Blackjack

[Paul Revere]

If anyone is looking for a really good BJ book, read The Ultimate Edge by Mark Billings, it is my favourite gambling book. It tells the story of a BJ team in the 80s (it's not a strategy book) that travels the world and uses multiple techniques (counting, shuffle tracking, spooking etc.) to beat the games and get the money. It is an incredible story and very well written. The book has 20 amazon reviews, all are 5 stars.

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Edge-...+ultimate+edge



Another book which may be of interest is The Blackjack Life by Nathaniel Tilton. It tells Nathaniel 's BJ story of how he went to a Semyon Dukach training seminar and met a friend there and they went on to become successful weekend warrior type BJ players.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Blackjack-...d_bxgy_b_img_y

[lansdale]

Originally Posted by Paul Revere

If anyone is looking for a really good BJ book, read The Ultimate Edge by Mark Billings, it is my favourite gambling book. It tells the story of a BJ team in the 80s (it's not a strategy book) that travels the world and uses multiple techniques (counting, shuffle tracking, spooking etc.) to beat the games and get the money. It is an incredible story and very well written. The book has 20 amazon reviews, all are 5 stars.

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Edge-...+ultimate+edge



Another book which may be of interest is The Blackjack Life by Nathaniel Tilton. It tells Nathaniel 's BJ story of how he went to a Semyon Dukach training seminar and met a friend there and they went on to become successful weekend warrior type BJ players.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Blackjack-...d_bxgy_b_img_y

Hi PR,

Agree about the first book. 'UE' is probably the best written and most entertaining book ever written about blackjack, but won't be of any help to someone trying to learn how to beat the game in the 21st century. The events take place in the early '80s, when casinos were more clueless, enabling a number of teams using BJ computers to make some nice scores. In this case, the players were using a shuffle-tracking computer, which provided a level of accuracy far superior to human ST. Unfortunately, this golden age soon came to an end with the outlawing of 'gambling devices' in most gambling venues.

Actually more of a character study than a gambling book, it provides a very good picture of the often comic realities of team play, including the logistical screw-ups and, in this case, frequent technical malfunctions of the jerry-rigged computers. If I were going to recommend a book to a non-gambling friend, it would be this rather than this fabricated 'Bringing Down the House'. Just remember it's a trip down memory lane.

Cheers,

lansdale

[Robert Goren]

It was written a long time ago, but I found The Big Player by Ken Uston to very interesting. It got me interested blackjack many years ago.

[Rookies]

Originally Posted by BlueShoe

Single deck blackjack games that pay 6-5 for blackjacks rather than the traditional standard 3-2 is an abomination that no savvy player would ever play. It adds an extra 1.39% house advantage, a huge extra bite that no player, no matter how skilled, can overcome. The problem is that these games have spread all over the state of Nevada, and have almost become standard. A single deck game that pays 3-2 for naturals, has good rules and pen, with a low minimum bet has become virtually obsolete in the blackjack world.

At one time the Las Vegas Strip had the best BJ games on the planet, now it has many of the worst. There are still some 3-2 games, but they usually have very high minimum bets, $100 is common. The Nevada clubs that still have low limit SD games with 3-2 blackjacks, such as in Laughlin and Reno/Tahoe usually have bad rules, such as only permitting doubling on hard 10 and 11, and poor pen. Am not really up to date on current game conditions, but in my casual play the best choice now seems to be a double deck game with decent rules, but even these games have become hard to find.

Blue, when my group and I go to Vegas, we stay at Harrah's/ Paris and shuffle off to this place on Koval: http://www.ellisislandcasino.com/ell...s_landing.html

Now, we're only Red- Green players 99% of the time, but this little joint (really for the locals) we find great! 6 Decks (Non auto shuffle) of 3/2, $5-$300 BJ and they have great food, including super Ribs, their own Brew Pub, etc. It's perfect for us, as nobody goes there and we can move in and take over a whole table generally. There are only 3-4! With a bit of play, you can easily get a free meal.

You can generally be a bit loud and a bit obnoxious and we tip the ladies' well, so they like us, if the Head Pit Boss sometimes doesn't. Certainly possible to win, if everyone plays hard line Basic. Biggest benefit? We're not getting pounded with 6/5 + Min Green, like the big places a block away.

Try it, next time you're in town.

[_______]

Originally Posted by Rookies

Blue, when my group and I go to Vegas, we stay at Harrah's/ Paris and shuffle off to this place on Koval: http://www.ellisislandcasino.com/ell...s_landing.html

Now, we're only Red- Green players 99% of the time, but this little joint (really for the locals) we find great! 6 Decks (Non auto shuffle) of 3/2, $5-$300 BJ and they have great food, including super Ribs, their own Brew Pub, etc. It's perfect for us, as nobody goes there and we can move in and take over a whole table generally. There are only 3-4! With a bit of play, you can easily get a free meal.

You can generally be a bit loud and a bit obnoxious and we tip the ladies' well, so they like us, if the Head Pit Boss sometimes doesn't. Certainly possible to win, if everyone plays hard line Basic. Biggest benefit? We're not getting pounded with 6/5 + Min Green, like the big places a block away.

Try it, next time you're in town.

Why do I feel like Ron Burgundy wrote this review?

Try reading it with his voice in your head and see what you think.

[BlueShoe]

Okay, partly because of this thread , and partly because of an upcoming trip to Reno/Tahoe, just for fun decided to test the old skills with the old drill that counters are supposed to know and practice. You know the one, take a deck of cards, and at first deal one card at a time face up, slowly, and then faster, and then deal two cards at a time faster and faster, all the while keeping a running count using your preferred system. If your count is not what it was supposed to be after all the cards have been dealt, you have made a counting error. In my case, using the simple plus minus or high/low, the count should be zero at the end of the deck. The results were not good, I am r-u-s-t-y .

Because of poor game conditions at SLT, it may be best to just stay in the racebook, or if venturing to the BJ tables, just find a game with the best rules and play perfect basic strategy, which is still instinctive in me, for low stakes. I am not ready for any serious counting ventures. Just as an athlete may get out of shape, so too do card counters, and both require lots of effort and practice to return to peak form.

[Valuist]

Originally Posted by BlueShoe

Okay, partly because of this thread , and partly because of an upcoming trip to Reno/Tahoe, just for fun decided to test the old skills with the old drill that counters are supposed to know and practice. You know the one, take a deck of cards, and at first deal one card at a time face up, slowly, and then faster, and then deal two cards at a time faster and faster, all the while keeping a running count using your preferred system. If your count is not what it was supposed to be after all the cards have been dealt, you have made a counting error. In my case, using the simple plus minus or high/low, the count should be zero at the end of the deck. The results were not good, I am r-u-s-t-y .

Because of poor game conditions at SLT, it may be best to just stay in the racebook, or if venturing to the BJ tables, just find a game with the best rules and play perfect basic strategy, which is still instinctive in me, for low stakes. I am not ready for any serious counting ventures. Just as an athlete may get out of shape, so too do card counters, and both require lots of effort and practice to return to peak form.

Glad you were inspired by the thread and here's hoping you crush the casino.

[TJDave]

Originally Posted by Dave Schwartz

Lansdale,

In the mid-70s I played the APC, with a side-count of aces and 8s, then later added 5s and 6s. Frankly, I could do that in my sleep. In fact, sometimes I did. LOL

I had a great playing partner back then named Jim Smith. No joke. That was really his name. He was the greatest shuffle tracker I ever saw on a single or double deck.

Our claim to fame was that we charmed them. Everybody KNEW we counted. We just greased all the floormen so well with gifts that they let us play. Same for the dealers.

One time we were playing single deck at the Four Queens (7 seats; 4 players, counting us) for small stakes (greens) and Jim was really dialed in on the deck. As the dealer is finishing her shuffle, he says, "Oh, let me cut!" She pushes him the cards and he says, "Get ready for all 4 aces in the first hand!"

So, we fire up off the top, sure enough, 4 snappers show up. Unfortunately, one of them was the dealer's with the ace underneath.

He was just really impressive. I had no clue how to do that.

Something that has always bothered me about counting. Say you have a high count, meaning the deck is rich with face cards. Isn't that a good thing for the dealer, as well?

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by TJDave

Something that has always bothered me about counting. Say you have a high count, meaning the deck is rich with face cards. Isn't that a good thing for the dealer, as well?

Yes, but the player gets paid 3/2 on blackjacks...and is not obligated to hit the stiffs.

[lansdale]

Originally Posted by TJDave

Something that has always bothered me about counting. Say you have a high count, meaning the deck is rich with face cards. Isn't that a good thing for the dealer, as well?

Hi TJ,

Thask's response is correct. I would only add the key difference between dealer and player in BJ is that they player has many more options, while the dealer's play is more constrained and completely pre-determined. Most of the player's advantage comes from correctly using the double down, splitting, surrender etc. options. Correct use of the insurance option, e.g. comprises fully 1/3 of the counter's advantage, and nothing could be simpler.

Cheers,

lansdale

[Valuist]

Lansdale-

In your opinion, what percentage of casinos offer the surrender option? I've only played blackjack in a handful of casinos (all in Midwest) and none offered the surrender option.

[Tee]

http://wizardofvegas.com/guides/blackjack-survey//

[bugboy]

try "BLACK JACK ATTACK"

[Valuist]

Originally Posted by Tee

http://wizardofvegas.com/guides/blackjack-survey//

thanks

[davew]

Originally Posted by Dave Schwartz

Some years ago I did this at my house for like 8 people.

I had practiced with the cards for about a week to make it fun for them. (LOL And for me.)

I fashioned a BJ table top out of a rectangular sheet of plywood, tacked on some foam and a felt, and we were off and running. BTW, I put the table on two ironing boards. Worked like a charm. (The table would only seat 4 at a time and most people played standing up.)

Everyone got lots of checks (as we called them in the gaming biz) - starting with about $2,000 each. $2 minimum and $500 limit.

Anyway, I had a great time pumping up the worst players and taking down the best.

After about 90 minutes, I had broken them all, save for this one woman who barely knew how to play. Everyone was shocked and amazed at how this could have happened.

I said, "Well, I think I know how." At that point I took the deck, turned the top card face up, and proceeded to deal hit after hit without the top card moving. The people were just in hysterics over this.

This was the BJ I was introduced to when I was a young guy dealing BJ in Miami. Nobody was allowed to win unless the boss said they could.

BTW, this ironing board setup was they same one I used to practice with back in the 70s - except without the mirrors. LOL

I am now reading an autobiography

Edward O. Thorpe - A Man For All Markets


He describes how in the early 60's some dealers sneaked a peak at top card to see if they wanted to give the players the top card or the unknown next card. Many were very good at dealing the second card.

Is this what you are describing here?