Continuous shuffle machines

[davidpom]

Hi, what's your experience been like with continuous shuffling machines on blackjack tables? I prefer hand dealt games but our local casino (non-US) no longer offers anything but the horrible CSM machines. I've had some AMAZING nights on these things, and some terrible ones to boot.

But what's your experience with them? Good? Bad? do you prefer them to hand dealt, or hate them with a vengeance?

http://beatthecasinos.blogspot.com/2...-or-enemy.html

Let me know your thoughts. Stay lucky!

[zengrifter]

Originally Posted by davidpom

Hi, what's your experience been like with continuous shuffling machines on blackjack tables? I prefer hand dealt games but our local casino (non-US) no longer offers anything but the horrible CSM machines. I've had some AMAZING nights on these things, and some terrible ones to boot.

But what's your experience with them? Good? Bad? do you prefer them to hand dealt, or hate them with a vengeance?

How do you gain an advantage with CSM? zg

[moo321]

Originally Posted by zengrifter

How do you gain an advantage with CSM? zg

By spamming message boards!

[EasyRhino]

Wow, there's no heat when counting, and the cocktail service is faster?

Clearly CSMs are a boon to us all!

[21forme]

Originally Posted by moo321

By spamming message boards!

This guy reminds me of BrainlessBob, or whatever his name was.

[davidpom]

Thank you all for your comments - not all of them positive, but ok, fair enough, each to their own.

I'm interested to be compared with "Brainless Bob". My only brainless thing was not escaping detection in UK casinos as an advantage player, and getting BARRED for life from all UK casinos as a result. I guess its hard to hide sizable winnings from them for too long - especially when black and green chip action encourages close pit boss tracking. My blog is a direct response to those casinos, in the hope that others will learn how to play better and to maximise advantage opportunities (on the games, or via comps / players clubs / promotions etc) and beat the casinos.

I don't believe I'm a spammer. I'm a player like everyone else on this board, with an interest in improving my game and the games of others. Sure, I've averaged winnings of $10 - $12,000 per year over each of the last 10 years of play, but you can always do better. The very worst mistake ANY player can make is to think that they know it all. I don't. I believe I've got some good and unique information, but I'm not the only source in the world. I actually like reading what OTHERS have to say about the games we love.

So, thank you again for your posts - I'm happy to hear all feedback. Visit the blog, or not - your call, your decision. The blog is a personal outlet for me - it's up to you whether or not you want to benefit from the information provided. It is 100% free after all!

David "Casino Barred"

[21forme]

Originally Posted by davidpom

I don't believe I'm a spammer.

OK then, my apology. Please do some reading, don't make multiple posts on the same topic, and don't blitzkrieg the board with a ton of old posts dredged back up to the top - not all in one day, anyway.

Welcome.

[SystemsTrader]

I read your article and unless you can find somekind of flaw in the machines shuffle there is just no way to get an edge. Now if the dealer does not insert the discards after each round then there would be the occasional opportunity but it would just be a game with very bad pen. Now if it is a four deck game then there definitely would be a few more opportunities than a six decker, so even if they insert the discards after a deck dealt out of four it still wouldn't be a worthwhile game unless you employed a massive spread of say $5 to $500. One benefit of the OnetoSix is that there is a little screen on the machine which lists the amount of decks being used. Wouldn't it be great if the casino one day screwed up and inserted only one deck by mistake with a S17 DAS game, then you would have an edge just playing basic. As for comps I doubt the casino would comp you any better against the machine over a shoe.

[bigbjfan]

I've done a lot of research on these CSM's. It is very hard to get an advantage with them. I can track clumps of cards through the CSM's but it is very difficult to tell exactly where they will appear. Being off by a couple of hands can really be bad. I either have good days or bad days when I play against these things. One interesting observation I've made, is that when a new table opens up, and new decks are "shuffled up", the dealers don't shuffle those 5 decks very good, and the low and high cards are clumped together for a while. This is bad for the player, or has been bad for me anyway. After a while that CSM will eventually shuffle those cards up but it takes a little while.

[sagefr0g]

Originally Posted by bigbjfan

I've done a lot of research on these CSM's. It is very hard to get an advantage with them. I can track clumps of cards through the CSM's but it is very difficult to tell exactly where they will appear. Being off by a couple of hands can really be bad. I either have good days or bad days when I play against these things. One interesting observation I've made, is that when a new table opens up, and new decks are "shuffled up", the dealers don't shuffle those 5 decks very good, and the low and high cards are clumped together for a while. This is bad for the player, or has been bad for me anyway. After a while that CSM will eventually shuffle those cards up but it takes a little while.

thats an interesting point. i've suspected that the CSM doesn't typically mix the cards much as a normal casino hand shuffle does. to where one might wonder if you got a handle on how the cards were clumped (shudder) it would almost be like knowing a slug from shuffle tracking ?