Saturday, January 2, 2010
Monday, February 2, 2009
countiny cards in blackjack
counting cards in blackjack isn`t as hard as it seems. many people ask themselve how to count cards in blackjack. answer is partialy showned in this blog below. countiny cards in blackjack may be a fun adventure and everyone shoud try blackjack counting cards
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
blackjack counting cards 21
The real reason I went to see “21” wasn’t to review it on its aesthetic merits. No, the real reason was to determine how realistic its card-counting info was and, for another thing, use it as a jump-off to teach you, my beloved public, a thing or two about counting itself.
Now, to answer the first question: yes, the card counting shown in the movie is accurate. The problem, however, lies in the fact that, main character Ben (Jim Sturgess) explains it a little too fast—presumably to keep up the narrative pace—and unless you wait for the DVD, you might not catch it all or might get the impression that you really do have to be a rocket scientist (or at least a robotics nerd) to make sense of it.
This is true to some extent, insomuch as most successful card counters are able to do the “simple math” of determining probability in their heads, really, REALLY fast. There is hope for those of us not smart enough to go Ivy League, though, because math like anything else can be practiced once it’s understood. And wouldn’t you believe it, card counting’s not nearly as hard to understand, as it seems.
Before we get into it, though, you have to understand that card counting is a science, not a magic wand. It gives the counting player a marginal edge over the casino, but it is never entirely exact. When you watch, “21,” and hear about similar real-life scenarios, it might seem like these wiz kids win every time. Hollywood, of course, tends to dramatize things to make them more exciting. And the real fact of the matter is that counting is merely an educated guess; learning to do so will never make you win all of the time, just most of the time.
The way it works is that a card counter considers the number of cards in a deck (52) or “shoe” (i.e., a chute with multiple decks in it, ranging from 4 decks—108 cards—to 8 decks—216 cards). At the same time, he considers how many high-value cards remain in the deck based on what he can see on the table and what has already been played. Because Blackjack allows you to see the most number of cards of any casino-run game, it’s the best game to count in. And because the game’s betting options can expand the edge a counter has in the long run (See: Section III, “Simple Math”), it is doubly ideal. If that European flare is what you're looking for in an online gambling site, look no further than Europa Casino. This uniquely themed online casino is run by the same pros behind Casino Tropez, Vegas Red, Casino Del Rio, and more. Besides the unbelievable €2,400 in bonuses, Europa's more than 100 games were designed by leading online casino gambling games developer, Playtech. Feel free to play in euros, sterling or dollars, plus any of 13 languages. Also, enjoy an extra Free €15 Bonus, courtesy of Gambling Planet.
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The other thing to note is that there are no suit rankings in Blackjack. If, for example, you have blackjack and the dealer has blackjack, the outcome after both you and the dealer reveal your “hole” cards (or cards dealt face-down) is called a “push,” considered a tie and your bet will be returned to you sans winnings. As for the standard progress in a game of Blackjack, the dealer first shuffles and prepares the decks. This is called the “start of the shoe” and is the point at which most casinos will allow a player to enter a game. There are two main reasons for this rule: one, that a particular card-counting system, known as “wonging,” depends upon a player entering a table mid-shoe when the odds are in his favor (more on this later); and two, that players neither counting nor using basic strategy—you know, the real idiots who believe that if they rub a pregnant llama’s behind they’ll get better cards—will superstitiously leave the table or get majorly pissed if the “flow” of the deal is interrupted. (Note: Regardless of how idiotic a superstitious player’s reservations about a mid-shoe buy-in, if a casino allows them, it is polite to ask if you may join, if nothing else but to avoid a punch in the face).
Once the deck(s) have been shuffled, all players participating in the next game must pay a buy-in. This is an initial bet that you must make before the dealer will deal you any cards. To some extent, the amount you bet is up to you, but it must fall within the limits posted at the table. Limits themselves fall into two types, the “upper-“ and “lower-limit,” kind of like a floor and a ceiling to the amount you can bet—e.g., at a table with a lower-limit of $25 and an upper-limit of $50, a player may not bet more than $50 or less than $25 at any given time.
Only after all players sitting at a table have had a chance to pay a buy-in (and therefore signal that they’re in for the next deal) the cards are dealt, with the dealer dealing each betting player one card beginning at his left and “sweeping” across to the right, then dealing himself a card and returning to the left to repeat the process a second time. Depending on which type of deal is being offered, shoe or “pitch,” the nature of the deal itself varies: If the deck is in a shoe, the cards are dealt face-up and a player may not touch them, while if it is a “pitch” game—meaning that the dealer holds two decks in his hand and deals from them as opposed to a shoe—the cards are dealt face-down and players may hold them as if they were playing poker. After the deal, then, the action begins at the dealers left. Each player who was dealt in has a chance to appraise his cards and make one of several decisions (see how many you can pick out that Ben and his crew used in “21”):
* Hit: (Signaled in pitch-style by scraping the cards against the table, and in shoe-style by tapping the table with your finger)* The dealer deals you another card; this can be done until you “bust” (i.e., go over 21 points) or until you have five cards without going over at which time you win in some formats.
* Stand: (Signaled in pitch-style by sliding your cards face-up beneath your bet, and in shoe-style by waving your hand horizontally over your cards) Nothing happens. You now go into showdown with the dealer.
* Double Down: (Signaled in both variations by placing a second bet beside your original chips and sticking up one finger—no, not that one) You increase your wager to up to twice your original wager, and the dealer deals you one more card. A typical play for those who either feel lucky—or know what’s coming next. (Note: any double down that is less than your original bet is called “double down for less”—just thought ya’d like to know).
* Split: (Signaled in both variations by placing an additional bet beside your original chips and sticking up two fingers) You double your wager and have each card in your original hand become the first card in two separate hands. More often than not, you can only do this if your opening hand is a pair (i.e., two cards of the same rank/number). You continue to split so long as you continue to be dealt pairs, though in pitch games, there’s usually a limit of four splits because of the number of matching cards in a deck.
* Surrender: (Signaled by making a karate chop over your bet or just saying “surrender”) You poon out, give up and the house takes half of your chips for their trouble.
* Buy Insurance: (Special: before the action) In American Blackjack, if the dealer has an Ace showing after the second deal he will offer the players insurance before the action begins. A player can buy insurance by placing up to half his original bet on a special spot in front of his seat, marked “insurance.” Usually insurance is a 2:1 bet, so if the dealer does end up with blackjack, the player who doesn’t push will lose his original bet but win back its equivalent because of the insurance. (See Section IV, “Bits and Pieces” for more on this).
* Even Money: (Special: before the action) Kind of like insurance for the dealer, “even money” means you just got dealt a natural and the house is willing to pay you 1:1 to muck it. Sometimes this is a good idea, and sometimes it isn’t (See: Section IV, “Bits and Pieces” for a more detailed explanation).
*By the by, you MUST signal no matter what action you take because casinos record these hand motions in order to determine what actually happened in contested play and require that all players use them. Sorry, bub, you ain’t got no choice in the matter.
In most versions and permutations, the dealer deals the first house card (the cards he deals himself) face-down, and after the action has passed through all betting players and returns to him, he reveals it. Often, you’ll find that the dealer will himself hit before doing so. This is because house rules generally dictate that if the dealer’s hand is 17 or less, he must hit. If he busts, all the players who haven’t done likewise win. If not, his revealed hand is compared in a showdown to each of the players’ hands. The highest hand wins, unless a player and the dealer both have blackjack in which case there’s a draw (See: “push” above).
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You probably remember super-sexy Jill Taylor (Kate Bosworth) going on about this right when our beloved Ben was about to make his foundering first attempt at some hot lovin’. Okay, okay, you might be thinking, just the kind of daddy-daughter blather a chick is always trying to lay down when she starts getting “comfortable.” And as far as the movie’s dramatic mechanisms go, you’re more than likely right. But we’re not talking movies here—if you want to do that, go listen to Richard Maltin or something. No, what we’re talking about is the game 21. And if you really want to get a handle on playing it, the first thing you’re going to have to learn is what exactly “Basic Strategy” is.
To put it to you simply then, Basic Strategy is a system cooked up over the years that dictates the best play given a certain hand. By memorizing Basic Strategy, you can reduce the house edge to about 0 percent overall and pave the way for counting (See: Section III, “Simple Math”) to put the odds in your favor. The following matrix shows Basic Strategy in its entirety:There are two things to keep in mind with this chart, and first and foremost of these is that it only reflects the best Basic Strategy for shoe-style play of three or more decks. Secondly, you need to remember that some casinos stay on all 17s, while others hit on a soft 17. That is, a hard 17 (H17) is made up of any two cards except an Ace (e.g., a 10 and a 7), while a soft 17 (S17) is a 17 that includes an Ace. If you are playing at a table that hits on a soft 17, change up the chart above so that you double down on your 11 vs. a dealer’s Ace, your Ace/7 vs. a dealer’s 2 and your Ace/8 vs. a dealer’s 6.Easily one of the best casinos online, Casino Tropez is a top-tier Playtech-powered site that offers a wonderful and extensive selection of online casino gambling games. The software is fast, reliable, plus the 100+ games can be played in 12 different languages. Guests may play in their choice of dollars, euros, or British pounds, as well as being virtually guaranteed the best online gambling deals available today. For instance, how about an extra Free €15 Bonus - a Gambling Planet exclusive.
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The tricky part to all this, though, is that you have to be sure of what the proposition actually is. For example, in the case of Ben and Professor Rosen’s chalkboard game, it might seem that Ben is only picking a winner out of three random possibilities. Fair enough, you say, that means he has a 1:3 chance of choosing right.
The problem with thinking this way is that whether or not Ben chooses the winning board the first time is neither here nor there. Either way, Professor Rosen is actually the one doing the choosing, with the stipulation that he can’t slide down the chalkboard Ben picked. Since there is only one prize in this problem and it is only behind one of the doors, there is a 2:3 chance that Rosen will select a losing chalkboard. And because Rosen is only selecting one chalkboard, there is a 2:3 chance that Ben will select a non-losing one. As you can see, then, the chances are really in Ben’s favor the first round; he has a 2:3 chance of not selecting a losing board, and he has a 2:3 chance that Rosen will.
Assuming, then, that Rosen does reveal a non-winner, in the second round Ben’s chances now become dependent on the probability that he would have chosen the winner in the first round. If the game were “pick a board, and we’ll immediately reveal the other unpicked boards,” Ben would have a 1:3 chance of choosing correctly and, like Professor Rosen, a 2:3 chance of choosing incorrectly. Meanwhile, the probability that either of the two boards, which Ben doesn’t pick, conceal the prize is 2:3. To put it to you another way: since one of the other two boards is now eliminated, his original selection has only a 1:3 chance to the remaining unselected board’s 2:3. From here, then, the answer is simple. When Rosen asks him if he’d like to switch, he does—and wins an all-expenses paid trip to Vegas.
This little game is actually called “The Monty Hall Problem”—named for the famous “Let’s Make a Deal” host who asked contestants to pick between three doors—and it’s the kind of situation card counters deal with all the time. Like the possibility of getting certain cards out of an entire deck, the individual choices players made between doors in Monty Hall’s door game were not always “mutually exclusive.” That is, choosing one door in the first round did not mean that all the other options were permanently ruled out.
A good way to think of this is to compare dice and cards. Say, for instance, you roll a die and are shooting for a 6 and a 2. You can’t actually roll both numbers on the six-sided die without re-rolling it and, therefore, resetting the odds. Now say you try the same experiment with a deck of cards. Unless you reshuffle the deck before every draw, you can easily pull both numbers without either of them eliminating the possibility of drawing the other.
Yet, at the same time, both possible draws from an un-shuffled deck are dependent on each other. This is known as joint probability and, because of it, math nerds set the probability of drawing two cards in succession differently than they would for drawing two of them separately. For situations where the individual propositions are NOT mutually exclusive but still dependent, the probability of one event happening, say drawing a King and an Ace in succession, is the probability of drawing a King, times the probability of drawing the Ace after the King is subtracted from the deck. So, the math works out something like this:
The probability of drawing a King, if there are four Kings in a 52-card deck is 4:52, or - simplified by dividing both numbers by four - 1:12 (i.e., for every 12 cards you draw in a well shuffled deck, one of them is bound to be a King).
The probability of drawing an Ace, if there are four Aces in a 52-card deck and one of the cards (the King) has been removed is 4:51.
The probability of drawing the King, then drawing the Ace right after it is 1:12 x 4:52 or:
Taken to an extreme, it is easy to see how this concept plays out in card counting. If, for instance, every 2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and 9 has been removed, the probability of drawing an Ace is 4:20 or 1:5, and the probability of drawing a ten-point card, like a King, after that Ace has been removed is 16:19. What’s more, the probability of doing both and landing yourself a cool, soft natural is 16:95, which when you divide 16 by 95 to determine the percentage, comes out to about a 17 percent likelihood. Now compare that to the 1:153, which is the equivalent of a 0.65 percent likelihood.
That in a nutshell is what card counting literally is: using the laws of probability to get one over on the house. But as for how counting happens, that’s another story altogether.
Essentially, counting works according to count systems. The number of decks isn’t exactly important because the number of trump cards remains proportionate to the whole shoe. Determining the number of decks though is key, and when we’re talking upwards of five or more, even those ritzy MIT kids can’t do all the math in their heads. What generations of them have done, however, is figure out short-hand methods for recognizing when a deck or shoe is and is not loaded, as well as the best ways to insert themselves into a table when the pickins are ripe.
The most basic of these systems, and the one featured in “21,” is known as “Hi-Lo” and was pioneered by the granddaddy of all counters, Ed Thorp. In this system, you assign one positive point to every 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 you see, no points to 7-9 and one negative point to each 10, J, Q, K and A. Long story short, when the count is high, “winner-winner-chicken-dinner.” When it’s low, “loser-loser….” Eh, whatever rhymes with loser.
Needless to say, over the past 50-odd years, “single-level” counts have become obsolete, and counting gurus have devised other plans to keep one step ahead of casinos’ G-men. The following are the most commonly attempted counts (though chances are, if it’s something you’re able to find on a gambling e-zine like GP, casinos already know how to spot it):As far as known counting systems go, the chart above about covers it. But there are a few other practices we should probably cue you in on before you put your nuts on the proverbial chopping block. First of all, if you remember, we mentioned something called “wonging” back in Section I. This is the method the “21” team was using when one of them would sit down and bet the lower limit, then flag down Ben when the count was in the players’ favor. Originally, it was intended for the days when one man could go it alone and simply watch the table until it was time to insert himself. But casinos, as we mentioned before, have since wisened up, and “21” is pretty realistic insomuch as the best way around their defenses is to use a team spotter so they can invite you in mid-shoe.
Also, you need to remember that the 2.5 percent max advantage over the house is only gotten through using both counting AND Basic Strategy (hence we covered it), and the reason you get better odds counting is because you know when to bet big. For instance, it’s not worth your while to simply sit there and win 5:6 wagers. Eventually the house will still gobble you up simply because they have unlimited funds to press you with. Instead, what you need to do is double down and split when you know the next card is in your favor. That way you’ll actually get so far ahead that the casinos will have a reason to be suspicious.
Finally, as this article’s big bold CAVEAT, do keep in mind that casinos are looking for counters and that while it’s not illegal to do so, in some states (particularly Nevada) violating the private property rights of a casino will not only land you a broken nose—or worse—but also a possible lawsuit for trespassing. The best way around this, of course, is to simply not get caught, and the secret to doing that is to lose. A-L-O-T.
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As promised, we’ve pocketed a little extra truth here at the bottom of our Blackjack extravaganza, just to keep you that much more on the cutting edge. Before we were talking about insurance and even money and whether you should go with them. Well, the answer is, unequivocally — MAYBE.
If you haven’t mastered counting yet, you’ll ultimately lose with insurance because about a third of the time the odds are against you. A similar concept is at work for even money, as well, inasmuch as you only gain from it if you know that the next card down the shoe is bad news. Meanwhile, casinos know—since let’s face it, they’re not idiots—that you’d have to be counting to win at these bets. So take a tip: use them ONLY to throw the counting equipment off through losses.
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Although it may be too early to tell considering the Lucky Ace's recent arrival on the scene, we're keeping a close eye on this upstart and looking forward to tracking its progress in the online gambling community. So far, Lucky Ace provides a bit of variety to the ever-growing online casino industry and, as it's backed by one of the biggest and most well known brands, we're expecting big things. Give it a shot and let us know what you think! InterCasino is another one of the Internet's most popular casino websites, and it's another casino that claims to have been the first. Whatever the truth is, it's clear that InterCasino has been around for a long time and remains a very popular site for people from a lot of countries - indeed it's been designated as the 'Top Online Casino' several times in a number of different publications. Although Inter doesn't offer all three major gambling currencies, it does offer dollars and euros, and the choice of 7 languages (Chinese, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and English) has ensured that it's a global favorite.
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Now, to answer the first question: yes, the card counting shown in the movie is accurate. The problem, however, lies in the fact that, main character Ben (Jim Sturgess) explains it a little too fast—presumably to keep up the narrative pace—and unless you wait for the DVD, you might not catch it all or might get the impression that you really do have to be a rocket scientist (or at least a robotics nerd) to make sense of it.
This is true to some extent, insomuch as most successful card counters are able to do the “simple math” of determining probability in their heads, really, REALLY fast. There is hope for those of us not smart enough to go Ivy League, though, because math like anything else can be practiced once it’s understood. And wouldn’t you believe it, card counting’s not nearly as hard to understand, as it seems.
Before we get into it, though, you have to understand that card counting is a science, not a magic wand. It gives the counting player a marginal edge over the casino, but it is never entirely exact. When you watch, “21,” and hear about similar real-life scenarios, it might seem like these wiz kids win every time. Hollywood, of course, tends to dramatize things to make them more exciting. And the real fact of the matter is that counting is merely an educated guess; learning to do so will never make you win all of the time, just most of the time.
The way it works is that a card counter considers the number of cards in a deck (52) or “shoe” (i.e., a chute with multiple decks in it, ranging from 4 decks—108 cards—to 8 decks—216 cards). At the same time, he considers how many high-value cards remain in the deck based on what he can see on the table and what has already been played. Because Blackjack allows you to see the most number of cards of any casino-run game, it’s the best game to count in. And because the game’s betting options can expand the edge a counter has in the long run (See: Section III, “Simple Math”), it is doubly ideal. If that European flare is what you're looking for in an online gambling site, look no further than Europa Casino. This uniquely themed online casino is run by the same pros behind Casino Tropez, Vegas Red, Casino Del Rio, and more. Besides the unbelievable €2,400 in bonuses, Europa's more than 100 games were designed by leading online casino gambling games developer, Playtech. Feel free to play in euros, sterling or dollars, plus any of 13 languages. Also, enjoy an extra Free €15 Bonus, courtesy of Gambling Planet.
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Again, as with its sister sites, Europa Casino offers national and international customer support via phone and e-mail, and the variety of payment methods is what you'd expect from a major casino. Europa Casino is quickly becoming one of the most popular sites on the Internet, and the product is continiously improving. With such a well-run operation and such fantastic software, you'd really be crazy not to give Europa Casino a try, especially with the potential of €2400 of free money available behind that pretty European façade. Blackjack has few similarities to any other card game insomuch as you are not trying to build a hand (as in poker), but simply trying to get a total number of points greater than that of the dealer’s but less than 21—hence the game’s street name and the title of the movie. Each of the cards has an individual point value, and these are added together to determine what your entire score is. The following point values are standard for all Blackjack variations: You might notice that the Ace is excluded from the list above, and this is for a very good reason. An Ace, you see, is worth either 1 point or 11 points in Blackjack, depending on which makes the better point total. If for instance you have A, 2, 10, 3, 4, it will automatically be worth 1 point because otherwise you would have a total of 30 points and would lose. If, on the other hand, you have a K, A after the opening deal, you’ll want that Ace to be worth 11 points and hence have a total of 21—a winning hand known as a “blackjack” or a “natural.”
The other thing to note is that there are no suit rankings in Blackjack. If, for example, you have blackjack and the dealer has blackjack, the outcome after both you and the dealer reveal your “hole” cards (or cards dealt face-down) is called a “push,” considered a tie and your bet will be returned to you sans winnings. As for the standard progress in a game of Blackjack, the dealer first shuffles and prepares the decks. This is called the “start of the shoe” and is the point at which most casinos will allow a player to enter a game. There are two main reasons for this rule: one, that a particular card-counting system, known as “wonging,” depends upon a player entering a table mid-shoe when the odds are in his favor (more on this later); and two, that players neither counting nor using basic strategy—you know, the real idiots who believe that if they rub a pregnant llama’s behind they’ll get better cards—will superstitiously leave the table or get majorly pissed if the “flow” of the deal is interrupted. (Note: Regardless of how idiotic a superstitious player’s reservations about a mid-shoe buy-in, if a casino allows them, it is polite to ask if you may join, if nothing else but to avoid a punch in the face).
Once the deck(s) have been shuffled, all players participating in the next game must pay a buy-in. This is an initial bet that you must make before the dealer will deal you any cards. To some extent, the amount you bet is up to you, but it must fall within the limits posted at the table. Limits themselves fall into two types, the “upper-“ and “lower-limit,” kind of like a floor and a ceiling to the amount you can bet—e.g., at a table with a lower-limit of $25 and an upper-limit of $50, a player may not bet more than $50 or less than $25 at any given time.
Only after all players sitting at a table have had a chance to pay a buy-in (and therefore signal that they’re in for the next deal) the cards are dealt, with the dealer dealing each betting player one card beginning at his left and “sweeping” across to the right, then dealing himself a card and returning to the left to repeat the process a second time. Depending on which type of deal is being offered, shoe or “pitch,” the nature of the deal itself varies: If the deck is in a shoe, the cards are dealt face-up and a player may not touch them, while if it is a “pitch” game—meaning that the dealer holds two decks in his hand and deals from them as opposed to a shoe—the cards are dealt face-down and players may hold them as if they were playing poker. After the deal, then, the action begins at the dealers left. Each player who was dealt in has a chance to appraise his cards and make one of several decisions (see how many you can pick out that Ben and his crew used in “21”):
* Hit: (Signaled in pitch-style by scraping the cards against the table, and in shoe-style by tapping the table with your finger)* The dealer deals you another card; this can be done until you “bust” (i.e., go over 21 points) or until you have five cards without going over at which time you win in some formats.
* Stand: (Signaled in pitch-style by sliding your cards face-up beneath your bet, and in shoe-style by waving your hand horizontally over your cards) Nothing happens. You now go into showdown with the dealer.
* Double Down: (Signaled in both variations by placing a second bet beside your original chips and sticking up one finger—no, not that one) You increase your wager to up to twice your original wager, and the dealer deals you one more card. A typical play for those who either feel lucky—or know what’s coming next. (Note: any double down that is less than your original bet is called “double down for less”—just thought ya’d like to know).
* Split: (Signaled in both variations by placing an additional bet beside your original chips and sticking up two fingers) You double your wager and have each card in your original hand become the first card in two separate hands. More often than not, you can only do this if your opening hand is a pair (i.e., two cards of the same rank/number). You continue to split so long as you continue to be dealt pairs, though in pitch games, there’s usually a limit of four splits because of the number of matching cards in a deck.
* Surrender: (Signaled by making a karate chop over your bet or just saying “surrender”) You poon out, give up and the house takes half of your chips for their trouble.
* Buy Insurance: (Special: before the action) In American Blackjack, if the dealer has an Ace showing after the second deal he will offer the players insurance before the action begins. A player can buy insurance by placing up to half his original bet on a special spot in front of his seat, marked “insurance.” Usually insurance is a 2:1 bet, so if the dealer does end up with blackjack, the player who doesn’t push will lose his original bet but win back its equivalent because of the insurance. (See Section IV, “Bits and Pieces” for more on this).
* Even Money: (Special: before the action) Kind of like insurance for the dealer, “even money” means you just got dealt a natural and the house is willing to pay you 1:1 to muck it. Sometimes this is a good idea, and sometimes it isn’t (See: Section IV, “Bits and Pieces” for a more detailed explanation).
*By the by, you MUST signal no matter what action you take because casinos record these hand motions in order to determine what actually happened in contested play and require that all players use them. Sorry, bub, you ain’t got no choice in the matter.
In most versions and permutations, the dealer deals the first house card (the cards he deals himself) face-down, and after the action has passed through all betting players and returns to him, he reveals it. Often, you’ll find that the dealer will himself hit before doing so. This is because house rules generally dictate that if the dealer’s hand is 17 or less, he must hit. If he busts, all the players who haven’t done likewise win. If not, his revealed hand is compared in a showdown to each of the players’ hands. The highest hand wins, unless a player and the dealer both have blackjack in which case there’s a draw (See: “push” above).
Really, that’s all there is to know about how Blackjack works. There are, however, a few finer points to be kept in mind when you approach your first table. If you’re playing in Europe, for instance, the dealer will not deal himself a hole card until all the players have played their hands. Other times, the dealer’s hand will trump a player’s, which can be devastating for players. The only way to be sure of what you’re getting yourself into when you sit down at a Blackjack table—as well as payout rates for straight bets, doubling down and splitting—is to ask. John Law says a casino has to tell you what their rules are if you ask, and doing so will help you make sure you’re sitting down at the kind of table you can actually win at. t's hard to mention 'online casinos' without mentioning 888.com. If you don't already know 888.com (Casino On Net), it is easily one of the biggest and best online casinos ever! Online since 1997 (which makes it 'ancient' by Internet standards), 888.com has evolved into one of the most trusted online gambling destinations gracing the Net. Oh, and don't miss their 100% Free Bonus match of up to €200 on your first deposit. Plus Gambling Planet will hand you another €22 absolutely free!
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The visual presentation and audio features at 888.com are attractive but less in-your-face and more streamlined than some other popular sites. Actually, its effort to recreate an onscreen live casino experience and the simplicity thereof has allowed it to maintain fast and easy-to-use software. Games are responsive and quick and, unlike at many other places, you'll never experience any long delays waiting to 'get your game on'.
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Overall, 888.com remains one of the top destinations because of its history, reputation and overall playability and execution. It may not be perfect (what site is?) but it is one of the closest things we have found to perfect so far and we've seen and played at a lot . While you may fault the casino in a couple of areas, this shouldn’t discourage you from visiting this perennial favourite. Because 888 is sooo good in the areas where it's good, it's very tempting to fault it in others. Make no mistake though: it would be extremely challenging, if not impossible, to find another establishment with as much experience and knowledge as 888.com.Now that you’ve had a chance to soak up the remedial rules of Blackjack, it’s time for Phase 2 of our little crash course: Basic Strategy.
You probably remember super-sexy Jill Taylor (Kate Bosworth) going on about this right when our beloved Ben was about to make his foundering first attempt at some hot lovin’. Okay, okay, you might be thinking, just the kind of daddy-daughter blather a chick is always trying to lay down when she starts getting “comfortable.” And as far as the movie’s dramatic mechanisms go, you’re more than likely right. But we’re not talking movies here—if you want to do that, go listen to Richard Maltin or something. No, what we’re talking about is the game 21. And if you really want to get a handle on playing it, the first thing you’re going to have to learn is what exactly “Basic Strategy” is.
To put it to you simply then, Basic Strategy is a system cooked up over the years that dictates the best play given a certain hand. By memorizing Basic Strategy, you can reduce the house edge to about 0 percent overall and pave the way for counting (See: Section III, “Simple Math”) to put the odds in your favor. The following matrix shows Basic Strategy in its entirety:There are two things to keep in mind with this chart, and first and foremost of these is that it only reflects the best Basic Strategy for shoe-style play of three or more decks. Secondly, you need to remember that some casinos stay on all 17s, while others hit on a soft 17. That is, a hard 17 (H17) is made up of any two cards except an Ace (e.g., a 10 and a 7), while a soft 17 (S17) is a 17 that includes an Ace. If you are playing at a table that hits on a soft 17, change up the chart above so that you double down on your 11 vs. a dealer’s Ace, your Ace/7 vs. a dealer’s 2 and your Ace/8 vs. a dealer’s 6.Easily one of the best casinos online, Casino Tropez is a top-tier Playtech-powered site that offers a wonderful and extensive selection of online casino gambling games. The software is fast, reliable, plus the 100+ games can be played in 12 different languages. Guests may play in their choice of dollars, euros, or British pounds, as well as being virtually guaranteed the best online gambling deals available today. For instance, how about an extra Free €15 Bonus - a Gambling Planet exclusive.
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The tricky part to all this, though, is that you have to be sure of what the proposition actually is. For example, in the case of Ben and Professor Rosen’s chalkboard game, it might seem that Ben is only picking a winner out of three random possibilities. Fair enough, you say, that means he has a 1:3 chance of choosing right.
The problem with thinking this way is that whether or not Ben chooses the winning board the first time is neither here nor there. Either way, Professor Rosen is actually the one doing the choosing, with the stipulation that he can’t slide down the chalkboard Ben picked. Since there is only one prize in this problem and it is only behind one of the doors, there is a 2:3 chance that Rosen will select a losing chalkboard. And because Rosen is only selecting one chalkboard, there is a 2:3 chance that Ben will select a non-losing one. As you can see, then, the chances are really in Ben’s favor the first round; he has a 2:3 chance of not selecting a losing board, and he has a 2:3 chance that Rosen will.
Assuming, then, that Rosen does reveal a non-winner, in the second round Ben’s chances now become dependent on the probability that he would have chosen the winner in the first round. If the game were “pick a board, and we’ll immediately reveal the other unpicked boards,” Ben would have a 1:3 chance of choosing correctly and, like Professor Rosen, a 2:3 chance of choosing incorrectly. Meanwhile, the probability that either of the two boards, which Ben doesn’t pick, conceal the prize is 2:3. To put it to you another way: since one of the other two boards is now eliminated, his original selection has only a 1:3 chance to the remaining unselected board’s 2:3. From here, then, the answer is simple. When Rosen asks him if he’d like to switch, he does—and wins an all-expenses paid trip to Vegas.
This little game is actually called “The Monty Hall Problem”—named for the famous “Let’s Make a Deal” host who asked contestants to pick between three doors—and it’s the kind of situation card counters deal with all the time. Like the possibility of getting certain cards out of an entire deck, the individual choices players made between doors in Monty Hall’s door game were not always “mutually exclusive.” That is, choosing one door in the first round did not mean that all the other options were permanently ruled out.
A good way to think of this is to compare dice and cards. Say, for instance, you roll a die and are shooting for a 6 and a 2. You can’t actually roll both numbers on the six-sided die without re-rolling it and, therefore, resetting the odds. Now say you try the same experiment with a deck of cards. Unless you reshuffle the deck before every draw, you can easily pull both numbers without either of them eliminating the possibility of drawing the other.
Yet, at the same time, both possible draws from an un-shuffled deck are dependent on each other. This is known as joint probability and, because of it, math nerds set the probability of drawing two cards in succession differently than they would for drawing two of them separately. For situations where the individual propositions are NOT mutually exclusive but still dependent, the probability of one event happening, say drawing a King and an Ace in succession, is the probability of drawing a King, times the probability of drawing the Ace after the King is subtracted from the deck. So, the math works out something like this:
The probability of drawing a King, if there are four Kings in a 52-card deck is 4:52, or - simplified by dividing both numbers by four - 1:12 (i.e., for every 12 cards you draw in a well shuffled deck, one of them is bound to be a King).
The probability of drawing an Ace, if there are four Aces in a 52-card deck and one of the cards (the King) has been removed is 4:51.
The probability of drawing the King, then drawing the Ace right after it is 1:12 x 4:52 or:
Taken to an extreme, it is easy to see how this concept plays out in card counting. If, for instance, every 2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and 9 has been removed, the probability of drawing an Ace is 4:20 or 1:5, and the probability of drawing a ten-point card, like a King, after that Ace has been removed is 16:19. What’s more, the probability of doing both and landing yourself a cool, soft natural is 16:95, which when you divide 16 by 95 to determine the percentage, comes out to about a 17 percent likelihood. Now compare that to the 1:153, which is the equivalent of a 0.65 percent likelihood.
That in a nutshell is what card counting literally is: using the laws of probability to get one over on the house. But as for how counting happens, that’s another story altogether.
Essentially, counting works according to count systems. The number of decks isn’t exactly important because the number of trump cards remains proportionate to the whole shoe. Determining the number of decks though is key, and when we’re talking upwards of five or more, even those ritzy MIT kids can’t do all the math in their heads. What generations of them have done, however, is figure out short-hand methods for recognizing when a deck or shoe is and is not loaded, as well as the best ways to insert themselves into a table when the pickins are ripe.
The most basic of these systems, and the one featured in “21,” is known as “Hi-Lo” and was pioneered by the granddaddy of all counters, Ed Thorp. In this system, you assign one positive point to every 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 you see, no points to 7-9 and one negative point to each 10, J, Q, K and A. Long story short, when the count is high, “winner-winner-chicken-dinner.” When it’s low, “loser-loser….” Eh, whatever rhymes with loser.
Needless to say, over the past 50-odd years, “single-level” counts have become obsolete, and counting gurus have devised other plans to keep one step ahead of casinos’ G-men. The following are the most commonly attempted counts (though chances are, if it’s something you’re able to find on a gambling e-zine like GP, casinos already know how to spot it):As far as known counting systems go, the chart above about covers it. But there are a few other practices we should probably cue you in on before you put your nuts on the proverbial chopping block. First of all, if you remember, we mentioned something called “wonging” back in Section I. This is the method the “21” team was using when one of them would sit down and bet the lower limit, then flag down Ben when the count was in the players’ favor. Originally, it was intended for the days when one man could go it alone and simply watch the table until it was time to insert himself. But casinos, as we mentioned before, have since wisened up, and “21” is pretty realistic insomuch as the best way around their defenses is to use a team spotter so they can invite you in mid-shoe.
Also, you need to remember that the 2.5 percent max advantage over the house is only gotten through using both counting AND Basic Strategy (hence we covered it), and the reason you get better odds counting is because you know when to bet big. For instance, it’s not worth your while to simply sit there and win 5:6 wagers. Eventually the house will still gobble you up simply because they have unlimited funds to press you with. Instead, what you need to do is double down and split when you know the next card is in your favor. That way you’ll actually get so far ahead that the casinos will have a reason to be suspicious.
Finally, as this article’s big bold CAVEAT, do keep in mind that casinos are looking for counters and that while it’s not illegal to do so, in some states (particularly Nevada) violating the private property rights of a casino will not only land you a broken nose—or worse—but also a possible lawsuit for trespassing. The best way around this, of course, is to simply not get caught, and the secret to doing that is to lose. A-L-O-T.
Most modern casinos now sport computer programs jacked in to their eye-in-the-sky systems that can follow the count and match the regularity of your wins to an ideal count over time. This means that what you’ll really want to do is follow the count and seemingly lose most of the time, then bet big enough at the right moment to make up your losses and haul away some extra for mamma. This might not be the fairy-tale scenario you were dreaming of when you watched Ben and the gang weasel the casinos, but it’s the one that will make you rich and keep you out of the hospital.Launched in 2000, yet only a recent arrival on the Playtech platform, Windows Casino is a top-notch destination consistently cited as one of the best places to play online. This well-reputed site, featuring some fantastic Playtech software and amazing promotions, really has something for everyone. Experienced gamers will love the attention to detail and quality operation while newcomers will undoubtedly appreciate the simplicity and ease of use here.
The change to the Playtech platform has been, in our opinion, a sounding success for Windows Casino. The game selection (currently +120) is comprehensive and the execution of the software is exactly what you'd expect from this well regarded software provider. At Windows, finding and getting started at your favourite game couldn't be easier. In terms of graphics, the quality is above the industry average and the site has an overall professionalism to it that improves the playing environment while reassuring users of the safety and security. Indeed, Windows Casino has won various awards which illustrate its credibility and across the board quality.
Promotions at Windows Casino make it even more difficult to pass up on an opportunity to play here. Currently, new users have the chance to get up to €1000 in free bonus cash at signup. Windows will match your first deposit 100% up to €600 and 200% up to €400 on your second! It's hard to find too many deals out there of similar substance, but Windows goes even a step further and is currently providing GamblingPlanet users some exclusive deals in the form of a no deposit required free €15 AND 15% monthly cash back for life! Add to these exciting offers a nice €25 bonus for referring a friend, monthly 100% existing player bonuses, and some 'hot weekly promotions', and you've got quite a few chances to get your hands on some extra cash by playing at Windows!
The attention to detail and ease of use at Windows is on full display in the customer support department - operators and help are available 24/7 via email, chat, and telephone. The site boasts significant security credentials and a reputation for a safe gaming experience. If you're considering calling Windows Casino home, be sure to take advantage of their Loyalty Club and the numerous other ways regular players are rewarded here. As we said from the start, this is really a top-notch destination that has only improved after its switch to the Playtech platform. Highly Recommended.
Brand new on the scene, Eurogrand online casino has quickly become a favorite destination for players around the globe. You'll notice its international flavor right away when you see the flags on the homepage proudly displaying the availability of 19 languages at this casino! They use the very popular Playtech software, which is not only good and stable but also fast. While US players would probably appreciate this destination's attention to detail (if they were allowed to play here) and traditional features characteristic of most top-notch destinations, this is really a site with a focus on the European market.
The target audience is even a bit more specific, however, as it's clear that high rollers will certainly appreciate Eurogrand and some of its amazing promotions. The €1000 Welcome bonus is sure to grab everyone's attention (and, rightly so!) but it is quite misleading - only those with €1000 to deposit will be able to take advantage of this right away. For the rest of us, there are some decent offers to take advantage of nonetheless. On your first deposit, Eurogrand will match 25% up to €250; on the second, 60% up to €500; and, on the third, 300% up to €300! Not a bad deal, really. As you'll notice if you choose to play here, Eurogrand does things 'big'.
Powered by Playtech, graphics and game-play at Eurogrand are pretty good. With more than 60 of the most popular casino games presented in a classy, easy-to-navigate format, everyone is sure to find an activity that keeps them coming back. Slots fans will be happy with the selection here as well and for those of you who like progressive jackpots, Eurogrand has a good selection.
Although established in 2006, payment and payout options abound and you're sure to get your money quickly. Security and reliability are wonderful and the operators of the site - the CasinoPays group - have a lot of experience.
In our trials, support and customer care was acceptable. If you're looking for a new and exciting place to play, you might want to give Eurogrand a shot. If you're European, you'll definitely want to check it out. All in all, a good site that we think EVERYONE will enjoy.
As promised, we’ve pocketed a little extra truth here at the bottom of our Blackjack extravaganza, just to keep you that much more on the cutting edge. Before we were talking about insurance and even money and whether you should go with them. Well, the answer is, unequivocally — MAYBE.
If you haven’t mastered counting yet, you’ll ultimately lose with insurance because about a third of the time the odds are against you. A similar concept is at work for even money, as well, inasmuch as you only gain from it if you know that the next card down the shoe is bad news. Meanwhile, casinos know—since let’s face it, they’re not idiots—that you’d have to be counting to win at these bets. So take a tip: use them ONLY to throw the counting equipment off through losses.
Now, a graphic breakdown to show you why insurance, like in the non-poker world, doesn’t actually pay: owered by the famous 888.com Group, Lucky Ace Casino is sure to please all of those online gamblers who are looking for experience and quality in an online casino destination. A newcomer to our review pages and the online casino scene, Lucky Ace already exhibits much of the same quality and attractive features that we have come to expect from the 888 family and we feel that this offering is one that players - if they haven't already - should check out. The global appeal of the 888 brand along with Lucky Ace Casino's availability in 9 languages should combine to attract users from all over the globe and we're sure they won't be disappointed.
Driven by the same gaming platform and software, which is in use at some of the most popular sites in the 888 family, Lucky Ace features crisp graphics and fast game play, no matter your game of choice. Although the game selection - currently just over 50 - may not match what is on display at some of the Playtech or Microgaming sites, rest assured that all of the popular favourites are covered with well-executed options and in-game features. Sometimes promotions at casinos in the 888 family are not quite as eye-popping as those available through other operators, but the signup offer of a 100% match up to €200 is above average by most standards and reason enough to give Lucky Ace a shot.
When you combine that with an additional €15 FREE, currently exclusive to GP users, this is really a great opportunity to sign up and check out this newcomer.
The principal company behind Lucky Ace Casino, Kamay Holdings, is a relatively unknown in the online casino community, however, as we said, the affiliation with 888 contributes immense experience and a stellar reputation. During our early trials, we were impressed with the games offered and the overall look and approach of the site. We've always been big fans of 888 and its offerings and are eager to see newcomers introduced into the fold (no pun intended).
Although it may be too early to tell considering the Lucky Ace's recent arrival on the scene, we're keeping a close eye on this upstart and looking forward to tracking its progress in the online gambling community. So far, Lucky Ace provides a bit of variety to the ever-growing online casino industry and, as it's backed by one of the biggest and most well known brands, we're expecting big things. Give it a shot and let us know what you think! InterCasino is another one of the Internet's most popular casino websites, and it's another casino that claims to have been the first. Whatever the truth is, it's clear that InterCasino has been around for a long time and remains a very popular site for people from a lot of countries - indeed it's been designated as the 'Top Online Casino' several times in a number of different publications. Although Inter doesn't offer all three major gambling currencies, it does offer dollars and euros, and the choice of 7 languages (Chinese, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and English) has ensured that it's a global favorite.
The software for InterCasino is Waterlogic, which is one of the less common brands as far as online casinos are concerned. It's nothing special, but we give it credit because it's easy to navigate and the games we played were mostly enjoyable. We've heard various reports about the software's stability, but we didn't have any problems in this department when we gambled at InterCasino ourselves. One thing that's very hyped up about InterCasino - it was recently even touted on the welcome page - is that this site gives you the fastest payouts on the Net. Is it true, in our experience? Well, yes. The payment options are comprehensive and the time until you get your money is minimal, so we have to agree with the hype for now.
Unfortunately, InterCasino doesn't have a good or even an average sign-up bonus, which drops its overall rating a bit for us. InterCasino offers only $100, which is on the lower end of our listings. Out of all the websites we've reviewed, we certainly wouldn't have expected such a poor welcome bonus to come from this famous, established gambling portal! But the truth is surprising, so don't come looking here for lots of free money. You'll have to do it the old-fashioned way - by earning the money yourself. Game selection, on the other hand, makes up a lot of ground on the ratings points lost by the low sign-up bonus. There are more than 200 casino games at InterCasino, and this ranks as one of the best of the best. InterCasino earns a great mark in this category and very few other casinos in our database manage to compete in this area. Combine that with the perfect score InterCasino deserves for the speed of its payouts, and you have two fantastic reasons to check this site out. It's a good one.
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