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FRONT PAGE - Back to THE ADVISOR PAGE HI GAME MASTER
Hello, Juan.
As for 6 and 8-deck games, most are beatable only when the penetration is
75% or more or if they have really favorable rules. The fewer decks you
play against, the better.
Yours for winning,
Dear GM,
But...since I go every week to my local casino with a friend of mine, who I think also doesn't have the time to learn it, couldn't we both count at the same time, just different things? For example, he would do the Ace-5, and I would do the Unbalanced 10 Count, which is starting the count at -4 multiplied by the number of decks, then counting the 10 cards as -2, and all the other cards -- including the Ace -- as +1. This count is supposed to be weak, but perfect for determining when to take insurance. Is there anyway we, sitting together, could find a way to combine these two counts? What if his Ace-5 count is positive, and my Unbalanced Ten is positive, is it worth finding some method to secretly communicate this to each other and then bet up? It's almost like having a side count of Aces.
Or is the Unbalanced 10 count better than the Ace-5 in itself, so both of us should just use that? I feel the Unbalanced 10 has a weakness in that it counts the Aces as +1 like every other card, which is why I figure if we both are to use a system where we don't use hi-lo, this combination may be be the best way to go. At least we would know when to take insurance. Incidentally, what kind of edge does that give the player if he know when to take insurance?
Once again, thanks a million for your help. You guys do a great job! (Bet you never got a question like the one I just asked. ;-)
Hello, Vladimir.
There are several ways to team up with your friend. First having one player keeping an insurance count is very helpful, since knowing when to take insurance is the single-most important variation from basic strategy which you can make. Depending upon your bet spread, this might add about 0.10% to your overall edge. If you use the Ace-5 count, develop hand signals to tell your friend how much to bet (I wouldn't recommend that you each bet the same amount all the time since it implies you're counting) and you just need to take insurance whenever your friend does.
Another team-play approach is to use one another to find profitable situations. In that scenario, you stand behind a table and your friend stands behind a different one, but you're just watching, not playing at this point. Let's say the game you're watching goes "plus" in the count. You flash a signal to your friend (remove your glasses, drop a chip on the floor and bend over, etc.) and s/he comes to your table. You then signal the current count to your friend (whisper "3" or use a hand signal) and s/he sits down to play as you walk away and go look for another opportunity.
In this way, you are betting only in positive situations, but it has its obvious problems such a sharing the bankroll, is your friend as good a counter as you, etc., etc. But it is very effective, though you don't play as much, so some of the recreational aspect of the game is lost.
A third approach is the "traditional" team approach where you and your friend combine bankrolls and yet play separately when at the casino. By combining efforts, you get to the "long run" more quickly and each of you can bet more. For example, if you have a
$3000 bankroll and your friend has a $3000 bankroll, you can each bet as though you have a $6000 bankroll. Again, this requires trust in one another and confidence in one another's playing abilities, but it does work.
Yours for winning, Gamemaster,
I've been searching the net for the answer to this question, hopefully you
can help or lead me in the right direction. I live in the NYC area, so I
gamble in Atlantic City and Foxwoods. What rights does a card counter have
here?
I know that they cannot be thrown out of a casino like in Vegas. What I'm
getting at is, since they can't throw me out do I really need to hide the
fact I'm counting?
Why can't I just find a $5 table, bet the minimum when the count is poor,
and bet $100 or more when the count is very much in my favor. (I know that
bankroll issues such as greater swings will occur, but assume I will have
the funding to ride out the large swings).
Hello, Mike. However, that doesn't mean they are defenseless. The law does allow them
to take "counter-measures", so to speak, by restricting your bet spread
and/or shuffling the decks at will. Such measures will basically negate
your edge so, while you may be able to get away with jumping your bets for
a little while, they'll eventually lower the boom on you. And from what I
hear, the A.C. casinos are quick to share information with each other, so
if it happens at one place, it may eventually happen at others as well. That said, you might want to run a test to see just how quick they are to
respond. Since you're not there every day, you might want to consider
going to one of the casinos which is not affiliated with others in the area
(for example, don't do this at a Trump-owned casino) and play very
aggressively. They'll eventually react to that, but see just how long it
takes and leave immediately when they do it. Then come back in a week or
so and see how long it takes for them to "catch on" that it's you again.
Oftentimes we give the casino personnel a lot more credit than they deserve
and just assume they're on to us when, in reality, a player who jumps his
or her bets is sometimes viewed as a mad gambler, rather than a real threat
to the casino. It's really all in how you present yourself...your "act". But, as you say, jumping from $5 to $100 per hand can cause some big
bankroll swings and a smart "pit critter" may wait until you've lost
$500-600 before taking measures against you. It stings to get the old
shuffle-up when you're down, but it's all part of the game. The important
thing is to just be polite and leave as soon as it happens so you don't
leave some sort of lasting impression. Remember that you want to milk the
cow, not kill it for a steak dinner.
Yours for winning,
Dear Gamemaster:
Many thanks...
Hi, Mac.
Yours for winning,
Dear Gamemaster, However, I find it extremely hard to believe that you have NO online casino accounts. (Of course, I understand your having to say that for legal reasons), but I still find it hard to believe that any casino gambler with a computer who makes money from talking about online gambling, does not EVER gamble online. I live in Mississippi, two hours from Tunica, and it is illegal here to gamble online. I even talked to the State Attorney General's Office about it. But, when I write my articles, I feel that I MUST be truthful with the readers and tell them that I DO gamble online, even though I have also explicitly told them that this is illegal where I live. To do otherwise would not be ethical on my part. For most Americans, it is illegal to gamble online. States forbid gambling, except where it is expressly allowed. So for me to put myself outside the experience of my readers is doing them a dis-service.
We are all in this together, so to speak. Except you, of course.
Hello, Elizabeth. This may come as a shock, but I do not play at on-line casinos for real $$$. Once, when I was still with RGTOnLine.com, I opened an account with an Internet casino and played there, but that has been the only time. I, too, feel that I MUST be truthful with my readers and I am. You speak of "ethics" yet you openly flaunt the laws of your state. How do you reconcile that? Your statement: "I still find it hard to believe that any casino gambler with a computer who makes money from talking about online gambling, does not EVER gamble online" implies that I actually do play for real $$$ at Internet casinos, but lie about it. Well, I don't. You very obviously feel it is a "disservice" to not gamble for real $$$ and you're entitled to your opinion. But please don't try to impose your standards on me. My casino reviews explicitly state that I played there in 'fun-mode', my reviews are provided to the public for free and they are meant to be a starting point for the reader's research, not the end. Your comment, "We are all in this together, so to speak. Except you, of course." is what I call a "holier than thou" statement and it doesn't paint a very flattering picture of yourself, Elizabeth. Whenever I read comments like that, I always wonder what the motivation of the writer was. Jealousy? Envy? Or a sense of misplaced "righteousness"? Whatever the reason, it doesn't encourage me to take your comments very seriously. I know you think you're out there, fighting the good fight for your readers while risking years behind bars for breaking the law, but don't worry because the Mississippi Attorney General doesn't care about you. You will never be prosecuted for what you're doing because you are way below the radar screen. I wish I was, too, but I'm not. And I would rather turn my efforts toward helping my readers than fighting a law suit. Don't forget that the vast majority of what we cover is "brick-and-mortar" casinos and I do play them for real $$$. Internet casino gambling may well be made illegal for all U.S. citizens very soon, but in either case real casinos will go on and I'll still be here to help make our readers winners.
I hope I answered your questions and concerns.
Yours for winning, Dear Sir Madam; I have no affiliation with any casino web site nor software manufacturers.
I am just a player with numerous accounts and have put in a great deal of
time reviewing online casino's and the software manufacturers of same over
the last three years. I have read your review of Blackjack.com (6/22/00)and I am in full
agreement with your "Player Tips" paragraphs. But thats where my agreement
of your 90 point rating ends. I have to tell you that this internet casino is the most horrible excuse
for a web business that I've ever come across, internet or via online
server. It does not even deserve a rating of 10 points regardless of the
two or three favorable blackjack games for the player that it offers. I
should state at this point that I was able to register with the site after
about 4 hours but I have not made any monetary deposit and I have not
played in fun mode. The site is slow to load, crash's the computer and the
casino support is absolutely worthless. It does not appear that they are
customer oriented and the site is difficult to work with compared to others
i.e., Global-Player (Fantastic online casino and when you cash out it pays
off fast, also has great customer support) I am not a novice with computers
and have considerable technical experience. I would re-evaluate
Blackjack.com paying special attention to their Chat Support ( which didn't
work at all) and their email support where it takes six hours to get an
answer to the question that you did not even ask. In addition I believe
they do not have a toll-free support number but I don't even have the
interest to call up the site and check on that. So, thats some consumer feedback. Thought you might be interested. Hello, Ralph. I am currently in the process of revising their review and, much as you
have suggested, it appears that the rating for Blackjack.com is going to go
down. Probably not to 10 points, but certainly out of the top category.
It's input like yours which keeps our ratings realistic and I really
appreciate you taking the time to write me.
Yours for winning, Hi After reading about card counting, I see that it is only applicable in
casino's where the cards are shuffled manually.
Is there a way to improvise this technique so that it can work in casino's
that have automatic shuffling machines? I would appreciate your help on this. I live in Johannesburg, South Africa,
and there is only one casino that I know
of around here that does not have the automatic shuffling machines. In this
case would it help to just play proper
basic strategy? Hello, Rashida.
Yours for winning, Hello, The first one is a Joker Poker (53 cards). In your article 'Pick a game! Part 3' you wrote a pay schedule for
Joker Poker game which pay for two-pair or better. The theoretical
return is 99,1%. The differences between your pay schedule and the one I
sent you is that the Flush pays only 30 (not 35). But the Wild Royal is paid
1000 (not 250)!! And the Royal is paid 4500 (not 4000). Sorry, but it is not. In fact, it's even below the 99.1% game. Where they
get you is on the Flush. Since you'll get a flush about once every 46
hands, that cut from 35 to 30 costs 3% of the total return. The other
hands make that up a bit, but the long-term return on this game is only
98.04%.
If it is, what is the bankroll I need and
which book can give me the informations I need to learn to play this
game? What are the strategy variations I need because the payoff of the Wild
Royal is huge. I cannot recommend that you play it, of course, but the software program
"Video Poker Strategy Master" can generate a chart for you. It's an
excellent program which I believe every serious VP player should own and
it's available at our favorite online retailer, Conjelco (www.conjelco.com)
as well as others. VPSM will automatically include the strategy changes
needed.
The second game is a classical 8/5 Jacks and 5 coins are enough to have 4000
for the Royal. The theoretical return is 97,3%, right?
Correct. But the trick is that you can buy (for 5 coins if you play with 5
coins) another card to have a straight or better. The machine gives
you a sixth card. I didn't play with this machine so I don't know exactly
when you have the possibility to buy another card.
Do you know this game? Do you think it's possible to have an edge?
I have never seen this game myself, but I do believe this is the old
"Second Chance" game that used to be in Las Vegas. As I recall, it was
beat to death by the pros there, because it allowed the player to bet just
one coin, but then bet five when drawing a sixth card. The game you
describe does not seem to offer that, but you might want to check it again.
For example, it may require a minimum of five coins, but then allow 20
coins on the "second chance" draw. This can give you a very high return,
so let me know and I'll help you with a strategy. But, if it doesn't and if it doesn't have a progressive Royal, then I doubt
if the return will get over 100%. There are times when the second chance
bet is well worth taking, but it doesn't offset the cost of playing an 8/5
Jacks game along the way. Thank you. Your site is great. We don't have site like that in Europe.
Tim
Thanks for the kind words, Tim. We are, in fact, experimenting with
language translators in order to offer our publication in other languages,
including Spanish, French, Italian and German to make it more appealing to
our friends in Europe.
Yours for winning, |