aslan
Well-Known Member
Where I played they had 8-deck games ($10, $15 and $25), although they did have 6-deck for $25, $50, and $100 games in another area where I played briefly (67% to 75% pen), and I did not visit the high roller area. The games are marginal to say the least, and the utmost patience is needed to beat them. All the $25 I played had NME. The strategy seems to be to keep the $15 and below tables crowded making MSE a non-issue, while at the same time forcing the overflow to migrate to the higher min tables or other casino offerings. Who wants to back count an 8-deck table anyway? Pen was 75% or better, but the incidence of good positive runs at a crowded table are few and far between. One plus was the fact that they do grandfather you in when raising table mins. I started one table at $10, and stayed with it as it was raised to $15 and then to $25. Bathroom wongs are an absolute necessity. Another plus was that playing two hands at min bet was allowed (at min, not double), and two hands could be opened (not just at the beginning of the shoe) or closed at any time. The rules were S17, DOA, DAS, NS, Split 3 times to 4 hands, SA1,
I got stuck $1,100 on two fairly good positive runs betting two hands at 1 to 10. It wasn't until the tables thinned out much later in the evening (a.m.) that I was able to recoup, winning $1,000 when down $800 betting two hands at 1 to 10.
To me, this kind of overall play is hateful, and no matter how much one loves the social aspects of play, after 2 or 3 hours that all goes south and you are left with a struggle to win a few bucks with minimal odds in your favor.
My trip ended with a $450 win at BJ, although I dropped money at some other games, including a BJ slot my friend said he could not lose to (BS!). I won about $50 at VP, JOB, 9/6, 25 cent, which turned up in an unlikely place in the casino.
Going against the casino under current day rules and policies using only counting is too much work. Without some form of team play to enhance your advantage, or some other advantage play(s) to which the casino is susceptible, it is hardly worth your effort IMHO. It's fine when variance breaks your way at the onset, but if you happen to get off to a bad start, and invariably you will sometimes, it is a lousy way to spend two days a week. Henceforth, if I have to miss a good night's sleep, it won't be because I'm stuck in a marginal game of Blackjack in a "counting alone" situation.
PS--The games I was in had zero opportunity for hole carding (the dealer slid his hole card from the shoe never lifting it), and the shuffles were thorough and convoluted (if you know what I mean) lending little or no chance for tracking IMHO.
I got stuck $1,100 on two fairly good positive runs betting two hands at 1 to 10. It wasn't until the tables thinned out much later in the evening (a.m.) that I was able to recoup, winning $1,000 when down $800 betting two hands at 1 to 10.
To me, this kind of overall play is hateful, and no matter how much one loves the social aspects of play, after 2 or 3 hours that all goes south and you are left with a struggle to win a few bucks with minimal odds in your favor.
My trip ended with a $450 win at BJ, although I dropped money at some other games, including a BJ slot my friend said he could not lose to (BS!). I won about $50 at VP, JOB, 9/6, 25 cent, which turned up in an unlikely place in the casino.
Going against the casino under current day rules and policies using only counting is too much work. Without some form of team play to enhance your advantage, or some other advantage play(s) to which the casino is susceptible, it is hardly worth your effort IMHO. It's fine when variance breaks your way at the onset, but if you happen to get off to a bad start, and invariably you will sometimes, it is a lousy way to spend two days a week. Henceforth, if I have to miss a good night's sleep, it won't be because I'm stuck in a marginal game of Blackjack in a "counting alone" situation.
PS--The games I was in had zero opportunity for hole carding (the dealer slid his hole card from the shoe never lifting it), and the shuffles were thorough and convoluted (if you know what I mean) lending little or no chance for tracking IMHO.
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