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Beating the Casino… Card-counting Does Work!

Mike Smith — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:09:53 +0000

They say that Blackjack is the only casino game where players have a certain advantage over the house. They say that with the help of card-counting it is actually possible to win some very nice jackpots in any casino, online and offline alike. Although skeptics would probably disagree arguing that casino operators are too smart to let gamblers win using any kind of cheating (and let’s face card-counting is in the very border between fair play and cheating), history has proved that card-counting in Blackjack actually works!

Have you ever heard about a group of students from the Massachusetts University of Technology who are now considered a legend in Blackjack card-counting? Well, if not, here goes their story in short. In the early 90’s of the twentieth century, a number of students from MIT figured that Blackjack was the only beatable game in casinos. They used their math expertise to hone their skills to predict when the cards being dealt will be favorable to them. The team visited the Sin City regularly, with trips nearly every weekend. They made lots of money and partied like there was no tomorrow.

Eventually, however, investigators employed by casinos realized who the card-counters were and banned them from the gaming venues they had frequented. With many of the top performing players banned, this was the end of the legendary adventures of the MIT Blackjack card counters.

Online Blackjack Rules— Common Terms

Mike Smith — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:30:27 +0000

As you sit in front of your computer to play online blackjack, the rules of the game permit a bet before the cards are dealt. The dealer will then deliver two cards to you. As you look at them please consider the fact that the dealer has a pre-set strategy that he will employ. So, while you are playing against the dealer and not the others at your table, in reality you are playing against his cards and only his cards. There is some terminology you need to be familiar with because it affects the way the outcome of the game is determined.

To “bust” is to hold a hand of cards that has a value that exceeds the total of 21.
To have a “blackjack” hand is to possess a hand of two cards that value 21. These cards had to be the original two cards dealt to you. An Ace and a picture card or a 10 are the only possible combinations for blackjack to occur.
To “push” is to have the same card total as the dealer. In the case of a push or a tie, you’ll get the money back that you bet.

As you play the game of blackjack more frequently and gain experience, you’ll easily understand the terms.

Online Blackjack Rules—Best Game in the Casino

Mike Smith — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 10:26:41 +0000

One of my favorite casino games is the traditional game of blackjack. Blackjack is commonly called “21” because that number is key to the game. The object of the game of online blackjack is to get closer to the total of 21 than the dealer. The game of blackjack is fast-paced, whether it is played in a luxurious casino parlor on the strip in Las Vegas, or online in one of the over two thousand online casino gambling parlors presently in operation. A standard deck of 52 cards is used, and the important factor to keep in mind when you play blackjack is that, if your card total exceeds 21, you automatically lose. The scoring rules for blackjack are very much like many of the other casino games.

Cards ranging from 2 through 9 inclusive have face value of the card.
Cards with a 10 and all picture cards have a value of 10
An Ace can have a value of either 11 or 1 depending on which value makes the better use of that card in a particular game. An Ace is referred to as being a hard Ace or a soft Ace. A soft Ace is when the Ace is used as a 1 so the player can effectively draw another card without the risk of “busting,” or exceeding 21 on his card total.

Once you understand the concept of card value, online blackjack is the game in which you will have the best odds of winning. In online blackjack, the house advantage can be as low as less than .05%, so if there is a game for starters or players looking to keep their budgets intact, the blackjack table should be your first stop in the online casino.

Online Blackjack—Best Action in the Casino

Mike Smith — Sat, 24 May 2008 15:36:26 +0000

If you’re a go-getter in your family life and in your career, it’s hard for you to switch gears and come to a grinding halt as your day turns into night. It’s like asking Steven Tyler and Aerosmith to sing their rendition of “White Christmas.” It would be difficult for them to do it. Likewise, folks like me enjoy action, and the more action I get, the better I like it.
If you’re like me and enjoy the action, fun and excitement of gambling casinos, and who doesn’t, I choose to play a game with some spirit and character. I don’t want to watch a wheel go around in circles! I want there to be a quick pace to the action and, most of all, I want to exert some control over my fate in the game. The game of online blackjack meets all of my needs in this regard. Online blackjack allows you to control your outcome based on strategic decisions you make during the course of the game. The decisions that you make during the course of blackjack competition are the determining factors in whether or not you win or lose.
If you’re looking for an exciting and competitive recreational experience that is both cost and time effective, the game of online blackjack will perfectly suit your needs!

Online Blackjack—Great Game with the Best Odds

Mike Smith — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 15:28:43 +0000

I can say assuredly that I learned more at college than Macroeconomics. In fact, if I could have, I would have majored in Blackjack instead of Economics. Looking back on my higher education, I probably couldn’t have been any worse for wear if I had received a degree in Blackjack. Just think, I could have received a Masters of Science in Advanced Blackjack and, perhaps, even a Doctorate in the field. My thesis would have been on the advantages of raising your ante after two consecutive wins. Doing field work on my Masters would have been a blast. Instead, I am here to share with you the thoughts of an avid blackjack player.
If you love the game of blackjack as much as I do, then you were never satisfied with an occasional visit to the casino parlor. Depending on where you live, it may require you to take time off from work and family obligations. You know as well as I do that you can’t do this on the spur of the moment or even very often. But, I’ve found a solution, a perfect solution for everyone involved. I play online blackjack in my own home. In this way, I enjoy my favorite casino activity without having to be away from home. Additionally, I can deal with family and work issues at the same time.
With better odds than you get in Vegas, come join the millions of adults throughout the world who enjoy online blackjack from the comfort and privacy of their own homes.

Online Blackjack Strategy—Learn the Intricacies

Mike Smith — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 15:01:25 +0000

Besides the basic strategic maneuvers that you make when playing the game of blackjack, there are a number of other strategies that can be employed as the game progresses. It’s important that you are at least familiar with these terms as options for your play.

1.    Surrender—This option can be used when you throw in your cards before the dealer has a chance to check his. In this case, you would lose only half of your original investment.
2.    Double–This option can be employed if you think the next card you receive will be beneficial enough to win the game. When you declare “double” you are permitted to double your original bet. However, you can draw one and only one more card to complete your hand.
3.    Splitting Pairs—This option can be employed when the first two cards you are dealt have the same face value. In this instance, you can split the hand into two hands, and place a bet on the second hand identical to your initial bet.
4.    Insurance—This option can be employed when a dealer draws an Ace on his face up card. You may take out insurance on the dealer having a blackjack hand.    If the dealer has blackjack, the insurance bet wipes out the player’s loss on the original bet. If the dealer does not have blackjack, the player loses both bets.

The more you know about your options and the vernacular used in the game of blackjack, the better you will be in a position to win.

Online Blackjack Strategy—Basics

Mike Smith — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:40:29 +0000

You’ll enjoy the game of blackjack perhaps more than you’ll enjoy any other game in the online casino parlor because the game is ultimately decided by your strategy. This can not be said of many of the other games in the casino and, for that reason, the game of blackjack is the favorite online game for the majority of the millions of players who frequent the online casino gambling parlor websites. There are a variety of strategies you can employ after you receive your first two cards. The value of your cards will help you to determine your choice of strategies.

1.    Blackjack—If your first two cards are an Ace and a 10 or picture card, you exclaim “blackjack,” and automatically win one and a half times the amount of your original bet.
2.    Hit me—This strategy is employed when your first two cards have a value that precludes you from “standing,” or retaining your hand without drawing another card. “Hit me” indicates to the dealer that you wish to have another card drawn and dealt to you.
3.    Stand— If your cards have a face value close enough to the number 21, you may wish to retain that hand and not draw another card.   In this instance, you proclaim “stand” or hit the stand indicator on the computer screen.

These are the basic terms and strategies of the game of blackjack. An understanding of the terms strategies will enable you to grasp the game more quickly and enjoy it more.