Blackjack Equipment

[Percy]

I am about to buy some blackjack equipment to help me in my quest to become a better bj player and was wondering if anyone could give any advice on either of these issues:

- What equipment should i get? My main aim is to learn the basics of shuffle tracking and perhaps hole carding so was thinking: shoe, 8 decks of cards, cut cards and discard tray. Anything else people have found useful?

- Where shall i buy it from? Anyone have any recommendations where i can get good value/quality equipment?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[NDN21]

More like 75+ decks. The decks you have will get marked up, knicked, bent, and worn quickly. 8 decks isn't enough. You may begin to recognize the nick and go for that instead of being able to truly tell how many decks have been dealt.

Maybe get one clear and one red discard tray. You will run into both in a casino.

 

[UK-21]

Percy mate . . . forget about the hole-carding, as in ENHC games there ain't one. Shuffle tracking? Absolutely, but this comes after (a) basic strategy, (b) counting comfortably in a casino with few (if any) errors, (c) playing those indices you're intending to apply without a second thought.

Would suggest:

6 deck shoe (most shoe games in the UK are 6 deck, although I've been told there's somewhere in London that deals a 4 deck game). Can be sourced on EBay.

6 deck discard (another forum member in the UK had to send off to the States for this).

two dozen packs of casino grade cards (can be picked up on EBay at around thirty bob a pack).

Pack of different coloured cut cards (EBay again).

If you can run to it and have room, there are some el-cheapo Chinese manufactured semi-circular blackjack tables on EBay that will run into around two hundred quid including delivery within the UK.

One problem I have with home practice is there's nobody I know who can deal with the speed and efficiency of casino dealing staff. If you know a licenced dealer and can get them involved that would help, although be sure you know where their loyalties lie - otherwise you could find yourself doing all of this stuff for nix.

Good luck.

Newb99

 

[Percy]

Thanks for advice guys. Much appreciated. I'm heading to America (on work) so thought I better sharpen up on 8 decks and give hole carding a try.

Newb99 - there are apparently quite a few 4 decks in Lon. I've played at one and have heard about others.

 

[UK-21]

Thanks for advice guys. Much appreciated. I'm heading to America (on work) so thought I better sharpen up on 8 decks and give hole carding a try.

Newb99 - there are apparently quite a few 4 decks in Lon. I've played at one and have heard about others.

Can you PM me a list? I've been told that Napoleon's casino in the West End offers a four deck game? I play at Galas on the occasions that I visit the smoke (although I also visited the G casino in Coventry Street a while back), but am rapidly coming to the conclusion I should find other venues - where the staff at least smile as they endeavour to take your money.

What are you up to in the States then?

 

[SuperTrump]

Can you PM me a list? I've been told that Napoleon's casino in the West End offers a four deck game? I play at Galas on the occasions that I visit the smoke (although I also visited the G casino in Coventry Street a while back), but am rapidly coming to the conclusion I should find other venues - where the staff at least smile as they endeavour to take your money.

What are you up to in the States then?

I've played good 4D games at Aspinalls and Fifty but you are very often the only player at the BJ table so you can expect to be watched like a hawk and attract a lot of heat!! Small betting spreads with some camoflage strongly advisable!

 

[davidpom]

I've played good 4D games at Aspinalls and Fifty but you are very often the only player at the BJ table so you can expect to be watched like a hawk and attract a lot of heat!! Small betting spreads with some camoflage strongly advisable!

Fifty was one of the clubs I used to frequent before my UK wide barring. Yes, I know what you mean about being the only player in there. It's a beautiful casino (used to be London clubs, now owned by Robert Earl of Planet Hollywood fame), but so, so, quiet. Any major wins will be noticed there. I took a few grand a couple of times and they didn't seem bothered - but I did notice that as my winnings increased, so did the frequency of the waitresses hovering trying to offer me free alcoholic beverages. I assume that was at the request of the pit boss, trying to throw me off the game...

Fifty had a horrendous 750GBP per year membership fee back then (I managed to get it free however - comped by the manager). Do they still try to charge that ridiculous amount? Must admit though, having access to that club for business meetings in the afternoon etc was almost worth it. Prime location around the corner from the Ritz. Ah, I miss London. :-(

 

[davidpom]

Napoleons do offer a good 4 deck game (its on Leicester Square - very central) but the casino itself is a pit, dark and old fashioned, and when I was last there it had a high Chinese player contingent... I'm not against that, but in those particular surroundings, it had the feel of an opium den! I much prefer the better casino next door to Napoleons - Casino on the Square. Light, bright, new, funky. A much nicer experience. You can even get comp points on the machines and tables. Only downside: it's a 6-deck game there.

I'm pretty sure Golden Nugget on Shaftesbury Avenue still does a 4-deck game (from what I've read - I can't enter the premises due to my barring), as does The Sportsman club off Oxford Street. Probably best to give them a call to check.

Phone numbers for many UK casinos can be found on an earlier blog entry I put together, (Dead link: http://beatthecasinos.blogspot.com/2008/08/united-kingdom-casinos-list.html) _here_.

 

[SuperTrump]

Napoleons do offer a good 4 deck game (its on Leicester Square - very central) but the casino itself is a pit, dark and old fashioned, and when I was last there it had a high Chinese player contingent... I'm not against that, but in those particular surroundings, it had the feel of an opium den! I much prefer the better casino next door to Napoleons - Casino on the Square. Light, bright, new, funky. A much nicer experience. You can even get comp points on the machines and tables. Only downside: it's a 6-deck game there.

I'm pretty sure Golden Nugget on Shaftesbury Avenue still does a 4-deck game (from what I've read - I can't enter the premises due to my barring), as does The Sportsman club off Oxford Street. Probably best to give them a call to check.

Phone numbers for many UK casinos can be found on an earlier blog entry I put together, (Dead link: http://beatthecasinos.blogspot.com/2008/08/united-kingdom-casinos-list.html) _here_.

I've played The Golden Nugget & The Sportsman in the past couple of weeks and they were all 6D games with ok penetration (Although dealer variable!).

Agree with your comments regarding Casino at the Empire - Top drawer casino IMHO and one of my favourite haunts nowadays. Decent bar/ restaurant/nightclub and good cocktails! Friendly staff and decent comps too! Huge chinese contingency (Like Napoleon's) due to close proximity to Chinatown but mainly on the Baccarat tables!

Worth investing in at least one exclusive membership (Fifty, Ritz, Les Ambassadeurs, Aspinalls, Connosseurs) as possession of one membership will often help gain you access to one of the other ones - Still steep at £650-1000 depending on venue!

Perhaps we could get together and scout out the table conditions in all the London casinos and post a 'London conditions thread'?!

Also interested in anyone who is up for some team play! :devil: