blackjack card counting does not change in any substantial way how many hands you win or lose over...
TRANSCRIPT
BlackJackCard counting does not change in any substantial way how many hands you win or lose over and above average. It does change how much money you have wagered in favorable situations.
The most important fact regarding why the game of 21 wins for the house is:
• The player will bust before the dealer about 8% of the time • Perfect basic strategy player will bust approximately 15%-16% of the time on average
Why do “Players” count cards?
• Because the player receives 3-2 on all “Naturals”• Because the player can take Insurance• Because the player can Surrender hands• Because the player can stand on stiff (12-16) totals• Because the player can double-down AND split hands• Because the player can spread to multiple hands
A “Player” will use the count for the following three reasons (In this order)
• To make betting decisions• To make correct Insurance / Surrender decisions• To make correct playing decisions
Why is the proper “Betting Decision” so important when playing a multi-deck shoe game?
• Because your advantage (Plus counts) on a shoe game doesn’t occur as often as on a single deck game, therefore a larger bet spread is needed to compensate for these smaller advantages occurring.
What is the needed bet spread when playing on a 6-Deck shoe game?
• Rule of thumb is twice the number of decks in use ( 6 decks X 2 = 12 ) So a 1 – 12 bet spread is needed.
75% deck penetration and a 1 to 8 spread can achieve 0.25% - 0.75%
85% to 95% deck penetration and a 1 to 20 spread can achieve 0.50% - 1.0%
Understanding the “Illustrious 18” playing indexes• Insurance• 16 vs 10• 15 vs 10
The above three plays make up 60% of the total gain available• 10, 10 vs 5• 10, 10 vs 6• 10 vs 10
The above six plays make up 75% of the total gain available• 12 vs 3• 12 vs 2• 11 vs Ace
The above nine plays make up 83% of the total gain available• 9 vs 2• 10 vs Ace• 9 vs 7
The above twelve plays make up 90% of the total gain available• 16 vs 9• 13 vs 2• 12 vs 4• 12 vs 5• 12 vs 6• 13 vs 3
The above six plays make up 10% of the total gain available
What are the four true “Surrender plays” we should take note of?• 14 vs 10• 15 vs 9• 15 vs 10• 15 vs Ace
Why is the order of the above plays so important?
• Because proper play on stiff vs stiff will gain 3.2%, and these hands will occur 43% of the time• Because proper double-down plays will gain 1.6%, and these hands will occur 9.6% of the time• Because proper splitting plays will gain .4%, and these hands will occur 2.0% of the time• Because proper hitting of soft totals will gain .3%, and these hands occurring a small percentage of the time
Biggest bet in a negative count would have to double in a positive count to negate any houseadvantage. See examples below… • On a double deck game if you were to wager $500 @ -1, you would have to wager $1000 @ +1• On a shoe game if you were to wager $500 @ -1, you would have to wager $2000 @ +1• Keep in mind when evaluating a possible card counters camouflage that his wager has to be at least 2 to 4 times as high in
positive counts to offset negative count wagers
Why is it so important to deviate "Betting" and "Playing" decisions?
• Because in multi-deck games, 50% of the hands played neither you or the dealer have any kind of significant advantage• Watch for any misplays during the neutral zone• Because 80% of all playing decisions made will follow basic strategy
Why did the Casinos go to multi-deck shoe games?
• To combat the card counters on single deck games
What did the card counters do to beat the multi-deck shoe games?
• They created table hopping, team play and shuffle tracking
Why did the Casinos go to continuous shufflers?
• To combat the card counting, table hopping, team play and shuffle tracking
Why does the house cut the deck in half on a card counter?
• Because penetration is the key factor for a card counter• The shallower the penetration, the larger the bet spread must be
Playing System treats an Ace as a low value card
Will not bust a stiff hand or help on an a double down of 11.
“Betting System” treats an Ace as a high card
Why is the “Betting Strategy” so much more important than the “Playing Strategy”?
• Can’t beat a six deck shoe with playing Strategy decisions but you can beat a single deck game
• If you flat bet and make all the correct playing strategy deviations you can beat a single deck game (depending on the rules)
• If you flat bet and make all the same correct playing strategy decisions you can not beat a six deck shoe game
When counting Aces what adjustment is made to the running count for each Ace rich count?
• +3 to the running count for each Ace rich count
Why does card counting win for the player on average?
• More than half your money will be bet when you have an advantage
Why are “Insurance” and “Surrender” decisions so important when card counting?
• Because on average you will have large wagers out on the game when you need to make these decisions
Why will a card counter usually never use “Double-down” and “Splitting” decisions as a camouflagemove?
• Because they would have to put twice as much money at risk
Watch how and if a player plays other games in an attempt to camouflage his excellent 21 play.
• Pass line with odds on Craps/ Hedge Betting• Banker bets only on Baccarat
Sitting out hands Odd wagers such as $25 & $75 to get a reduced vig $100 average player playing on Big Bacc vs. Mini Bacc to slow down the game pace
• Single Roulette games only making outside wagers• No Carnival games• Making dealer toke wagers on top of wager- higher comp rating
Patron wagers $25 for himself with a $25 wager on top for the dealers he would probably get rated as a $50 average wager Patron wagers $25 for himself with a $25 toke bet in front for the dealers he would probably get rated as $25 average wager
Effects Of Deck Penetration When Card Counting
DOUBLE DECK with 1 - 4 BET SPREAD
60% / 62 Cards 67% / 70 Cards 75% / 78 Cards Gain
House Advantage -1.33% -1.61% 17%
House Advantage -1.33% -1.84% 28%
SIX DECK SHOE with 1 - 6 BET SPREAD
4.5 Decks / 234 Cards 5.0 Decks / 260 Cards Gain
House Advantage -1.17% -1.61% 27%
SIX DECK SHOE with 1- 8 BET SPREAD
4.5 Decks / 234 Cards 5.0 Decks / 260 Cards Gain
House Advantage -1.31% -2.00% 35%
Ace Betting PlayingSystem Level Side Count Efficiency Efficiency
Braun +/- 1 No 0.97 0.51
DHM ( Gordon) 1 Yes 0.86 0.57
HI OPT I (Einstein) 1 Yes 0.88 0.61
ITA Systems Research 1 No 0.96 0.53
Revere Advance +/- 1 Yes 0.89 0.59
HI OPT II (Stephine) 2 Yes 0.96 0.67
Omega II Count 2 Yes 0.92 0.67
Revere PC 2 No 0.98 0.52
Uston APC 3 Yes 0.99 0.69
Revere APC-71 4 No 0.92 0.52
Revere AOC-73 4 Yes 0.99 0.65
Thorp Ultimate 11 No 0.99 0.52
Betting Efficiency How closely the T/C measures the real adv. over the house
Playing Efficiency How closely a card counting system relates to changes in playing strategies
* Level- refers to the integer value assigned to the cards; -1, 0, +1 = Level 1. -2 to +2 = Level 2
Why is Basic Strategy the tell all in 21?
• Can detect card counting• Can detect hole card knowledge• Can detect top card knowledge• Can detect shuffle –tracking at times
Flashing of dealer’s hole card
• Most common method is to flash right out of the shoe• Watch for dealer to slide hole card out with hand on far left side of card – tilting card slightly when covering with top card• Premature flash of card when attempting to take an unneeded hit card for the dealer
Dealer presenting cards for the cut
• Cut card on top of deck(s)• Never give the cut card out prior to the cut• Back of cards facing player cutting cards (6 decks)• Never extend cards past the Insurance line• Never extend cards over or around the shoe
Checking playing cards for nicks
• Nicks would be visible on dealers hole cards• This alone is worth 2.5% just on correct Insurance decisions
What is one of the best ways to check cards for daub?
• Set the card(s) on the game and walk around the game putting yourself in the position of the player
• Watch for the dealer stacking the discards
• Dealers will separate rounds of high cards from rounds of low cards and insert into different locations in the discard rack
Why are there logos on the cards?
• To aide Surveillance on hand held games• To indicate if the cards are being Flashed, Stripped, or if Seconds are being dealt
Why do we use two cut cards on the game of 21?
• So the dealer can not determine how deep to deal into the deck• Protects the deck so the players can not read the bottom card
On a shoe dealt game why is the second card dealt to the dealer always the hole card?
• If the cards were marked the player would have less time to identify the card• Stops the dealer from turning over either card (Selective up card) depending on the card values
Boxing the cards or strip shuffling is done to get the bottom card moved up in the deck.
Front loading is seeing the dealer’s hole card as the dealer inserts it under the top card; it gives theplayer a 6% - 9% advantage. Even if you can only read the hole card a third of the time, you can still
play with an average gain of approximately 2%. It is considered legal.
Dealer picking up cards out of order
• Stacking clumps of high value cards to the bottom of the discard holder, and low value cards to the top• False shuffle and cut
Watch for player taking a hit card vs. double down card
• Dealer will deliver normal hit card• Player will set up matching bet as if he meant to double down• Dealer falls asleep and pays as a winning double down bet• That’s why double down cards need to be delivered side ways
Watch for the dealers bending cards up when sliding them into the card readers
• Dealer will usually bend the card with his thumb and forefinger towards himself on both ends when attempting to slide the card into the reader
Random Shuffles
• 1 Deck - 7 shuffled required for Randomness• 2 Deck - 9 shuffled required for Randomness• 6 Deck – 12 shuffled required for Randomness
BaccaratCan a Baccarat shoe be counted down?
• In Baccarat the shoe almost always favors the Casino, thus we use a counting system to determine on which hand the Casino earns the smallest percentage
• Counting might reduce the H/A by a small percentage versus playing straight Banker bets, but these favorable wagers would occur so seldom and the win would be minimal
• Using this or any kind of count method resulted in betting the "BANKER" hand approximately 90% of the time
• Mostly any style of card counting would occur very late in the shoe
• The game is symmetric enough so that there are no cards that massively favor one bet over the other the way Aces & Tens help the player in Blackjack
• Approximately 10 times the number of cards of the same type must come out in Baccarat to have the percentage impact of one card of that type at Blackjack
• Removing 2, 3, 4, 5 ( plus count cards ) tends to make the remaining mix of cards more favorable to the BANKER hand
• Removing 8, 9, 10 & paints (minus count cards) tends to make the remaining mix of cards more favorable to the PLAYER hand • Removing 6, 7, & Aces ( 0 count cards ) have no appreciable effect one way or the other
• The initial advantage is too large to overcome in Baccarat( 1% vs .25% - .75% )
• Baccarat is usually dealt from an 8-deck shoe, so the volatility in the edge is low
• A Baccarat count cannot be used to improve playing efficiency, because the drawing rules are fixed
• Practical card counting is easily eliminated by shuffling the shoe with 26 cards remaining
BACCARAT FIRST CARD ADVANTAGES
FIRST CARD ADVANTAGE PERCENTAGETen Banker 05.5%Ace Banker 05.4%
Two Banker 04.9% Three Banker 04.3%Four Banker 03.2%Five Banker 01.1%
__________________________________________Average Banker 4.7%
FIRST CARD ADVANTAGE PERCENTAGESix Player 00.7%Seven Player 07.4%Eight Player 17.3%Nine Player 21.5%
__________________________________________Average Player 11.7%
9 X 4.7% + 4 X 11.7% = 89.1 / 13 = 6.8%Overall Average
The biggest threat to the game of Baccarat is the shuffle
• Know your house shuffle well• Just pinpointing the exact location of two or three cards will give the player a huge advantage over the casino
Understanding the safety features built into the Baccarat dealing shoe
• Roller can not roll in reverse• Top cross bar – Inside• Top cross bar – Outside• Ridged and snap down cover lid• Cross bar on the back of the cover lid• Thickness of the front lip• White tip on the front edge of the cover lid
Watch what the players are writing down on their table cards
• Pay attention to the charting of individual cards as opposed to just charting winning and losing sides and totals
RouletteBe aware of a large dolly
• Large base dolly can conceal cheques easier
Watch for a wave off after the ball has landed
• Dealer will appear to wave off properly, but the ball has already landed• Dealer will wave off game very low to the layout dropping a cheque on the winning number• Dealer should never be allowed to wave off lower than 12” above layout• Two handed wave should always be used• The wave off is also essential for G.C.B. cases
Discuss the value of the Huxley wheels
• Lower profile frets, flatter• Shallow pockets• Produce a more randomizing, scatter effect on the ball• Tend to stay in perfect balance• Older wheels attract section players
Discuss dealer’s signature
• Through habit the dealer unconsciously propels the ball a particularly frequent number of pockets away from the last spin• Chart the number pockets between spins• Play a sector of numbers( 5 – 12 ) surrounding the target number
Can the dealer control the ball?
• Conscious vs. unconscious• Criteria needed would be • Spinning from a fixed point• Wheel turning in the same direction as the ball• Wheel always turning at the same speed• Most important----NO OBSTACLES
Understanding wheel signature
• Physical individuality• Most popular is wood grain signatures• Cone could be brass or nickel plated• Ornament could be inscribed or not
Bias wheel play
• Ideal conditions• Dealer spins ball and wheel slowly• Slow table conditions• Above two conditions to persist for a long time• Usually 24 numbers on the wheel will be normal• Playing a 12 number section will ensure the player against a very long run of bad luck• Watch for players relieving players and betting the same numbers
Individual number bias and section bias play
• One or two non contiguous numbers vs. a three plus section of contiguous numbers• A sector bias will usually manifest itself much quicker than a single number bias• If the dealer spins the wheel faster the bias is not likely to disappear altogether, it is more likely to move forward a few pockets.• 98% of the time a roulette ball bounces in the direction it is traveling
Be aware of the dealer not trying to spin the ball into a 10 number section of the wheel, but justthe opposite. The dealer will attempt to narrow the wheel down to 28 numbers instead • 28.5% advantage if the ball could miss the 10# section 100% of the time• Good luck
Visual wheel tracking
• Players will always be making wagers at the last minute• No hesitation, the player knows exactly where every number is located on the layout• Usually at least two man teams, betting only the numbers which are in front of them. One player for the top half and the other for the bottom half of the layout• Paying very close attention to the spinning wheel head• The center column bet is the most common bet placed for visual tracking• Players only need to be correct 50% of the time to achieve a P/A• Half the wheel bet with 10% clean drops, the player would have a 5% advantage on the standard 00 game• On average, the ball will have a clean drop 25% of the time
Small ball vs. large ball
• Large ball is better for the visual tracker, it has less bounce and scatter• Small ball is better for the bias player; it will cross more pockets before it stays put. This gives it a better chance of getting trapped
in the biased section of the wheel.
Marking the monitor with a pen for ball drop location
• Watch the screen and mark where the ball drops from the track to indicate if the wheel is level• A wheel that is off by 1/8” on its horizontal plane, will cause the ball to leave the ball track in the same area 80% of the time• No matter how fast the ball is spun, if the wheel is not level, the ball is going to fall from the same spot on the ball track
Miscellaneous
• None of the columns can be wagered to play a particular section of the wheel head• The RED & BLACK are the only wagers which are next to each other
CrapsWhy should the dice never be pushed to the shooter past the pass line?
• Because the Boxman cannot see the dice in the mirrors
• Harder for the Boxman to see if the shooter has dice in his hand
What are some of the common safety features used on our dice?
Razor edge dice Key Letter
Polished finish Glow Spots
Logo on dice Scribe by Pit Manager
Advantage shooting- Dice Control
* We define a controlled throw as a physical skill of throwing the dice in a predetermined fashion that changes the frequencies, the probabilities and the odds of the dice totals
• Shooter attempting to hit a certain spot on the table, trying to eliminate the randomness of the dice
• Only plays when he is the shooter, plays minimum wagers with other shooters, or makes hedge wagers
• Usually next to the stick for more consistent control and accuracy
• Controlled throw dice will travel together, land together and bounce together
Avoid rock hand & spongy layouts
¾ Dice better
• Patron throwing is too mechanical and consistent in his mannerism
• Setting dice to a specific setting before delivery
• Potential advantage from 2.3% - 9.5% for the player against the house
* One less 7-out of 36 rolls could reduce the house percentage on a 6 or 8 place bet from 1.52% down to 0%
Caribbean Stud
Table games players tend to come to the Casino with much bigger bankrolls thando slot players
The best “Basic Strategy” for Caribbean Stud
• Fold every hand that is below Ace-King in value against every dealer upcard• Bet an Ace-King hand if your hand contains the dealer’s upcard• Bet all Ace-King hands with Jack-8-3 or better against every dealer upcard• Bet every pair or better against all dealer upcards• Do not make the jackpot bet• J.P. bonus must be approximately $345,000 for a $5 player to have a slight expectation on this wager• $352,000: This figure would be taking into account the $5 wager plus the $1 Bonus wager.
House Advantage for Caribbean Stud
• 18% if there were no bonus payoffs offered to the players• Bonus payoffs equate to 13.23%• Basic Strategy the H/A equals 5.3%, elaborate complex strategy H/A only drops to 5.2%• Playing your basic hunch strategy the H/A is 7% and higher• The actual H/A if you take into account the "ANTE & BET" wagers when played overall equals 2.6% Players may attempt to nick, or mark Aces & Kings
• Dealer will normally qualify 56.3% of the time• Watch for proper basic strategy play by the players• Players playing hands which you would normally not call with could be achieving card knowledge• If the dealer has an Ace or a King he will qualify 66.43% of the time
Players showing cards to each other
Casual unorganized peeking is unprofitable to the playersEven if two dealer cards are known the house advantage would still be around 1.75% with a different playing strategyGain a 2.3% player advantage if all the cards can be seen with seven players at the game....BUT...because your mind can't compute all the possible combinations left, keeping track of the cards is not feasibleAgainst six players the house would still have an advantage of 0.4
Players showing cards to each other
• Casual unorganized peeking is unprofitable to the players.
• Remember though the idea of having players exposing cards to each other only makes card switching more viable.
• Even if two dealer cards are known the house advantage would still be around 1.75% with a different playing strategy.
• The Advantage Player needs to see the dealer’s up card and two of the dealer’s hole cards to gain an advantage.
• Gain a 2.3% player advantage if all the cards can be seen with seven players at the game(35 cards)....BUT...because
your mind can't compute all the possible combinations left (17 cards), keeping track of the cards is not feasible.
• Against six players the house would still have an advantage of 0.4%
• The below player advantages would have more implications on games dealt manually by a dealer but usually shuffle machines
are used in most casinos.
Card information Player Advantage
Dealer’s Up Card - 5.3%
Two Cards Known -1.7%
Three Cards Known + 11.6%
Four Cards Known + 35.2%
All Cards Known + 64.3%
Individuals getting card information will probably not be betting the $1 progressive – They don’t want their cards exposed.
Let-It-Ride
House advantage on Let It Ride
• 3.5% on one unit and 2.9% on total expected action on the game
Watch for dealers exposing their cards
• Watch for proper basic strategy play by the players• In general, seeing 3 - 6 cards from the other players gives only weak information and will not affect your playing decisions Checking the decks for nicks, marks or daubs
• The best card to get is a TEN, because it can form a premium pair, the highest number of Straights, and even the Royal Flush• The TEN provides an edge of around 31%• The community cards are exposed, not stacked, this allows the players to know the card values when marked• Watch for proper basic strategy by the players
Watch for players pressing their money wager with the cards
• Player would have to recheck their hand• Handling cheques prior to handling cards
Card Knowledge Percentages
• 1st known hole card + 8.4%• 2nd known hole card + 24%• Both cards + 40%
Let It Ride Optimal StrategyBet One
TYPE OF HAND PLAYER ACTION
Three of a Kind StayPair of Tens-Aces StayThree Card Royal Flush StayThree Card Straight Flush Stay
All other handsAll other hands FoldFold
Bet TwoTYPE OF HAND PLAYER ACTION
Four of a Kind Stay4 Card Royal ( Outside) Stay4 Card Royal (Inside) Stay4 Card Straight Flush (Outside) Stay4 Card Straight Flush (Inside) StayThree of a Kind StayTwo Pairs StayPair of Tens-Aces StayFour Card Flush StayFour Card Straight (Outside & 4 High Cards) Stay
All other handsAll other hands FoldFold
Three Card PokerThe best “Basic Strategy” for Three Card Poker”
• Fold hands less than Q-6-4, house advantage equals 3.37%• Average winning hand is K-10-2
Advantages• House advantage on Ante / play bets = 2.14%• House advantage on pair plus bets = 2.32%
Checking the decks for nicks, marks or daubs
• The community cards are exposed, not stacked at times, this could allow the players to obtain card knowledge if the cards are marked• Watch for proper basic strategy by the players• Players could achieve a player advantage of 3.5% if one of the dealers cards are known• Knowing whether the card is a face or non-face card has a player advantage of 2.41%. • Knowing all three Dealer cards with optimal strategy gives the player an advantage of 34%.• The purpose of gaining this information is to determine the likelihood that the Dealer’s hand will not qualify.
Strategy used if one of the dealer’s cards are known
• Play all hands if the dealer’s card is a Jack or less• Play Q-9-2 or better if the dealer’s card is a Queen• Play K-9-2 or better if the dealer’s card is a King• Play A-9-2 or better if the dealer’s card is an Ace
Seeing only one of the dealer’s cards is worth more than seeing forty additional non-dealer cards
• There is really no concern if players share card information on this game• There are too many possible dealer combinations left to figure out what he might be holding....Max of 28 cards left undealt
# of Players Cards Seen Players Gain
1 3 .00%
2 6 .06%
3 9 .18%
4 12 .33%
5 15 .55%
6 18 .76%
7 21 1.05%
Three Card Poker Analysis 03/10/06
Ante/Play Pair Plus Bet Probability of knowing one card
Change the amounts $50 $25 100.00%
Betting Pair Plus for Cover when the Hole Card(s) are being played
Pair Plus Wager Ante/Play Wager Ante/Play Wager Ante/Play Wager
Pay Table PA 1 Card Known Weighted PA 2 Cards Known Weighted PA 3 Cards Known Weighted PA
1,4,6,30,40 -2.32% 3.48% 1.55% 17.20% 10.69% 37.94% 24.52%
1,4,6,33,35 -2.70% 3.48% 1.42% 17.20% 10.57% 37.94% 24.39%
1,4,6,25,40 -3.49% 3.48% 1.16% 17.20% 10.30% 37.94% 24.13%
1,4,6,25,35 -4.58% 3.48% 0.79% 17.20% 9.94% 37.94% 23.77%
1,3,6,30,50 -5.10% 3.48% 0.62% 17.20% 9.77% 37.94% 23.59%
1,4,5,30,40 -5.57% 3.48% 0.46% 17.20% 9.61% 37.94% 23.44%
1,3,6,30,40 -7.28% 3.48% -0.11% 17.20% 9.04% 37.94% 22.87%
PA = Player's Advantage
Spanish 21Watch for the different rule changes on the game
• Watch the removal of the 10 pip value cards• Watch for the dealer failing to hit soft 17’s• Watch what bet is rescued when doubling down• Watch for bonus hands being paid on double down and split hands
Why players will probably not count cards
• Running count at the top of the shoe is –24• Betting ratios of 40-1 yield less than 8-1 bet spread on a regular 6-deck game• Insurance is a very important play when counting. It would rarely occur in Spanish 21 and when it did the• advantage would be minimal• Player will double and split much less• +4 occurs 2.3%, with advantage of .75%, +5 or higher occurs 3.9%, with advantage of 1.35%• House advantage using correct basic strategy = +.87%• Playing regular 21 basic strategy on Spanish 21 will result in a house advantage of +3.0%• It is theoretically possible to achieve a small edge (+0.5%) at Spanish 21 by employing traditional card counting techniques. To
do so requires a minimum to maximum bet spread of at least 1-30, and this will occur approximately only 5% of the time• Watch for players playing on full, slow games to get less hands per hour
Big SixMost common methods of cheating
• Past posting winning number• Switching bets • Capping / Pinching wagers• Dealer mispays• Dealer theft • Dealer failing to re-spin win
Wheel should always spin at least 3-5 revolutions
• “Hard spinning” random dealers favor the house• “Slow spinning” random dealers are more predictable• Ideally dealer gets in a rhythm• One other player on the game as cover, this allows you to sit out a spin or so if needed• Play only the Joker or Special, any other wager is a poor bet• It is highly unlikely that a dealer will spin consistently within parameters less than plus or minus 6 spaces
Different Influences
• Crowd Influences Players making late bets, breaking dealer’s spinning pattern• Betting Influences Too many other players following your play,creating large winning payouts• Casino Influences Dealer spinning from opposite sides of the wheel (clockwise/counter-clockwise good procedure)
Why are there usually two mirrors on the game of Big Six
• Layout mirror is for the dealer to identify the winning number without turning away from the game• Wheel mirror is for the floor to verify the winning number spun
Wagering an equal amount of all 7 symbols, the H/A 19.8%
Proportional wagering based on the number of symbols on the wheel, the H/A would be 15.5%
•Example would be betting $1 on the JOKER and $15 on the $2 symbol of which there are 15 symbols occupying the wheel
Watch for dealers moving wheel to set position (Joker) and spinning with the pins not the wheel (loosen pins so Flapper sticks
longer. Dealer spin parameters kind of like a dealers signature on roulette
Must be able to predict at better than 65% rate to have an advantage with Las Vegas payoffs ( 40 – 1 )
Poker Poker players are more aware of their surroundings at the game versus say, 21, Roulette, etc. They understand the game policies and procedures better. They basically police the game themselves.
With million dollar tournaments, satellites, the internet, and publications you could never generate this level if cheating was widespread.
Harder to track “Drop” and “Theft” because the rack is consistent, bankroll not at risk from players.
Poker games have the Dealer acting as Dealer and Supervisor.
Poker cards usually do not have logos on the back.• Decks cost a lot more.
Cards are usually on the game for longer periods of times, so if the cards are marked the cheat has a longer period of time to cheat.
Same players and dealers are not uncommon in Poker• Possible collusion
Surveillance coverage is usually less adequate than casino table game coverage.• More games per camera coverage.
Auto-Shufflers do an automatic count of the card total each shuffle.• Harder to hold out cards.
Auto-Shufflers eliminate the following:• Culling – Securing certain cards
• Scramble / wash set ups• Some false shuffles• Slugs / Stacking Deck• Watch for the shuffler malfunctions leading to manual shuffles which would probably be
unsupervised.
Dealers can still do the following:•Card Peeking•Dealing Seconds•Bottom Dealing•Flashing cards•Usually no supervision during dealer shuffles and cuts.
Collusion between players
•Most prevalent form of cheating•Doesn’t involve any physical cheating of any kind.•Hard to detect•Even on the square it’s hard to detect•No correct way to play a hand, like in Blackjack•Two or more in on collusion•Same players always making the right calls on lay downs
Possible Scams:•Stealing from the pot•Dealer may steal chips from the pot when pushing the winning hand•Steal when making change from the pot•Stealing from the fills•Collusion with players to build pots and force other players out.•Marked cards – usually in the center of the cards due to players mishandling cards and dealer shuffles
Computer Play Scams•Probably not used on Hold ‘em Games – not enough face-up cards are seen•Probably used on Seven-Card Stud Games – more cards exposed.
It has been estimated that over a long period of play, only 5% of Poker players can break even in games that are raked.
Pai-GowUnderstanding basic strategy
• Usually house way is the best basic strategy to play• Basic strategy deviations could indicate possible tile knowledge• Watch for dealer / player to split more pairs• Watch for the dealer / player to NOT play High-9, Gongs, Wongs to try and make his low hand (4) or higher
Empty table, player wants to “Bank” every hand?
• No to “Banking” every hand• Too much risk for too little reward
Busy table, player wants to “Bank” every hand?
• Yes to “Banking” every hand• Less risk to Casino
Checking the tiles from Pai Gow game
• Players cannot expect to gain any advantage unless they mark all the 7-8-9-2-12 tiles. If they play accordingly they can gain approximately ½ % advantage
Players freezing out a game
• The house would be the Banker• Players lock up all seven spots on the game• Players look at their tiles quickly, no squeezing of tiles• Possible gain of 7% if tiles played optimally• Defense by Casino is to lock up one spot on the game
Pai-Gow PokerUnderstanding basic strategy
• Usually house way is the best basic strategy to play• Basic strategy deviations could indicate possible card knowledge
Empty table, player wants to “Bank” every hand?
• No to “Banking” every hand• Too much risk for too little reward
Busy table, player wants to “Bank” every hand?
• Yes to “Banking” every hand• Less risk to Casino
Checking the cards from a Pai Gow Poker game
• Marking cards is usually ineffective because players do not draw additional cards or raise their wagers after seeing their cards• Cards marked would probably be the Aces and Joker• Typically a crimp, bend or nick would be used to mark the cards, because the top card is the only one visible to the player• Due to the stacking process daubing cards would be ineffective
Though the (5) card hand is required to have a higher poker value, the (2) card hand is actually more important for winning money, because it is involved in more copy hands.
To break even the player must bank against multiple players whose total bets are 6-14 times the player/banker’s bet when not banking.
Seldom or never will you find a Nevada game in which you can break even if you “Bank” only one hand out of seven.
A skillful “Banker” Vs unskilled players has an edge of .2% to .4% in Nevada Casinos.
The Casino is better off if the “Banker” is a customer. This is based on return of risk.
Most Casinos use a conservative strategy; this is because most people learn the game in a Casino
What causes a house way to be conservative is the making of the (2) card hand weaker and the (5) card hand stronger in the vital hands such as Two pairs, Straights, Flushes and Straight-Flushes
By using a conservative strategy the Casino creates more push hands, and less results (wins & loss). Casino executives feel that fewer fluctuations in win/ loss cycles are better for the house. The house can keep a larger % of its player’s at the tables longer.
Aggressive strategy causes more results (win & loss) with less push hands. The biggest difference between the conservative and aggressive strategies occur in the lower value Two pair combos
BIBILOGRAPHYThe majority of the previous information was taken from the following sources and PublicationsBlackJack“Card Counting For The Casino Executive” by Bill Zender“Blackjack For Blood” (The card- counting bible, and complete winning guide) by Bryce Carlson“Million Dollar BlackJack” by Ken Uston“Knock-Out Blackjack“ (K-O The casinos) by Olaf Vancura, PH.D. ,and Bryce Carlson“Best Blackjack” (Take A Hit And Make A Profit) by Frank Scoblete“Get The Edge At BlackJack” by John May“Advantage Play For the Casino Executive” by Bill Zender
Baccarat“Winning Baccarat Strategies” by Henry J. Tamburin, PH.D. ,and Dick Rahm M.S.“Baccarat Battle Book“ (How to attack Baccarat and Mini Baccarart) by Frank Scoblete“Beyond Counting” (Exploiting Casino Games from BlackJack to Video Poker) by James Grosjean
Roulette“Beating the Wheel” (Winning Strategies at Roulette) by Russell T. Barnhart“Secrets of Winning Roulette” (Learn how to beat the casinos at Roulette) by Marten Jensen“Spin Roulette Gold” (Secrets of beating the wheel) by Frank Scoblete
Craps“Dice Control For Casino Craps” (Gambling disciples of god) by Yuri“Get The Edge At Craps” (How to control the dice) by Sharpshooter
Caribbean Stud“Bold Card Play” (Best strategies for Caribbean Stud, Let it Ride, and Three Card Poker) by Frank Scoblete“Beyond Counting” (Exploiting Casino Games from BlackJack to Video Poker) by James Grosjean“Expert Strategy Caribbean Stud Poker” by Elliot A. Frome and Ira D. Frome
Let It Ride“Expert Strategy For Let It Ride” by Lenny Frome“Bold Card Play” (Best strategies for Caribbean Stud, Let it Ride, and Three Card Poker) by Frank Scoblete“Beyond Counting” (Exploiting Casino Games from BlackJack to Video Poker) by James Grosjean
Three Card Poker“Bold Card Play” (Best strategies for Caribbean Stud, Let it Ride, and Three Card Poker) by Frank Scoblete“Beyond Counting” (Exploiting Casino Games from BlackJack to Video Poker) by James Grosjean“Mastering The Game Of Three Card Poker” by Stanley Ko
Spanish 21“Armada Strategy For Spanish 21” by Frank Scoblete“Expert Strategy For Spanish BlackJack” by Lenny Frome
Big Six“Beyond Counting” (Exploiting Casino Games from BlackJack to Video Poker) by James Grosjean“Beating The Casinos Big Six Money Wheel” by R. Carl Cohen
Pai- Gow“Pai Gow Without Tears” by Bill Zender
Pai Gow Poker“Pai Gow Poker” (Understanding Procedures and Strategies) by Bill Zender“Optimal Strategy For Pai Gow Poker” by Stanford Wong
Miscellaneous“Casino Game Protection” ( A Comprehensive Guide) by Steve Forte“Gambling 102” (The Best Strategies for all Casino Games) by Shackleford“Catching Poker Cheats” by A.D. Livingston“BJ Survey by Oliver Schubert”“Theodore Whiting”
