Blackjack at Parx? What are the house rules?

[tensplitter]

I play the electronic games at Parx. Rules are decent, 6 decks with 1 deck cut off is great, some dealers cut off only half a deck. I go a few times a week for several hours each time and have a net profit of about $500 from Parx, spreading between $10 and $50 and I wong out at TC -1 or lower and wong back in when the count becomes positive. There's one dealer who figured that I'm a counter and seems to be ok with it. I like that I can sit at the same table for hours, wonging in and out and spreading my bets, and not get any heat while my player advantage grinds down their money. I ignore the ploppies who tell me that I mess up "the flow" of the cards by wonging or splitting 10s when the count is high (my favorite play was when I split 10s against dealer 6 with a TC of +9 after the cut card came out, with a $50 bet on each 10, I got a ten on the first ten and split it again, I got an ace on 2 tens and a 4 on the third and the dealer busted with a 7 in the hole and another ten, there were only about 15 cards left because the cut card was placed at 5.5 decks). Let them get mad at me and move to another table, that means more EV for me. If I play 2 spots I have to double my bet at each spot, which is a great excuse to spread from $10 to $40 when the count warrants.

I'm sure at my relatively low betting levels they could care less about the fact that I count cards. I don't play rated at the electronic games but I do play rated at the tables with chips. At those tables I usually would buy in for $500 and only play during positive counts and raise from $15 to $30 if the running count is greater than +10. I also rathole a green chip every 15 minutes so that the computer records a net loss or a smaller win.

If I have a net win >150 in a session I stick a $5 or $10 bill and my card into a slot machine right before I leave, and play it until I lose it, just so they see that I'm a gambler. I like that it's only a short drive across the river for me, and AC is over an hour and a half away with worse rules. I'm going to AC next week for a convention, but I might not play much while I'm staying there because I'm spoiled by Parx.

 

[ArthurDental]

tensplitter, I'm a newbie and don't make many trips, but I rarely see positive counts at shoe games. I've seen one so far and the play didn't really work out, from what I can remember. I've also played computer sim the last few weeks and actually haven't seen a single positive count in all this time.

How many hands do you actually play per hour, and don't you have to sit down and get up all the time if you play tables with chips, because of the rarity of positive counts?

 

[BJgenius007]

tensplitter, I'm a newbie and don't make many trips, but I rarely see positive counts at shoe games.

How can this be possible? About 50% of the chance, the count is positive, I mean the running count.

 

[ArthurDental]

That's why I'm a newbie... The only method I've learned really is Red 7 and I didn't think of the other ones (although I'm not sure how much a difference that makes). Maybe it's time I try to learn a new one. It's hard when I don't have any friends who count cards...

BTW, how do you figure out how many decks are used? Do you spot it or just ask?

Edit: Now that I think about it, it still doesn't make sense. Yes, I'm starting at -12 or whatever it is, but each deck dealt is supposed to add an average of +2. Yet most games end with the count in the -30s. (I'm using Casino Verite, and have checked the settings numerous times to make sure there's no bias set. It also displays a running count, which while using a different method, is close enough for me to check the math, and it shows deep negatives most of the times.) What gives?

 

[SuperSmash]

You have the purchased version of CV? 'Cause I believe the demo changes all 7s (or 5s or something) into Jacks. Also, and obviously, you are adding +1 for every red seven that you see go by, right?

 

[Blue Efficacy]

That's why I'm a newbie... The only method I've learned really is Red 7 and I didn't think of the other ones (although I'm not sure how much a difference that makes). Maybe it's time I try to learn a new one. It's hard when I don't have any friends who count cards...

BTW, how do you figure out how many decks are used? Do you spot it or just ask?

Edit: Now that I think about it, it still doesn't make sense. Yes, I'm starting at -12 or whatever it is, but each deck dealt is supposed to add an average of +2. Yet most games end with the count in the -30s. (I'm using Casino Verite, and have checked the settings numerous times to make sure there's no bias set. It also displays a running count, which while using a different method, is close enough for me to check the math, and it shows deep negatives most of the times.) What gives?

LOL, you should get some real cards or try going to a casino, then you might see some positive counts :joker: