Posts tagged Player
Winning Blackjack Strategies: Which Table Gives the Player the Best Chance to Win?
Feb 13th
You may know how to play Blackjack but do you know how to win? Do you know where to sit? Do you know which tables and which casinos to avoid? The following article will you help you determine the answers to those questions and maybe you will be better prepared the next time you go. The casino sets the rules that you have to play by. Each rule they tweak will affect your chances of winning. If you’re going to pick the table with the best odds for the player, you have to know something about how the odds change as the rules change.
Following is a list of the more common rules that the casinos tend to change and how they affect your ability to win.
- Does the dealer hit soft 17?
- Can you surrender?
- Can you re-split aces?
- How many times can you split pairs?
- Double down rules: any first 2 cards, 9-11 or 10-11 only.
- Can you double after splitting a pair?
- What does a Blackjack pay; 3:2 or 6:5?
Now let’s examine just how much the casino advantage increases or decreases based on their rules.
For the purposes of our illustration the list below assumes these standard rules:
- Dealer hits all 17’s.
- Surrender not offered.
- Split aces get one card each. Re-splitting aces is not allowed.
- Re-splitting is allowed up to 4 hands for all pairs except aces.
- Player can double any first two cards.
- Player can double after a split.
- Blackjack pays 3:2.
Note: To get the following percentages you must be playing basic strategy. We cannot begin to estimate what to expect if you just make random decisions when you play Blackjack. A plus sign “+” indicates the house advantage. A minus sign “-” indicates the player’s advantage.
Baseline using rules above:
- 1 Deck: +0.16%
- 2 Decks: +0.46%
- 6 Decks: +0.64%
For the lists below we will be changing just one rule per list to illustrate how it affects the house advantage. You should compare these lists against the baseline list above.
Late Surrender is allowed:
- 1 Deck: +0.12%
- 2 Decks: +0.39%
- 6 Decks: +0.55%
Re-splitting Aces is allowed:
- 1 Deck: +0.13%
- 2 Decks: +0.40%
- 6 Decks: +0.57%
No Re-split allowed:
- 1 Deck: +0.19%
- 2 Decks: +0.50%
- 6 Decks: +0.69%
No Doubling after split:
- 1 Deck: +0.29%
- 2 Decks: +0.60%
- 6 Decks: +0.78%
Doubling on 9, 10 or 11 only:
- 1 Deck: +0.30%
- 2 Decks: +0.57%
- 6 Decks: +0.74%
Blackjack pays 6:5:
- 1 Deck: +1.55%
- 2 Decks: +1.83%
- 6 Decks: +2.00%
Baseline list showing how the percentages change when the dealer stands on all 17s.
- 1 Deck: -0.03%
- 2 Decks: +0.25%
- 6 Decks: +0.43%
For the lists below we will be changing just one rule per list to illustrate how it affects the house advantage. Compare these results with the baseline list above.
Late Surrender is allowed:
- 1 Deck: -0.05%
- 2 Decks: +0.20%
- 6 Decks: +0.36%
Re-splitting Aces is allowed:
- 1 Deck: -0.06%
- 2 Decks: +0.15%
- 6 Decks: +0.28%
No Re-split allowed:
- 1 Deck: +0.00%
- 2 Decks: +0.30%
- 6 Decks: +0.48%
No Doubling after split:
- 1 Deck: +0.10%
- 2 Decks: +0.40%
- 6 Decks: +0.57%
Doubling on 9, 10 or 11 only:
- 1 Deck: +0.11%
- 2 Decks: +0.37%
- 6 Decks: +0.52%
Blackjack pays 6:5:
- 1 Deck: +1.36%
- 2 Decks: +1.62%
- 6 Decks: +1.78%
You can see from the previous lists that the best thing the house can do for the player is to have the dealer stand on all hands totaling 17. The worst thing they can do is to change the payout for Blackjack to 6:5.
Now let’s examine one more scenario. This time we’re looking at the most desirable set of casino rules. See for yourself how much it affects their advantage.
For the purposes of our illustration the lists below assumes these standard rules:
- Dealer stands on all 17’s.
- Late Surrender offered.
- Re-splitting is allowed up to 4 hands for all pairs including aces.
- Player can double any first two cards.
- Player can double after a split.
- Blackjack pays 3:2
Split Aces Get One Card Each:
- 1 Deck: -0.08%
- 2 Decks: +0.15%
- 6 Decks: +0.28%
You Can Hit Split Aces:
- 1 Deck: +0.22%
- 2 Decks: +0.01%
- 6 Decks: +0.10%
Let’s sum up what we’ve just discovered. The casino rules at each table will affect your chances of winning at Blackjack even when you play perfect basic strategy. Fewer decks reduce the casino’s edge. More decks increase the casino’s edge. If the dealer stands on all 17’s the player has a better chance of winning. If they dealer hits all 17s the house has a better chance to win the hand. The next item to remember is what happens when you split Aces. If you can split Aces the same as the other cards you get the best odds. If they restrict you to one split and one card on each Ace they have just diminished your odds. The final rule to look out for is the Blackjack payout. Don’t sit at a table that only pays 6:5 for a Blackjack. This one rule gives the casino the biggest advantage over the player.
You can find more articles by Kris Brietkopf at http://www.winningbjstrategies.com
Arm yourself the next time you go out to play at the Casino. Blackjack is the casino game that gives you the best chance of winning. However you must be ready. You must at least know basic strategy and you must know which table rules favor the player and which ones favor the house. If you don’t know basic strategy you can get a free guide at: http://WinningBjStrategies.com/Free-Basic-Strategy-Guides
The Best Advice For Becoming a Professional Roulette Player
Sep 29th
If you want to become a successful roulette player, there are many key factors to take into consideration. You must use strategy. You need to know when to play and when to walk away. You need to practice. And you need confidence. These are all very important factors when learning to master roulette.
First, you have to know the game inside out. You must study every aspect of the game and learn as much as you can. You have to learn the strategies of when to bet, when not to bet, how much to bet, where to bet, where to play,(which casino is best – they are different) when to play, (certain times of day are better than others) when to capitalize on a lucky streak, when to notice an unlucky streak and how to deal with it, and more. You can’t go in blindly, hoping you’ll get lucky. You have to leave nothing to chance. To do this, you have to know dozens of strategies like the back of your hand.
Roulette is actually a very easy game to learn. Roulette strategies are not much harder. The hard part is knowing when and when not to use them, which I consider a strategy in itself, and the most important strategy to learn. To do this you must learn to recognise when you’re on a lucky streak, when you’re not, when you’re half and half, and how to capitalize on each situation. To learn this, all you need to do is practice and it will come to you automatically.
When practicing, it’s best to use play money. I’m not saying you have to play with only play money for weeks or months on end before you’re ready to play for money. The way to generate money quickly with roulette and to practice at the same time, is to first find a casino with a bonus. Casinos will give you bonus money on your initial deposit.(If you deposit $100, they match you another $100, so you get to play with $200) What you do is practice every day for about an hour with play money. Then, walk away for a little while, get some food or something, to give your mind a break so you can regain your focus and concentration. (This is always a good idea no matter what when playing roulette, especially is you’re getting frustrated) Now, go back and start playing for real money, but only with the bonus money the casino gave you. Once you have won enough with the bonus money, you can take out your initial deposit and you’ll be playing with 100% free money, so there’s no risk to you.
If you notice you’re on an unlucky streak, and nothing you do is helping. Walk away for the day. When it comes down to it, roulette is a game of chance, and sometimes you just cannot win no matter what. When you lose, you become frustrated. When you’re frustrated, you don’t think straight. If you can’t think straight, you’ll make mistakes and making mistakes is the last thing you want to do if you’re already losing. By walking away, you will regain your concentration and your focus. Remember, the #1 strategy when playing roulette is knowing when to play and when to walk away.
The last thing you need to become successful at roulette is confidence. You need to be confident you can beat the wheel. If you think you’re going to lose or you think you have no luck, subconsciously you’re going to make that happen. But, the same is true for the opposite. If you think you can win and you play smart using strategy and the advice in this article, then you’ll make yourself a winner.
Follow the advice in this article, and you’re guaranteed to take your roulette game to a whole other level.
Here’s a little info about me…. I currently make a living playing roulette. I used to work real jobs, but I always found that no matter what, there were always too many problems with every job I worked. I’d have personal problems my co-workers, I never had the hours I wanted, and I didn’t enjoy the work on any level. The biggest problems I had though were, I have something of an authority problem, so I always hated my boss, even if they were nice, I would resent them for telling me what to do. And of course, the #1 problem, the money was always terrible. I always worked for minimum wage. Life is nothing but a constant struggle when you work for minimum wage, and I was sick and tired of struggling for the things I wanted. I used to play roulette online for fun, but never for money because I thought I’d lose. One day though, I said the heck with it, I love playing roulette, I hate working, I’m going to play roulette for a living. I was already O.K. at the game, but to make a living, I had to be really good. Nothing could be left to chance. So I studied every aspect of roulette I could for the next few months and it wasn’t long before I quit my job and started paying the bills with roulette. Recently, I put together a website filled with the basics, to my best strategies. I’ve never made a web site before, so it’s not the prettiest site in the world, but I had a blast making it. It’s called Free Roulette Strategies, http://roulette.websitebuilderfree.com and I’m really proud of it. I think I’ll make another one, maybe poker this time. The sky’s the limit now.
No Limit Texas Hold’em Tournament Strategy – Poker Tournament Betting Basics For the Winning Player
Jun 4th
Making your bets properly is crucial to tournament success. Many newbies make mistakes in this area and ends up costing them the game. Your bet amounts and your betting strategy both make a big difference.
Bet the Same Amount No Matter What Hand You Have
If you raise 5x BB on a good hand, 3x BB (to slowplay) on AA and KK and 6x BB when you’re bluffing, an astute player will be able to read you very quickly.
Don’t make this mistake. Establish an amount that you’ll normally raise and stick with that amount no matter what kind of hand you have.
Bet the Value of Your Hand
Most people try to get far too clever when they’re betting. They’ll try and figure out if the opponent has a weak hand so they can bluff. Or they’ll check in hopes that their opponent will bet so they can check raise.
In reality, “clever” plays should be used only every once in a while. It shouldn’t be the norm. In general, bet the value of your hand. If you have trips, bet out. If you have nothing and your opponent bets, fold.
Don’t Bluff in Early and Mid Game
In the early and middle game, play tight and aggressive. Bluffing is a surefire way to lose your shirt. Even if you only get called 30% of the time, getting called when you don’t have a hand will cost you a lot of chips.
In the late game, you have no choice but to bet subpar hands. The blinds won’t allow you to sit and wait for good hands. In the late game, it becomes more about picking the right hands to go aggressive on.
Understand the M Concept
Your “M” is the multiple of how much it costs to play one round. So if the SB is 500 chips and the BB is 1000 chips and you have 15,000 chips, then your M is 10.
When your M is above 20, you can play very conservatively. Play only premium hands and avoid playing in early and mid positions.
When your M gets to 15, it’s time to loosen up and get a little more aggressive. Steal blinds as much as you can. When your M gets to 10, play very loose and very aggressive. In mid position, raise with hands like A7o. Basically, you’re now in the “danger zone.”
When your M gets to 5, that’s your all in zone. Pick the best hand you think you’ll have of the round and go all in. If you’re UTG, go all in no matter what you have. Do not take the blinds without going all in.
These are some of the basic betting strategies of Hold’em tournaments. Follow these strategies and you’re sure to set yourself ahead of most other players.
Are you tired of reloading your poker account night after night? Are you tired of always finishing out of the money? Are you tired looking at your deposit/cashout history and just seeing all deposits? Well, it’s time to change all that and learn how to become a winning online poker player by understanding the fundamentals to winning at Texas Hold ‘Em.
Why the Casino Player Development Team Serves As the Heartbeat of the Casino
May 24th
The casino player development team has always been and remains the heartbeat of the casino. It is this team consisting of the director, host manager, executive hosts, casino hosts, slot hosts and player development reps that cater to the players who produce the most revenue for the casino. This is the instrumental group that is most often at the forefront when the player first arrives on property and throughout their stay at the property. It is the many faces of the PD team that many guests will repeatedly verify makes them feel the most “wanted” and “valued”. And feeling wanted and valued is instrumental in developing loyalty from the guest.
The casino player development organization must be a well-oiled team that has systems and programs in place that provides the guest with an experience that is seamless and flawless. From the moment the guest calls in and books a room to the time they get in the limo to return to the airport, the player development team must not skip a beat. No “T” can go uncrossed and no “I” can go un-dotted. It is the most simple details that must be checked and double checked to insure that the guest has an experience that is not just pleasing, but most importantly, extraordinary.
This team of executives must be led by a dynamic leader, most often the player development director, who understands not only the importance of having a systematic, analytic method for tracking the performance of the department, but also the intricacies and delicacies of servicing players in a way that is personal and efficient, yet fun and lively. This director must have the capability of putting themselves in the position of the general manager who must account for all the dollars being spent to recruit and retain the high roller and yet, they must also understand the position of the host who has to face the player and serve as the representative of the casino who’s loyalties must at least appear to lie with the player even though the casino is actually the employer of the host. It is a fine line to walk for any and all player development executives. And as the casinos become more cost-conscious, this line does not become easier, but rather tougher.
Nonetheless, the group of player development folks is inevitably the most personable and noticeable of any of the employees at the casino property. They are the ones who love what they do so much that they are willing to answer their phones 24/7 just to make certain that a player never goes unnoticed or unappreciated and always has someone to call about any desire or demand they wish to be fulfilled.
It is the casino player development team that truly does serve as the heartbeat of the casino. They are in the middle of the action, whether it be the VIP Party, the sporting event, or the hot action on the casino floor. They constantly strive to maintain the loyalty of their current players while relentlessly seeking new players as well. They are known by name more than any other employee on the property. It is these loyal casino employees who make the casino a place high rollers wish to be.
Betz Modglin has been a casino player development top-level executive for over 18 years. She serves as a consultant for major casinos across the country and specializes in developing and implementing effective player development programs, training of player development staff, and the design and implementation of cutting-edge casino internet marketing programs.
For more information on Betz’s casino marketing programs go to http://www.CasinoInternetMarketingMagic.com.
“And now I would like to invite you to claim your Free Instant Access to my Casino Marketing Program when you visit http://www.CasinoInternetMarketingMagic.com.
From Betsy Modglin – “Casino Player Development Guru and Casino Marketing MoJo.”
Blackjack Strategies For the Advanced Player
Apr 21st
Blackjack can be one of the most fun card games to play, either at a live casino or online, whether you are playing free blackjack games or playing for real money, but the game is more fun when you win. For this reason, many players are looking to maximize their chances of winning with advanced blackjack strategy.
Advanced Blackjack Strategy: Basic Strategy
You can’t have an advanced blackjack strategy if you don’t have the basic strategy down pat. Ideally, you will have the basic strategy memorized, but if you don’t, you can play online with the strategy chart in a separate window, or bring a strategy card with you. Subtle rules variations may change the correct basic strategy in certain instances, so be sure the strategy chart you are familiar with matches the game you are playing.
Advanced Blackjack Strategy: Card Counting
Card counting won’t work in online blackjack because the random number generator that determines the cards prevents you from getting any penetration into the shoe. However when you play live blackjack, counting is a real possibility. A basic point count system awards a point for every two through six that comes out, and takes one away for every ten point card or ace that comes out. When the number is high, it means that the deck is rich in tens, which favors the player. That’s when it’s time to up your bet.
Advanced Blackjack Strategy: Team Play
The problem is that may take a long time for the count to reach an amount that is profitable for you, and if your bets suddenly skyrocket when it does, this will often arouse the suspicion of the casino personnel. For this reason many advanced blackjack counters choose to play in teams. Several team members play small and keep the count at various tables. Another team member keeps watch on all the tables in play. When one of the players signals a table with a high count, the watcher signals a big player, who sits down and starts placing large bets for as long as the count is favorable. Since he never changes the size of his bets, he is difficult to catch. This is probably the most effective way to win money at blackjack.
Rachel Ross is an avid gambler and dedicates tons of research and time to developing strategies for casino games and online gaming.