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The GameMaster Advisor
December, 2000

Hi Gamemaster,
I was very interested to read your black jack lessons. I am from Chile. I love playing black jack online and I didnīt know anything about basic strategy or counting cards until I read the lessons. My question is related to shuffling at online casinos. You say in your lessons that the dealer shuffles after a certain number of cards that have come out. I have been said that online casinos shuffle after every hand. Is it still possible to count cards at online casinos? Do you know any online casino in which the shuffling is similar to a land-based one? and finally, What any other strategy apart from the basic one - and if possible the counting cards- can I use at online casinos?

Best regards and have a Happy New Year,
Hugo

Hello, Hugo.
There are a few Internet casinos that deal into the decks before shuffling, namely Global Player Casino, Stanley-Acropolis and others. They typically don't offer the penetration of land-based casinos, but nonetheless, a counting system may be used at them. You'll find a complete discussion of this in our series "Life on the Gambling Web" which is linked from our front page.

The primary method of making $$$ at Internet casinos is through the use of sign-up and purchase bonuses. Counting and proper play has its advantages, but nothing beats getting a 25% bonus on your initial deposit. For more information on this, see my review of the book, "Beatwebcasinos.com", which can be found in the archives of the "GameMaster's Secrets" page of my site.

I'm very glad that you found us and I hope you have a happy New Year, also. Please do not hesitate to write if I can be of further help.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
12/31/2000

Hello Gamemaster,
I am a preferred microgaming gambler mainly because their downloads are simple and their software runs smoothly. Do you ever post "no deposit" promotions for new players to try their casinos? If not, would you consider a forum for posting casino promotions? Also, how can I find new casinos that use microgaming software? Thanks in advance for your reply.

Hello, Sheila Your timing could not have been better. We will be meeting tomorrow about adding a "bonus advisory" section to our OnLine Gambling Message board and it will hopefully have no-deposit bonuses listed, assuming we can find them. They're getting scarce.

As for finding new casinos that use MicroGaming software, we try to keep up-to-date with that on the MicroGaming page of The GameMaster's Casino Directory (www.gamemasterlist.com) and I'm on their mailing list. For some reason, they do not list casinos at their website (www.microgaming.com), but you might want to go there and check it out.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
12/28/2000

Gamemaster,
What makes the blackjack game so good on Gold Club Casino,you said good for counter, the software is boss media, they shuffle after each round, am I wrong???

Hello, Jeanne. I don't think I said that the game is good for a counter, just that the rules are very liberal.

You might want to read it again, since I do say that the cards are shuffled after every hand.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
12/27/2000

Hi gm
I went to the local casino last night and to my horror they were using a shuffle machine, but only on the low stakes table. Just how popular are these machines going to get?

In, say, 5 years are there going to be just shuffle machines with the occasional 8 deck shoe, or will it or stay the same? With all the effort I have put in i feel as if I am wasting my time.
from steve

Hello, Steve.
You're asking me questions that require a crystal ball and I don't have one. Talk to some of the casino personnel and ask them their plans. If they ask why you're inquiring about the machines, tell them you've heard that they don't offer a random deal and you need to know if you should take your business elsewhere.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
12/10/2000

Gamemaster,
Saw your All American results.
I have a serious problem beleiving you can average 700 hands an hour of efficient play. Maybe 550 if your good. BUT, I could be wrong. A better way to calculate is to use your cashback if you know the %. It doesn't lie. I find most people overstate theeir speed. I think this is a result of playing Win Poker with a mouse in their hand.

Hello, Richard.
Thanks for your feedback. I do calculate my rate of play by the slot club points that accumulate during my playing sessions and 700 hands per hour is a good estimate. Just for the record, I average 1000 hands/hour on WinPoker with a 99.90% accuracy rate. This didn't happen overnight, believe me. It has taken a lot of practice and the learning of a lot of tricks. Please take a look at my "Expert's Guide to All American Video Poker", which is on the Video Poker page of my site to see how I approach the game.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
12/10/2000

Hi,
I find your lessons most valuable, however I've only been to Atlantic City one time and played the slots. Basically I don't plan on taking many trips to Atlantic City either. If I would do any thing I would play internet Black Jack with a starting roll of $100 to get my feet wet.

I would assume I should memorize the basic strategy flash cards in order to play. But I don't know if there are any sites that play a one deck game of Black Jack. Do you have any strategies for internet Black Jack or know of any one who does?

If you go to our site, The GameMaster's Arcade (www.gamemasterarcade.com), Select and click the button called "Blackjack Games" on the next page select game #2. This is a single deck game that you will want to try. When you go there, you'll also find the correct Basic Strategy for that game which you can print out. That's one of the nice things about Internet Blackjack; you don't have to memorize anything. Just print the strategy and set it next to your mouse.

If I started with a $100 bankroll what would you suggest for money management and minimum bets?

The only real choice you have is to play a $1 games and bet that amount only. Being realistic here, you're going to have to get lucky or just wait until you can build up your bankroll.

Do you know of any good internet casinos that offer good games of Black Jack?

Go to our other site, The GameMaster's Casino Directory (www.gamemasterlist.com) and you'll find most of the Blackjack games available on the Internet listed there. Also, we have a section there called "Gambling With The GameMaster" and in it I recommend specific casinos for you to consider.

Maybe if I learned your basic strategies and played a little on-line Black Jack and got comfortable with what I was doing, I might make more trips to Atlantic City. Any words of advice are greatly appreciated.

On the front page of GameMaster OnLine (www.gamemasteronline.com) is a series called "Life on the Gambling Web" and one of the articles in there covers an e-mail 'conversation' with a reader who had questions similar to yours. I highly recommend that you read it when you can. And, if that's not enough, there's a series on the Blackjack Page of GMO called "The Internet Blackjack Report" which will also help you.

Now back to studying the basics.

That's what it's all about: the basics. Let me know if I can be of further help

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
12/3/2000

GM,
Hello, My name is Sedalia and I have been playing black jack for a while in Atlantic City where I have lost a lot of money. Until recently I decided educate my mind and my playing skills so I could profit from this game and stop coming home a sour loser. I love the game, but my problem is I can't comprehend card counting. I play one on one with the dealer, since I prefer it that way for concentration and because I normally win playing that way. So please tell me is there somewhere I can take courses in person to learn how to count cards or are you offering classes in my area or an area near me? I would appreciate a response. I have decided being that I love the game to be skilled at it also.
Thank You,
Sedalia

Hello, Sedalia.
I do not currently teach "live" classes, but we are working on using video to help people learn to count, but that is some time off.

I also don't know of anyone reliable who teaches in your area, but all you need can be found on my Website and you really can teach yourself.

Do this: go to the Blackjack page of my site and read the article, "I Am Not a Blackjack Fanatic" where you'll learn about the Ace-5 count. This is very easy to learn and use and trying it will convince you how simple it really is to learn the Hi-Lo count that can give you the edge in the Atlantic City game.

Don't forget that all you have to do is to e-mail me if you need help.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
12/1/2000