Gamesmaster,
I have recently become very interested in Blackjack and particularly card counting strategies. I wondered whether you knew of any software or computer games which one could use to test various strategies simply by entering the appropiate value for each card such that the program can test the success rate of a given strategy. This seems much easier than sitting down for three hours with pen and paper and keeping a mental running count.

Thank You
Tizi

Dear Tizi,

Most of what you want has already been done for you by 'Grinder'. He has a warehouse of simulations which you can find at his excellent site: http://members.aol.com/bjgrinder2/warehouse.htm/

He also tells you all about how he did the sims and makes recommendations on software to buy. It's a good place for any aspiring counter to visit.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
10/26/98

GameMaster,
I have been following your lessons closely and I have already won a bit of cash but i am still not very fast at counting yet. I was just wondering what you recommend to bet at the different true counts and if you know of other links were I can learn different ways of counting.

Dear Jasper,
Glad to hear that my lessons have helped you. Remember that speed (and accuracy) come with practice, so get in as much practice as you can. As for a betting schedule, my lessons on money management, found on the Blackjack Page, will show you how to create one. I don't know of any other sites that teach other counts, since most come from books. My recommendation is to stick with the Hi/Lo (it's effective and free), become skilled in the use of it, then look around at other counts. Visit my friend, Stanford Wong at www.bj21.com/ for more insight into the game.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
10/21/98

It's possibe to have the Black Jack School in Spanish? edubejarano@hotmail.com

I would love to translate it into Spanish (and Japanese!), but don't know of a piece of software that will do that. Readers: any ideas?

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
10/21/98

Hi!
I read your information on the ace 5 Blackjack count system, and decided to ask you for some help. I hope this is o.k. with you. ( after all you do provide your e-mail...). My wife and I are going to Vegas at the end of this month, (only my 2nd time...). Last year, when we went for the first time, I played Blackjack for the first time and enjoyed it very much, ( didn't lose to much...) I have no idea about the basics of the game, and as you suggested, I'm dropping you a line to get some advice, so I'll do better than I did last year!!! So here it is, please be so kind as to give us some basic tips on winning at Blackjack!

Thanks
Donna & Hudi

I'm glad to help. Everything you need to know about how to win at Blackjack is on my site. The first thing you need to do is memorize an appropriate basic strategy. I'd suggest you learn the one for a 6-deck game where the dealer stands on A-6, you may double on any first two cards and may double after splitting pairs. Go to my first Lesson, "In Search of Basic Strategy" and that will lead you to the Blackjack Basic Strategy Engine where you can input the rules I've listed above and can print out a chart which will tell you the proper way to play each hand. My other lessons show you how to make 'flashcards' to learn Basic Strategy. Combine that with the Ace-5 count and you're on your way to winning at the game.

Sorry there isn't a magic button to push which will enable you to win; it takes some effort, but the results will be worth it. Good luck.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
10/18/98

Hello,
First let me say "thanks" for the great job you've done in creating and presenting The Blackjack School. It has been most helpful, I particularly enjoy the practice exercises...they've proven to be beneficial.

I also wanted to let you know that there is a small problem with one of the hot links in lesson three. The link is for "How to Beat Single Deck Blackjack". The link is coded as gopher://wiretap.spies.com70/00/Library/Article/Gaming/hi-opt-1.txt, and there should be a colon (:) between the m in .com and the 70. So the correct URL is gopher://wiretap.spies.com:70/00/Library/Article/Gaming/hi-opt-1.txt.

Just wanted to let you know!
Thanks again!
Jim

Dear Jim,
First, thanks for the compliments. Second, thanks for the info on the link; we'll fix it.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
10/18/98

Dear Gamemaster,
Great site! I was reading some of the archives and noticed a reader looking for an online real money poker room. I've found two. www.planerpoker.com usually had two texas hold'em tables going at the 5-10 and 10-20 limit. www.casinococo.com has the same poker room software but has not established a player base. The game was actually pretty good. The only complaint I really have is that the payouts are by check instead of crediting my credit card. Also, after the original deposit you have to send them a signed authorization form to deposit more funds. I cashed out $100 ahead but now I need to fill out a form to play again. My questions is, are there any other online poker rooms out there? and if so how do the games compare?

thanks
Dean

Dear Dean,
Thanks for the info. I don't know of any other online poker rooms, but we'll post this and see if another reader may know of any.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
10/18/98

Dear Mr. Blackjack,
I just now read your column on basic strategy under www.blackjack.com. I am going to Vegas in two weeks and I need to get settled on some facts that are conflicting with yours. These are strategies that I have read in the last week or so that conflict with what you are saying:

1) Split 6's only if 3-6
True if doubling after split isn't allowed.
2) Never split 4's..ever
Again, true if double after split is not permitted
3) Stand on A,6 if 7
Whoever told you this is wrong, plain and simple.
4) Hit on hard 12 if 2
The correct play.
5) DD on hard 8 if 7 or less
Whoever told you this is dead wrong.
6) DD on hard 9 if 8 or less
Whoever told you this is dead wrong.

Please understand that I cannot be responsible for what others write. My recommended basic strategy is derived from the mathematics of the hand, not from 'gut instinct'. I stand by my basic strategy recommendations.

These are parts of in depth strategies that I have read. Pleaz respond to these being that they are wrong compared to what you say. Thank you very much,
Christopher

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
10/18/98

Dear Gamemaster,
I consider your site to be one of the (if not THE) best sites for gambling advice. My question is, is there a baseball moneyline archive out there on-line, or a place to purchase past moneylines on disk?? I'm stumped.

thanks,
Tony

Dear Tony,
I'm not aware of one, but we'll post this and perhaps another reader can help. Thanks for the kind words; we all appreciate them.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
10/9/98

GameMaster,
I'm a relative novice to blackjack and have been studying your lessons that are posted on the blackjack.com site.

In particular, I am studying 6 deck, DA2, DAS, S17. Here is my question: in an instance where the dealer is showing 10, and I have A,3 - the proper play according to the matrix is to hit. What if then I receive another 3 giving me A,3,3 vs. dealer's 10. Do I stand on soft 17 or hit? The matrix says to hit on A,6 vs. dealer 10, but I wasn't sure if A,6 was equal to A,3,3 as far as hitting or standing.

Yes, A,3,3 is the same as A-6, so you would hit.

Or, what if I have A,3,4 vs. a dealer 10. Should I hit as you are supposed to with A,7 vs. dealer 10?

Yes, indeed.

I hope this makes sense. Thanks for your help and I wanted to let you know that your lessons are straight forward and that I am looking forward to testing my knowledge in Vegas later this fall.
Regards,
James

Thank you for the kind words. Practice and I'm sure you'll do well.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
10/08/98

GameMaster,
I really enjoy your site and all the information I find there. I'm looking forward to trying my luck (or skills) in a real Casino. For now, I have the following questions about correct play: The Casino in Victoria BC, Canada, where I live, has the following set of rules (if I remember correctly):

- 6 decks
- dealer hits soft 17
- double any two cards
- double after split allowed
- late surrender

I fed that in the blackjack engine at www.blackjack.com and printed out the results. At the same time, I am reading 'The World's Greatest Blackjack Book' from Humble and Cooper. Now, I feel like the man with the two watches who's never sure what time it is. I found disagreement in the following cases:

- Soft 18 vs. 2: The book says to stand, the engine advises to double

It's virtually a toss-up; stand is worth .113 (expected value), double is .116. The engine is correct on this one.

About late Surrender vs. dealer Ace: The book says surrender holding hard 16, the engine states 15-17.

Actually, they're both wrong; surrender 15 and 16, but not 17. (My info comes from Stanford Wong's book.)

- Doubling: The book states to double hard 11 vs. dealer A and soft 19 vs. dealer 6 ONLY in a ONE-DECK game, the blackjack engine on the net advises to do so even for 6 decks.

The correct play, when the dealer hits A-6 is to double 11 vs. an Ace. As for doubling soft 19 vs. 6, it applies even in 6-deck game, but only when the dealer hits A-6.

What is the correct answer in those cases? Who can I trust? The book is quite old (18 years) but the comment about the doubling only in a one-deck game showed me that they did look at it, and how can I be sure that the blackjack engine doesn't have a bug?

Now, who to believe? The engine operates solely from the math and they have a glitch in the 17 vs. Ace surrender value, since (I believe), they got their math from expectation tables which do not take into account the fact that the dealer has checked for a 'natural'. Go with the engine - it's good info.

Thanks a lot for your answer,
Jack

You're welcome.

Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
10/08/98