Question about playing the CSMs.

[gpucci]

I play at Thunder Valley.. (saw a few posts here from players that play at this casino so hit me up if you want to hook up!)

Thunder Valley uses CSMs now on all their tables. Well long story short. I usually go with about $600 and play about $20-$25 a hand because I cannot use a basic count on those machines. Seems lately since they have installed those machines that I have been winning a lot more. The last six times i have gone I have walked with $100-$250 each time. Only thing I am using is a Basic Strategy. Mine differs a bit from the normal. For instance I will hit a 12-13 when dealer shows a 2, and I will double a 9 when the dealer is showing a 7-8. But that's it.. That's all I do different than what is on the Basic Strategy.

I also will set limits. I go there to lose $600 if I take $600. Sometimes I hit a bad luck streak and call it after losing only $300 or $200. Depends on the night, but I go there expecting to lose it all. When winning I quit after about $100-$300 but never below $100. Basically what I am trying to say is that the last 6 times I have gone I have won. Overall it's about 10 out of 13 playing a CSM. Anyone have this kind of luck or know what the deal is here with those machines? Do your odds increase if you play basic strategy over a normal shuffle? Or is it geared to take the casual players cash much faster?

Thanks for the help! Glad I found this site. Got back into blackjack after taking a year off. Been playing for about 14 years now, and still love the game. I am probally ahead in $$ lifetime. I have a knack for knowing whats going on in a game. I am used to counting so with the CSMs I still do for the heck of it although I hear it's no good.

 

[SPX]

I play at Thunder Valley.. (saw a few posts here from players that play at this casino so hit me up if you want to hook up!)

Thunder Valley uses CSMs now on all their tables. Well long story short. I usually go with about $600 and play about $20-$25 a hand because I cannot use a basic count on those machines. Seems lately since they have installed those machines that I have been winning a lot more. The last six times i have gone I have walked with $100-$250 each time. Only thing I am using is a Basic Strategy. Mine differs a bit from the normal. For instance I will hit a 12-13 when dealer shows a 2, and I will double a 9 when the dealer is showing a 7-8. But that's it.. That's all I do different than what is on the Basic Strategy.

I also will set limits. I go there to lose $600 if I take $600. Sometimes I hit a bad luck streak and call it after losing only $300 or $200. Depends on the night, but I go there expecting to lose it all. When winning I quit after about $100-$300 but never below $100. Basically what I am trying to say is that the last 6 times I have gone I have won. Overall it's about 10 out of 13 playing a CSM. Anyone have this kind of luck or know what the deal is here with those machines? Do your odds increase if you play basic strategy over a normal shuffle? Or is it geared to take the casual players cash much faster?

Thanks for the help! Glad I found this site. Got back into blackjack after taking a year off. Been playing for about 14 years now, and still love the game. I am probally ahead in $$ lifetime. I have a knack for knowing whats going on in a game. I am used to counting so with the CSMs I still do for the heck of it although I hear it's no good.

On a six deck table, BS says to hit 12 or 13 if the dealer shows a 2. So good job.

As for the CSM, if I remember correctly then for a BS player the machine adds a bit in favor of the player.

 

[tribute]

On a six deck table, BS says to hit 12 or 13 if the dealer shows a 2. So good job.QUOTE]


For basic strategy you actually should STAND with 13 vs. dealer 2. (See basic strategy engine chart on this site.)

 

[gpucci]

On a six deck table, BS says to hit 12 or 13 if the dealer shows a 2. So good job.QUOTE]


For basic strategy you actually should STAND with 13 vs. dealer 2. (See basic strategy engine chart on this site.)

It depends on the web site who claims "Our strategy is best!" Some have you hitting a dealer 2 when you have a 13, and some don't. I choose to hit it when I have a 13. It hasn't been bad or good I don't think.

But I do double a 9 when dealer is showing a 7 and an 8. That is another "yes/no" depending on the site.

I have felt recently though that I cannot get off my counting because it comes natural to me, but I have been real strict with the BS other than what I have deviated from and it seems to work well w/ those CSMs

Anyone else have any experience with those recently and noticed a better win % against the house following a BS (or close to a BS)??

 

[GeorgeD]

On a six deck table, BS says to hit 12 or 13 if the dealer shows a 2. So good job.

As for the CSM, if I remember correctly then for a BS player the machine adds a bit in favor of the player.

Just speculating here, but BS is supposed to consider only the cards in play, so I would guess it's a tiny bit more accurate for a CSM. Also with a pretty much neutral count all the time, I would expect the variance to me lower.

Still, overall a losing game, but with perfect BS and good comp hustling maybe it could come close to even.

 

[SPX]

On a six deck table, BS says to hit 12 or 13 if the dealer shows a 2. So good job.QUOTE]


For basic strategy you actually should STAND with 13 vs. dealer 2. (See basic strategy engine chart on this site.)

Sorry, I meant hit 12 if the dealer shows a 2 OR 3.

As gpucci notes though, there are at times differences between the BS charts that I encounter.

 

[SPX]

It depends on the web site who claims "Our strategy is best!" Some have you hitting a dealer 2 when you have a 13, and some don't. I choose to hit it when I have a 13. It hasn't been bad or good I don't think.

But I do double a 9 when dealer is showing a 7 and an 8. That is another "yes/no" depending on the site.

I have felt recently though that I cannot get off my counting because it comes natural to me, but I have been real strict with the BS other than what I have deviated from and it seems to work well w/ those CSMs

Anyone else have any experience with those recently and noticed a better win % against the house following a BS (or close to a BS)??

Some BS plays are extremely marginal, with it being a fraction of a percent between hitting and standing. Sometimes that's just not good enough for me to double down on and I swear to God I think I lose almost EVERY time when I double on 11 or split aces against a 10.

 

[tribute]

It depends on the web site who claims "Our strategy is best!" Some have you hitting a dealer 2 when you have a 13, and some don't. I choose to hit it whe

It does not matter about claims. Basic strategy is just basic strategy. It is all in the math which has been worked out by computers and smarter people than me. How a player chooses to play their hand is up to them. Indeed, some calls are very close either way.