Posts tagged Strategy:
BlackJack Strategy For a Successful Run at the Table
Feb 21st
I’m an east coaster in New Jersey and I love my Atlantic City a few times a year. I am not a gamble-holic, if you will, but I do enjoy the table games when I go down, especially blackjack. There are hundreds of thousands of books out there that go over strategies and card counting techniques that can be cumbersome especially to the more novice player that just wants to enjoy his or her time in the casino. I have put together, in this article, some of the simpler strategies so that you can give yourself the best chance at being successful at the table. Like I said, I am not a millionaire nor claim to be one, just an average guy who knows when to walk away from the table and is happy with a couple hundred dollar win here and there. Here are some of my basic strategies that will give you better odds of success.
Step 1: Picking the Right Table to Sit At
I can’t emphasize how important this is. I always look at the minimum bet first. I will not go to any table that has more than a $15 minimum bet. I prefer a $10 minimum bet. My favorite casino is Bally’s Wild Wild West. You can find some $10 dollar tables there throughout the day.
Also, make sure it is either blackjack or blackjack with Lucky Ladies and there is more than one deck in play. The Lucky Ladies table has an extra bet that you can make that you get odds on certain hands that you get and the dealer gets. I rarely play that, I suggest you don’t make that extra bet; but even without that it is still like playing at a regular blackjack table.
Now there is one more thing that you will want to do before you sit down. Look at the dealer and the other players on the table and look at the dealer. Watch a hand or two. I want to make sure that the people at the table seem to have a grasp at what they are doing. I can’t tell you how many times you will find the drunk person on the table taking a hit when he or she shouldn’t or the clueless person splitting 10s and so on. Those people could really kill you and the rest of the table. I also want to make sure the dealer seems to be in good spirits. I am all into the karma part of the equation and a dealer with an attitude just gives off a bad vibe for me.
Step 2: Get a Feel for the Dealer
O.K. Now you have found your table and you are ready to sit down. Here’s what I want you to do. Play 10 straight hands with the minimum bet. Get a feel for how lucky the dealer is. If you win 5 or more hands, stay on and we can move to the next step of my advice. If you lose more than you win during that 10 hand sequence, bail out and follow step 1 again.
Step 3: Giving Yourself the Best Chance to Win Some Money
As I said earlier, I am not going to make you a million dollars. Nobody is, unless you are a high roller and can find a table with a $100,000 maximum, which you won’t, you are not going to even come close. I will assume everyone who is reading this at least knows the basic fundamentals of blackjack and the basics of when you should hit and stay (example: dealer is showing a 10 and you a 15, you hit; dealer showing a 10 and you an 18 you stay…stuff like that). Assuming that is true, let me make a quick point: YOU WILL NOT WIN EVERY HAND! Nobody does. The key to winning money is putting yourself in the best position to give yourself the best odds of winning on a particular hand. If you can know when to bet more and win, and bet the minimum when you lose, you can come out very much ahead.
Now I don’t count cards, per se, I like to relax and have fun, not feel like I am in Calculus class again. What I do is simple. I just observe the cards. Its pretty obvious to see since the high cars are pictured (except the 10 and the Ace) and the low cards aren’t how the deck is playing out. Never bet any more than the minimum when the shoe starts. Get a few deal feel of how the shoe is behaving before you start to go wild. If you have seen a lot of picture cards the first few deals, then stay with the minimum; a win is a win no matter what. If the first few deals (lets say 4 or 5) sees minimal picture card turns, then start to up your bet until the picture cards seem to come out more. The reason for this is that there is a better chance of you getting a desirable hand when the odds are in your favor (18, 19, 20, and even blackjack).
Its as simple as that for me. Don’t ride hot streaks..If you have won 3 in a row while betting higher than the minimum, tone it down for a hand or two..You will be happy you did. Here are a couple of notes I will throw in for good measure….just some notes that others will appreciate your wisdom at the table:
- Never split 8’s unless the dealer is showing a 7 or lower. If the dealer has an 8 or higher, then I am basically risking double my bet to get 2 18s. A hefty price to pay. I would rather take my chances on the 16 hit; if I bust, then so be it…but I didn’t bet twice
- If the dealer is showing less than a 7, always double on soft 15, 16, 17…..the reason for this is pretty straight forward: an Ace (16 and 17), 2,3,4,5 (15 and 16), and 6 (15) will give you a desirable result.
- Never double when showing an 11 and the dealer shows 10…I just can’t take that chance..I rarely do it when the dealer is showing a 9 or 8 either, but to each his or her own on that one.
- 16: OK I always hit on 16 when the dealer is showing a 7 or better. Some people don’t. What I will say is stay consistent. Either you hit all the time…or you stay all the time. Don’t start changing up your strategy.. The table will thank you for that.
This is about all I can say about this. If you want you can try some of this strategy with online blackjack first (for free or for real money).
Check my How to Win at Betting blog for some great links for Blackjack strategy
Scott Boehler
[http://www.philliesdiary.com]
Blackjack History and Basic Strategy
Feb 18th
Most people who have gone to a casino before have probably heard or even played a game of blackjack. Many people who have not even set foot in a casino before might have heard about this game or played it with friends or at parties. Unlike many card games where players pit themselves against each other, blackjack plays you against the bank or the dealer rather than against other people seated on the same table. Its most basic rule – come as close as possible to 21 without going over – can be fun and exciting and mentally challenging as well.
The game of blackjack is one of the older games that are still in existence and played extensively throughout the world. It is not flashy or attracts much attention than other card games such as Texas Hold’em Poker, but the game does have its own following at both online and offline gaming sites at most parts of the world. With its rich history, several strategies were developed and tested throughout the years and have been used by prominent players as well as renowned blackjack teams to gain an advantage over dealers and win the game. The following gives a brief overview of the history of blackjack and how it developed over the years as well as some brief insights into the basic strategies that newbies and veterans alike can use with their game.
A Brief History of Blackjack
Blackjack is played by millions of players worldwide and continues to grow more popular as many more people learn the magic behind this amazing game. To have a full understand of what blackjack is, it would be quite helpful to know a little bit of its history and how the game was developed. However, no one really knows exactly how or when and where the game actually started but the earliest recorded histories point to France, Italy or Spain as the birthplace of this card game.
Blackjack has several elements that are quite similar to the French chemin de fer. Spain on the other hand claims that blackjack is a descendant of an old game called “One and Thirty”, while the Italians believe that blackjack evolved from two other card games called “Baccarat” and “Seven and One-Half”. The term “blackjack” however, may have come from the French term vingt-et-un which means “twenty and one” which was used in the early eighteenth century France to call a hand with a jack of spades and an ace of spades as the first two cards drawn. A special price was given to anyone who receives such a hand and was eventually called “blackjack” as an alternative to the term vingt-et-un.
The game became famous in Europe but it took another hundred years before the game reached American soil, particularly during the early 1800s when the Wild West was born. Gambling was not illegal and there were actually several licensed gambling parlors available operating in various areas across the county and was a good source of revenues for civic purposes.
Basic Strategies Blackjack
The basic rules and strategies behind blackjack changed very little over the years, although most casinos employ certain in-house rules that would increase house advantage. Unlike other card games that rely solely on blind luck, blackjack is affected by mathematical percentages and probabilities that players can utilize to their advantage to balance out or even nullify the house advantage. However, you don’t have to be a mathematical genius to succeed in this game.
For anyone who is just learning the ropes and wanting to know more about blackjack, they must first learn the basic rules on how the game is played. Bets are placed first and the dealer deals the card and each of the players at the table get two. The cards can be played face up or handled manually by the players, while the dealers can have one card facing up while the other down. Players can now decide whether to hit or hold. If your hand is too low you can hit and try not to exceed 21. On the other hand, if your cards are high enough for you, you can simply hold or stand until the dealer shows his face down card to decide who won the deal.
Knowing these basic rules, you can now employ basic strategies such as: hitting or standing; splitting pairs; playing a soft hand; doubling down on a hard or soft hand and several other strategies that increase your chance of beating the dealer. These strategies may just be basic but these fundamentals are vital to have a full understanding of how the game should be played as what past and existing master have done – which eventually led to them winning the game.
Martin Zimerman is an expert Blackjack player. For more information on Blackjack training, and how to defeat the casino’s huge edge, go to http://www.edgeof21.com.
Poker Strategy 101: Class Is in Session
Feb 16th
Poker Strategy 101
Experienced online poker players are able to gauge the odds and probabilities of most situations. They are able to read their opponents and they know exactly when to play certain kind of cards. Obtaining all of these skills requires plenty of practice and a desire to constantly learn from your mistakes. It may seem like a daunting task, but starting with the basics of poker strategy 101 will give you the proper foundation to hone your poker skills in the future.
Less Is More in Online Poker
In a standard game of online Texas Hold’em, each player will receive two hole cards. This gives you 169 possible hole card combinations at the start of each game. At most casual online poker tables you can get away with playing low and mediocre hands. However, if you’re serious about your poker game play, it’s likely that you’ll be folding over 75% of the time right from the start. Out of the 169 possible starting hand combinations, only high value pairs such as Jacks, Queens, Kings, Aces or a suited Ace-King should be played 100% of the time.
If players only played the top five starting hands and folded the rest of the time, online poker would be quite boring. Basic poker strategy 101 dictates that you will actually be able to make plays with the top 15 starting hands, which range all the way down to a pair of 9’s and a suited Jack-Queen. However, only playing about 15% of your hands will make you miss out on opportunities where the majority of your opponents are also carrying weaker hands to begin with. It’s necessary to find a good balance between folding, consistently playing good starting hands and occasionally trying mediocre hands.
Online Poker Records
Online poker can become time consuming quickly. Tracking statistics and records have often been thought of as a tool only a fanatic or experienced player should use. However, anyone can currently use these tools with ease thanks to poker tracking software and a standard spreadsheet. In order to improve your poker skills at a quicker rate you should seriously consider leaving an electronic paper trail of all your poker games. Keeping records may appear to be a skill that is too advanced for those interested in learning poker strategy 101, but it’s one of the easiest ways to keep track of exactly how you’re doing and how much money you are actually winning.
A simple spreadsheet can be used to track a variety of information including:
Date of poker session
Number of hours played
Table limit
Total buy in amount
Cash out amount
True profit or expense
Profit per hand played
The types of statistics you can keep track of are nearly endless. A simple spreadsheet will give you an idea of how you’re doing at a certain stakes levels and how much net profit you’re seeing per hour and per hand. Specialized poker tracking software can also be used to take your game to a whole new level by tracking very specific details right down to the exact hand you played during a game several months ago.
Perhaps the easiest way to get started is by using the basic in-game notation system that nearly every online poker site provides. Getting into the habit of taking notes on your opponent’s playing style, their average bet size and their initial stack size will put you in the mindset for being aware of practically everything that occurs during an online poker game. Most importantly, keeping records and notes will help you learn poker strategy 101 much more quickly by identifying what areas you excel at and where you need to improve.
Poker strategy is much more effective when you have ample information on your opponents. This information can be obtained by means of poker datamining, whether you do it yourself or by buying hand histories from a 3rd party site. Check out pokerdatamining.net for more information.
The Best Video Keno Strategy
Feb 15th
Video Keno is a game played in many casinos. This has been derived from the lottery game played around the country. The video version of the game also requires the player to choose between numbers 0 to 100. In order to win the jackpot prize, the people should formulate a very effective and reliable video keno strategy. The player should acquire all the digits in the winning combination. This could be very hard since 20 numbers are picked for the winning combination.
Many people are being attracted to play video Keno since it is very exciting and full of surprises. Unlike Poker and Blackjack, Video Keno offers more chances of winning. The game can provide prices for people who were able to guess at least seven correct digits. That is why it is easier to win money through his kind of game. This has been placed in millions of casinos all over the world. In fact, it can also be downloaded and played from online casinos. Betting the right amount of money is the key in beating the game. Players would always have a chance to hit the winning combinations found in the game. By betting money at the right time, the earnings can be doubled easily. Different strategies can be employed to minimize the risk of losing money. This is important since real money is used in the game. If the player is unable to control the use of money, deficits and losses would be great in the long term.
One of the best and most reliable keno strategies includes progressive betting schemes. The progressive betting scheme allows the player to increase earnings without risking too much money. The base money used is very small. It could range from 5 to 20 dollars. The base money would be used to start the betting ladder. Once the player is able to win a turn, the bet would be doubled. This is done in order to take advantage of the winnings. The money gathered can be used to further increasing the pot. The game would only increase the price based on the bet of the player. If the player loses, the bet would be reduced to the base amount originally established. The method has been used by many veterans and experts since it offers a lot of advantages and benefits. The risk and jeopardy involved in the Video Keno is very substantial if not properly dealt with.
Another good strategy which can be used in Video Keno is the standard betting scheme. The standard betting scheme requires the players to place money on the combination with the highest probability. This would be the seven or the lowest number combination. This is a practical and reliable way to bet money instead of aiming for the 20 digit combinations which would be very hard to attain.
Players should have a solid and reliable video keno strategy in order to win a substantial amount of money. The bets should be placed carefully since the direction of the game could change in a split second.
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How to Win at Casinos – A Gambling Strategy Gamblers Thought Effective But Grievous in Reality
Jan 26th
It was my second time in this casino – the first time being a couple of months ago. It was early evening when I arrived, and as usual, I took a round. My eyes went scanning for any changes that might have taken place in the two months that I was away. There was not any difference – the place was perfectly the same as it was, except maybe that the security guard at the entrance door has become more courteous.
There were already a few gamblers inside. I knew then that the peak casino time would be around 10 in the evening. I took a round at the slots, and then I went to the exclusive room. The exclusive room was still empty. I remembered I was in this room before – it was in this room where I made a killings in Blackjack two months ago. After a few minutes wandering, I returned and sat at the Blackjack table in the pit area. There were two gamblers playing. I sat with them but I did not play. The limits at the table were 100 and 2,000 pesos.
There again I saw the two gamblers bungling. (As I have mentioned in my book “The Samonte Gambling System”, bunglers are gamblers who play games they do not know anything about – and I consider it as a very serious mistake that will surely led to financial ruin in extended play.) When will these gamblers ever learn? These gamblers never have any idea what it takes to win at casinos. I stayed sitting at the table for maybe about an hour. Then after I felt bored, I proceeded to the exclusive room. There were already players in the exclusive room.
The exclusive room was small – it had only four gaming tables clustered around. The Blackjack table was placed right near the entrance door and two women were playing there at the moment. Beside the Blackjack table was a Baccarat table and there were a few gambler playing in it. I sat at Blackjack but I did not play yet as it was still in the middle of the shoe. At that point some gamblers arrived and they all sat at the Baccarat table. The Baccarat table became full.
Then I started playing Blackjack together with the two women… I was seated at the first base. The game went seesaw for a while, and at about in the middle of the shoe a certain big gambler arrived. He wanted to play Baccarat but it was full, so he sat at the Blackjack table. It was obvious the man was very popular in casino. The dealers were very nice to him – which I knew later was because he was a big tipper. All the gamblers in the room knew him well too, including the two women playing Blackjack with me. It looked like I was the only unknown person in that room.
The big gambler sat beside me and bet 4,000 pesos – the table limit. In the first four deals he won it all. Somehow I knew he was not a good Blackjack player but at that time he did not need to – he got Blackjack in all of the four deals! Then to my dismay – and to the dealer too, he quit. He stood up and took three steps away. And he never played at Blackjack again – he just stood at our back with his arms folded, until the shoe was through. I found him really an unusual gambler.
Then he left for a while. We found the chance then to talk about him. The dealer said they have known him with that gambling style – leaving the table immediately after a win! He was a big businessman in town, and his families were known to the place as big businessmen too. He started gambling in that casino just very recently, only about four months. His favorite game was Baccarat, and he rarely plays Blackjack. His playing style was, he would quickly stop after some win but would not stop after some losses. I was very curious to know whether he actually won with his style. He did not. The dealer said he was more a big loser than as a big winner. He was the casino’s latest addition to their herd of milking cows.
I found the person’s style really unusual. He uses a very faulty hit and run play – in his winning sequences he runs, and in his bad streaks, he hits. What a play! This is the very opposite of the hit and run play that I advocate. The correct hit and run play is to hit the casino’s bad streaks, and run at the casino’s lucky streaks. I say that this gambler’s style is suicide. I wished he would stop going to the casino while it was not yet late or he would surely go bankrupt in due time.
Casino business is one of the most lucrative businesses today, and this is because of the so many bad gamblers around. If only these gamblers knew the correct way to play, the casinos would not have earned such a stellar status. It does not need to be a genius to learn to play right, it takes only common sense, yet gamblers never seems to be aware of it. In today’s technology, learning the correct way to win at casinos is just a click away yet gamblers never take technology to full use. Sometimes I want to believe that gamblers lose because they want to lose.
About The Author:
Alan S. Samonte is the creator of Samonte Gambling System, the clever methodical play that can beat the casinos without having to cheat. In his first attempt the casino frantically alerted its security guards to arrest him thinking he was a cheat. You can download his gambling ebook here for free.