The Mathematics Of Gambling (Edward O. Thorpe)

This is the newest book that I'll be reading, and I have fot to say I am totally looking forward to the read :) If your not a reader, try It's part 1 of 5 from the BBC :) DL

Leaving the casino with $ in your pocket.

Intersting tips.

Sicbo trainer and a crooked casino?

Who besides me, thinks that the casino is crooked? Let me know why you think so, and I'll set you up with an early release of one of my reports :)

Roulette strategy video

What do you think? DL

Casino Black Jack Scam

Talk about skill!!! How much practice do you think this would take? DL

Blackjack - Splitting a pair.

"One of the most misunderstood aspects of playing Blackjack is that of splitting a pair of cards. Understanding when to split, and when to stay with what you have is crucial to your play. As ever, a lot depends on what cards you have and what the dealer's upcard is showing. A key aspect is to remember there are more cards with a value of ten in the pack than any other value. For a start, never split a pair of face cards or a pair of tens! With these cards you have a very strong hand of 20 and there is no point in ruining it by splitting. By contrast, always split a pair of aces. A single ace with another card is a much stronger hand than two aces and by splitting your chances of finishing with a high hand or even 21 are very good. A pair of 9s are best split if the dealer is showing a weak card of 2 to 6. If the dealer is showing an 8 you should also. Likewise, if the dealer is showing a 9 you should split because if the dealer has gets 19 it will beat your current hand of 18. If the dealer is showing a 7 then you should stand. Always split 8s even if the dealer is showing an ace. Your hand now stands at 16, which is very likely loser. You are better off taking a chance and splitting. A pair of 7s should be split if the dealer's upcard is 7 or less. A hand of 14 is a weak hand but by splitting there is a good chance you will convert that into a pair of 17s. If the dealer is showing an 8 there is a good stay with what you've got and be prepared to lose the hand. You are better off just losing the one hand against an 18 than losing two hands of 17 against a dealer's 18. Split a pair of 6s if the dealer is showing a 6 or less. It is risky to split 6s because you might end up with two hands of 16 so only do it if the dealer is showing a weak hand of below 6 that may lead to the dealer busting. Never ever split a pair of fives. Your hand is now a very strong ten. Keep the fives and take a hit. Do not split fours either unless the dealer is showing a 5 or 6. If you split a pair of 4s you are likely to hit a difficult 14. 5 or 6 for the dealer however is likely to give the dealer a difficult 15 or 16 so it is worth your while splitting. You should split 2s or 3s if the dealer is showing a weak upcard of below 7. By knowing when to split and when to take a hit with what you've got you can add decisive strategy to your Blackjack play." Some solid advice for when and how to split, I'd lov to see a stats sheet on this :) DL

Blackjack 101

"Today, blackjack seems to be one of the most popular card games. This is because playing blackjack is so easy to learn and play. Unlike poker, blackjack does not have any combinations to remember. In blackjack, the object of the game is to get the sum of the two cards close to 21. When a person gets cards that are over 21, he or she loses the game. Normally, a player receives two cards. After the players see their cards, they have to decide whether they would hit or stand. When a person says “stand,” this means the player thinks he or she is closer to 21 already. When a player says “hit,” this means that he or she still needs additional cards just to get close to 21. Players can draw as many cards as they want until they feel they are close to 21 already. A player who is nearer to 21 wins. However, there are people who have devised some tips and strategies to get an edge over the other players. There are times that these tips really can help some people win. Here’s a list of some tips that players may choose to use them so as to win the game. 1. If a player gets 17 or higher, it is always better to stand, and if the player has any number from 13 to 16 and the dealer’s card is 6 or lower, it would be better to stand. But if the dealer has 7 or more, it would be better for a player to hit. The theory here is that, if the dealer is showing a card of six or lower, the dealer may take a card, assuming that the dealer’s card facing down is a ten. The players, then, assume that the dealer is banking on a bust hand, so the other players have the tendency to maintain a lower card number. The rule of thumb: players should always assume that the dealer’s down cards is 10. 2. If a player has aces or 8’s, it would be better to split them regardless of the dealer’s showing card. 3. A player should remember not to split 10’s. Chances are, they might end up getting busted. 4. If the dealer is showing 4, 5, or 6, it would be better for a player to stand on hard 12, or hit hard if the dealer is showing 2, 3, 7, or higher. 5. In order to win, players should always remember not to split fours, face cards, and fives. Indeed, gambling is a game of chance, but with keen observation, winning is possible." I know this is uber basic, but I like to keep as much info as possible on this blog. Next week I'm thinking a strategy guide or two.... something a little more advanced. DL