Regarding Casino de Montreal

[Montreal Casino]

Alright guys, i am new to the forums and to blackjack. I am 18 years of age and i just recently got really involved and interested in making money off of blackjack. I have several questions that i would like to address that i have never gotten the chance too. So for all you blackjack players, please read on and help me.

About 3 months ago i've been really researching blackjack and how to beat the casinos. I have mastered the BS and a counting system ( Hi/Lo) i can count down a deck in like 22 seconds. I live in Canada, Quebec, Montreal. The Casino closest to me is the Casino of Montreal. I have never stepped foot into that casino or any other casino for that matter because i have been working on my game to make sure that when i do step into a Casino, i'll be ready.

So, i would like to know the conditions of the Casino de Montreal. I've heard that they use 8 decks, stand on soft 17, double down on any cards, DDAS, can split aces, and use 65-75 percent penetration ( which i don't think is good). What i want to know is if these are the rules for their blackjack, and if not, can someone please post the rules they have. Also, i would like to know if it is PLAYABLE. Meaning, is it possible to make money off of the Casino de Montreal Blackjacks tables. In essence, this is what i would like to know;

1.) Rules for the Casino de Montreal blackjack tables.
2.) Is it playable?( Blackjack in Montreal Casino )
3.) Am i ready to actually MAKE money in blackjack/how do i know if i'm ready?
4.) I've heard the lowest tables are 15 dollars, if so will a 1,000-1,500 dollar bankroll suffice?
5.) What should my bet spread be as opposed to the count?
That's pretty much all i can think of at the moment, so once again, please help because i actually want to make money when going to the casino. Thanx alot.

[bluewhale]

hey, i'm pretty similar to you, live in toronto, new to counting but have it down pretty good. i recommend doing what i do.... backcounting and only playing on good counts (ie wonging). so yeah, backcount tables, when you see a TC of 2, jump in, you can ramp up to 50 bucks or so ,and then if the count drops to 1 or less, get up and start counting another table. as for making money at BJ, don't get your hopes too far up, but hey, its a lot of fun, and eventually you might be able to get some decent money. but right now, with a max bet of 50 bucks, you won't be making very much.

[SystemsTrader]

Originally Posted by Montreal Casino

1.) Rules for the Casino de Montreal blackjack tables.
2.) Is it playable?( Blackjack in Montreal Casino )
3.) Am i ready to actually MAKE money in blackjack/how do i know if i'm ready?
4.) I've heard the lowest tables are 15 dollars, if so will a 1,000-1,500 dollar bankroll suffice?
5.) What should my bet spread be as opposed to the count?
That's pretty much all i can think of at the moment, so once again, please help because i actually want to make money when going to the casino. Thanx alot.

1.) I was actually at that casino last fall. You have all the rules correct accept it is H17 on the eight decks. The house edge is .65%, this is not a good game at all!
2.) It is playable however it will be very difficult to make money there. The pen is horrible, the average was about 2.5, some pen as bad as 3 and the best at 2 decks cut out. You will have to search out the dealers cutting out only 2 decks.
3.) You are ready when you have practiced enough and feel confident enough to apply your system effortlessly in the casino environment. And when you have built up a sufficient bankroll.
4.) Probably not your risk of ruin will be way too high. I would suggest saving up about $5000 and wong the tables exclusively.
5.) For this you should probably pick up qfits cvcx and you can run your own sims to figure out a bet spread for your bankroll. With your small bankroll it won't be pretty, maybe $4 or $5 an hour if you just wong the tables.

[Montreal Casino]

Alright guys thanx alot, i guess i'll save up some money and just wong tables. However, if i just wong tables exclusively, won't it be too obvious that i'm a card counter? and that i will probobly be asked to leave because of it?

[dacium]

How much you going to play for? Firstly if you are playing $5 or $10 its not likly you are going to win much per hour so you probably won't even get noticed at all. If you are wonging just play a few hands at the start of a shoe sometimes, or play a few hands on a shuffle machine table as you walk past and count at the shuffle machine tables a few time just for practice and cover. Remember playing basic strategy is only 0.5%ish.

When you do play just act dumb and act like you don't know how to play (constantly hesitate before you hit stiff hands or soft hands like you aren't sure what to do next etc. - playing quickly on stiffs/Ace X's is sign of good basic strat player and possibly card counter or at least someone playing very mathematically).

I strongly recommend back counting and coming in on strong positive counts +4 TC or better at least. Possibly coming in when the count is so high and there are so few cards left that it won't matter if you loose count when you are playing.

in the casino remember that its best to sit as far to the left as possible because you can count everyone elses hands as they play them out. Also don't get nevours. Most of the dealers and staff are clue less about card counting but some of them will look for players who actively make sure they see every card, look at the discard tray constantly etc. A big give away is not paying attention to your own cards when they are dealt, instead watching the rest of the cards or looking at other cards counting them. Good luck counting big shoes is very difficult to get any money out off. You have to prepared to ramp your bets properly. this means you will need quite a bit of money.

Probably best cover is having people with you. Get friends to go with you. Try and learn to play and talk as you play. Say silly stuff to the dealer liek "Got a 5 for me!" when your on 16 etc.

[bluewhale]

Originally Posted by dacium

I strongly recommend back counting and coming in on strong positive counts +4 TC or better at least. Possibly coming in when the count is so high and there are so few cards left that it won't matter if you loose count when you are playing.

first off, let me say that i like everything else you said here. but i think this is just blatantly wrong. coming in on a TC of +4 is gonna keep this kid waiting for like 2 hours before he finds a single shoe. his hourly rate will drop to almost nothing also. i say sit in on a TC of +2, and you might be thinking that you shld wait for the uber positive situation, but believe me, all you'll be doing is waiting.

[NDN21]

Go to the casino with a small amount.

Try counting cards in the casino. Very different than at home, in casino there's a waitress in a skimpy outfit, pretty women walking around (sometimes), noise, smoke, idiots, etc..

At first try alot of people, myself included, think they have it down but only find out at the casino they don't have it quite as well as they thought. They get flustered because the dealer deals too fast or he picks up the cards as soon as a player busts (have you practiced under those conditions?) or not in the order you thought he would, you can't remember the index plays right off the top of your head, etc.. You don't have alot of time to think when you have a 12 and dealer shows a four (in some systems it's time to hit depending on the count).

Then after you have seen how it works and how good (or bad) you are at actually counting you will know what you need to work on. You don't even have to play your first time, just stand there and count and play one players cards in your mind (hit/stand/split/double off of the index plays in your head).

I wouldn't go for the very first time expecting to have a full blown session and expect to do it 100% correctly. Ease into it a little bit.

[Montreal Casino]

Originally Posted by NDN21

Go to the casino with a small amount.

Try counting cards in the casino. Very different than at home, in casino there's a waitress in a skimpy outfit, pretty women walking around (sometimes), noise, smoke, idiots, etc..

At first try alot of people, myself included, think they have it down but only find out at the casino they don't have it quite as well as they thought. They get flustered because the dealer deals too fast or he picks up the cards as soon as a player busts (have you practiced under those conditions?) or not in the order you thought he would, you can't remember the index plays right off the top of your head, etc.. You don't have alot of time to think when you have a 12 and dealer shows a four (in some systems it's time to hit depending on the count).

Then after you have seen how it works and how good (or bad) you are at actually counting you will know what you need to work on. You don't even have to play your first time, just stand there and count and play one players cards in your mind (hit/stand/split/double off of the index plays in your head).

I wouldn't go for the very first time expecting to have a full blown session and expect to do it 100% correctly. Ease into it a little bit.

That's exactly what i was thinking of doing, and thats what i think i'll do. Since the Casino is only 30 mins away from me, ill go there, see how it works, and then determine if i am ready.