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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cedric" data-source="post: 1085367" data-attributes="member: 2044">In Blackjack the players odds of winning increase if the ratio of cards with a value of 10 (10's and face cards) are higher in the deck then normal. So if you can keep a fairly accurate track of the number of face cards and 10's that have been played, compared to the number of lower value cards...you can gain a moderately significant edge over the house. The largest edge can be gained by just gambling at the right place though. As a general rule..."The Strip" in Las Vegas has the most favorable odds in blackjack. Just because the game is played all over the world doesn't mean they use the same rules everywhere. Those used on The Strip are more favorable to the players then the rules used anywhere else in the world. Examples of the player friendly rules include how many times you can split matched cards. Allowed double downs on any two cards. Dealer staying on soft 17. Allowing multiple splits of aces. Allowing double downs after splits...etc. The fewer number of decks you are playing with the better. The average blackjack table will be playing with 5-6 decks at any one time. Those will be kept in a large 'shoe' and dealt out until only about a deck and a half remain, then they are shuffled. This serves the house in that it shortens the odds (you wouldn't think so, but it does, trust me). You cannot affectively count into a large deck shoe, there are just too many cards in it. You have to shuffle less often so more bets are placed per hour. Contrary to popular belief, counting cards is not illegal and cannot get you arrested. However, casinos can also refuse any bet from any player. Pit bosses, in charge of small sections of casinos, will fastidiously keep an eye out on card counters. If they are making meager earnings...they are ignored. But if they are too obvious in their methods (such as often placing larger bets later in 1-2 deck games, but other times laying off of their bets when late in a 1-2 deck game while winning more often then not) they will be asked to leave. If they become a nuisance, the casino can and will share the info with their neighboring casinos in hopes of receiving player info in return. A skilled card counter, playing in single deck blackjack, by Las Vegas Strip rules enjoys a very small percentage over the house...this is the one of only two ways (that I know of) to get an advantage over the house in a casino without cheating. Cedric</blockquote>

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