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The GameMaster Advisor
January, 2000

Dear Gamemaster:
I am a non-counting recreational player who has memorized the basic strategy for the multi-deck shoe game allowing for doubling after splits. If one finds all the good rules, the odds are about .26 against the player. However, is their one basic strategy that can be used against all the games, with the various decks and rules, that gives the player the opportunity to take advantage of a good game without giving away to much percentage back to the Casino?

Sincerely,
Mac Burns
San Antonio, Tx

Hi, Mac.
The best "all around" strategy to use is one for a multi-deck game in which the dealer stands on A-6 and where you may double on any first two cards (so, if they don't allow, it, you just don't do it), and one which does not allow double after splitting pairs. This will cause you to split pairs less often, but those are the rarest hands in the game anyway. I'd also learn the 'late' surrender strategy, since this can be helpful at times and it's easy to learn. If the dealer stands on A-6, you'll be at about a 0.45% disadvantage. Learn the Ace-5 count that you'll find in my Blackjack lessons (really, really easy!) and you'll cut that in half.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
1/29/2000


Hi,
I've been reading you for a couple of years at www.gamemasteronline.com I have enjoyed many of your articles over the years.

Bless you, sir.

I have been using the hi-lo method of counting for many years, and am an expert basic strategy player.

I have never gambled online, as I have doubted their honesty, and I always assumed that they would 'shuffle' after each hand, so that counting would be useless. However, I just read something on one of your sites, that mentioned that some online casinos don't 'shuffle' after each hand and could simulate 1 deck games.

Is this true?

Yes and no. Most on-line casinos which offer single-deck games shuffle after each hand. But, if you read my article "Milking the Single-Deck Game" (it's on the Blackjack Page), you'll see that a skilled player can get an edge over the casinos which allow a player to bet on more than one hand. But, from a practical point of view, you'll have to play at a multi-deck game where some 'penetration' is offered. I am currently working on a special report which I'm calling "The Internet Blackjack Report" which will detail how big an edge one can get over a multi-deck game.

And if so, can you please recommend a site where this is true and I can be confident that I will get paid when I win.

I cannot say, with absolute certainty, that any of these sites will pay you. But, I feel very confident about many of them, because they have little incentive to cheat. Their long-term success will come from being honest, so take a look at my reviews and choose one. Then, just start small until your confidence increases. And, needless to say, the casinos with higher ratings usually have better games.

I am very interested in this if it can be trusted. I would also appreciate it if your recommendation took into account which of the sites had the most favorable rules.

There are sites which offer games where a skilled player can get a 1% edge over the casino and that's pretty good. Check my reviews; I show, from a % point of view, what the casino's advantage is "off the top".

In other words, show me where I can win the money!!!

This is the place for that, brother. This entire site exists for the benefit of the player. Our income is derived from the sale our ad spaces ONLY, unlike many sites that receive a 'commission' on your losses. Stay tuned: I'm finishing an article about on-line casinos which offer games where the house edge = zero. It'll be posted February 1st in the "GameMaster's Secrets" column.

Thank you very much, in advance,
Adam

Glad to help.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
1/25/2000


Hi Gamemaster,
I have a question regarding the long run in counting cards. Peter Giles states in "Blackjack Secrets by S.Wong" that in 1979 he simulated 1 million hands. And the results showed it was possible to have a six-month losing streak while playing 30 hours a week. How can the "long run" be profitable if this can happen?.
Am I waisting my time practicing to count?
thanks Steve

Hi, Steve,
What Peter said is true, but keep in mind that, while It's possible, it's not very probable. The 'long run' as I define it is more like 60,000 hands rather than 1,000,000, so I'd say you're not wasting your time.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
1/24/2000


Gamemaster,
I recently travelled to Las Vegas on business and played blackjack with a friend. Always being the type to at least make modest effort to be prepared, I found your site and learned the basic strategy. Frankly, that is all I'm interested in. I like the idea that the house only has a .4% advantage just for making the correct choice about hitting, doubling etc. Of course, I'm aware that counting is possible and can even give me the edge over the house. I was arguing with my friend after playing while we were at dinner. I tried to explain how counting could provide an edge and he absolutely didn't believe it. He said that he has 'friends' who use a concealed electronic device to help them count and that they generally lose. Now, I'm a professor of mathematics and fully aware of the mathematical validity of Thorps conclusions about counting so ... I wasn't swayed in my understanding. However, the mention of electronic counting devices intrigued me. While I am perfectly happy with my .4% disadvantage (well worth the environment and comps) I wonder if he's full of balony when he said this. Are there really such devices? Has any one used them?

Thanks,
Chad, an avid reader of your site.

p.s. I'd heard that surrender wasn't available in Vegas. However, while I was there it seemed that most casinos offered late surrender.

Hi, Chad.
Yes, such devices do exist, but they have been declared illegal in both Nevada and, I believe, Atlantic City. The first was made by a fellow named Keith Taft who used it to great effect back in the '70s. Other, more sophisticated devices have since been developed, but few players are using them because of the severe penalties involved. These devices are such a threat to the casinos that the penalties enacted with the laws are almost outrageous in their harshness. It is possible to use such a device at Internet casinos, however. I'm currently working on my "Internet Blackjack Report" that will discuss some of the software which is available.

From a more practical point of view, you should consider adding the Ace-5 count to your skill set. It's easy to use and the game stays fun, but it'll get you to about break-even, depending upon the rules of the casino where you're playing. You can read about it in my article, "I'm Not a Blackjack Fanatic!" which is in the Blackjack section of our Story Archive.

Regarding surrender, whoever told you it wasn't available was obviously wrong. But, they may have been referring to 'early' surrender where the player may give up the hand before the dealer checks to see if s/he has a 'natural'; that is virtually extinct here in the U.S.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
1/22/2000


GameMaster,
Wow ... I've never seen such a quick response from a web site -- Thanks.

Say, you mention that it's possible to use counting devices while gambling at internet casinos. However, my understanding was that these casinos effectively used a 'reshuffled deck' for each play. Are there some that don't?
Chad.

Yes, indeed there are. And, as the business gets more and more competitive, I think others will follow suit. Check out Global-Player Casino (www.global-player.com). They offer penetration on all their multi-deck games, but only if one plays for 'real' $$$.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
1/23/2000


Hi Gamemaster,
First off I'd like to say thanks for your awesome webpage! Before coming to your site I thought card counting was only for mathematical geniuses. Your articles make it easy to learn a basic system and to understand how and why it works. I put my counting skills to the test for the first time about a week ago at a single deck game in L.V. using the hi-lo system. I was able to keep the count fairly well but I was afraid to make any real signifigant bet variances even though I was only at a $5 table. Would a 1-5 spread at that betting level draw attention to my play? I also plan on learning the Hi-Opt 1 system as explained in the Worlds Greatest Blackjack book. I have an average bankroll of about $500 per trip and play $5 single or double deck games almost exclusively. Is the Hi-Opt the best system for that level of play? Thanks in advance and keep up the great work!
Chris

Hi, Chris.
Thanks for the kind words; we're glad we've been able to help.

The Hi-Opt 1 count is my choice for playing single-deck games and it's very effective, especially if you use a side count of Aces. It will also perform pretty well at double-deck games, though my choice there is the Hi/Lo. But, since you're switching back and forth between SD and DD games, stick with one count - the Hi-Opt 1.

If you play a decent single-deck game (60% penetration), your "trip" bankroll of $500 should be sufficient if you use a 1-4 bet spread. If you play 12 hours per trip, there's a one in seven chance of you losing all your $$$ and about a one in four chance of doubling your stake. It's not likely that you'll have much of a problem of going to a top bet of $25, but $20 should be enough; go to $25 if you feel you can get away with it, but do so only if you're showing a profit of $100 of more for the trip.

A 1-4 or 1-5 bet spread is less effective at a double-deck game; you really need to go to a 1-6 spread at a minimum (and find a game with 60% penetration.). At that spread, the risk of losing the entire $500 is about one in seven and the odds of doubling your stake is about one in four. If at all possible, stick with the single-deck game until you get more experience and your bankroll gets bigger.

Practice and discipline is the key to winning. Please don't hesitate to e-mail me if I can help.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
1/18/2000


Good morning.
Thank you for putting together the best black jack strategy available on the net.

I've been doing the single card countdown method for one deck. I put aside three cards and a majority of the time, the sum of the 49 cards equals to the same sum of the three cards but with opposite signs. For example, the sum of the 49 cards equals +2 and the sum of the three cards equals -2. Other times, the sum of the 49 cards equals +2 and the sum of the three cards also equals +2.

Is this supposed to compute this way?
Jerome

Hi, Jerome.
The Hi/Lo count that I teach is a 'balanced' count, so when one counts through an entire deck, it should end at zero. I recommend taking out 3 cards so that one will not fool oneself by always ending with zero. If you're getting an ending count of +2 and the three remaining cards have a combined value of +2, then you're making a counting error in the 49-card deck. With practice, you'll achieve 100% accuracy in this.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
1/7/2000


GameMaster,
While perusing "gamemasteronline.com", I ran across a good article on Basic Strategy Variation (Lesson 14). I am looking for a page that has all of your lessons listed in one spot. Can you direct me to a page that has all of the BlackJack School lessons in one place?

In addition, do you teach a real life face to face blackjack school or have information on a good one?
Thanks in advance,
Gary

Hello, Gary.
All of my Blackjack lessons can be found by clicking on the tab at the top of our front page called "Story Archive". I used to teach a four-part course on card-counting, etc. here in St. Louis but have no plans at the moment to revive that, though I might in the future. I'm not aware of any schools like it, but if I hear of something, I'll let you know.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
1/5/2000


Hi! Love your web page. Have a question. Do all the online casinos charge a 5% surcharge to deposit? Is it a one time charge?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Joan

Hi, Joan.
Very, very few charge anything for a deposit; in fact, the Oasis case is the first I've heard of. But it seems that most charge for withdrawals if payment is via check or bank wire. Also, only a few charge for a credit to the charge card used to make the initial buy-in. Because I do not play for real $$$ at the online casinos which I review, I'm usually not aware of the buy-in charges which may exist, but my advice is to never play at a casino which charges for a buy-in.

We all appreciate the kind words.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
1/1/2000