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Tuesday, May 13. 2008House edgeIn reality, and let us not play double-dealing now, winning in Blackjack is determined by luck. Of course, good mathematical skills follow. I dare say there is no welcome bonus harm in using special skills just to win the game, but there are rules that govern Blackjack. Let us reconsider secret Garden card counting. It is probably the killer of the game, since should a player be sure enough of his counting, the dealer loses the bet. Complications upon wrong free online slot games mathematics is the waterloo in Blackjack. If the player is lucky enough, he will lose his money in $20 Free gradual small amounts. But, I think a consequential loss is a sign for a player to quit playing. I am not that tartufe enough to tell a player to progressive jackpots go on until he is broke. It only saddens me that the game is not just casino slots a game, but business. Before I tried playing at casinos, I told myself to bet for the sake of the game, but Blackjack is different. islots The more I bet, the more I learn, the more challenging the game becomes. I guess the same stages apply to video slots professional blackjack players. The first time I played, I was disappointed with the percentage system. It is called House Edge. It works like profit and sales, and greatly affects the betting system. At Paradise 8 Casino first, I did not understand it. I lose my bet and lose some more. It seems unfair, but it is the rule. House Edge is the system wherein the if the final casino slot Jackpots bets of players are right, then players will get to receive that percentage. While if the slot games bets are wrong, the the percentage will be subtracted from 100 and the result percentage goes to the dealer, thus the same percentage is considered loss for players. It is quite confusing, but adds secret Garden to the fun. Thursday, March 6. 2008Battle Against the Card Counters
In each game, it is a fact that the House holds a built-in edge over gamblers. Actually, blackjack is what we would call a percentage contest, player would be first, House wins on occasions both sides go busted.
Thus, we need not wonder why gambling sites wish to make blackjack so, so hard for the counters, going to the extent of blacklisting exceptional players. In case you have not noticed, a big cottage enterprise whose main objective is to defeat the House's percentage edge has mushroomed these past many years. Because of blackjack, a set of expert books, professional congregations, magazines/letters, different kinds of gizmos have come out to the market, for all and sundry to use (of course, to buy first). Here are a few tactics used to foil the machinations of the counters: identification through computer files, the changing of rules right in the course of action, and the deal of just few cards prior to the shuffle. Here is a few more: the linking of computers, this is also a matter of identification. Of course the physical harrassment might crop up every once in a while, but trust me, physical violence is very rare at present. With a thousand laws protecting the citizen, hurting a card-counter is going to hurt the casino more in terms of lawsuits and the like. Monday, March 3. 2008Sklansky on Counting Let us hear from this gambling personality, uhm...correction, gambling authority rather...insofar as counting cards in blackjack is concerned. He explains that dozens of counting mechanisms exist, but they would all boil down to a single thing. What is this single thing: tracking the ratio of big cards to the low ones. There are those experts (some real experts, some self-avowed) who would give out systems that are so hard to figure out, and I've seen some systems which even Mensa members have given up on. Actually, still according to Sklansky, simple strategies could be ninety percent effective as the really complicated ones...and you would be saving up on those Bayer aspirins. What does this expert recommend: the high-low counting, born a long, long way back by somebody named Edward Thorp. Tallying would begin at zero and it would just have the addition/subtraction of 1 from the tally, anchored on the cards already seeing action. In the playing of multiple sets/decks, the running tally should be converted to what we call the true count, and one gets this by the division of the count by the estimated number of decks left to be moved. Tuesday, February 26. 2008Fallacies to Be Conscious Of
Myths in blackjack play my friends, here are a few:
 Ugly players would make you lose: when I say "ugly", I do not mean to say he looks like a demented gorilla suffering from migraine, I mean ugly in reference to play. Here is the truth: I will not deny that stupid actions made by newbies or poor players could have direct bearing on the result, but statistical experts have pointed out to us that there is an equal chance of their action resulting in the whole field winning, there, so much for that.Another fallacy: take the insurance all the time if you get the blackjack, this is what it's all about- for you to break even with this maneuver, you'd have to accurately guess 33 percent of the time, do you like those percentages? That dealer is on the zone or rolling hot: that may be so, but the fallacy lies in your reaction to it. Think of it this way, the casino dealer is forced by a number of mandates of the game, leaving so little room for personal creativity. On that alone, just think that he is plain lucky, and he cannot be lucky all night right? Well, if he is, just return the next day, a reversal might come. Wednesday, February 20. 2008The Upside and Downside
Yes, in a perfect world, blackjack counters should not be blacklisted from casinos, HOWEVER, we are far from a perfect world. Reality check guys: the owners own the
 House, the managers MANAGE the casino, and the SECURITY GUYS make sure that the House is secure from players who manage to beat the game in a very consistent basis, that refers to you, card-counters. (I cannot say 'us', for card-counting to me is just a tool, and I am not exactly in love with the process). In the same way that some disco houses will bar somebody wearing slippers, the casinos can prevent anybody they deem as "undesirable". Now on another topic, even veteran counters will think of their actions in terms of the long-term and not of the main goal, which is to earn big money. Assuming that the casino concerned is just near the house of the person, then this is indeed going to be a daily cash cow, and that is the upside. The downside: unless the security guards of that casino are pure idiots, they would notice the person, and sooner or later, would pinpoint him as a card-counter. In which case, what would happen is- refer back to the first paragraph. Monday, January 28. 2008Pontoon Maneuvers
Scoring in Pontoon Blackjack is very similar to the mainstream blackjack games,
 take note, I did not say totally similar, there are still variances. Each numbered card is to be taken at the face value, face cards would be ten points still. Ace is valued at either eleven or one, gambler could hit at whatever point, that includes a post-doubling scene.A gambler could double but just one time for a hand, and he/she could split a duo of same rank, this applies to say, a K and a Q. When the gambler goes bust, he at once loses and the whole wager. When all gamblers have done their hands, the game's dealer would show his 2 cards. He (the dealer) has to hit if it's a soft seventeen, but he would be forced to stand if it's eighteen or above. Owing to the fact that the game's dealer would have no upcards, the battleplans for Pontoon and mainstream blackjack would vary. If you think this kind of blackjack holds a negligible following, you may be wrong. Already, my friend Mark (female) has stopped hosting Home Poker, and she is now offering nothing to her gang but Home Party-cum-Pontoon. Next week, I will join her party, invited or not, haha. Thursday, January 24. 2008Hot HandAgain, let me reiterate, this is not an endorsement, I mean, this is not an advert in the marketing sense. Short of saying I recommend it, let me just say that it is not a bad system, there are other blackjack programs out there which are a lot worse.That done with, let me go to the meat of the discussion. The Hot Hand Advantage- the ugly name notwithstanding- is a blackjack card-counting system conceptualized by one blackjack pro. What this program/system would teach: procedure on correct play, bet adjustments, hitting/standing, and if you are a blackjack player of the distaff side, it has a "blackjack for women" part. Oh, lest I forget, this is on DVD, and if you purchase it, they have a bonus for the buyer: an interactive training game which could hone your card-counting maneuvers right there in the safety of your own computer den. (Need I remind you that card-counters in major casinos are as welcome as a demented bull in a china store?) Forgive if I am resorting to hackneyed phrases, my creative mode is offline today, probably suffering from a hangover. Monday, January 21. 2008Hunting the Hunters- Part 2
Watch the dealing/shuffling done by the dealer himself, not all of them are honest. However, take solace in the fact that most of them are really people with integrity. That does not include a casino acquaintance named Hodwark, I think at present, he is taking up residence (all expenses courtesy of the state) behind bars. I wish him well, maybe I'll buy him a beer when he gets out 2 years from now.
Last tip: if it's a machine shuffling, watch carefully. This is where phony shuffles come in, and if you do not know what a phony shuffle is, er...sorry, I will not discuss that today. Maybe a sequel...but do not hold your breath. Now, here are a few other hints: House cheating is actually very rare. This happens in unregulated sites, but still and all, it's a rare thing. Any self-respecting casino owner/manager would decide that getting in hot water with the law is not worth the money they could scam from the guests. Blackjack-wise, in almost all reputable casinos, every table is safeguarded by a surveillance camera. That is why, those experts who card-count would not gamble at one casino for a long period of time (meaning, they might do 3 nights, but not more than a week), as each day they spend at a single site, the bigger chances of getting caught. Wednesday, January 16. 2008Hunting the Hunters
Let me define the terms, when I say "hunters" for our purposes today, I am
 referring to those who consider cheating as the most pragmatic course of action to win at the blackjack games. When I say hunting on the other hand, that is, spotting them, but even if I used the word "hunt", I do not consider going to the guy and hitting him on the nose as a wise act. Better would be to leave the casino and go to another casino whose security is more beefed up, assuming you are the gambler. If you are an employee of the casino however, it behooves you to report those cheaters to your security force, ehr...assuming they know what to do. Here are some hints you can do that would help you locate these chea...these hunters: watch for nonverbal cues being displayed by spectators. For example, if you see a guy who runs his hand through his hair every one minute, something may be up. It could be an innocent mannerism of his, but on the other hand, he may be signalling a co-cheater who is part of the field. Monday, January 14. 2008The Analyzer It goes by the name of RoyalDoyle Blackjack Analyzer, and it is an expert's tool for numerical analysis. It would validate one's styles for his/her blackjack game. This is best suited not just for advance gamblers, but for newbies as well. It holds the main strategies such as card counting, basic strategy, betting maneuvers, and even streak strategies. A mix of strategies could be done for the strong gamblers. It is a training tool too, the most accurate play would be shown in a window, well, "cheat window" is how it's called. If one is not comfortable with it for whatever reason, he could disable it. The Royal doyle Blackjack gives varying speeds in the play, at manual mode, gambler would be mandated to make each action. For the slow, the medium and fast, the program would play every hand based on settings which are configured. This program has been written in pure Java and so, could be utilized for any platform supported by the JRE. You may be planning to join a tourney very soon, or you may not, whatever the case may be, this analyzer would do you a lot of good. You might want to give it a shot, who knows, you might win big even if you don't know a single thing about card-counting. Wednesday, January 9. 2008CashAvoid gambling with cash earmarked for the rent or the car's payments, I have seen so many couples divorce over this kind of thing. "Well I am single"- you may say, still, you have other priorities to pay for right? Besides, what if you would be getting married anytime soon, have you thought of your savings? Prepare a real bankroll, one that would not have you weeping overnight if you lose all of them. Once you have lost all of it, go to the bar and treat yourself to a beer, or a midnight snack, this should at least put you on a better frame of mind. If nothing else, you won't be hungry on the way home, the wife may not have prepared dinner. You know and you can feel if you are on a good roll, on these occasions, bet bigger sums. Once the streak has reversed itself, go to the low-roller's kind of betting. Resist the temptation to bet big while on a bad roll, chasing losses is one bad maneuver that all good gamblers have learned to bear in mind. Yes, chasing losses sometimes succeeds, but not from a long-term perspective. Remember, all casino games are luck-based contests, in varying degrees. Learn the virtue of patience, this holds particularly true for blackjack. Monday, January 7. 2008Penned by Snyder
"Big Book of Blackjack" is the name of the literature, and Arnold Snyder is the name of the creator. Holding no less than thirty chapters, this is a worthy addition to any blackjack buff's library. Scratch out
 the buff, if he/she has a true collection, blackjack gambler is the apt word for it. (A buff just has the interest, not necessarily the fundamental theoretical hold, whereas a gambler knows the rudiments and more, that is at least, how I differentiate them). Among its many parts, the game's history is explained, and that includes bit and pieces on the lives of the "Great Ones". Some of these "great ones": Ken Uston, Stanford Wong and naturally, Ed Thorp. If you are familiar with the Griffin squad, they are also a part of this gambling book. Other salient points elaborated on in this book are: fundamental strategies, problem cards, card-counting, varying rules, just to mention a few. If you are very interested in cheating (maybe you want to become one, or maybe you WANT to catch one)- it also holds parts pertaining to it. Particularly cheating on multiple and single deck games, so there. Wednesday, January 2. 2008Decorum in Blackjack OK, so you just want to be watching? There is no problem with that, but there would be, if you are so near one player that you would be mistaken for his/her shadow. If your vision is OK, then go watch from many feet away, you could still see the action. If your vision is NOT ok, then go to your optometrist and get glasses, then you can go back to the casino and watch from many feet away. (If you do not have money for a new pair of glasses, ehr...that is going to be a big problem. Thank God it's yours and not mine, both the problem and the eyes). You want to tip- yes, that would be a good thing. If you are an everyday guest to one particular House, then you need not tip everyday. However, it would be best if more than half of the time, you are tipping. You want to drink at the tables(?)- ask the floor's employees first. There are many casinos that frown at this habit of bringing the beer or the glass of Coke to the tables, for they have experienced a number of nasty spills. Friday, December 28. 2007My Response to Kim- Part Two
'Security will give you hell, always'. (Actually, let me just say this true story that happened to the cousin of an officemate. He (the cousin) is a good card counter, after winning serious sums at a particular casino, he was called in to the manager's office. He was expecting to be told that he would be blacklisted from that point on, but LO AND BEHOLD! The manager said, -You have a choice, we will bar you from playing at all our blackjack games, or you can work for our security force. If it's the latter, you will be focusing on card counters, you can catch them easily enough since you are one.-)
He took on the offered job, and mind you, they are giving him a fair salary, enough said. I asked him (I know how to card-count too) if he would expose me if I do my card-counting at his casino, and he answered me with a smile that says, "Let me sleep on that one, but it would be a very intelligent move on your part to stay away from our TURF". There, really enough said. Monday, December 24. 2007My Response to Kim Kim is a guy, we have been friends for about 2 years now, and he is what I would call a semi-social-semi-serious gambling buff. He actually knows how to play all the mainstream games at the casino, but he spends most of his time doing poker and blackjack. Now here is the thing, he sent me a very early Christmas card (November actually) and inserted there was a print out of a letter for me. It was more of an article than a personal letter, and there, he told me the reasons why card-counting is not worth s@#t. While I will not write here his actual messages/words, I'll give the high points, and all in parentheses, would be my responses...here we go. " Best odds would be approximately 1 to 2 percent to the gambler's favor and thiswould be in the far-term, meaning to say, hundreds and hundreds of hours- playing time. (While the percents cited are fairly standard, the far-term is just that, a theory. Lady Luck can give a total newbie a very big win in his very first hour of his very first landbased experience. I know it, I've seen it happen.) "It is not a way to become rich" - (I will have to agree, but up to a point only. It is just like betting on the lottery, millions of men/women bet on it dreaming to win big, yet they hold on to their day jobs). Hold on again, just the first part guys...oh by the way...Merry Christmas! May you have many, many more cards to count, and less security guards catching on. Thursday, December 20. 2007Be Wary When There are Changes in the Rules In blackjack, it is always (both) prudent and practical to adopt a kind of "defensive driving" mindset. For those who do not drive (I no longer do, but I know how)- it is the mindset where- even if you are driving in a space/neighborhood populated by the most careful drivers in the world, you will always assume and seriously pretend that everybody out there is a crazed drunk driver who would ram onto your car if given the chance.I am not advocating that you get paranoid, but here is the thing. Watch out when the casinos have "modified" rules. Something like: the game's dealer would hit if it's a soft seventeen, or if the House woudl proffer extra bets in exchange for a fancy microwave oven or something. These techniques are done to shift the winning odds further to the camp of the House. One last word before I go, think of this- when you are in a game playing the minimum wager repeatedly, it might prolong your gambling hours, but really, you might just lose everything (and that perennial quoted shirt) faster that you've imagined. Monday, December 17. 2007The ChartsAssuming you are having problems memorizing the charts for basic blackjack strategies, here is a solid advice: buy a strategy card- WHAT? You don't know what it is, for goodness sake, anyway, let me help you out on that score. This card is a small card, laminated, the size of the ordinary credit card, and it holds the fundamental charts and take note, many casinos allow the use of such. Fact is, I know of some sites that would not care less if you brought in a strategy card the size of your car. HOWEVER, I know of some sites that forbid them, and I know of a few casinos that are so myopic in this regard, that they'll bar you if they found out you have one in your possession, even if you are bearing a note signed by the US President saying he is all for it.Anyway, what are the uses for these cards: first, it would aid the gambler in understanding the charts. Second, it would aid in the decision-making of math-linked scenarios in actual play. There, NO...I am not selling any...if you want a discount, call my brother. I think he is selling some (he sells ALL THINGS imaginable, one of these days he'll probably get arrested for selling antique things acquired from government-protected sites). Thursday, December 13. 2007The Hand SignalsIn blackjack, hand cues or signals differ based on the number of setsand on a particular situation: if the gambler is holding the cards or not. We start with the faceup kind of game: stand- waving the hand repeatedly over cards, hand is parallel to table. Hit: point at the cards, that's that. Double/Split: put an additional wager next to the initial money/wager. Do not put it on top. Let us say you have two fours or 2 fives, hold two fingers up (splitting) or just one finger (to double). If it's a facedown game: stand- place the cards under the money wager. Hit: gambler scrapes table. Double/split: turn the cards (faceup), then put extra wager next to the initial bet. Major casinos would not permit gamblers (especially high-rollers' sites) to do verbal signals (those they would not recognize anyway), so it would be mandatory for you to learn these. If you don't, an innocent signal that you "invent" might be taken as a "cheating signal". Remember, there are paranoid dealers out there, thank God not too many of them. Monday, December 10. 2007The Even Money Bet If you have sixteen, it is not EXACTLY a big mistake to just stand if the opposing cards sum up to ten. Truth is, it would be best to stand with most of 3 or 4 card sixteens against the ten, however, it is a blunder to stand with sixteen if the opposing has a seven shown. Why: you would probably win against the 7, if you can only avoid a bust.There is only one thing you'll get to have by accepting even money, that is: reduce the wins, and given this over a long period of time, it would surely be a cumulative thing. Fighting with 2 hands against the House would be equal to this: two persons betting one hand apiece, using the same techniques, bear that in mind. To play with two hands-yes- is fun, but it is not advisable all the time. (Reminds me of my friend Oleck, he was online, playing 2 hands of blackjack, 2 hands of poker, while ironing clothes at the same time. The polo shirt he was ironing got burned, that should teach him a lesson). Thursday, December 6. 2007No Entry It is called "No mid-shoe entry" policy and many casinos employ this. Whether you know card-counting or not, you'll do yourself a favor by knowing this mandate. What is this rule for: to protect the House from the card-counters. This would bar the counters from joining in all at once at those moments when they are confident the stack is already rich with aces/tens. The rule does not mean: if you are on a roll, then it would not affect you. Remember, the law of averages dictate that at the end of the road, the wins and the losses should equalize, very closely. Here is another wagering tip: do not follow progressive betting anchored on the previous results. This may be OK in roulette, but blackjack is not roulette. One good way of raising the bets is to monitor which cards have been played, and take it from there. Then, there are those players who would debate (to the death if need be) that a particular seat is favorable to him/her, but believe me, there is no such thing. In poker it may be applicable, but not here. Monday, December 3. 2007Paroli This betting system is considered as a positive progression kind, in a way, the counterpoint to the Martingale. With the Paroli, one begins with just 1 unit, if gambler wins this, the next wager should be increased. Assuming you are intent on using this school of thought of betting, it is mandatory that you do a general betting scheme prior to gambling. Decide exactly up to how big you'll raise the bets until you go back to square one. Of course, it would be based on the kind of game, plus the casino's kind of odds.Let me concretize this: you are at one game, one hundred dollars to be used. Start wagering with 2 dollars each, then you win two dollars. Go put the second wager of four dollars, and assuming you win again, put the third stakes at eight. Assuming you win once more, you may (MAY) OPT to peg this as your termination point. Go back to the initial stakes of two dollars, there, it's really a straightforward system. Be aware though that this system is not perfect, hey, not even the Martingale is. Thursday, November 29. 2007Rudiments
In blackjack, it is crucial to know the theories on splitting, and the long and short of it is this- you may divide your first 2 card hand to two different hands to enhance winning percentages. This splitting is a good maneuver if you start out with 2 small cards. That or when the hand is not big enough to win and hitting might result to a probable busted set.
When you are holding a very strong hand, you could go double, what this means is you raise (twice) the initial wager which has been placed prior to dealing of initial cards. One good tip is this: double on big hands worth 20/21 to enhance winnings, but that I guess, is elementary to everybody. For the newbies, do not rush and join the sharks at the landbased games, why the rush? Go to online sites, download the software, and get your feet wet. Particularly, if the site has a playmoney section, utilize it to your heart's content. You can keep on practicing there until the sun sets down and rises once more. (Of course, do not emulate my friend Lukes, he goes 20 hours without eating or sleeping, many times his wife found him facedown on top of the keyboard). Monday, November 26. 2007A Matter of Mindset The sooner you accept the fact that in blackjack, even if you pride yourself of being a good player, losses would happen. If you always bear this in mind, then long losing streaks would just slide by and not demoralize you like it does to those gamblers who expect to win all the time.Search for the game with a minimum of not more than five percent of your whole bankroll. When you are choosing a table to sit down at, think of rule variations, like, would the dealer have to stand on this kind of cards or that kind? Doubling down means having the wager doubled and getting just one card, if it's your guess that you would defeat the House via this action. It is the gambler's number one edge, and if you fail to capitalize on this, well, what can I say? You would not go farther up the strength ladder, trust me on this. Last, be capable of walking away, yes, it is so hard to quit when you are already up by 2 grand and you feel like you could go on forever. Remember, we may have the Unlawful Internet Gambling Law now, but blackjack would not be outlawed anytime soon. Wednesday, November 14. 2007I am No Fan of the TrioplayWithout elaborating on the system, let me just say this, if ever you get to invent your own blackjack system, have it published first. There is nothing that puts me out more than a system that is so arrogant that to be able to know at least a part of it, you'd have to shell out money.Look, the Martingale has been with us since time immemorial, that is why nobody is rushing to look for it online, there are bound books on it. However, I've heard of this system, called Trioplay, and it is as commercial as commercial gets. This system is a positive progressive betting system, in other words, player's bets rise when he wins, while they go down if he loses. According to the site I checked, you'd have to shell out thirty pieces of silver, er...that was a different payment (related to a crucifixion)- 30 dollars I mean, just to download some data on the system. (Why couldn't they give a bird's eye view for free, surely that is doable?) I do not mean to bash this system, but whoever the sellers of this thing is, they'd better revamp their marketing strategy. Thursday, November 8. 2007Terms Today
Hit: this means getting another card from the dealer.
 House edge: advantage of the casino over the gamblers.Insurance: if the dealer shows an Ace, gambler could put in a bet called insurance, this is a form of shield in case the House gets a blackjack. Pair split: referring to the dividing of the pair into 2 segregated holdings. Stand: no, this is not the act of stretching one's legs after sitting down for hours and hours on end. In blackjack, this means the player will no longer get any more cards. When to do this is the subject matter of hundreds of tutorial sites, and if you read all of them, you might just get afflicted with a perpetual migraine. Experts are not in concurrence on this particular topic. Surrender: this is a course of action where only fifty percent of the wager would be lost. Bet Spread: difference between low and the high wagers spread out among the field. Double down: if the gambler doubles the wager prior to the drawing of the last card in that hand. Draw: no, this is not the act of getting something from a holster to kill somebody, although that is exactly what it means in another bygone era. Today in blackjack, it means receiving another card, almost synonymous with hit. |
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Tuesday, November 6 2007 Counting Versus the Shuffling Wednesday, October 31 2007 Martingale Meets the Counting Monday, October 29 2007 Busting Moments Tuesday, October 23 2007 Penetration Percentage Tuesday, October 16 2007 The Martingale is a Solid System Thursday, October 11 2007 The Rules Relating to the Hands Monday, October 8 2007 On Shuffling and the Decks Thursday, October 4 2007 A Concrete Illustration on this Betting System Friday, September 28 2007 Definition of Terms Wednesday, September 26 2007 ArchivesWorking Blackjack System Articles |
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Casino Comments
Wed, 22.08.2007 02:20
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Wed, 25.07.2007 02:05