| Posted by: aliengenius at September 10, 2007, 4:14 pm | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Quote: Originally Posted by jeffred1111
If the house has the shoe reshuffled continuously, how can a counting player gain a sufficient edge ? Wouldn't the penetration be actually ery close to zero since the only cards dealt (and missing from the deck) are the ones currently in the game ? Wouldn't the olume of hands needed to be played in order to twart SD become so big that it would be ery, ery, ery hard to show a profit ?
Right, no way to count with the continuous reshuffle machines.
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| Posted by: jeffred1111 at September 4, 2007, 12:32 am | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
If the house has the shoe reshuffled continuously, how can a counting player gain a sufficient edge ? Wouldn't the penetration be actually ery close to zero since the only cards dealt (and missing from the deck) are the ones currently in the game ? Wouldn't the olume of hands needed to be played in order to twart SD become so big that it would be ery, ery, ery hard to show a profit ?
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| Posted by: Mrlova at August 21, 2007, 12:58 am | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
A lot of casino's offer $5 tables during non-peak hours. Usually during the peak hours they raise the stakes to attract more players.
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| Posted by: joeeagles at August 20, 2007, 8:59 pm | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Mr Pink, I went to Atlantic City last Saturday and I can now confirm that Trump Marina still offers $5 Blackjack tables in the morning. I wasn't able to play them because I got there in the evening and actually ended up playing $15 tables (and won this time for a change lol), but I asked the dealer and he told me that $5 tables are still offered early in the day when its slow.
I'm not aware if other casinos offer them, but I'm guessing some do because it appears the Borgata has hurt business for many of them, particularly the Trump ones.
Just wanted to let you know this, for what its worth.
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| Posted by: ayasak at August 16, 2007, 3:19 pm | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
interesting thread...will need some time for me digest the information.
since i'll be paying my first isit to a casino soon, the info here will come in really handy. Thanks!
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| Posted by: aliengenius at August 3, 2007, 4:23 am | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Quote: Originally Posted by joeeagles
Yes, aliengenius also has a deep knowlegde of gambling in general and literature. It's not a case I have a quote of his as my signature. You guys are ery similar it seems, if you also share his passion for beer tasting I could envision the 2 of you getting along really good.
ty sir!
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| Posted by: Nexar at August 2, 2007, 4:39 am | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Quote: Originally Posted by bob_tiger
wow, how do you know all of this mr pink?
in deed mr pink sounds like a gambling house breaker
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| Posted by: joeeagles at August 2, 2007, 4:03 am | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
They're still offered in the morning in smaller casinos like Trump Marina, but you're right lately most casinos no longer offer them and I haven't played in a while. The Borgata was the only that use to keep one $5 table open even on weekend nights, where every other casino didn't offer it, but I haven't been there in a while so I'm not sure they still have it.
Again, you know more than me Mr Pink. It shows just how much time I dedicate to it.
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| Posted by: Mr. Pink at August 2, 2007, 3:47 am | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Thanks for your reply, and personal stories.
Just a quick "news clip" if you don't mind.
Quote: Originally Posted by joeeagles
Even when I do go to AC and play Blackjack I've always stayed on the $5 tables.
There a no longer any $5 minimum Blackjack games in AC.
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| Posted by: joeeagles at August 2, 2007, 3:22 am | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Quote: Originally Posted by Mr. Pink
It looks like aliengenius already answered your question.
Those casinos were using 6 deck shoes and they were dealing down to the last 50 or so cards, before reshuffling. In addition to this deep deck penetration they would allow surrender and favorable double-down options. Also, you would be able to split and re-split as many times as you'd like. I may be forgetting some other details, but that is more or less the gist of it.
Yes, aliengenius also has a deep knowlegde of gambling in general and literature. It's not a case I have a quote of his as my signature. You guys are ery similar it seems, if you also share his passion for beer tasting I could envision the 2 of you getting along really good.
I've only played Blackjack at Atlantic City, because occasionally, when I have time, I drive my parents there. They love slot machines. I use to warn them how slots are a losing cause, but I ended up taking a lot of grief since th... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: Mr. Pink at July 31, 2007, 2:06 pm | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Quote: Originally Posted by bob_tiger
...i like playing black jack for fun but im not the luckiest person in it...
That's precisely what casinos want. Although Blackjack is actually a game of skill, casinos go out of their ways to turn it into a game of chance. This is why many casinos now use continuous card shufflers, such as the ShuffleMaster one2six card shuffler. This way the plaid-out cards go back into the shuffler, right after every round, so the players never get any significant shoe penetration.
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| Posted by: bob_tiger at July 31, 2007, 4:36 am | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
wow mr pink loves blackjack im guessing? i like playing black jack for fun but im not the luckiest person in it. so im going to admit it i suck at it, even though it is a fun game and i enjoy playing it.
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| Posted by: Mr. Pink at July 30, 2007, 9:49 pm | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Quote: Originally Posted by joeeagles
I find all your posts ery interesting Mr Pink, you certainly display a deep knowledge of the gambling industry and literature.
First of all, thank you for your nice words. I am glad that you find my posts interesting.
Quote: Originally Posted by joeeagles
The "counting cards" topic is closely related to the cheating thread in which you also posted...
Correct. I specialize in strategies that increase the odds of winning. In gambling, there is only one way to be a consistent winner. You have to play with an advantage. The biggest advantage one can possibly have is by cheating. Some advantages can be argued in one way or another (best saved for another thread) and some built-in advantages do not constitute cheating (such as gaining a 1% or 2% edge by card counting).
Card counting is not cheating, it is simply the only smart way to play Blackjack, if you are going to play that game. However... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: aliengenius at July 30, 2007, 7:51 pm | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Quote: Originally Posted by joeeagles
I find all your posts ery interesting Mr Pink, you certainly display a deep knowledge of the gambling industry and literature.
The "counting cards" topic is closely related to the cheating thread in which you also posted, since players get banned for it.
In your 1st post in this thread you mention about casinos outside the US that offer Blackjack games with favorable rules that we no longer see in our country.
Out of curiosity, do these rules have anything to do with the # of decks in the shoe, and the fact that after cutting the house purposely leaves out around 2 or 3 decks?
Yes. Favorable game conditions are key to winning in blackjack (even more so than game selection in poker ?!).
The following are some of the thing you would look for when evaluating a game:
1. Number of deck. The fewer the better, all other ariables being equal. Why? It's pretty simple if you think about it: if I... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: joeeagles at July 30, 2007, 7:22 pm | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
I find all your posts ery interesting Mr Pink, you certainly display a deep knowledge of the gambling industry and literature.
The "counting cards" topic is closely related to the cheating thread in which you also posted, since players get banned for it.
In your 1st post in this thread you mention about casinos outside the US that offer Blackjack games with favorable rules that we no longer see in our country.
Out of curiosity, do these rules have anything to do with the # of decks in the shoe, and the fact that after cutting the house purposely leaves out around 2 or 3 decks?
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| Posted by: Mr. Pink at July 30, 2007, 7:03 pm | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Quote: Originally Posted by aliengenius
...However, I would disagree with the need to start with those historical texts...
Agreed. No need to start with those historical texts. I was just thinking of recommendations form the perspective of a Blackjack enthusiast who may want to start from the roots. But form a practical POV, I agree, you can skip history and study the math.
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| Posted by: Mr. Pink at July 30, 2007, 6:59 pm | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Let's just go over some basic theory of blackjack, for those (poker players) who may be totally unfamiliar with it.
In every deck of 52 cards there are 16 cards with the numerical alue of 10. Every other card is only present in the multiples of 4. Aces can count either as 10 or 11.
This being said, you can see why it is always risky to take a hit card, if your total is already 12 or more. There are 16 10-value cards in the deck, so the odds are that the hit card is quite likely to be a 10, and therefore bust your hand. But when some cards have already been dealt out of the deck (or shoe) you want to know if there are still a lot of 10's left, that are likely to bust your hand. If there are a lot of 10's left, you may sometimes change your basic hit-and-stand strategy according to the count (you need to memorize tables). In that case you let the dealer take a hit card, and increase your odds at winning by letting the dealer bust.
Basically, you start with an optimum basic str... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: aliengenius at July 30, 2007, 6:45 pm | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Quote: Originally Posted by Jack Daniels
Knock-out Blackjack by Vancura Fuchs is another interesting read if you are mathematically inclined.
This ^^ system has been shown to be as profitable as the more complex multilevel counts.
Mr. Pink, nice little history lesson there, and good discussion of some of the sd math in Blackjack. +rep for an excellent post. However, I would disagree with the need to start with those historical texts. You can always go back and read them to 'round out' your education after you gain proficiency in counting.
Just to give some modern day texts/references, Arnold Snyder, Don Schlesinger, and Stanford Wong are some of the modern day masters of the game. All have written excellent books, any of which I would recommend reading before getting "historical" with the older experts. Here is another site that Blackjack enthusiasts might find useful.
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| Posted by: Mr. Pink at July 30, 2007, 6:38 pm | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Absolutely. But I am only stating this on a theoretical level.
There is an old saying: In theory there is no difference between practice and theory, but in practice there is.
What this means in terms of blackjack theory is that in theory blackjack can be beat in the long run. But in practice one must overcome many obstacles. In practice one may not be able to overcome these obstacles and in practice one may still end up losing, even if the theory is sound.
Does this make sense?
Here, let me first explain the theory behind the reason why blackjack is the only casino game that can be beat.
It all has to do with the fact that every time a card is removed form the deck (or from the multi-deck shoe) the odds of future outcomes change. The reason why this is so is simply because the cards that have been removed from the remaining supply of cards can no longer possibly be dealt out of that same supply of cards.
What cards are the most desirable cards for... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: Mr. Pink at July 30, 2007, 4:12 pm | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
The numbers I posted above, regarding the Standard Deviation in blackjack, are just round numbers (for better clarity).
Some of you may wish to isit the site The Wizard of Odds for more detailed information on this subject.
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| Posted by: Mr. Pink at July 30, 2007, 3:40 pm | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Quote: Originally Posted by anquish
Can anyone recommend any particular book for someone wanting to learn blackjack in-depth?
The first book you should read is the one that started it all, Beat the Dealer, by Edward O. Thorp. Although this book is now outdated, it is still a book that you should read if you are interested in studying blackjack.
Second book you should read is Blackjack your Way to Riches, by Richard Albert Canfield (alias). This book has a card-counting system that offers slightly better odds than the Thorp count. Also, Canfield mentions about another, more advanced, card counting system that he calls the Master System. That system is not described in this book but he tells you how you can order the system directly from him. Of course, this is all old information and at the present time Canfield no longer sells his Master System.
However, Bryce Carlson (alias) ripped off Canfield and published his Master System in another book, entitled Blackj... | | Read Entire Entry |
| Posted by: Jack Daniels at May 24, 2007, 9:48 pm | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Knock-out Blackjack by Vancura Fuchs is another interesting read if you are mathematically inclined.
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| Posted by: Egon Towst at May 24, 2007, 3:57 pm | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Try:
"Winning Casino Blackjack for the Non-Counter", by Avery Cardoza.
That has been a standard text for 20+ years and contains all the basic concepts and strategies and an explanation of the ariations of the game found in different casinos.
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| Posted by: vanquish at May 22, 2007, 9:42 pm | | Topic: Blackjack Books? Forum: Card Chat |
Can anyone recommend any particular book for someone wanting to learn blackjack in-depth?
Thanks
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