Blackjack

Casino Games History Or How People Have Learnt To Count Cards Part 5

Heroes of our Time. What is the present situation in the sphere of war between the counters and players? Are there people to follow nowadays? Fortunately, despite great changes in the game itself and in the counteraction of casinos-players, blackjack is till alive and very popular. Thanks once again to Edward Thorp. Now we are living in Internet era. If Uston at his time was able to stand apart from the crowd only due to his self-spin off and publicity, now everyone can easily communicate with blackjack stars.

Peter Griffin – is a great mathematician, blackjack theory developer, now the deceased. No expert of black jack would utter a word without referring to Griffin. Arnold Snider is a prominent player, strategy developer, the author of many books. A man of an excellent soul with a perfect sense of humor, always contradictory. Stanford Wong as always a little reserved and a bit of introvert, but extremely scrupulous and always fighting against the casino. Don Schlesinger was able to explain the most intricate detail of blackjack in simple and clear language.

Internet abounds in many resources where you can meet the greatest world players and ask them any question you like. There are still so many questions left unsolved.

A lot of unique books were published; new systems and game techniques are being developed. Every day gambling forums answer and ask thousands of questions. The players are getting more educated, intelligent and well-prepared. In spite of evident worsening of the rules, blackjack still can be won.

Casino is more and more paranoiac to "Advantageous" players. Attempts to worsen rules and terms of the game even to the prejudice of their own reputation and profits, mass blacklists, efforts to legalize beneficial for them laws – all these are not only American. During half-century of the struggle, the casinos did not understand that they are cutting their own throat. The fact that you can win at blackjack attracts so much money. More than 1% of world players are hardly of any risk to casinos. However aiming to save every single dollar, the casinos are spending millions of dollars on the most advanced computer technologies, programs for personality identification, computer databases, they are creating new devices for fighting the counters. Moral ethical norms are often violated and the legal limits are abused.

Happy end. What future holds for an ordinary counter? There are only two opposite opinions so far.

The gloomy one: Technologies will kill the game. The casinos will develop some electronic dirty trick that will not allow a professional competent player gain an advantage. Blackjack will die away turning into another slot-machine. The casinos will poke on all the players, all the blacklists will be united into a common one and the game on advantage will cease to exist.

The optimistic one: "What one person has built, the other can easily dismantle". Blackjack just can't get away from it! First, the players will always continue to invent something new responding to the changes in the game. There is no such thing created by a person, that can't be overdone by another person. Second, casinos finally should realize that major part of their profits is due to the theory that blackjack can be won. Transformation of this intellectual game into fighting with stupid slot-machine will deprive casinos of the money.

Personally I hope that human intellect will win. Let the war between the casinos and players continue for ever. Let both parties rack their brains how to beat each other. Let this struggle be vehement, but honest and respectful to the rival. Intellect will always win. © Copyright 2006-2007 www.bonus-map.com

Blackjack - Should You Count Cards?

If you are like the average, recreational Blackjack player, you may play Blackjack in a casino a few times per year and you want to play in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere and have fun.

But at the same time, you don’t want to play a game where the odds are greatly against you and you want a good chance of beating the house on any given day. And you’re willing to invest a reasonable amount of time learning to play properly.

Does this describe you? If so, you’re not alone. About 99% of Blackjack players can very likely be described as ″recreational″ players. If you invest the few hours it takes to lean Basic Strategy and good money management you will reduce the casino’s edge down to about a half percent. This is the closest to playing even with the house that you’ll find in any game in the casino.

However, for those of you for whom playing almost even with the house is not good enough and you want the edge, you must become a card counter.

It is an irrefutable fact that you can have an advantage over the casino in Blackjack by counting cards. There are dozens of books this subject and card counting has been mathematically proven - literally thousands of times - as a method to more accurately determine the odds that your next hand will have favorable cards.

The long-term advantage gained by card counting is about 1%, versus the one half percent disadvantage from simply playing Basic Strategy.

So why isn’t everyone a card counter and why are casino Blackjack profits at an all- time high and climbing?

Two reasons:

* Casinos have made the playing conditions very difficult for card counters.

* Becoming an expert card counter requires hundreds of hours of practice and a monstrous bankroll. Even then, a small lapse in concentration at the table will wipe out the small advantage gained by counting.

This does not mean there aren’t professional Blackjack counters who make a living playing Blackjack - there are.

However, to be able to make a full time living by counting cards, you’ll need to be able to do the following:

* Spend hundreds of hours, and play thousands of hands, to learn to count cards expertly, plus learn the many subtle variations to hitting and standing that vary with the count.

* Play 100 hours plus per month of actual table time, with average bets of $50 - $100. You can probably double this amount of time - or more - to allow for breaks, finding good tables, changing tables and casinos frequently, travel, etc.

* Learn how to constantly conceal your card counting skills when playing, to avoid being asked to leave.

* Play at odd hours – usually very late at night into the early hours of the morning, because it’s best to play one-on-one with the dealer or with as few other players as possible at the table.

* Change tables and casinos frequently, to avoid being detected.

* Have a very large bankroll. As a professional, you will need about 300-500 times your average bet, to be able to take advantage of the count by stepping up your bets dramatically and playing multiple hands, while also being able to weather the wild swings in your bankroll that will frequently happen in the short run. This translates to a working bankroll of about $30,000 - $50,000, based on average bets of $50 - $100, which is what you’ll need to earn a full time living.

If you are indeed able to do all of the above flawlessly, then congratulations! You are an expert card counter and you will make money in the long term.

For the 99% of us who are recreational players and unable - or unwilling - to make the substantial effort required to count cards expertly, then playing Basic Strategy is the next best thing. This will give a very low edge against you of about one half of one percent, while still providing the chance to come away a winner in the short term.

Learning perfect Blackjack Basic Strategy takes only a few hours and can be mastered by virtually everyone. You can play any table, any time, for as long as you like, without having to worry about being noticed by the Pit Boss. In fact, the Pit Bosses will welcome you with open arms. You’ll still have the lowest odds against you of any table game in the casino and you’ll have a fighting chance of beating the casino with a good run of cards.

This is the best way to play for casual, recreational players who want to have fun but not lose their shirts.

Don’t get me wrong: the bottom line is that if you want to be a serious, dedicated Blackjack player, who gets the most thrill out of beating the casino and is willing to work hard to do it, then by all means learn card counting.

However, for the recreational player, Blackjack should be easy to learn and fun.

With Basic Strategy, it is.

Black Jack in the Casino

Whether you’re new to casino gaming or a casino veteran, blackjack is one of the simplest and most fun card games casinos have to offer. The objective in blackjack is to beat the dealer by getting a hand as close to 21 as possible without going over. To play casino blackjack, you need only a basic understanding of the rules and a desire to have fun.

So how do you reach 21? In blackjack, the cards have values. Number cards two through ten are counted at face value, while all face cards (King, Queen and Jack) are worth ten points. The ace is a special card in blackjack: you decide whether it’s worth one or eleven points. Since casino players are dealt two cards to start, if you get an ace and a face card or ten, you have 21, an instant win, as long as the dealer doesn’t get 21 as well. This two-card winning hand is called a blackjack hence the name of the game!

Casino rules for blackjack are basically the same at all casinos. After you get your first two cards, your options are to hit, stand, double down, split, or sometimes surrender. Hit means to take another card; stand means to keep what you have. A double down means you will double your bet in exchange for taking only one more card (you can draw up to five cards in blackjack). If your first two cards are the same value, you can split, or separate them and play each card as a different hand. Not all casinos offer the option to surrender, which means you would withdraw from the hand and receive half your bet back.

When you play blackjack at a casino, be sure to know which table to choose. Most casinos have color coded blackjack tables according to the minimum bet the table accepts, usually $3, $5, $25 or $100. In any casino, it’s a given the $3 and $5 tables will be crowded, but they’re great for beginners at casino games because all of the cards are dealt face-up, as opposed to the one-up, one-down method at higher tables. So the next time or the first time you visit a casino, make a stop at the blackjack tables and aim for 21!

However you have to realise that you can loose alot of money in a casino if you are not careful, always warm up on a low betting table befor joining a big game. you have to see if lady luck is on your side. also give your self an ammount limit and do not exceed that limit, buy your chips once there gone leave! gambaling can be addictive and cause you many problems.

Win At Online Gambling Part 2 - Games Of Skill

We have already looked at how to win at online gambling with games of chance but by their very nature they are games of chance and you only need to place the bets with the best odds of success.

Here we will look at 3 games to win at online gambling that involve a degree of skill where you can influence the outcome of the game.

Because skill is involved you can win more money, but which game is best for you. Let's take a look.

1. Online Slots Video Poker

This is the perfect introduction to a skill game, bridging the gap between the pure games of chance and the more daunting table card games.

The reason video poker is so popular is that it has all the fun of slots but you can play with a strategy (different for each game) and tilts the odds a little in your favour.

When playing video poker its best to play high paying machines and a good place to start is with a jacks or better 9 / 6 machine.

The advantage of video poker are its fun, it's easy and you get to tilt the odds in your favour.

It's a good intro to games of skill but if you really want to win at online gambling you need to look at blackjack and poker.

2. Blackjack

Blackjack is a game where your choices really do make a difference to the amount you win and by using basic strategy and card counting, you can get the edge away from the casino and in your favour.

The advantages with card counting is that over the long term you can get the odds in your favour and make steady gains and card counting is not as complicated as it is made out to be.

The disadvantages of blackjack are, that at best the edge in your favour is about 2% and it's a long term edge i.e. short term results can vary dramatically.

You can make good money but you won't really get rich and playing it can lack excitement, as you are simply following a method.

3. Poker

The king of all online casino games and if you want to win at online gambling and win big this is game to focus on.

So why is poker so competitive and the winnings so large?

The answer lies in it's an interactive game where you face other players and compete with them NOT The casino.

It is this that makes poker a game where the big money is.

It's a game of skill, but it's also a game of psychology. Keep in mind the beat hand does not always win in poker!

Here you need to play your opponent as much as your cards, this makes poker unpredictable and the ultimate test of skill.

Poker can make you far richer than any other game in the casino but you need to hone your skills, to win at online gambling with poker you need lots of practice and the traits of discipline, perseverance, cunning, patience and a cool head.

If you can adopt these traits and learn from your experiences, you can make huge gains and in today's big money poker tournaments you're talking 7 figure sums.

In poker you can’t just follow a system as you do in blackjack or video poker, you need to use psychology to win and thats the appeal.

It's hard, it's brutal but very satisfying when you win!

All the games above have reasons to recommend them and the one you play to win at online gambling will reflect your personality, your aspirations and how much money you want to win.

Which ever you choose to play to win at online gambling, have fun and good luck.

Casino Games History or How People Have Learnt to Count Cards; part 1

The dream of capoting a casino is as old as the notion ″casino″ itself. Every gambler wants to win. Every other invents his own ″system″. Every hundredth attempts to carefully analyze the game. And only the few of millions succeed.

The most famous achievement in the sphere of ″system″ game against the casino was the so called ″card counting″ at blackjack – mathematically based methods of game allowing to get some advantage over the casino. The casinos, surely, knows about the existence of ″counters″ and are trying to oppose them – from changing the rules to banning the game. Sometimes even exceeding the limits of reason and legality. In fact, all the history of the blackjack is the struggle between the gamblers and the casino which is more clever.

More than half a century passed since the first attempts of beating the casinos in blackjack, based not on the marked cards and intuition. There has been a peck of salt eaten since then, but the struggle is still going on….

Mammoth.

Probably the first person in history who applied mathematic analysis to the game blackjack was Jess Marcum (originally Marcovitch) was born on 30th December 1919.

It happened at the turn of 1949 and 1950, when Jess, being an excellent mathematician and physicist-theorist got to Las Vegas. Then his mathematic flair prompted him that most possibly not everything depends on intuition in blackjack.

Marcum started analyzing blackjack. First, the uniqueness of his attempt is that he performed absolutely all calculations with his pen on the paper, on principle without using any technologies whatever weak they might be at that time. Second he had found the solution!

Jess manually developed what is now called basic strategy and counting systems ten years before someone else has done that. He counted that theoretically he had an advantage over the casino of about 3% –under the conditions of that time it was quite real. Moreover, Markum had been playing blackjack in all known to him casinos- both in the USA and abroad. His name appeared on the pages of the newspapers as an example of ″lucky man″ who managed to hit the jackpot.

Jess Markum also went down to history as probably the first man thrown out from the casino because of cards. Though at that time casinos did not understand that such system existed. Jess lived in Las Vegas for about a year. The casino owners exchanged the information when they gathered at the general meeting. And they were terrified. After that Markum was not admitted at all Vegas casinos. He went to Reno. The same story- in half a year after unbelievable ″luck″ the casino owners started making inquiries about the incredible gambler. Then other states and cities. Then Cuba, the Bahamas. Nobody knows how much money he has won during that time. One thing is known for sure- in fact, Jess Markum started the war between the gamblers and casinos in blackjack, that is still going on and getting more and more strained.

He did not share his calculations with anyone, and completely gave up playing against casino after a wide public publication of blackjack methods by other authors.

Jess Markum died in 1992, at the age of 72.

The four of Neanderthals.

The next effort of great influence on the blackjack math was made in 1956 by the group of four mathematicians- Roger Baldwin, Wilbert E. Cantey, Herbert Maisel and James McDermott.

These people had never played in casino before, having spent a great number of m/hr, they created basic strategy of playing blackjack according to the most popular at that time rules and published it together with the calculation methods in the specialized math journal for statisticians – Journal of the American Statistical Association entitled ″The Optimum Strategy In Blackjack″.

They made several slight mistakes in calculations which is nothing serious taking into account their enormous contribution. A year later they issued a small book Playing Blackjack to Win, which is now a bibliography rarity.

In fact their book and the article did not spark much furor, and remained almost without attention regardless of their innovative approach. However, the word almost turned out to be the key for all the gambling industry, as someone did paid close attention to the research of the excellent four.

© Copyright 2006-2007 www.bonus-map.com

Online Casino Types

Online Casinos are very popular and lot of people are playing and gambling. Online casinos can be divided into three groups based on their interface: web-based casinos, download-based casinos, and more recently live casinos. Some casinos offer multiple interfaces.

Web-based Casinos

Web-based online casinos are different websites where gamblers/users can play casino games such as online Bingo, Black Jack, Baccarat, Poker and many more. They do not need to download any software to their computer. The games are represented in the owner’s browser plug-ins Macromedia Flash, Macromedia Shockwave, or Java. Also, bandwidth is needed in order to play the sounds, the images and animations. Web-based are the most popular.

Download-based online casinos

Download-based online casinos require the user to have a computer in order to download the online casino software for him to play the games and gamble on the online casino. The online casino software connects directly to the casino service provider without browser support. This type of online casino runs much faster than the typical online web-based casino since all animation and sound programs are already located within the software itself. The only drawback to download-based online casinos is the time it takes to download on your computer and there may be a risk of malware and spyware as well.

Live-based casinos

Live-based casinos are the top notch of online casino. It allows you to directly interface with a real world/live casino just as if you were in it. The player can interact live with other players and live dealers at tables via a real time web window, whether he is playing Poker, Baccarat or Poker.

With these different interfaces, the client has the choice to choose what best suits him and have fun all night long. All online casinos will offer the customer different games, below is a list of the most popular ones.

Cards Games

Asian stud

Baccarat

Blackjack

Casino war

Caribbean Stud Poker

Chinese poker

Faro

Four card poker

Let It Ride

Mambo stud

Pai gow poker

Red Dog

Spanish 21

Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker

Three card poker

Two-up

Dice / Tiles

Craps

Pai Gow

Sic bo

Chuck-a-luck

Random numbers

Big Six wheel

Roulette

Bingo

Keno

Gaming machines

Slot machine

Video Lottery Terminal

Video poker

Online casino games provide to the player a long-term advantage to the real casino. With an online casino, the player has the illusion of being in control, giving him the opportunity to make choices.

There are different online casino games which are exactly the same as a ″house″casino.

Table games

This type of game is played on a big table which is covered with a printed felt layout and may contain seating positions for players. There is a dealer located on one side of the table and the players located on the other side of the table. Generally table games are played with dice, cards and other gaming tools.

Gaming machines

The Gaming machines are the slot machines, and are played by only one player at a time and do not require the involvement of casino employees to play, this is why slots machines are a really popular online casino game.

Random number games

Random number games such as the Roulette or Bingo are based upon the choice of random numbers, either from a computerized generator or from other gaming tool.

Making Sure You Win at Blackjack Gambling

Learn how to ensure that you win - and not lose - when you play blackjack.

When you want to make sure you win in poker tables, not only should you play for luck, you should practice and practice your poker face and poker skills as well. Hard work, isn't it? On the other hand, while other forms of gambling such as the roulette or the slot machine do not require you to exert much mental effort when it comes to playing, they offer you lesser chances of winning.

Hence, if you don't want to prevent yourself from losing money when gambling, the best option is to play blackjack.

If you haven't ever played blackjack yet, the rules are similar to playing Lucky 9. In Lucky 9, your cards must reach 9 or the value nearest to it. Any cards beyond 9 are busted and players with cards totaling more than 9 must declare this round a loss. The same thing applies to blackjack but this time, you should aim for 21 instead of 9. While in Lucky 9, you're only allowed to draw up to three cards, in blackjack, you can draw up to a whopping five cards.

Tips to Win at Blackjack

Now that we've refreshed your memory on how to play blackjack, let's proceed to tips that will help you win big at blackjack.

Soft and Hard Hands

If you're still unfamiliar with blackjack lingo, understand that a soft hand is the term used to describe cards that contain an ace and a number card such as a six and then using the ace as eleven to reach a total amount of 17. On the other hand, a hard hand would compromise cards that do not contain any aces or cards that have an ace but don't give it an equivalent value of eleven.

Some people say that it's always better to have a hard hand rather than a soft one.

Choosing Tables

Yes, the right table can have a good effect on your success rate in blackjack so choose carefully. First and foremost, make sure that the minimum allowed bet is not more than five percent of your total chips. Get to know rules variation for each table because these can affect your chances as well, no matter how slight.

Insurance

And lastly, try to avoid taking insurance at all costs or at least only when it's your last resort. No matter how friendly he seems, dealer can be your worst enemy in blackjack. So taking insurance can be betting for your nemesis and sometimes against yourself..

Everything clear now? That's good. Start gambling and winning some of that money then.

Gambling in USA

If there's one country which could give the fullest life to gambling it has to be the United States of America. They say gambling flourishes there. The industry has crossed the figure table and has reached among the top spots. The multifold growth of gambling is probably because of the fun loving attitude of the people and a decent amount of income to spare. The gambling scene is outlined by the very famous lottery games followed by the most happening card games-Poker and to fulfill the dreams of the less lucky, game with high odds- Blackjack. The casinos of the country can be just compared to wonderlands. Studded with lights and glitterati on the whole 360 degrees one can be just lost in the dazzle. Online gambling is also a super phenomenon in the US. The gaming freaks spend a lot of internet hours trying their luck at the pot-hole. Besides the tribal games found in the less urban areas there is so much gambling around the whole continent of North America that it can be conveniently called as the gambling destination of the world.

The gambling makes a person to wager against the house or the one who is hosting the game, but a different and much liked way of gambling is Pari-Mutuel. The kind of betting used in horse and dog races. The idea is to bet against the other betters. Thus the role of the host is gone and the winner gets the betted pool. This kind of gambling can be seen at the race courses. A game of Spanish origin by the name of Jai-Alai is also popular among the American gamblers. The points have to be gained against the opponents, some what akin to the rules of lawn tennis. The horse racing has seen galactic growth in America. With variations like thoroughbred racing it has gained the status of a festival in the hose racing events.

USA has provided such a footing to gambling because the socio-cultural impact of gambling has been cushioned by the better income levels. But another very plausible reason can be that gaming is attached to charity too in many parts of America. People of the community get together and they pool in to play. The main games in such occasions are the Keno or Lotto. It has gained so much popularity that the television programs devoted to these are shown rampantly throughout the country. The charity remains charitable is ensured by the boards and commissions set up to monitor it for the states.

Another factor that has popularized gambling in the USA is the variation of gambling –Riverboat. It can also be referred to as floating casinos and the practice is legalized in many parts of USA. The tourism attached to it attracts many foreign and domestic customers.

Gambling is not the best of industries in all the countries of the world. There is a kind of stigma attached to it. So is the thinking of many organisations which oppose the practice and the steps to legalize it. But despite the efforts, gambling has not lost its charm. The tribes play it and so does the metro-sexual. Gambling is all over and deep under…

Online Blackjack For Beginners?

If you are new to online gaming you may have been lured in by the promise of easy money at the blackjack table. While it is one of the more beatable online casino games you may want to read over these easy to remember guidelines which will help you prepare for your attack against any online casino of your choice.

After you have deposited money into your online account, transfer however much of your deposit you intend to use for your bankroll over to the blackjack room or "21". The first thing you need to decide is how much you want to bet and click on that amount and place it in the wagering area. Look at your cards and if you are happy with the total amount they add up to then "stand". If you would like another card, click "hit".

The cards are scored as follows: two through 10 are worth their face value and picture cards, i.e. Jack, Queen and King are also worth 10. An ace card's value is 11 unless this would cause the player to bust, in which case it is worth one. A hand in which an ace’s value is counted as 11 is called a soft hand, because it cannot be busted if the player draws another card.

The goal of each player is to get closer to 21 than the dealer by means of a higher, but unbusted hand. If the player busts he or she automatically loses even if the dealer also busts. If both the player and the dealer have the same point value, it is called a ″push″, and neither player nor dealer wins the hand. Each player has an independent game with the dealer, so it is possible for the dealer to lose to one player, but still beat the other players in the same round.

If you are dealt a pair of anything on this game, you can always split the pair and play out two hands if you so choose. You can indicate this by clicking on an indicator button marked "split". You also have the option of doubling down on your first two cards, which may be limited to a 9, 10, or an 11.

Anytime the dealer has an ace up, you should be offered to buy insurance and if you want to do that you will place a bet up to half of your original stake to insure your hand. It is highly recommend that you never get into the habit of doing this whether you are playing online or off.

Online Blackjack For Beginners?

If you are new to online gaming you may have been lured in by the promise of easy money at the blackjack table. While it is one of the more beatable online casino games you may want to read over these easy to remember guidelines which will help you prepare for your attack against any online casino of your choice.

After you have deposited money into your online account, transfer however much of your deposit you intend to use for your bankroll over to the blackjack room or "21". The first thing you need to decide is how much you want to bet and click on that amount and place it in the wagering area. Look at your cards and if you are happy with the total amount they add up to then "stand". If you would like another card, click "hit".

The cards are scored as follows: two through 10 are worth their face value and picture cards, i.e. Jack, Queen and King are also worth 10. An ace card's value is 11 unless this would cause the player to bust, in which case it is worth one. A hand in which an ace’s value is counted as 11 is called a soft hand, because it cannot be busted if the player draws another card.

The goal of each player is to get closer to 21 than the dealer by means of a higher, but unbusted hand. If the player busts he or she automatically loses even if the dealer also busts. If both the player and the dealer have the same point value, it is called a ″push″, and neither player nor dealer wins the hand. Each player has an independent game with the dealer, so it is possible for the dealer to lose to one player, but still beat the other players in the same round.

If you are dealt a pair of anything on this game, you can always split the pair and play out two hands if you so choose. You can indicate this by clicking on an indicator button marked "split". You also have the option of doubling down on your first two cards, which may be limited to a 9, 10, or an 11.

Anytime the dealer has an ace up, you should be offered to buy insurance and if you want to do that you will place a bet up to half of your original stake to insure your hand. It is highly recommend that you never get into the habit of doing this whether you are playing online or off.