If you have any time, I would greatly appreciate it if you would
answer my question.
Like I said, I have read your articles on blackjack and already
knowing basic stratergy and the basics of card counting I was very
interested in your articles. However, after the shuffle, the
dealer(where I play) cuts the cards, usually putting a third away and
leaving only two thirds of the shuffled cards in the shoe to be dealt.
I was just wondering, is this normal and does counting cards give you
much of an advantage (if all)? How should I go about counting cards
if one third of the deck is already gone? Do I just begin counting
from the first hand dealt out?
I'm sorry for pestering you with these questions but if anyone can
help them with them, it is you. And once again, congradulations and
thank you for the articles that you have written to try and help "us"
beat the casino for a change.
1. What is your opinion of BJ on these internet casinos? It seems that all of
them (at least the ones that I've seen) shuffle the shoe after every hand;
this takes away the advantage of card counting (I am learning to count). Is
this an advantage for the house or the player.
2. How do you know wether or not the casino (online) is rigging the cards? The
soft ware can be made to do anything. Is there a gaming comission that
oversees these online casinos?
3. In my state, South Carolina, we have video poker machines. What is your
opinion ot these? Can they be rigged to vary the cards depending on the
success of the player?
I've had a few good hits at Harrahs in Cherokee and on the Acropolis Casino
(online); the rush feels good.
Thanks in advance,
Tony
I was interested in the difference in odds between standard blackjack
odds and the dealer playing all cards face up and taking pushes. I
believe this game is much worse than the regular game, but just how much
worse is it????
Thanks,
Robert
Well, this weekend I made my first trip to the new Crown casino here
in Melbourne They have another type of BJ offered I thought I'd ask you about;
they call it Superbucks Blackjack, and it's a jackpot sidebet.
As you've seen casinos have jackpots on pokie machines, with the jackpot
displayed in an updated sign ticking over.
The Superbucks BJ also has this same kind of jackpot sign, updating the
jackpot each second or so. When I saw it the jackpot was around $42K, and
I was told that the week earlier someone took away $100K+.
The Superbucks is a $1 side bet made each hand, if you want it, and the
payout is based on receiving Aces as follows:
(all payouts are based on the aces being the 1st X no. of cards).To me, first impressions, it seemed like something to occasionally
take on a whim, but then I was wondering about side-counting aces ....
In your experience, would you consider it worth the effort of trying
to side count aces, or is it simply getting an extra dollar out of the
hunch gamblers?
Questions from Greece...
I am playing blackjack in Greece. I was using the Hi/Low system for
counting but I was lacking many details until I studied your lessons
which I found very interesting and helpful. I would like to ask you some
questions and please answer me if you find the time.
The kazinos here in Greece have the following rules: 6 decks,S17,DA2,DAS,
No surrender. The european No-Hole-Card rule applies. Though I was able to
find the effect that this rule has on basic strategy (basically never
double or split against dealers A or 10
but split A,A vs A) at http://www2.netdoor.com/~kensmith/bjfaq.shtml I
would like to ask what is the effect of this rule to the basic strategy
variations according to count (lessons 14 onwards).
Also only three splits are allowed. Does this (besides making the game a
bit less favorable for the player) imply any alterations for my game?
Is there a bonus for me either for betting or playing purposes if I manage
an ace side count with the Hi/Low system?
And finally can any information be derived with the Hi/Low system fot the
over/under bets?
Thank you for your time and assistance. Any recomendations would be of
great value to me.
Dear Emmanouel
Regarding the 'no hole-card' rule, you should split A,A vs 10, but hit vs.
Ace. That website has it wrong if they're telling you to split A,A vs. A.
As for basic strategy variations, utilize the following:
Split A,A vs 10 at -6 or higher (otherwise hit)
Double 11 vs. 10 at 3 or higher (otherwise hit)
Stand with 8,8 vs. 10 at 0 or higher (otherwise hit)
Stand with 8,8 vs. A at 3 or higher (otherwise hit)
There is no great effect from being allowed split just 3 times.
In the game there, a side-count of Aces will add very little to your win
rate, but it could cause a loss of accuracy; I wouldn't use it.
Bet the "Over" at a true count of 5 and the "Under" at -6. BUT, if the
casinos there have a lot of O/U tables, you should learn a special count for
that bet, since O/U is MUCH more profitable than the 'regular' Blackjack
game. The idea is that you play your hand using basic strategy and bet the
O/U when the special count says to do so. The count is called the "Crush
Count" and it's fully described in Stanford Wong's book, "Professional
Blackjack".
You can expect to win about 5 times as much at O/U if you use the special
count as opposed to 'regular' Blackjack using the Hi/Lo.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Hi GameMaster,
Have you heard of a system called Balanced Blackjack
This system is offered by the Gambling System Research Institute in St Louis
It is a money management system combined with Basic Stratey that wins 10
units for half an hour play. would appreciate any feedback on this system
Dear J.
I haven't heard of it, but I will say that no money management technique can
overcome the casino's edge at Blackjack. This might be combined with some
other technique, but basic strategy alone won't do it. My advice is to save
your $$$ and study my FREE lessons on how to win.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
GameMaster,
What is the basic strategy on splitting and doubling when the dealer
refunds the split or doubled portion when she has a blackjack?
Dear Matt,
The strategy is the same as when the dealer first checks to see if s/he has
a 'natural.' The only change occurs when the dealer wins both bets if s/he
later gets a BJ.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
GameMaster,
In the article that follows, you state:
"...if you stand, your expectation is to lose 53.7% of all
the money you bet in that situation. However, if you split
and double after splitting is allowed, your expectation
is to lose 48.3% of ALL the money you bet, including the
extra bet you must place for the second hand."
How can this be a recommended play? Is losing two times
.483 better than losing one times .537? Example:
If I bet $10, I would expect to lose $5.37 (.537 x $10)
average on the hand if I stand. Now, if I split, I have
$20 out and expect to lose $9.66 (.483 x $20) on the same
hand?!
The only way a split makes sense is when the expected loss
is cut in half or less on each resulting hand. This would
produce two hands whose expected loss would be less than the
single hand (with a penalty of a slightly higher risk).
Dave
Dear Dave,
The staement is misleading; the term 'all the money' means, in this case,
the original bet. A hand of 8,8 loses 53.7% of the time. Two hands of 8
lose an average of 24.15% each. The original article Dave is speaking about follows.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Gamemaster;
As a complete and total blackjack Virgin , when I finally do take the
plung and actually get in a game the burning question in my mind is,
what is the best table as far as take a table with several players
seated or a empty table , just how does the number of people at a given
table ,all other things being equal, affect the game as a whole and in
what position would "you" prefer to sit?
Thanks for your help,
Wired
Dear 'Wired',
As a novice, you might want to sit alone, if possible, so that you won't be
distracted by the other players. However, the game will go a lot faster, so
if you're counting, you may have a problem keeping up. I prefer a table by
myself, simply because I get more hands per hour that way and the more I
play, the more I make. Other players can affect your game ONLY by slowing
it down and, in the case of single deck, affecting how many cards you'll
see. Other players' mistakes do NOT, in the long run, affect your results.
Yes, a 'dumb' play by the person on 'third base' can cause you to lose a
hand, but those mistakes will help you as often as they hurt you. I don't
sit at third base, because casino supervisory personnel think counters sit
at third base. More in the middle is my favorite spot.
But enough of this table talk. Are you ready to play? Have you mastered
the proper basic strategy of the game? Have you learned some sort of
counting system? Remember, unless you count cards, the casino will have an
edge over you. Please see my series "How to Win at Blackjack" for more
information.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Dear GameMaster,
As you know in Europe you can play 'behind' another player by placing a bet
at his card. (Up to three bets at any one card). This creates an
interesting situation when it comes to splitting. You can choose to follow
any of the two cards. Now I am sure that another stategy should exist to
indicate if it most profitable to split and double your money or split and
follow one hand only. (For exaple 8-8 vs 9 I guess you better follow one
hand that is 8 vs 9 than double your money on the table and play two 8 vs 9
hands).
Any suggestions for the correct play in such situations?
Dear Emmanouel,
The strategy for the 'optional' split is actually rather simple. I'm
assuming there is no double permitted after splitting pairs, so the proper
plays are:
Aces: Bet both against all dealers' cards
Nines: Bet both vs. 2-6 and 8 only
Eights: Bet both vs. 3-7 only
Sevens: Bet both against a 6 only
Sixes: Never bet both
Fives: Never bet both, if the player is dumb enough to split
Fours: Same as fives
Threes: Bet both only against 5 and 6
Twos: Same as threes
Hope this helps. Oh, yes...almost forgot; never bet on split 10s unless the
count is high enough to warrant the play.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Dear Sir,
I just discovered your web site and it is great. I recently moved to
Philadelphia and play Atlantic City as much as I can. The most pressing
reason for my writing is that I am soon tagging along with my wife on a
business trip to Lake Tahoe (Incline Village) and would appreciate it if would
sending me your suggestions for basic strategy variations useful for the games
that area. You probably know better than I but I believe the (lame) rules are
that the dealer hits A6, you can only double 10 or 11, and cannot double
inside splits. I do not know how many decks they typically use. Also if you
could forward any changes you would make to the variations on your web site
for an 8 deck game vs. a 6 deck game.
Any help you could provide would be great. I have been counting for about a
year with pretty good success. I doubt that I would gamble at all if I didn't
have an advantage and counting certainly provides it.
I really enjoyed what I have seen of your site so far, and am looking forward
to more.
Thank you
Hank
Dear Hank,
Thanks for the compliments. As for Tahoe, most games are single-deck with
the rules you mentioned. Go to our Blackjack page and click on the lesson:
"In Search of Basic Startegy" and it will show you how to get the strategy
for the game you'll see out there. As for changes between 6 and 8 decks,
there are none; they are the same.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
I really enjoyed ready through your web site. It clearly is the best web site
dedicated to BJ. Here's my question:
If I'm playing a table where the min. is $5 and I want to bet when the true
count is :
even $10, +1 $20, +2/+3 $30, +4 $40, +5/+6 max $50
however, when the true count is negative I bet $5, would this be a sure sign to
the pitboss that I am a counter? Also, if I am playing with AC rules and I am
the only one at the table or I am the last player to the dealer, should I
modify my decisions based on the true count or not?
Thanks!
Dear Gregory,
First, thanks for the kind words and forgive me for taking so long to reply.
Bet variation IS the primary way casino personnel identify counters, but
it's all in how you do it. If you 'parlay' your wins and try not to be
overly sure in your playing decisions and start a new shoe with a $15 or $20
bet now and then, you should be okay. Spread out to two hands when you can
-- remember that a bet of $10 on two hands is very much like a $20 bet on
one hand.
You should always use the basic strategy variations which you know, whenever
the count calls for them. They actually have the effect of making you look
'erratic'. "Sometimes he hits 16, sometimes he stands...."
I would NOT, however, split 10s when the count is high; I think it's a dead
giveaway.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Dear GameMaster,
Congratulations (once again) for your site.
My game has the following rules.
6 decks, 3.5-4 decks penetration, Dealer stands S17, Double any 2 cards,
DAS, up to 3 splits aloud but no resplit on aces (you get one card only when
you split them), no surrender.
Is my game beatable? If yes what should it be my betting strategy using
the Hi-LO count?
Dear Emmanouel,
Your game is beatable, but barely so. You must first attempt to play only
at tables where the dealer is using at least 4.5 decks. If you use a 1-12
unit betting spread (1 unit in any negative counts, 1 at zero, 2 at a true
of 1; 4 at two, 6 at 3, 8 at 4, 10 at 5 and 12 at 6 or higher), you can
expect to win about 1.25 units every 100 hands. As I recall, you may play
'rider' bets; that is, bet on another player's hand. If that's the case,
bet only in positive situations, use the 'rider strategy' for splitting
pairs and you'll up your win rate to about 1.95 units for every 100 hands
played. It's a 'grind' game, but it's the only one in town. By the way,
you'll need a bankroll of about 600 betting units to give you a 10% 'risk of
ruin'.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Hi Gamemaster,
It's me again. Sorry for bugging you all the time but it's my first two
months of serious casino blackjack play and I seem to have a new question
everyday. Anyway, if you're getting sick of all these questions just tell
me and I'd understand.
(1) I had my first losing session today ($75). Although I understand that
losses are part of the game and although I'm still comfortably ahead
($225), I noticed something quite disturbing today. The two most popular
blackjack tables here in the Philippines are the $5's and $7.50's (minimum
bet, local currency of course) and I seem to notice that I usually do quite
well at the $5's and very bad at the $7.50's. This in itself didn't bother
me too much except today when, playing a $7.50 table, I noticed that for
three straight shoes, we hit the marker (75% penetration) with the running
count at around +14. I saw a lot of 3's and 4's being dealt and I really
wonder if it might not be the case that some of the picture cards were
replaced with small cards. I lost around $140 during these three shoes
before switching to a $5 table and immediately recouping $65. This made me
remember another session when I left a $7.50 table down $90 (I was down
$150 at one point), went to a $5 table and went home after 30 minutes with
a $25 dollar profit.
Do you think there is some basis for my paranoia or am I just whining
because of my substantial lost today?
(2) I usually bring 40 betting units with me and I try not to leave until I
have won anywhere from 5 to 15 units (depending on how long I've been at
the casino, i.e. I'd settle for 5 units if I had started out losing and
have had to spend 3 hours fighting to recover, while I'd go for 15 units if
I start out winning). Needless to say I'd have to quit if I lose the 40
units. So far it has worked just fine because I haven't had a losing
session until today, and today doesn't really count because I had an
engagement and had to leave early. BUT, there's this gnawing suspicion in
my mind that though the philiosophy has worked out fine so far there is
something fundamentally wrong with it because I am risking 40 units to win
5-15 units. I'd really like your opinion on this.
Thank you very much for your help.
Yours,
Solomon T. Teh
treyder@earthling.net
Dear Solomon,
I don't know if high cards were removed from the decks at the &.50 game or
not, but just 3 shoes isn't a large enough sample to confirm that they were.
I would stick to the 5.00 table, simply because it allows you a bigger bet
spread.
You are not risking 40 to make 5-15, because your results aren't absolute.
In other words, it's not a case of either winning 15 or losing 40. Anything
in between is possible and with the rules there, you should show a modest
long term profit.
The only way to avoid losses is to not play the game. You were due for a
bad day, hang in there.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Hi, BlackJack School teacher!
First of all IŽd like to thank you for a the great site with all useful
information on Blackjack.
The reason I write to you is that IŽd like to have the Basic Strategy for
my casino calculated.
To begin with I live in Sweden, and here the gouverment has put up very
strict rules for the casinos on maximum bets and so on, so the conditions
we Swedes are playing at arenŽt too good.
Here are the Swedish rules for Blackjack:
-6 decks
-S17
-Split any pairs (When you split aces you only get 1 more card)
-Resplitting
-DAS
-Double on 7-11
-Even money
-No surrender allowed
-Bets are ONLY allowed from 1,25 - 8 $ (This is the part of the system that
is worst, but thats true.. thereŽs no legal casino in Sweden with higher
bets, yet.)
At my casino there are the following conditions:
-Deck Penetration: about 85 %
-After doubling a soft hand you can choose to count the ace as 11 instead
of 1.
Could you tell me the correct basic strategy for the circumstances above?
Please also give me an advise if I should play at all, are the conditions
too bad?!
Great thanks in advance,
Bjorn
PS:Please excuse my bad english (american?!)...
Dear Bjorn,
First, your English (you're right; it's really American) is quite good.
Thanks for the nice words about the site.
What do you mean by 'even money'? Does this mean a 'Blackjack' only pays 1
to 1? If so, the game cannot be beaten. If it means that you may take even
money when you have a Blackjack and the dealer is showing an Ace, is
insurance available with other hands?
If a Blackjack pays the normal 3 to 2, you can find the proper strategy for
your game by using the Blackjack Strategy Engine which is linked in Lesson 1
of my school.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Since I discovered your site not too long ago, I have been printing
and reading all the articles I can find about blackjack. (I just
print everything I find and then sit back in my recliner at night and
read.)
In the July 1, 1997 article "I Am Not a Blackjack Fanatic" there was a
reference to the Ace-Five count. You gave strategy for the 6-deck
game. You then state: "You'll see that this isn't a bad count at all
and, in fact against a double-deck game, it can be very effective."
Have you written anything about strategy for Ace-Five against
double-deck? The 6-deck strategy obviously would not work.
I have been practicing a lot with the KO counting method and have been
doing quite well - especially against double deck.
Maybe I am just a lazy counter, but there are times, such as when I am
tired and not as sharp as I should be, that rather than quit playing I
would prefer to use a very simple count system. The Ace-Five would
seem to be about as simple as you can get. And if it is truly
effective against a 2-deck game, I would like to learn some strategy.
What do you suggest?
Many thanks for your great web site.
Chuck
Dear Chuck,
The Ace-Five count does, indeed, give you an edge in a decent double-deck
game. Rather than restate everything here, go to "Grinder's Warehouse of
Sims" and check out the simulations he ran off the article you read. He'll
show you how a 1-5 unit bet can make a few $$$ for you.
The URL is http://members.aol.com/bjgrinder2/warehouse.htm/
Thanks for the kind words about the site and thanks to Grinder for an
excellent series of sims on the Ace-Five count.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
I wrote you earlier about the casinos that have the best blackjack rules in
Tunica. Well, now it looks like I may be going to Biloxi instead. Can you
provide me information on the best places to play single and multideck
blackjack in Biloxi please. Thanks for all of your assistance!! Keep up the
good work!
Thanks Again,
Michael J. Spain
facejock@aol.com
p.s. Do you think it would be worth the money to subscribe to the green or
black chip services offered on www.bj21.com?
Dear Michael,
There's a lot of good single- and double-deck in Biloxi. The best is
probably the President, but they bar a lot of players there, so use your
best 'act.' Other places have slightly better rules, but the penetration
isn't as good. Those are: Imperial Palace, Treasure Bay (maybe the best
compromise place to play; decent penetration & they don't sweat the action)
and the Palace.
I highly recommend you subscribe to the Green Chip page on Wong's site; I'm
a member there also. The Black Chip is worth the investment if you make
most of your $$$ from BJ, otherwise, it's of limited use.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Dear GameMaster,
When playing with six decks of cards at a casino which has an automatic
shuffler, what would be the best area to cut the deck if I am playing alone?
Should I play one or two hands against the dealer? Or would I play one hand
and if I start to lose do I put in a second hand?
Placement of the cut card can be anywhere; those shufflers are random. If
playing alone, do not play two hands, since that chews up more cards than is
compensated for by your extra bet. (I'm assuming you're a counter.) With
other players at the table, spreading to two hands when the count is up is a
good maneuver.
If you are not a counter, there is no advantage whatsoever in spreading to
two hands at any time. In fact, by doing so, you're increasing your loss rate.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Hi GameMaster,
I'm from the Philippines and I have two questions about blackjack.
(1) Will it significantly affect my performance if I don't hit a hard 16
versus a dealer up card of 7,8,9,A? (I left out the 10's because they allow
early surrender in the casinos over here and I take it whenever I have 4,5,
or 6 versus a dealer 10.) I ask this question because most people here play
some version of a no-bust strategy and they sometimes get quite angry for
what they see as my over-aggressive play. I can understand this, especially
when someone sitting to my left has a double down situation and ends up
with a 2 as the additional card because I hit a 16, got a face card, and
busted. I can deal with the busting, because I know that although it's
going to happen a lot oftentimes I've already lost so why not just try to
improve my hand; but having people angry at me is not something I deal with
very well (and please don't tell me to tell them about basic strategy :) ).
If your version of surrender is 'early' (the dealer does not check to see if
s/he has a blackjack, you should surrender 16 against a 9,10 or Ace.
Standing with a 16 against a dealer's 7 is a serious mistake; by hitting you
will lose
40.8% of all the money bet in those situations, by standing, you'll lose
48.1%. Standing with a 16 against a dealer's 8 causes a loss of 51.3%,
whereas hitting trims that to 45.4%. I like to upset people at my table,
since they might leave and I'll get more hands per hour with fewer tables.
Just watch your back on the way home.
(2) There is, of course, a significant element of luck in blackjack. All
the card counting and basic strategy in the world couldn't deal with a
naturally bad draw. (i.e. even with a count of positive 20 I can't do
anything if I'm dealt a 17 and the dealer gets 2 kings) I've had sessions
where I started out losing 10 hands in a row with the count turning
positive and me increasing my bets. Those swings are definitely out there.
Of course, the theory is, the hands will eventually even out as you play
more and more hands. My question is: The computer simulations that are the
bases for blackjack strategy run for (if I'm not mistaken) at least a
million hands continuously. We humans, of course, cannot hope to play
continuously for anything approaching that number of hands, so isn't it
possible (even if it's not plausible) that you might hit a slump where
everytime you sit down you hit a losing streak (most experts will tell you
to limit your losses for a single session)? Is there really a total
bankroll level that will protect you in case of a prolonged losing streak?
Thanks for your help.
Solomon T. Teh
treyder@earthling.net
In answere to your second question. We run millions of hands in simulations just to make sure our figures are
accurate. If you have an overall edge in a game of more than 1%, you'll
make money before you die (see #1 above) and a bankroll of 1000 units (table
minimum) will get you there. BUT, you must first make sure that the game is
beatable. If you'll tell me all the rules, the number of decks, the
penetration (# of cards seen before the dealer shuffles) and your betting
spread, I can tell you what the odds of your success are.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
GAMEMASTER,
WILL YOU GO OUT ON A LIMB AND GIVE US YOUR PERSONAL OPINION OF ON LINE
CASINO BLACKJACK? (IF YOUR PAID ADVERTISERS ARE HONEST AS YOU CLAIM,
THEY SHOULDN'T MIND)
ARE THE GAMES TRULY RANDOM AS MOST CLAIM OR IS THE SOFTWARE CODED TO
WIN A PERCENTAGE OF THE TIME REGARDLESS OF ANY WINNING OR LOSING BY THE
PLAYER?
I'VE PLAYED AT ALMOST ALL OF THE DOWNLOAD SITES AND CAN TESTIFY THAT
THEY FILL UP TO 21 FROM A HARD 16 AN AWFUL LOT OF THE TIME. STREAKS ARE
COMMON,BUT....
I will gladly give my opinion. I think most online casino Blackjack games
are honest, simply because they don't have to cheat to win. By shuffling
the deck after every hand, they have an edge which no one can overcome in
the long run. Add to that the fact that most players don't know basic
strategy and the casino has an edge approaching 2%. Why cheat when you're
making 10 cents on every $5 bet and you have no dealers, pitbosses, cocktail
servers, etc. to pay?
As for seeing a lot of 16s hit by 5s, I've seen that innumerable times in
'real' casinos and never thought they were cheating. Look at it this way,
you're at an online casino, you're skeptical anyway and then the dealer hits
a 16 with a 5. Your immediate reaction is "cheating", but what about the
time the dealer hit a 12 and busted? Was your reaction the same?
I'm not saying that all online casinos are 'straight', because it IS
possible to rig a game, but I haven't seen anything at an online casino I
haven't already seen at a real one. From a strict mathematical point of
view, at a single-deck game, if you have a 20 consisting of two face cards
and the dealer has a 16, consisting of a 10 and a 6, there are 4 fives left
in the remaining 48 cards. Therefore, the dealer should get a 5, on
average, once every 12 hands. But, that said, remember that the dealer
might get a 5 several times in a row and the game could still be legitimate.
My advice is to play where you feel comfortable. There are many choices out
there and I can't believe for a minute that ALL of them are cheating.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Hi. I love your column! I'm a budding blackjack enthusiast and am generally
a risk-averse basic strategy flat-better unless the count's looking
outrageously good or bad. However, I'm looking to get the most mileage out
of making all the right plays.
I read your "Basic Strategy Variations" column the other day, which
presented variations as they apply to 6-deck games. I also own Humble &
Cooper's "World's Greatest Blackjack Book", which has hi-opt 1 strategy
tables for 4-deck games. I usually play double-deck games and use hi-opt 1.
Can I apply either of these variations to double-deck games, using the same
true count values? If not, are there any good sourcebooks for hi-opt 1
double-deck strategy tables? One more - is there a conservative strategy
table that I can use for various numbers of decks (i.e. being optimal for
higher numbers of decks and slightly less optimal, but better than basic
strategy, for lower numbers of decks)?
Thanks,
Brett
Dear Brett,
You can use my index numbers for a double-deck game, since DD is a lot more
like 4 or 6 decks; it has very little in common with a single-deck game. My
indexes are based on a theory of risk-aversity, so you won't see some moves,
like double 10 against 10, that appear in other strategies. Learn the
indexes I show from -2 to + 8 and you'll have a good, versatile system for
all games, except the single-deck.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
GameMaster,
If in card counting and you are at number 5, should the next hand you
bet be a high bet because you know face cards are going to come out to
make your count zero. am i right for thinking like this?
thanks,
jeff
By "number 5", I assume you mean a running count of 5 which is telling you
that 5 more 'small' cards then 'big' cards have been played. If my
assumption is correct, whether or not you raise your bet depends upon how
many decks are remaining to be dealt. If there is one deck left, the 'true'
count (count per remaining deck) is 5 and yes, it warrants an increased bet.
The theory here is as you state: there's a higher probability that the Faces
and Aces are going to show.
But all this is done in such a way to take in account the fact that there
are still a lot of little cards left, consequently, we bet in proportion to
our advantage; we don't 'bet the ranch' on the next hand. See my lessons on
money management on the Blackjack Page of my web site for a detailed
analysis of this topic.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Hello,
First of all, thank you for very informative articles and lessons on
blackjack. I like the no-nonsense, reality approach. I can understand why
I've lost thousands in the past month or so. Ouch.
Do you have any recommendations blackjack software/trainers. I'm a
programmer myself, but it would take too much of my time to write such a
program. I've seen some on the net, but would appreciate advice from someone
with experience and knowledge.
Again thanks in advance.
Dear Mario,
I had to think a bit after reading your question and it kind of amazed me
when I realized I don't use any software for training. I have simulation
software, risk management software and a program to figure the casino's edge
at a game, but all of my practice is, and has been, 'live'. I count down
actual decks of cards and use my flashcards for variations to basic
strategy, but that's all the training I do.
Now that you've made me think about it, I believe it's probably better that
way, simply because if you do all your training at a computer, it has your
undivided attention. But I go through my counts and flashcards while doing
other things, like watching TV, etc., because I feel it better simulates
'actual' conditions. In the casino, there are a lot of distractions, so I
like to train that way. The only computer play I do is with an inexpensive
Blackjack program by Bicycle, since it's easy to set up and use. It will
keep the Hi/Lo count, but only deals one player at a time.
If you want to try a training program, I think Casino Verite' is probably
the best. You get a 'shareware' version to try it out (probably at
www.shareware.com), but I don't think it's necessary. Just do what I show
you in my lessons; it's not high-tech, but it works!
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
GameMaster,
I read much of your BlackJack strategy lessons on the web, but I didn't
notice anything there that directly addresses two techniques I have tried,
nor in any other resources I have looked into on the web. I haven't played
enough to really say I've fully tested the success or failure of these
techniques, but I'd be interested in your thoughts.
As intro, I should add that I currently do not count cards and also that my
aim is to have fun and come out ahead in the long run, but not necessarily
to win big. And of course, I only use money I can afford to lose.
First, I try only to play in games where the dealer does not deal the hole
card before every other player has stayed or busted, and I ALWAYS play the
left-most seat, even if I have to wait for it. As such, I know that when I
stand, the card I would have received will go to the dealer. I haven't
seen any materials specifically analyzing this sort of game where the
left-most player seems to have different odds in a given hand than the
others (since, for example, with 14 and the dealer showing 9, the player
knows that any bust would be a win for the dealer, but other seats don't
get that knowledge.) In this circumstance, I tend to be conservative, so I
only Hit at 12 or over if any bust is a sure dealer win. I could ratchet
that to bust+1, bust+2 or whatever, but currently I play very conservative.
My objective in this technique is to reduce the effects of chance in
determining the best play. Statistically, I suspect bust+1 would be better
than my current level (so take on 15 with a dealer 9 showing), but I
haven't done the analysis to risk it.
The second thing is how I manage money. Since I don't count, I instead
play versus the standard deviation and commit a variation of the heinous
gambler's sin of increasing my bet when losing hands. Specifically, one
venue I play has a $2 minimum and $20 max bet. I prefer a larger spread,
but I seem to do OK (so far - but statistically not a huge sample yet -
maybe 1000 hands). I always start at the minimum bet. As long as I get
wins mixed with any losses, my bet doesn't change, though I do split and
double based on the cards (not identical to your charts, but similar
enough.) If I have 3 losses with no intervening wins (pushes are not
counted either way), I then switch my betting mode. The next hand I bet
the minmum $2, then double with each consecutive loss (again pushes
ignored) until $16. Since the max at this venue is $20, a loss at $16 I
then move up to $20. If I lose at $20, I will drop back to $2 and start
over as if I had just had a win (with a loss for the bad streak of $56).
Using this techniqiue, as long as the house odds are no greater than 51% to
my 49% per hand, which I consider poor if my play is reasonable, I have
calculated the net odds to me to be positive. Where a larger spread exists
allowing more doubling of the bet, I will continue to the max. However,
due to the larger $'s at risk, I have not chosen to reduce the number of
non-doubled losing bets before going into the doubling.
I'ld be interested both in any statistical flaws you see with these
approaches (including the left-most hand implications) as well as any
thoughts on the concept behind my money management. Since I tend to expect
winning streaks to be percentage-wise only a reasonably few percentage
points less frequent then losing streaks, the non-statistical view of the
concept behind my approach is that the winning streaks are where I make the
money and I am all but eliminating the effect of losing streaks except in
the extremely small % case where I lose 7 or 8 consecutive hands. Though
the effect of 8 consecutive losses offsets 28 winning hands, the occurrence
of moving that far out the probability curve seems to me to favor me over
the long haul. (The effect of 7 consecutive losses followed by a win is
down $16, or 8 winning $2 hands, but still, the frequency of moving that
far out the curve should be very low over the long run).
Ed
Dear Ed,
Whether the dealer takes a hole card before or after you play your hand
makes no difference. Trying to 'psyche' the play by trying to figure the
card the dealer will get is no different than trying to figure what the
dealer already has. This could work if you were at a single-deck game dealt
to the last few cards, but no such game exists. In short, there's no
advantage for you to sit at 'third base'. You should play proper basic
strategy, since your 'conservative' play is just giving the house a bigger
edge over you.
As for your money management technique, you're correct in saying that the
sample is too small. If you were to run a simulation of your technique for
several million hands, you'd discover that your losses would be a function
of your average bet times the house edge (about .5%) times the number of
hands played. I'd guess that your average bet is probably $6 a hand, so at a
rate of 60 hands/hour, you're playing with an expectation of about
-$1.80/hr. And that's if you stop the conservative play and use only proper
basic strategy. Remember, no money management technique alone will allow
you to overcome the house edge for very long.
Trust me, you are obviously intelligent and can easily learn how to count
cards. Do that, and you'll become a long term winner.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
GameMaster,
I'm new to the basics of blackjack. But a main objective is to bust the
dealer, and the best busting hand is a dealer showing 6. I also
understand that a pair of tens is the second best hand in blackjack, but
wouldn't it be an advantage to spilt tens to a dealer's 6?
Thanks for your prompt response
Rich
Dear Rich,
First, the first object of the game isn't to 'bust' the dealer; the object
of the game is to beat the dealer and that's done in a variety of ways. But
splitting tens isn't (at least for a non-counter) one of those ways, even
against a dealer's 6. Don't forget that it's a 20 and, by splitting, you
have two hands of 10 which requires an additional bet. By standing, you
expect to win 67.7% of all the money bet in that situation, but by
splitting, your expected return drops to 55.6% or 27.8% per hand.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
GameMaster,
I was wondering if I can get my hands on the math that figures out the odds
at Blackjack. This is meerly for my curiosity.
I also like what you have done here. It has helped me out a lot at the
local riverboat casino, and I did really well in Vegas a couple months back.
Thanks
Josh
Dear Josh,
Glad to have been a help to you. If you're REALLY into math, get Griffen's
book, "The Theory of Blackjack". It's available at Conjelco (www.conjelco.com).
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Here is my problem. I'm a Basic Strategy Player who came across your site
(great by the way). I have practiced the values of the cards (plus and
minuses), have not practiced adding them. I will be in Vegas on Nov. 12-15
(in one week). Is there anyway I can learn to count cards in this period of
time. I'm willing to put in 2-3 hours a day on this. If so should I
practice the hi/lo method or go for the Ace/Five method. Obviously the
Ace/Five Method is easier. Maybe I can play Ace/Five and then later on
learn the hi/lo.
Please Help ASAP
Lou Diaz
Chicago IL
With such little time to practice, I'd go with the Ace-5 count, then learn
hi/lo. Good luck.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Hello, I have a few questions for you they may be silly but a was just
wondering...
Does this system work with counting cards and all?
Yes, card-counting does work. If it didn't, the casinos wouldn't spend sp
much time trying to identify counters.
Are you a professional?
I pay taxes as a professional Blackjack and video poker player, but that is
not my sole source of income.
Do the pros use that system?
Many pros use the hi/lo system that I teach; I did not invent it.
I asked if the system worked because this is on the internet, and I never
hear anybody winning much on blackjack, do people know about this?
Card counting by various methods has been around for about 35 years. Few
people actually make $$$ at it, because most people don't want to put in the
time it takes to learn it and/or are underfunded, impatient, or a
combination of the two. It's not easy, but it can be done.
Thanks...I'm just learning so can I email again if I have anymore
questions?
Certainly.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Hi,
Great job on your abilities to teach your methods on learning the
secrets of Blackjack. I really enjoy reading your teaching system and
the lessons you have planned for each chapter. It is humorous, easy to
understand, exciting and fun. I look foreward to each new lesson and
practice your teachings on a regular basis.
Thanks for the kinds words.
However, I would like your help on aquiring the correct basic strategy
for 9 Decks, dealer stands on 17, double only with 7 thru 11, splitting
any pair, double after splitting only with 7 thru 11, no surrender.
I have tried to get this information from the blackjack strategy engine
but it was unable to compute the double only with 7 thru 11.
Doubling 7 through 11 is the same as doubling 9-11, since the only time
you'd double on 7 or 8 is if the count is really high and that's not
included in basic strategy. So, set the engine for double 9-11.
If splitting aces and only receiving one card whether doubling or
hitting, does it effect the above basic strategy mentioned?
Split aces receive only one card, but I don't think you can double on split
Aces.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing your favourable
reply.
Keep up the good work.
With regards
Robin
UK
Happy to help.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
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
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
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
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
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
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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
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
br clear="all">
For single deck BJ tournament play, which is the best method to use Hi-Lo
or Red7 and why? They can both be used with running count but two hands are
all that are delt anyway. The "Running divided by 2" for both would be the
"True Count" wouldn't it? So "Balanced" or "Unbalanced"? My kingdom for
your answer ....
Thanx for a great web site,
Chico
Dear Chico,
Either count will work well for a tournament, since the most important thing
under those conditions is betting properly against your opponents. If one
is easier for you to use than the other, that's the way to go because you
don't want to clutter your mind with a lot of calculations; you'll be busy
enough figuring the proper amount to bet.
So, no kingdom won or lost. Thanks for the kind words on the site.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
I am new to casino bj gambling - in fact have not been to a casino yet. Have
practiced about 8 hrs so on internet software...have learned about 95% of the
basic strategy I am using(was able to answer your 2 questions in your article
'Smart BJ for the casual Player)...so I still have more to do!!!
I will start practicing card counting seriously...right now i am using a
flash card system i found on the net...using a hi-lo balanced count flipping
1 card at a time...am hitting 100% but that's at 3 secs per card...dont plan
on going to a casino until i can do a deck 2 at a time under 30 secs...even
then I won't call myself a counter until i test my self at a casino.
Plan to go to an Indian casino within an hour drive called Turning Stone in
Oneida,NY. ...do you know what the rules are at this casino? If so, I would
appreciate it... will down load at "Incredible Links" as you suggest.
Lastly, my library consists of Griffin's - The Theory of Blackjack...too deep
for me!!!!...
BJ Attack by Schlesinger...not much help to me now but believe in time it
will. QUESTION: Thinking about buying KO Blackjack...any opinions on this
book or any other suggestions? Know that a person can go bust buying books
before ever playing bj.
Sorry for the length...thanking you in advance.
Good instincts,
Murphy
Dear Murph,
You seem to have a good handle on what it takes to succeed at Blackjack, so
keep on practicing. Even when you go, stand behind a table for at least a
shoe and see how well you can keep the count.
Turning Stone's rules are dealer stands on A-6, you may double after
splitting pairs and double on any first two cards. Most are 6-deck games.
As for the best book, there is only one: Stanford Wong's Professional
Blackjack. The KO system is a good one, but you're better off, I feel, in
learning Hi/Lo.
Good luck and let us know how you make out.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Hiya Gamemaster,
Congrats on your website being rated #4 in the nation by gambling.com.
Hopefully
you'll get advertisers ASAP, and with the $$, update your 'zine more
often. I love it.
Now to my question on blackjack. Certain experts disagree on basic
strategy. For instance in his book on advanced blackjack, John Patrick says not to split
8's versus a dealer's 10, and in most instances just hit the 16. That way when you lose,
you've only lost one bet, NOT TWO. When you hit on 16, your expectation
is to lose
53.5% of all the money you bet in that situation. When yous split 8's
with DAS, your expectation is to lose 48.3% of all the money you bet
including your second bet.
SO according to John Patrick, even though you've slightly increased your
chances of winning by splitting, you will still lose more money in the
long run since you have 2 bets.
Let me give you an example. Over the long run, for every $100 bet on 16,
you'll lose
$53.50. However, if you split the 8's your bet is now $200(or possibly
more in a double down situation), so in the long run, you'll lose $96.60
(200*48.3%). What's the flaw to his logic????
Perhaps, in my example, I am misinterpreting his reasoning. I thought
when the basic strategy
charts were created, it was based upon the results of millions of hands
runs on computer
simulations. Most books I've read do recommend splitting 8's.
I appreciate your help. Thank you.
Stingray
Dear Stingray,
Like most of John Patrick's logic, this is indeed flawed. The expectation
on a pair of 8s against a dealer's 10 is to lose 53.7% by standing, 53.5% by
hitting and 29.9% by splitting with no double after split and 29.0% if
double after splitting is allowed. My figures are from Stanford Wong's book
"Professional Blackjack" where he clearly states that for pairs, the
expectation is for the total (doubled) bet. That's on page 299 of the 1994
softback edition.
Therefore, splitting 8s against a dealer's 10 is the correct play.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Using Wong's own figures this still doesn't make sense.
Over the long run for every $100 bet, if you hit on a 16, you'll lose $53.50.
However, if you split(DAS allowed), you'll lose 29.0% of every $200 bet, which
is $58.00
So even though you improve your odds considerably, aren't you still losing more
$$ overall???
Stingray
No. Wong is saying that for every $100 TOTAL bet on 8-8, you lose 29%.
Look at it another way -- by splitting, you lose 14.5% on each hand,
therefore, for a total bet of $200, the loss is $29.00, a vast improvement
over $53.50. Even without the math, which makes more sense, hitting a 16 or
an 8?
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Dear GameMaster,
Congratulations for your new site. I have bothered you before with some
questions from Greece and I would like to hit you with a new lot if I may.
The rules are: : 6 decks,S17,DA2,DAS, No surrender. The European
No-Hole-Card rule applies. Penetration is average. 4 decks max and 3 min
are dealt (depending on table limits.)
1. All well-known books and your Internet lessons indicate that third base
is best for a counter (if he alters play according to count). Though I
understand the argument I prefer first base. My argument is the following.
For sure third base is best for playing purposes but for my game (6 decks
average penetration) is just marginally better (considering also that
alterations to play according to count occur about 10% of the time). On
the other hand first base is best for betting purposes according to count.
So I prefer trading playing efficiency for betting efficiency. Where have
I got it wrong?
2. If I decide to split a pair of tens according to count should I follow
your lesson suggestions for doubling A,9 against 5 at a count of 6 and A,9
against 6 at a count of 5 or different numbers apply?
3. Is there a best place to sit for playing the over-under bets using the
crash-count?
Yours Sincerely
Emmanouel
Dear Emmaouel,
Nice to hear from you again; glad you like the site.
As for your question on where to sit, I sit at 'third base' only when no
other seat is open. The gain is too small to matter in the game you're playing.
Regarding A-9 doubling, those numbers will work just fine.
Where you sit has no effect on the over/under because there is no playing
decision involved.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
GameMaster,
I'm just wondering why basic strategy tells you to double on Ace-7 against
dealers 3,4,5,6. Statistics say that you will lose more hands than you will
win by taking cards in this situation. Why would you want to double the 'loss'?
I think I know where the confusion is here. Yes, by hitting A-7 against
3,4,5 and 6, you turn a winner into less of a winner. But it's still a
winner and, when you double, you win more $$$, but less often. Let's look
at A-7 against a 4 as an example. If you stand in that situation, you'll
win 18% of all the $$$ you bet; if you hit, you win only 12.4% of all the
money bet but if you double, you'll win 24.8%, simply because you have twice
the bet out there. Soft 18 is a winner either way, but you win more by
doubling.
You write that the true count is found by dividing the running count on the
number of decks left in the shoe( divide by three if three decks left). Jady
Davies says that the running count should be divided by the number of shoes
times 2 (divide by 6 if three decks left). This difference is quite major.
That system uses a true count conversion accurate to half a deck. The hi/lo
which I teach is accurate to one deck. That's the difference.
What are your feelings regarding the super 7 bet, is there anyway to win on
these bets or are they 'sure losers like the jackpot bets in Caribbean stud?
The 'Super 7s' bet isn't a 'sure' loser since a player can count the 7s and
bet when there's an increased chance of getting 7s. As a general guideline,
when there are 2 'extra' 7s remaining in the decks to be played, the bet can
be made.
For example, if 3 decks remain of a 6-deck shoe, normal distribution would
tell us that 12 7s should be left. If there are 14 remaining, then the bet
can be made. If the bet is made only in those situations where there are 2
or more extra 7s, the $1 side bet is a long term wash. But, much like
playing a 100% return video poker game, you might get ahead of the curve and
win a few $$$. But let me caution that betting Super 7s all the time gives
the casino an 11% edge.
These might be stupid questions, but I'm learning. I have unfortunately
lost a lot of money playing stupid games like Caribbean stud and slot
maschines. I have found counting to be fun and great exercise for the brain,
hopefully I will be able to get the edge after long hours of training!! Your
wes site is fantastic. I would greatly appreciate it if you find the time to
reply to these inquiries.
I hope these help. Come back and visit us often.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Hi there, I love the Gamemaster web-site and your BJ advice in particular.
I am just learning to play and your lessons are proving to be extremely
valuable to me - thanks! I have a quick question regarding percentage
disadvantage for 8 deck play.
In your April 27/98 lesson entiled 'Evaluating Games', you provide insight
into calculating the starting house edge. Using your assumed game of 6
deck, DOA, No doubling after split, re-split any pair except Aces, Isurance
and Dealer stands on A-6. You tell us that the player advantage is -.54. I
am OK with this part. My local casino has this same set-up with the
following exceptions
a.. Double after split, therefore add + .14 % [as per chart]
b.. Resplit Aces, therefore add + .07 % [as per chart]
With this, my game should now score -.33 % advantage off the top. Assuming
that I have figured this correctly, what would I have to add back in
considering that my cards are coming out of an 8 deck shoe? By the way, for
what it is worth, the casino routinely places the cut card with 2 1/2 to 3
decks remaining in the shoe. Any help calculating the 8 deck disadvantage
vs. 6 deck would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your help.
Regards, bond007@idirect.com [a.k.a. future BJ counter extrodinare].
P.S. Considering the level of penetration [62 - 68 percent], do you think
this game would be worth playing, or would this fall into the 'grind'
category? Table minimum is $ 5, maximum is $ 500, with very little
anticipated heat. A 1 to 20 spread should be achievable. I am planning on
using your Hi/Lo count as soon as I have everything down cold!
Dear Mark,
Thanks for the kind words; I'm glad we've been able to help. There's very
little difference between a 6-deck and 8-deck game - give the casino an
extra 0.03%. Therefore, the house edge in the game you describe is about
.36%. The penetration is boderline and you will need that 1-20 spread to
take it out of the 'grind' category. But, beware of the bankroll
fluctuations you'll see and don't let a loooong string of losses discourage you.
Good luck in your new venture!
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
GameMaster,
I just wanted to let you know that after my last visit to Vegas (July) I
decided to try
and learn to play blackjack better. I came across your web page and read
your lessons.
It took about two days to start counting cards without messing up, another
three weeks
to attain any speed. I'm happy to report that I came out a couple of
hundred dollars
ahead playing $2.00, single deck at the Horseshoe last weekend.
Thanks for all your advice and tips.
Steve
Dear Steve,
That's great! It's always nice to hear we've been of help.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Greetings...
Let me start out by saying I think your column is fantastic. I've been
practicing counting cards at home and will make my first attempt in a
real casino this weekend with my buddy when he comes to visit (I'm
doing an internship in Germany). I'll be playing with pennies for a
while until I get the hang of counting, but your column really has me
looking at the game from a completely different angle. Well done.
Quick question about one of your quiz questions. It states that when
the player has a 6 and 3 and the dealer's face card is a 7, the
correct play would be to hit. I would argue the correct play is to
double, no? One would be a fool not to minimally hit when its
mathematically impossible to bust, but that isn't my motivation. In all
likelihood, you would double into a 19 and the dealer would end up
with a 17. If he drew less than a 10, he would then be forced to hit
again and very likely bust. If he drew an ace, he would end up with 18
and you would still win. So I would double in that situation...or is
there some angle I'm missing?
Thanks for your reply in advance.
-John
Dear John,
No, the correct play is to hit. We don't assume you're going to get a 10,
nor do we assume the dealer will end with 17. We analyze each play
according to ALL the remaining cards in the deck and, based on that, the
best play is to hit. If you hit, you can expect to win 17.4% of all the
money you bet in that situation. If you double, you can expect to win just
11.4% of all the money bet. As a counter, when the true count gets to 6,
THEN you would double 9 vs. 7.
Good luck in your new venture and thanks for the kind words.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
GameMaster,
I found a book titled "Playing Blackjack as a Business" by Lawrence Revere
which costs around $16.00. The copyright is dated 1995 so it seems fairly
recent. I am thinking of purchasing it, but before I do...
Question#1: Who is Lawrence Revere? Is he a good authority on BJ?
How do I contact this guy?
Question#2: Have you done a review on his system? How good is it?
Question#3: Should I buy his book? Can you recommend some other sources?
Thanks and more power to you!!!
Dear Gilbert,
That book actually came out about 1977 or so. It's one of the first I ever
bought on the game and it's good. While I think his count is overly
elaborate, it does work very well. "Revere" was a 'pen' name; as I recall,
his real name was 'Spec' Parsons or something like that. He died some years
ago.
As for other recommendations, I think every player should have Stanford
Wong's book, "Professional Blackjack". It's my 'bible' on the game.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
GameMaster,
I was playing at the Station in KC this past Labor Day weekend. M y buddy
and I were playing with 4 other players in a 6 deck shoe dealt game, my
buddy was at 3rd base with a blackjack the gentleman to his right had a hard
12 and all the rest of us had 16 or less and the dealer had a 6. Everyone
stood except the old gentleman with the hard 12, who douled down.The dealer
busted, but I never got a chance to talk to the old fellow .He was an
excellent player so I don't feel like he was making some off the wall
play,but I have talked with several people and nobody had seen that move. If
the dealer had been showing a 2 or 3 I could come closer to understanding,
do you have any ideas why this gentleman doubled the hard 12.
I enjoy your articles very much.
RBM
e-mail Mitch2k@ msn.com
Dear Mitch,
Doubling a 12 at anytime is an incorrect play, but doubling a 12 against a
dealer's 6 is financial suicide. For some reason, people likt to double
12s; I guess it's because, as many of them say: "only one card breaks you"
(the 10). But that's actually 4 cards of the 13 in a deck. From a
mathematics point of view, if you bet $10 a hand, standing with 12 against a
6 costs you $1.22; hitting a 12 against a 6 costs $1.73 and doubling 12
against a 6 costs $3.50. The old guy was lucky to have won.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
Hi,
I've been counting cards for a while now (+/- method) and I feel I'm at the
point where I would like to refine my playing. A counter would take
insurance if the true count indicates to but I've not found any information
that tells me how to modify the basic tables based upon the true count. Do
you know where I could find this info? I'm usually playing in Reno at a one
or two deck game, H17, DA2, No DAS, early surrender for the single deck
only.
I've found your web page very informative. Keep up the good work.
Terry
Dear Terry,
My blackjack lessons have a chapter on varying basic strategy according to
the count, but it's mostly for multi-deck games. Those variations work
quite well for single-deck, however, and you're probably better off just
learning and using one set of what we call 'indexes.' That's on the
Blackjack Page and is titled 'Basic Strategy Variations'(it's at the bottom
of the page). As for insurance, at a single-deck game, take the bet at a
true of 1.5; at double-deck at a true of 2.5 and for six-deck games at a
true of 3.
Thanks for the kind words; come back and see us often.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
GameMaster,
I am getting pretty good at counting cards but I still have some work to
do. Is there any advantage to sitting out hi negative games?
David C. Collier
713 609 4893
dcollier@hess.com
Yes, there's a definite advantage to sitting out negative decks, but it
tips you off as a counter. It's one thing to get up and walk away from a
negative count, but it's quite another to sit at the table and not play.
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster
GameMaster,
The reason why I am contacting you is the term "beatable games" you
mentioned several times. I still didn't choose my favourite Casino, but
I would like to know WHAT games are NOT beatable (so I could avoid
playing that games). I'll appreciate any help (short explanation, link
to some site where I could find more about that subject, etc.).
Thanks for your time.
Best wishes,
Dejan
Dear Dejan,
The term 'beatable' is somewhat relative, because if a casino would tolerate
me jumping my bets and otherwise not using any camouflage, almost any game
could be beaten. But, for practical purpose, a game should not have a house
edge (as determined by their rules) in excess of .5% and they should deal
into the deck(s) at least 66%. For more information, see my lesson:
"Evaluating Games".
Yours for winning,
The GameMaster