using tells to play hole card strategy

[p8ntballsk8r]

At the casino I play at, the have just recently switched from a device that would check for BJ (slide corner of card into it, light would turn red if bj, green if not) to a mirror.

I've noticed that I can get tells from the dealers sometimes, depending on which one it is, and what the hole card is.

I'm curious where to find a BS chart for hole card strategy. The easiest tell to pick up is dealer shows a 10 and double checks the mirror, or takes extra time. Any time I have observed this, he has a 20. Would I want to hit 17,18,19 in this situation if I consider this tell reliable?

 

[EasyRhino]

That's a probale negative. The marks on the corners of the cards showing the aces are usually in a different location than all the other cards in the deck. When the dealer checks for BJ, they orient their hole card into the mirror differently than when they check with a ten showing than if they have an ace showing.

Therefore, the only tell you'd get is if the dealer orients the card the wrong way.

 

[p8ntballsk8r]

well i'm pretty confident I have the tell down on this though. I spotted it, and my friend, who doesn't count, also spotted it and told me about it after we left the casino.

We have never been wrong on a read like this with a ten showing.

 

[rogue1]

tells

seems to me you'd want a tell that would let you know when the dealers' card in the hole is a stiff, 2-6 then you could stand on your stiffs and have an advantage even greater than a card counter.

 

[Brutus]

where is this place?
pm me if you dont want it public!

 

[EasyRhino]

Still confused. If this is a regular corner mirror, and the "usual" cards used with those mirrors, then all the dealer sees, depending on card orientation, is "ten or not-ten", or if flipped the other way "ace or not-ace".

So, if the dealer does it right, she only knows whether or not she has a blackjack. If the gets it backwards, then a tell might let you know if she has a 20 or a soft 12. Useful, but somewhat esoteric and very uncommon.

 

[shadroch]

You're going to feel really stupid when you hit that 19 because you think you are picking up a tell that can't exist.

 

[zengrifter]

Still confused. If this is a regular corner mirror, and the "usual" cards used with those mirrors, then all the dealer sees, depending on card orientation, is "ten or not-ten", or if flipped the other way "ace or not-ace".

So, if the dealer does it right, she only knows whether or not she has a blackjack. If the gets it backwards, then a tell might let you know if she has a 20 or a soft 12. Useful, but somewhat esoteric and very uncommon.

I too am confused about this for the same reason. zg

 

[p8ntballsk8r]

it may have to do with how all their tens have a black strip in the upper right corner and lower left corner. And all the aces have a black strip in the upper lefft and lower right corner.

These strips are designed for the device that checks for blackjacks. ie: strip will make light turn red and dealer will know he has a BJ.

In this case my guess is that the dealer sees part of the black strip, and will either double check,, or look for an extended period.

 

[rogue1]

seems to me you'd want a tell that would let you know when the dealers' card in the hole is a stiff, 2-6 then you could stand on your stiffs and have an advantage even greater than a card counter.

"The first divine was the first rogue who met the first fool."
Voltaire

 

[Blue Efficacy]

it may have to do with how all their tens have a black strip in the upper right corner and lower left corner. And all the aces have a black strip in the upper lefft and lower right corner.

These strips are designed for the device that checks for blackjacks. ie: strip will make light turn red and dealer will know he has a BJ.

In this case my guess is that the dealer sees part of the black strip, and will either double check,, or look for an extended period.

The dealer sees nothing if there's no BJ. Selective memory?

 

[RJMNYC]

I noticed this too. The dealer would use a mirror to look at the hole card and if it was a 10 he would remove the cards carefully from the mirror and leave them perfectly aligned one over the other. If it was any other card (not a ten) he would remove the cards a little less neatly so they would overlap. He did this each and every time.

 

[Mimosine]

I noticed this too. The dealer would use a mirror to look at the hole card and if it was a 10 he would remove the cards carefully from the mirror and leave them perfectly aligned one over the other. If it was any other card (not a ten) he would remove the cards a little less neatly so they would overlap. He did this each and every time.

read the post above. you are mistaken.

 

[Blue Efficacy]

I noticed this too. The dealer would use a mirror to look at the hole card and if it was a 10 he would remove the cards carefully from the mirror and leave them perfectly aligned one over the other. If it was any other card (not a ten) he would remove the cards a little less neatly so they would overlap. He did this each and every time.

I'm not calling you a liar, I just don't see how this is possible. The corner of a 10 card without the marking for the hole card reader looks no different from the corner of an A-9. Whether it be no peek, tech art or the less common reverse tech art. The tech art cards are the most common, and there is absolutely nothing on the corner that would be visible on a 10 in the hole when a 10 up is checked for BJ.

If anything I would think it would be more possible for a dealer to possibly see something when checking under an Ace...

EDIT: Does this occur when there is a 10 pip card in the hole, or is it always a face? Maybe the corner of the picture for a face card sticks out a little... hmm... maybe there is something to this?

 

[Simpau]

Even if you could see the dealers cards, hitting 17, 18, 19 consistently would surely cause further investigation from the pit, therfore blowing your advantage?

 

[jack.jackson]

When dealer checks their hole-card

One of the best tells a dealer gives off, is when you have a stiff vs X. Contemplate hitting this or even asking him on what you should do and youd be surprised on what you might pick-up.

One time many years ago a guy next to me had A7vX and wanted a Hit. The dealer knowing his hole-card, said "but you have 18". This told me(more than likely) that the dealer did not have a X in the hole. I therefore proceeded to stand with H14, and sure enough the dealer flipped over a 6, for H16 and busted out.

 

[EasyRhino]

Warning, a lot of dealers will say "but you have an 18" without any knowledge of their hole card, because it's just ploppy math.

 

[rukus]

not sure why no one answered the OPs actual question of where to get the hole cad strategy chart. if he has a false/impossible tell, so be it, he will lose money. if he has a real tell, good for him.

to the OP or anyone else curious, you can find a hole card strategy chart in million dollar blackjack or i believe you can generate one yourself in CVData (though ive never tried it).

 

[shadroch]

In well over 95% of casinos, the dealer has no idea what his hole card is, only that it is not the card he needed for a Natural. Just about the only way a dealer would know is if he hand checks without using a device.
This is one of the biggest misconceptions I see amongst todays players. I don't know if it comes from reading outdated material or what, but thinking you can read a dealers non-existant tell can be very expensive.

 

[Brock Windsor]

EDIT: Does this occur when there is a 10 pip card in the hole, or is it always a face? Maybe the corner of the picture for a face card sticks out a little... hmm... maybe there is something to this?

That seems plausible. Besides hitting your hands less than 20 there are some other play adjustments you could make if you can tell by the dealers reaction that he definitely does NOT have a 20. Standing on some stiffs for instance.
BW