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Awesome page, One question.. regards the splitting phase, you say that the dealer only gives the player a card on the second eight after he stands or busts on the first. Is this a standard rule? I’ve come across casinosthat offer standard BJ where the dealer hands one card each on each eight and then plays each hand independently? Need to be sure which is the standard and which is the exception… Thanks
I have seen the behavior you describe in online casinos, but I have never seen it dealt that way in any land-based casino. There, the dealer always deals a card to the first split hand, finishes that hand, and then deals a card to the second split hand and begins it.
If you’re considering reporting counters that wong-in/out of your table just because you feel like they are stealing your “hard earned count”, then perhaps the reality is that you’re a masochistic idiot that hasn’t worked a day in his life and needs to take a statistics class.
Yes, you can play as many spots as you like at the table in Casino Verite. And you can choose to have other spots played by automated players if you like.
I know that blackjack players who do well and/or play well tend to find an inhospitable environment at casinos… have you had or written about any experiences with this? I am particularly interested in South Mississippi, which is where I am and where I will be playing and (hopefully!) winning soon…
what is the best blackjack game for visual impaired people either shoe or facedown games and can a friend help with telling what the cards are being played or play for the visual impaired person . and can ask the blackjack tables and deelers before sitting down if this is possible incasino blackjack play.
The shoe game will be easier for a visually impaired player, because both the other players and the dealer have full access to the needed information about the hands. I have played at the table on many occasions with blind players, and the dealer has always assisted by verbally providing the details of the hand. I have even seen players request that the dealer call out other player’s hands as well, and while that is perhaps not always available, I have seen it done.
On several of the televised blackjack tournaments that I participated in, Regina Guzior was often a competitor. She was a very talented tournament foe, despite being completely blind. It was always a pleasure to compete against her.
One more thing. You asked if a friend can assist. The answer there is yes. And this means that face-down games can be easily managed as well.
The current Strategy Trainer works just fine in this regard. Ties are a push. You are being confused by the way the bankroll is adjusted up when the bet is returned to your bankroll, and then down by the bet being made again. If you happen to look at the wrong moment, you only see the second half of that transaction.
It works as it should.
Ken,
I play at a casino on regular basis at the no-mid shoe entry $25 min with 8 decks hitting on soft 17’s.
They also have a high limits room $50 min. with 6 decks and they stay on soft 17.
Is it better to play with fewer people? There are 5 spots on all the tables and it seems to me that I do the best when there are only 3 or less of us at a table.
And what are your thoughts of one on one against the dealer?
The number of other players at the table has virtually no effect on your results per hand. However, more players at the table means the game moves a bit slower. Unless you are counting cards and have an advantage, slower is better. So as a basic strategy player, you will do better in the long run at a full table than one with fewer players. In particular, when you play with just you and the dealer, the game moves really fast so you should avoid that if possible. (For a card counter, it is just the opposite. Playing heads up means more hands per hour, and more profit.)
But the presence or absence of other players makes no difference in your likelihood of winning any particular hand. Any anecdotal evidence you have to the contrary is just luck.
Is there a way to calculate your risk of ruin to include expenses? So for example, if my expenses account for 10% of the EV gained how do I incorporate this knowledge to calculate my true risk of ruin?
Ken, your site has helped me bloom into a top advantage player and it’s also where I send anyone looking to learn. Thanks so much for offering this wonderful site and strategy trainer, and for free at that!
Hi. I got into learning the KO counting and tried it out in the Casino Vérité Blackjack program and got really good at it and i now feel ready to try it out online. The problem is, it says to increase the bet at -6 BUT in the online casino i play at (unibet.dk) they change the shoe midway, so it often doesn’t even come down to -6, it’s stays around -10 to -16 most of the time. Is there a good way to know with the KO when to bet higher even if the TC isn’t down to -6??
You also mentioned that this is an 8 deck game. An 8-deck game that deals only 4 decks will rarely get positive. That’s what the KO count is telling you.
There is not a good time to bet other than when the count reaches the target count. Card counting online is rarely worth the effort. Most games shuffle every hand anyway, so it’s not possible. The few games where they do not shuffle every hand are very poor penetration, or exceedingly slow in the case of live dealer games.
To really get a chance to play profitable blackjack via counting, you will need to find a land-based game.
Hi!
I’m guessing the increased benefit for card counters is due to the fact that surrendering when we’ve got a big bet on the table is going to save us proportionately more money (high count, larger bet). Are there any other variants that we need to be aware of?
Thanks again for the site and help
Ben
Awesome page, One question.. regards the splitting phase, you say that the dealer only gives the player a card on the second eight after he stands or busts on the first. Is this a standard rule? I’ve come across casinosthat offer standard BJ where the dealer hands one card each on each eight and then plays each hand independently? Need to be sure which is the standard and which is the exception… Thanks
I have seen the behavior you describe in online casinos, but I have never seen it dealt that way in any land-based casino. There, the dealer always deals a card to the first split hand, finishes that hand, and then deals a card to the second split hand and begins it.
If you’re considering reporting counters that wong-in/out of your table just because you feel like they are stealing your “hard earned count”, then perhaps the reality is that you’re a masochistic idiot that hasn’t worked a day in his life and needs to take a statistics class.
Can I play more than one box in casino Verite or is just one box allowed to play?
Yes, you can play as many spots as you like at the table in Casino Verite. And you can choose to have other spots played by automated players if you like.
Ken,
I know that blackjack players who do well and/or play well tend to find an inhospitable environment at casinos… have you had or written about any experiences with this? I am particularly interested in South Mississippi, which is where I am and where I will be playing and (hopefully!) winning soon…
MM, I replied privately by email.
what is the best blackjack game for visual impaired people either shoe or facedown games and can a friend help with telling what the cards are being played or play for the visual impaired person . and can ask the blackjack tables and deelers before sitting down if this is possible incasino blackjack play.
The shoe game will be easier for a visually impaired player, because both the other players and the dealer have full access to the needed information about the hands. I have played at the table on many occasions with blind players, and the dealer has always assisted by verbally providing the details of the hand. I have even seen players request that the dealer call out other player’s hands as well, and while that is perhaps not always available, I have seen it done.
On several of the televised blackjack tournaments that I participated in, Regina Guzior was often a competitor. She was a very talented tournament foe, despite being completely blind. It was always a pleasure to compete against her.
One more thing. You asked if a friend can assist. The answer there is yes. And this means that face-down games can be easily managed as well.
Hi Ken. Suggestion for future versions of your Strategy Trainer; ties push, rather than dealer wins all ties….?
Thanks for ALL of the free information and training aids!
The current Strategy Trainer works just fine in this regard. Ties are a push. You are being confused by the way the bankroll is adjusted up when the bet is returned to your bankroll, and then down by the bet being made again. If you happen to look at the wrong moment, you only see the second half of that transaction.
It works as it should.
Ken,
I play at a casino on regular basis at the no-mid shoe entry $25 min with 8 decks hitting on soft 17’s.
They also have a high limits room $50 min. with 6 decks and they stay on soft 17.
Is it better to play with fewer people? There are 5 spots on all the tables and it seems to me that I do the best when there are only 3 or less of us at a table.
And what are your thoughts of one on one against the dealer?
The number of other players at the table has virtually no effect on your results per hand. However, more players at the table means the game moves a bit slower. Unless you are counting cards and have an advantage, slower is better. So as a basic strategy player, you will do better in the long run at a full table than one with fewer players. In particular, when you play with just you and the dealer, the game moves really fast so you should avoid that if possible. (For a card counter, it is just the opposite. Playing heads up means more hands per hour, and more profit.)
But the presence or absence of other players makes no difference in your likelihood of winning any particular hand. Any anecdotal evidence you have to the contrary is just luck.
Hi,
Is there a way to calculate your risk of ruin to include expenses? So for example, if my expenses account for 10% of the EV gained how do I incorporate this knowledge to calculate my true risk of ruin?
I’m trying to decide whether you can just use 90% of your EV for the calculation instead. I’ll have to think about that a bit.
Ken, your site has helped me bloom into a top advantage player and it’s also where I send anyone looking to learn. Thanks so much for offering this wonderful site and strategy trainer, and for free at that!
Sincerely,
100+ aliases
Thanks for the kind feedback. I love hearing from players who have learned to extract money from casinos. Continued good cards, -Ken-
Hi. I got into learning the KO counting and tried it out in the Casino Vérité Blackjack program and got really good at it and i now feel ready to try it out online. The problem is, it says to increase the bet at -6 BUT in the online casino i play at (unibet.dk) they change the shoe midway, so it often doesn’t even come down to -6, it’s stays around -10 to -16 most of the time. Is there a good way to know with the KO when to bet higher even if the TC isn’t down to -6??
You also mentioned that this is an 8 deck game. An 8-deck game that deals only 4 decks will rarely get positive. That’s what the KO count is telling you.
There is not a good time to bet other than when the count reaches the target count. Card counting online is rarely worth the effort. Most games shuffle every hand anyway, so it’s not possible. The few games where they do not shuffle every hand are very poor penetration, or exceedingly slow in the case of live dealer games.
To really get a chance to play profitable blackjack via counting, you will need to find a land-based game.
Hi!
I’m guessing the increased benefit for card counters is due to the fact that surrendering when we’ve got a big bet on the table is going to save us proportionately more money (high count, larger bet). Are there any other variants that we need to be aware of?
Thanks again for the site and help
Ben