the dealer's up card immediately).

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4.16 What counting system is "best"?

(thunk)

This has been answered by rec.gamblers using different approaches.

The first approach is to evaluate different systems by simulation. This approach obscures the particular advantages of each system, but it's easy to see how a system will perform in one particular realistic casino playing situation, and not hard to judge the tradeoff between performance and ease of use (see Q/A #17 for more details).

The second approach estimates several performance parameters of each system that collectively approximate the system's inherent potential. This allows the strengths of different BJ systems to be studied in detail, which should allow better, more precise comparison of different systems and aid efforts to improve a particular system. This approach gives results which may be used to determine which counting system is theoretically most profitable, but does not address the issue of how easy it is to use the counting system under actual playing conditions (see Q/A #18 for more details).

It's not yet clear how these two studies relate, and no rec.gambling.blackjack consensus has emerged as to how the more sophisticated performance parameters actually translate to advantage at the tables as in the simulations.

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4.17 What counting system is easiest to use?

(thunk)

Background: Lots of systems are available. There is an important tradeoff between complexity and theoretical power, as more complex systems are harder to use and more error-prone.

Answer: You pick 'em. A rec.gambling.blackjack study was accomplished that compared different systems, and here a summary of what came out:

Complexity is a subjective measure with guidelines described in the results paper. Power is the integer closest to p/0.05%, where p is the % advantage of the strategy one-on-one in a single deck, dealer hits on soft 17, no DDAS, resplitting-allowed game that's dealt down to 20 cards and using a 1—4 betting
spread. 15,000,000 hands guarantee correctness to within 1 point 99% of the time.

(Under construction.)

name complex power card weights reference
A 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 X
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
BASIC 0 -5 Steve Jacobs
UNBALANCED 10 2 13 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -2 Steve Jacobs
SUPER-SIMPLE OPT-I 2.5 16 1 1 1 1 -1 WGBJB (1)
REVERE PM 3.5 16 -1 1 1 1 1 1 -1 PBaaB
RED SEVEN 3.5 19 -1 1 1 1 1 1 R:1 -1 BiB
OPT1-6+6 5 18 1 1 1 1 -1 WGBJB
WONG HIGH-LOW 5 19 -1 1 1 1 1 1 -1 PB
ZEN 5 19 -1 1 1 2 2 2 1 -2 BiB
HORSESHOE 6 14 1 2 2 3 2 2 1 -1 -3 MDB (2)
REVERE POINT COUNT 6 17 -2 1 2 2 2 2 1 -2 PBaaB
OPT1-6+6 W/ ACE 7 23 1 1 1 1 -1 WGBJB
ANDERSEN 9.5 16 -2 1 1 1 2 1 1 -1 -1 TtToLV
USTON APC 10 22 1 2 2 3 2 2 1 -1 -3 MDB

WGBJB: "World's Greatest BlackJack Book" by Humble and Cooper
PBaaB: "Playing Blackjack as a Business" by Lawrence Revere
BiB: "Blackbelt in Blackjack" by Arnold Snyder
PB: "Professional Blackjack" by Stanford Wong
TtToLV: "Turning the Tables on Las Vegas" by Ian Andersen
MDB: "Million Dollar Blackjack" by Ken Uston
(1) with modifications by 'thunk'
(2) with modifications by Paul C. Kim

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4.18 What BJ counting system is most effective?

(Adbul Jalib M'hall, Jeff Jennings)

The playing efficiency, betting correlation, and insurance correlation is listed below for several counting systems. These numbers give an indication of the effectiveness of the counting system. When two numbers are listed, the second number results from adding an ace side count in addition to the "main"
count.

See answer #3 for definitions of "betting correlation," "playing efficiency," and "insurance correlation."

EXPLANATION OF COUNTING SYSTEMS
===============================================================
COUNTING COUNTING VALUES "BEST" EFFICIENCY CORRELATION
SYSTEMS 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 X A SOURCE PLAY+ace BET+ace INSURE
-------- ---------------------------- ------ -------- -------- ------
Griffin 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 -1 0 Griffin 64-64+ .85-.95 .85
Hi-Opt I 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 -1 0 Humble 61-63 .88-.97 .85
Hi-Opt II 1 1 2 2 1 1 0 0 -2 0 Humble 67-67+ .91-.99 .91
High-Low 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 -1 -1 Wong 51-63 .97 .76-.85
Ita 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 -1 -1 -1 Sys.Res. 53-63+ .96 .69-.76
Red 7's 1 1 1 1 1 ** 0 0 -1 -1 Snyder 54-64+ .98 .78-.87
Unbal 10's 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -2 1 Roberts 61-61+ .73-.94 1.00
Uston +- 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 -1 -1 Uston 55-64+ .95 .76-.85
Uston APC 1 2 2 3 2 2 1 -1 -3 0 Uston 69-69+ .91-.99 .90
Wong Halves 1 2 2 3 2 1 0 -1 -2 -2 Wong 57-67+ .99 .72-.85
Zen 1 1 2 2 2 1 0 0 -2 -1 Snyder 63-67+ .97 .85-.91
** red 7's +1, black 7's 0

Note: Playing efficiencies have a practical maximum of about 0.7.
"Unbal 10's" is short for "Unbalanced 10 Count"

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4.19 Does penetration have any effect on basic strategy expectation?

(Steve Jacobs)

Probably not. Unless the dealer is cheating, the cards will be in a random order after the shuffle. If the player is not counting cards or using other techniques to gain an advantage, it will not matter if there are several rounds or only a single round between shuffles. But, if the dealer if using preferential shuffling, this will hurt the basic strategy players as well as the card counters.

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4.20 What is the correct strategy for late surrender?

(Adbul Jalib M'hall)

Basic strategy for late surrender in AC multi-deck games is:
Surrender hard 16 (but not 8,8) vs. 9, 10, A.
Surrender hard 15 vs. 10.

If you are the least bit risk-averse, you should also:
Surrender hard 15 vs. A.

At some casinos you can surrender your first two cards. You lose half your bet in return for not having to play through the hand. With early surrender, you get back half your bet even if the dealer has blackjack, while with late surrender you lose anyway when the dealer has blackjack.

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4.21 What is the correct strategy for "multi-action" blackjack?

(Steve Jacobs)

Multi-Action blackjack allows the player to place up to three bets simultaneously on the same blackjack hand. The player is dealt a single hand, and the three bets are played out against the same dealer upcard, but with different "drawn" cards for each bet. Many players feel nervous about hitting stiff hands against a high dealer's upcard (7 or higher), since they will lose all three bets if they bust. However, basic strategy is COMPLETELY UNCHANGED for this game, and the correct strategy is no different than if the player had only a single bet at risk.

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4.22 What is "Over/Under" blackjack?

(Steve Jacobs)

Caesar's Tahoe introduced the over-13 and under-13 side bets that are allowed at some blackjack tables. These bets are based on the player's total for the first two cards, when aces are counted as one. Over-13 bets win when the player's cards total 14 or higher, while under-13 bets win when the player's cards total 12 or under. Either bet will lose when the player's total is exactly 13. These bets are placed at the same time as the blackjack bet, and usually the side bet can be no larger than the bet on the blackjack hand. Over/Under games are usually dealt from a 6- or 8-deck shoe, and the player's first two cards are always dealt face up. Although these are "sucker" bets for basic strategy players, with a house edge of 6% to 10%, special card counting strategies can be used to give the player a significant edge on these bets.

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4.23 What is the counting strategy for Over/Under blackjack?

(Steve Jacobs)

The card weights used for the Over/Under count are as follows: Count +1 for Ace, 2, 3, and 4, and count -1 for tens and face cards. The deck becomes favorable for counts of +2 and above, and for counts -4 and below. Over-13 bets should be placed when the count is +3 and above. Under-13 bets should be placed when the count is -4 and below.

When playing Over/Under blackjack with this counting scheme, virtually all of the player's profit comes from the over-13 and under-13 side bets. This counting scheme is very poor for playing the blackjack portion of the bet, and will only allow the player to play about even with the house on the blackjack
bets. However, the over/under bets can be very profitable if the game has good penetration. A 6-deck over/under game with good penetration can give the player an advantage of 1.5% or more. Single-deck over/under games with good penetration (very rare) can give the player an edge of over 4% when using the over/under count.

Snyder's "Over/Under Report" discusses the over/under game in detail, and is available from RGE at an outrageous price.

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4.24 What are some good/bad books on blackjack?

The individual book reviews given below are grouped according to the person doing the review. There are undoubtedly many good books that are not listed here, as well as many terrible books that are not listed here. These reviews are only the opinions of the reviewers, and your mileage may vary.

Review by Michael Dalton (as reported by Adbul Jalib M'hall):

Dalton, Michael. Blackjack: A Professional Reference. Spur of the Moment Publishing, PO BOX 541967, Merritt Island, FL; 1991. (1964 pages)
Written by a NASA computer systems engineer, this book is a comprehensive reference to the game of blackjack. Over 1000 entries listing books, magazines, publications, newsletters, articles, reports, videos, software and other products available for serious players of the game twenty-one. Also included is the most comprehensive blackjack dictionary ever compiled explaining blackjack terminology, system and strategy descriptions, rules, and miscellaneous blackjack trivia. Complete basic strategy charts that cover most blackjack games in the world are also presented. Fully cross-referenced with recommendations.

Reviews by Edmund Hack:

Blackjack Video: Winning at Blackjack with Bobby Singer, JCI Video, 1987, 103 minutes. This video is a tape of a sales pitch/introduction to card counting seminar hosted by Bobby Singer, billed as the "World's biggest winner at the game of Blackjack" on the back cover. The tape covers 5 areas: Basic Strategy, Card Counting, Money Management, Team Play and Casino Awareness. Unfortunately, the information is incomplete. For example, the basic strategy section only covers hard and soft hands and the card counting section only covers the card values for the Hi-Lo count, but no bet sizing or strategy adjustments. The rest of the information is available for $149.00. For this price, you get a set of notebooks with lessons and audio tapes covering the Hi-Lo count and an 800 number you can call to find out where the best games are in the city you plan to play. I rented the tape for $1.50 and maybe got my money's worth.
One interesting point covered in moderate detail is team play. Singer advocates playing 4 deck or up shoes with the "Big Player" approach pioneered by Uston and others. He advised using a counter at one or more tables who flat bets and uses hand signals (i.e. scratching the head) to call in a big money player. The current count is signaled to the Big Player by the stacking of chips in front of the counter in a particular way. The Big Player can then play out the rest of the shoe, presumably free of heat. If the count goes bad, the big player leaves, proclaiming a trip to the restroom is needed. The home study course is said to have info on bet sizing related/risk of ruin for teams and individuals.

The Winner's Guide to Casino Gambling, Edwin Silberstang, Plume, 1980 and 1989. This is a general overview of casino gambling with chapters on casino operations, comps, junkets, credit and the games offered. Detailed sections on craps, baccarat, roulette, keno, slots, video poker (1989 edition only) and blackjack give the staff, rules, and procedures of each game, the house advantage, a glossary, and the best plays for each. In addition, there are anecdotes about playing the games. As the author has separate books on poker and sports betting, there is little information on them here and Red Dog and Pai Gow poker are not covered. The blackjack section has correct basic strategy information for 1-, 2-, and 4+ deck games with and without DAS, and a discussion of Strip, Reno and Downtown rules variations. He presents the Hi-Opt I count (not by that name) and how to use it for bet sizing and insurance bets, but no strategy adjustments. There is a section written by a professional blackjack player on how to hide the fact that you are counting and life as a pro. If you want a single book as an introduction to casino gambling, this is it. [Note: there are 2 versions of the book out — a small green paperback from 1980 and a black trade paperback from 1989 that has been updated.]

Reviews by Adbul Jalib M'hall:

Fundamentals of Blackjack by Chambliss and Roginski — this book is pretty much a standard blackjack book, but it has exceptionally good tables of information. I advise buying this book as a supplement to whatever book you use for your counting system (probably either Professional Blackjack, The World's Greatest Blackjack Book, Blackbelt in Blackjack or Million Dollar Blackjack). The counting system discussed in "Fundamentals..." is not one that you would actually want to use, but the tables don't assume this system is used. Unfortunately, many of the tables were generated using Snyder's Blackjack Formula, and so the accuracy is not as good as would be the case with computer simulations.

Card Counting for the Casino Executive by Bill Zender — this book is written for casino executives, as you might suspect, which makes it insightful reading for card counters. The book goes into detail about how pit critters should go about identifying and discouraging card counters. It also lists all kinds of ways the players can win, both honestly and by cheating. The author is fairly counter-tolerant, which is refreshing. Alas, the book is spiral bound, only 138 pages long, and *full* of white space.

Reviews by Steve Jacobs:

Million Dollar Blackjack by Ken Uston. This is a good all-around blackjack book, although the advanced counting scheme is much more difficult than most. Ken gives a balanced view of blackjack, without the exaggerated claims that many BJ authors are fond of.

World's Greatest Blackjack Book by Humble & Cooper. This is a good book with a pretty reasonable counting scheme. The authors are way too paranoid about cheating, to the extent that they attribute virtually all of their losses to cheating. Otherwise, it is a good book. These guys have absolutely nothing nice to say about Lawrence Revere, so if you've read Playing Blackjack as a Business and would like to read an opposing viewpoint, this is the book for you.

Blackbelt in Blackjack by Arnold Snyder. The Red Seven count in this book is simple, and quite effective against single-deck games. The Zen count is more difficult, but more powerful. Snyder includes some interesting ideas that aren't found in other books, such as "depth charging." This book is probably not as good for beginners as are the previous two books, but is a good book for more advanced readers.

Theory of Blackjack by Peter Griffin. This is one of the few good books that cover the mathematical considerations of the game. This book is either a complete must or a complete waste of time, depending on how you feel about mathematics.

Beat the Dealer by Edward Thorp. This book is a classic, and is still worth reading. The card counting schemes are now somewhat dated, but it is still a good book for card counters.

Professional Blackjack by Stanford Wong. Some people really like this book, but I didn't find it all that exciting. It is considered a classic, and has a lot of good material.

Playing Blackjack as a Business by Lawrence Revere. This is one of the most accurate books for basic strategy, and the color charts are very nice. The numbers in the tables were provided by Julian Braun, and are about as accurate as any available, but don't believe the numbers that Revere gives for player's expected gain. Revere's counting scheme isn't widely used today, and Revere's "I'm right and everyone else is a dope" attitude is very annoying, although partially justified if you account for the date of first publication and the scarcity of good books at that time. Revere also makes many inflated claims about player's expectation, which Humble & Cooper would attribute to character flaw.

Scarne on Cards by John Scarne. This book is simply wrong when it comes to blackjack, and Scarne was too arrogant to even consider the possibility that he might have been wrong. He spends a lot of time trying to discredit Thorp. This book has negative value for serious blackjack players, and should probably be avoided completely.

Turning the Tables on Las Vegas by Ian Andersen. This is an entertaining book that describes techniques for disguising your play to avoid detection by pit critters.

Casino Tournament Strategy by Stanford Wong. This book combines previous Tournament Blackjack and Tournament Craps books together at a reasonable price. Covers many of the unique situations that come up in tournament play. Worth reading if you plan to play in tournaments.

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4.25 What are some other sources of blackjack/gambling information?

[Note: RGE Publishing has updated the information provided by the contributors below to include current prices and contact information, if known.]

(Jonathan Rosenberg, Adbul Jalib M'hall, Jack Mcgee)

RGE Publishing, Ltd., 8170 S. Eastern Ave., #4-607, Las Vegas, NV 89123, (702) 798-7RGE. Call for their very interesting catalog. Includes books, videos, BJ practice programs, analyzers and simulators, and back issues of [the now-defunct] Blackjack Forum.

Current Blackjack News, Pi Yee Press, 4855 W. Nevso Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89103, (702) 579-7711. $156/year (12 issues). Rules and playing conditions monthly for all U. S. casinos.

Blackjack Confidential Magazine, P.O. Box 8087, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002, (856) 667-2122. $99/year (10 issues).

WIN Magazine, 16760 Stagg St. #213, Van Nuys, CA 91406, (818) 781-9355. Formerly Gambling Times. $36/year (12 issues). Covers all gambling and gaming topics. [No longer published.]

The Experts Blackjack Newsletter, Gambling Times Incorporated, 16760 Stagg St.
#213, Van Nuys, CA 91406, (818) 781-9355. New, advertised in WIN Magazine. $30/year (6 issues). [No longer published.]

The International Gamblers' Club Newsletter, P.O. Box 73, Thornhill, Ontario,
Canada L3T 3N1. $24/year (4 issues). Founded by Lance Humble. They'll send you a free but dated sample if you write. Mainly BJ but contains some sports betting information. [No longer published.]

Gambler's Book Club, 630 South 11th Street, Las Vegas, NV 89127, (800) 634-6243. Not a newsletter but call for their awesome, awesome, awesome catalog containing not only just about every blackjack book ever written but practically every book ever written on any gambling topic. They also operate a book store at the above address in Las Vegas. [And they have gambling experts (including card counters) working at the store most of the time, willing to answer questions. — Adbul Jalib M'hall]

Las Vegas Advisor, Huntington Press, 3687 S. Procyon Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89103, (702) 252-0655. $50/year (12 issues). Produced by Anthony Curtis. Lots of information on deals and freebies available in Las Vegas. Sometimes includes valuable coupons or arranges special deals for subscribers. [I have personally more than recouped the cost in actual cash back from coupons for about half year's worth of the subscription. — Adbul Jalib M'hall]

Casino Player, 2424 Arctic Ave., Atlantic City, NJ 08401, (800) 969-0711. $24/yr (12 issues; U.S.). It covers most gambling jurisdictions, with particular attention paid to AC and LV. Articles on all games, by Wong, Caro, Frome, Malmuth, Snyder, and others. It's a full-color, slick, well-produced magazine, about 60 pages.

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4.26 Is Ken Uston dead?

(John Schwab)

Yes. He was found dead in a rented apartment in Paris, France, on September 19, 1987. The cause of death remains undetermined, since an autopsy was not performed and the body was cremated. The local police found no evidence of foul play. Alcohol and drug abuse were strongly suspected by several people who knew Uston intimately. Reference: Stanley Roberts, "A Double Dose of Death," Roberts' Rules (column), Gambling Times, Jan./Feb., 1988, pp. 8, 41.

That article is the only printed mention that I have seen on Uston's death. Maybe someone else has the citation for the Card Player article?

Basic Blackjack

2004-09-03T16:23:00.000-07:00

.1 I’m a basic strategy player. Is there any difference between playing at a hand-shuffled table vs. an automated shuffler or continuous shuffle machine?

Since, even with perfect basic strategy, you will lose money with each hand you play, the biggest difference will be the speed with which your bankroll shrinks.

Generally speaking, the frequency and length of the dealer shuffle at a 6-deck table results in about 100 hands per hour (assuming four players, on average, at the table). With good rules (Stand on Soft 17, Double After Split, Late Surrender), the house edge is 0.32%. Therefore, with each $5 bet, you will lose 1.5 cents per hand. So at a hand-shuffled game, your bankroll will shrink $1.50 hour.

An automated shuffler speeds up this process by shuffling one set of six decks during play, allowing the dealer to quickly swap sets between shoes. This has the net effect of increasing the number of hands-per-hour. With these shorter breaks, you might get another 50 hands, for a total of 150 hands, making your average hourly loss $2.25.

But, with continuous shuffle machines (CSMs), where the played cards are reinserted into the machine after each hand, there are no breaks. The total number of hands per hour is limited only by dealer speed, the number of other players at the table, and their decision- making abilities. At a CSM, you could easily play 200 hands per hour, for an average hourly loss of $3.00.

For the player, there are two very minor advantages to CSMs. The first is from what is called the cut-card effect. Because the machine is constantly shuffling the cards (including the ones you just played), it’s almost as if each round of cards is being dealt from a freshly shuffled shoe. For mathematical reasons beyond the scope of this answer, repeated dealing from a freshly shuffled set of cards (rather than dealing down to a predetermined spot in the shoe before shuffling) benefits the player by lowering the house edge by a minuscule amount.

The second, more tangible, advantage is that many casinos are aware that most experienced players (skilled or not) know that fewer decks benefit the player, and so they will often put only four decks of cards into the machine (and sometimes even fewer). But even with the resulting decrease in the house edge, you still stand to lose at least $2.70 per hour, a full $1.20 more per hour than with a normal shoe game, because of the rapid and constant pace of the game.

In regard to your bankroll, the bottom line is that it costs more per hour to play against a machine, especially if you play against a CSM with few people at the table. And although the dollar amounts above don’t seem like much, double or triple them for the common $10 and $15 limits you’ll find on the Strip, or multiply them by 5 or 20 for green and black chip play, respectively. Now, the differences start to become significant!

The other facet of this topic, where the basic strategy player stands to win or lose the most, is complimentaries (“comps”). Most casinos compute comps on a timed basis. For example, if you play so many hours at this level (say 10 hours with a $25 average bet), they’ll pay for your room. The casino doesn’t factor your play against a CSM vs. a shoe game, but it gives you credit based strictly on an internal formula that assumes you’re a losing player. As such, you’re in full control as to whether that “free” room will actually cost you $75 at a standard shoe game or $150 at a CSM. A properly bankrolled basic strategy player can actually come out ahead of the casinos and their comp formulas when one factors in proper play, room charges, food, shows, and travel (see Comp City, by Max Rubin).

There is also a political component to this discussion, whereby many long-time players, both counters and basic strategists alike, see the proliferation of CSMs (and to a lesser extent, automated shufflers) as the continued depersonalization of the game and another symptom of the casinos’ endless quest to squeeze out more profits at the expense of less knowledgeable players.

Ultimately, where you spend your entertainment dollar is your choice. But for the sake of your bankroll, the opportunity to come out ahead of the casinos with comps, and to help increase the life span of one of the world’s last fair casino games, you should avoid CSMs and all forms of automated blackjack. You’ll be doing yourself, and thousands of fellow players worldwide, a great favor.

— Viktor Nacht, RGE Publishing, Ltd.

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2.2 What is a CTR? And what is Structuring?

After playing table games, the cashier doesn't know how much you actually won, nor does it matter. No W2-G is issued for table game play. But once you cash out $10,001 during a gaming day defined as a 24 hour period set by the casino, usually 6am to 6am, your ID and SS# will be required and a Cash Transaction Report (CTR)is completed. The CTR simply notifies The Treasury Dept that the cash transaction occurred and the amount. No mention of winnings or losses is mentioned on this form.

It is then your responsibility to include the net win for the entire year on your tax return when you file your taxes.

Should you refuse to provide the info during a single cash buy-in which exceeds 10K, the casino will not exchange your cash for chips, or in the case of "money plays" they will not allow you to play once you reach the 10k limit. If by chance multiple buy-ins during the gaming day exceeds the threshold and then is discovered after your last buy in, the casino will inform you that a refusal to provide the information will result in you not being able to play in that casino again until the info is provided.

The same type of procedure is done while cashing out. Any cumulative cash-out during the gaming day exceeding 10k requires a CTR to be filed, and the Casino will not cash you out if they know you've passed the limit without obtaining your information. Attempting multiple cash out's during the gaming day in order to avoid the CTR is known as "Structuring" and carries criminal penalties if caught.