Typical penetration?

[apriorist]

What is the typical penetration of a deck in blackjack (in terms of percent) for the various deck amounts? Is there a level that could be considered "average" or does it vary to much to tell? I'm sure single-deck is totally different from multi-deck. Is it around 60%, 75%, 80%? Let's assume that the pit boss has no suspicion of a card-counter at the table.

[KenSmith]

It varies widely between casinos, and often between dealers at the same casino. For 6-deck games, many places deal 75%, cutting off 1.5 decks.

In 2-deck games, 50% is unfortunately pretty common, but 60 to 65% is also not unusual. Good two-deck games are 75%+.

[rzerector]

Usual penetration is whatever you put it at, though good penetration is 75%. Here's what i usually do to keep that 75% penetration going when i'm playing with others. After the shoe is shuffled, I say to the others at the table, " Can I please cut, I'm feeling lucky today.". Nine times out of ten they oblige, if they don't then become a cut coach. All you do when someone else is cutting is direct then to cut at the end of the deck, most people will oblige and it really doesn't raise that much suspicion.

[KenSmith]

rzerector, Penetration refers to how deep the dealer deals into the shoe, not where you cut the cards. If you've found a casino that allows you to place the cut card wherever you'd like and they deal to that depth, give me a call.

[rzerector]

Well Ken, at all the casinos i have played at the dealer deals to the cut card, so that's what i'm referring to. Come to Indiana and play at trump, resorts or magestic. I play 6 deck there and they let me cut ALMOST wherever i want. Sometimes i can get a cut less that 1 deck!! Ouch to the casinos!!

[KenSmith]

The dealer shuffles the cards and offers them to you to cut. You cut wherever you want. The dealer then moves the cards in front of your cut card to the back of the shuffled decks, and then reinserts the cut card to whatever depth they've been trained to deal to.

Except for the mild power of suggestion caused by you cutting deep, there should be no impact at all on where the dealer places the final cut card.

Or am I missing your point?