Archive for June, 2009
This 2005 edition of Blackbelt in Blackjack is a major expansion of the 1998 edition. Part I, "Earning Your White Belt," contains, in addition to a full explanation of three different card counting systems, discussions on "phony" systems as well as problem gambling. Neither of these topics are covered by most books on card counting, but I feel they are of prime importance to those who are new to advantage play, and especially to those who are considering investing serious time and money.
In Part II, "Earning Your Green Belt," I have greatly expanded the discussion on "table conditions," or how to choose a profitable game. In the past seven years, many forms of "pseudo-blackjack" have been appearing in casinos. Some of these new variations on the game are patented "scams," with names like "Spanish 21" or "SuperFun 21," where the rules seem so liberal as to be almost too good to be true; others are just sneaky forms of traditional blackjack with seemingly "minor" changes, such as blackjacks paying 6 to 5 instead of 3 to 2, or the game is a "fake" single-deck or two-deck game, where the decks are actually being removed from a larger six- or eight-deck shoe. I have also augmented the information on bet-sizing, answering another question that concerns all card counters: How much should I bet in any given game?
There's a lot more information on camouflaging your play, avoiding detection by casino surveillance, and many of the legal issues that concern card counters. If you are considering playing casino blackjack for high stakes, either as a career or simply as an adventure, you must always keep in mind that this can be a risky business. Card counting is legal, and the biggest problem most counters ever have is being barred from the tables if their skill is discovered; but for those who play at the highest levels, the hazards are greater. The casinos sell gambling to the public as "fun," emphasizing the possibility of winning money from the house. In fact, the casinos expect every player to lose money at their games in the long run. All that glitz and glamour is simply there to lure in the fish, and if they think you're going to walk out with their money, your action will not be welcome.
Just because a casino may offer a game that can be beaten with skillful play does not mean that skillful players are welcome. In fact, using those cameras in the ceiling bubbles, they monitor every big bettor at their tables in order to detect those who might be playing the game with unusual ability. When they find such a player at a high-stakes game, the reaction is swift and not always pleasant; in many cases, the casinos have violated laws themselves in dealing with professional gamblers. Because these types of incidents have become more frequent and more severe in the past few years, I think every book on card counting should provide players with information on how to handle these types of problems. What if you are kicked out of a casino? What if casino security wants to escort you to a "back room?" What if they refuse to cash out your chips? You should know your rights and how to handle some of the common situations that advantage players encounter.
In Part III, "Earning Your Black Belt," I've added more material on playing on teams or with a partner, taking advantage of casino promotions, hustling comps, playing in foreign countries, playing on the Internet, traveling with large amounts of cash, and protecting yourself from dealers who cheat—and, yeah, some of them do.
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Hitting
Assuming the player does not have a natural, which is an automatic win, the player's most common decision is whether to hit or stand. Hitting is taking another card; standing is refusing one. Example: A player holds a 5 and an 8 for a total of 13. Wanting to get closer to 21, he signals the dealer for a hit. In a face-up game (i.e., a game in which all players' cards are dealt face up, so players are not allowed to touch their cards), the player signals for a hit by scratching or tapping the tabletop with his finger. In a facedown game where the player must pick up his first two cards, the player signals for a hit by scratching or tapping on the tabletop with the edge of his cards. The dealer then deals the player another card face-up on the table. The player may not touch this or any subsequent cards dealt to him. Let's say this card is a deuce—the player may now decide to stand or hit again. The player may hit as many times as he chooses, so long as his total does not exceed 21.
Standing
A player signals he wants to stand by either waving his hand sideways, palm down in a face-up game, or, in a facedown game, by sliding his original two cards facedown beneath his wager.
Busting
In a facedown game, if a player hits his hand to a total of more than 21, he should immediately lay his original two cards face up on the table. The dealer will collect the player's wager. In a face-up game, players don't have to do anything, as the dealer will see the bust, sometimes remarking, "too many," as he collects the bet.
Doubling Down
A player may also elect to double down on his first two cards. This means that the player doubles the size of his bet, and receives one and only one hit card. In the face-up game players double down by placing an amount of money equal to the original bet on the table, beside the money already wagered. In the facedown game, the player places his original two cards face up on the table behind his bet, then places an amount of money equal to his original bet beside it in his betting spot. A casino may have restrictions on when a player may double down: Some allow doubling down on any two original cards; others restrict the play to hard totals of 9, 10, and 11 only, some to 10 and 11 only. There are even a few casinos that allow doubling down on more than two cards, but this rule variation is rare. Many casinos allow players to "double for less" than the original wager, but none allow players to double down for more.
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