New here, so I'm curious

[BJDave]

IF this topic has been covered before, my apologies.

It has to deal with casinos screwing up the game of blackjack. Over just the last few years, here are the significant changes I've noticed in most casinos.

1) Dealers draw to hard 17 - soft 17 gets hit.
2) Single-deck pitch tables have higher limits, and only pay 6-5 blackjack.
3) Double-Deck barely deals 2/3rds of cards (use to be 3/4). Shoe games are the same, dealing just 4 decks out of a 6-deck shoe.
4) No double-downs on splits at pitch tables.
5) Can only split Aces once.

These changes are really screwing the players and they have gone into affect at almost every casino. It's greedy, it's wrong, and it's killing the game.

 

[Brutus]

My complaint exactly

 

[Sonny]

It's greedy, it's wrong, and it's killing the game.

Yes, yes, and no. All of those games are still beatable. Some of the conditions may be getting worse (while others get better), and the casinos are absolutely getting greedy, but the game is still alive and kicking.

-Sonny-

 

[Mimosine]

1) Dealers draw to hard 17 - soft 17 gets hit.
2) Single-deck pitch tables have higher limits, and only pay 6-5 blackjack.
3) Double-Deck barely deals 2/3rds of cards (use to be 3/4). Shoe games are the same, dealing just 4 decks out of a 6-deck shoe.
4) No double-downs on splits at pitch tables.
5) Can only split Aces once.

precise observations on all counts!

but as Sonny mentioned there are ways to beat these games, so don't be too discouraged, because even amongst the crap there are definite gems to be found. if you see a H17 game, check to see if they added late surrender as well. stay the heck away from all 6:5. in DD 2/3rds is better than 1/2 right? and i've seen a lot of 1/2 lately! in terms of 6D games, i think 2D is not worthwhile, but a lot of casinos only cut off 1.5, and some i see regularly cut off 0.9.

as to points 4 and 5, there are still a lot of casinos that do offer these rules, and you should reward them with your patronage, and reward your bankroll at the same time by only playing the best games available. in my area there are about 7 casinos. and as far as i'm concerned only 3 of them are worth playing at - but those three that are have great games (not amazing, but great) and i'll gladly play any one of them, any day of the week, but it has required a little bit of leg work. but as you'll find out here, almost everyone will agree the leg work is worth it and good games are still plentiful. you already know what to look for, which is more than 95% of the people at the table.

 

[EasyRhino]

Yep Dave, you nailed it.

Poor penetration only hurts counters, not civilians. But the other changes are weak. And 6:5 is basically a war crime.