Tips You Need to Know
If you started reading this book at the Introduction and have been following through chapter by chapter, then you know that I’ve dispensed some key tips for each topic. Along the way I’ve pointed out traffi c lights, marked potholes players hit, and warned about hairpin curves to keep you on the straight and narrow. You’ve seen it all, from choosing the best casino and blackjack game to when to hit, stand, double down, and split.
In this chapter, I’ll review some of the most important tips for playing blackjack online.
Next, I’ll introduce some new tips that all beginners should commit to memory. These are tips you can use, but please don’t confuse them with tools to help you cut corners.
Shortcuts to winning simply don’t exist in blackjack. Casinos promise you a faster path to riches with their novelty games or bonus jackpots, and players will offer to sell you any number of systems or tools to win, but all the promises lead to the same dead end.
Here’s another metaphor for you to keep in mind: This book is training you for blackjack like a prizefi ghter trains for the Heavyweight Championship of the World. You may win the occa- sional bout with a single knockout punch, but more often than not, you’ll need a host of skills and a lot of endurance to outlast your opponent through many rounds. As in boxing, some of your blackjack sessions will be won or lost by a very small margin—a key hit, knowing where you’re weak and where your opponent is strong before you punch or counterpunch.
If you’re familiar with the Rocky series of fi lms, you’ll recall that Rocky Balboa won his bout with Apollo Creed by a single second. The difference between champion and loser can be far less than that in the fast-paced world of online gaming. Let’s stay in the ring for a moment. Remember when the Italian Stallion lost to Clubber Lang, played by Mr.
T? When Apollo Creed agreed to coach Rocky’s comeback bid, he began by purging the fears left over from defeat.
11
“Now, when we fought,” Creed said, “you had that eye of the tiger, man, the edge, and now you gotta get it back—and the way to get it back is to go back to the beginning.”
When you get knocked out at blackjack, go back to your own blackjack roots, to this book, and specifi cally to the coaching advice in this chapter. Regain your eye-of-the- tiger edge, banish your fear, shore up your skills in the basics, and soon you’ll be back to winning like a champ.
Find a Mantra to Inspire You
“It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations.”
—Sir Winston Churchill
Amantra is an invocation or incantation meant to stir feelings in those who say it. In each tip listed in this chapter, I’ll provide a relevant mantra in the form of a quotation by vari- ous fi gures from history and literature. While this is not a book of quotations, there are some pieces of timeless wisdom on blackjack and the many elements of playing the game successfully that you’d do well to read. You can, of course, search for a quote of special use or meaning to you at any number of Web sites dedicated to chronicling humanity’s wit and wisdom.
If you fi nd a quote that particularly rings true to you—or better yet that addresses a skill you need to develop—make it your blackjack mantra. Scribble it out on a piece of notepa- per and tape it to your computer or set it as your text screensaver. Do anything you can to keep focused on victory. Remember, you’re playing alone and isolated, so there’s no rea- son to feel embarrassed if you choose a quote from Mickey Mouse or a nursery rhyme.
Believe me, you won’t be the fi rst player to develop a unique ritual in pursuit of victory!
Pick a Reputable Casino
“Running a casino is like robbing a bank with no cops around.”
—Ace Rothstein (Robert DeNiro) in Casino.
In Chapter 3 you learned that choosing a reputable casino is one of the most important things you can do when beginning to play blackjack online—even more important than playing that basic strategy. If the casino is not reputable, then no matter how much you win—and especially if you win big—you may not get paid. Therefore, when choosing a casino, always check out who provides the license, if they are a member of any associa- tions (Online Players Association, Interactive Gaming Council), and if they are approved by any governing organizations (eCOGRA). Figure 11.1 shows a partial list of eCOGRA’s current approved casinos on their Web site.
Chapter 11: Tips You Need to Know
Also remember to check out the casino’s Web site to read up on their customer service and support. You don’t want to suffer alone with a software or payment problem. You need help, and the casino should be ready to provide it. Expect no less than 24/7 technical support from the casino of your choice. Finally, make sure they offer top-notch security for your fi nancial transactions and personal information. Most online casinos and other Web sites implement high encryption for any data that is sent to them nowadays, so you should be confi dent that your data is sent to them in a secure manner when registering to play online.
Figure 11.1 eCOGRA’s list of approved casinos
Remember to read through the fi ne print at a casino’s Web site regarding how they use your personal informa- tion. You do not want to be getting spam or have your personal information shared with the wrong people.
Choose the Software that Best Suits Your Game
“In gambling, the many must lose in order that the few may win.”
—George Bernard Shaw, playwright
Let’s review the key decisions you have to make when choosing software to animate your
“dealer.” The major players out there (Playtech, Microgaming, Boss Media, and Cryptologic) have fantastic software with amazing graphics, sound, and other bells and whistles. It’s important to choose the user environment that best suits your game play. If you’re comfort- able with the environment, that’s the most important factor. Whether you play online using the Flash or Java versions or download to your computer’s hard drive, that’s your decision.
You will fi nd that each software company offers different blackjack games, from Atlantic City to Super 21. My advice is to choose a casino that offers each of the major software provid- ers’ games and play them all as if in the Free mode—you’re bound to improve your blackjack skills, and in the process, decide which software and blackjack game is best for you.
Once you decide which software you prefer, you can search their Web site for a list of casinos to which they supply software. Your next step should be to peruse each casino’s Web site for the screen shots of their user environment to see if you fi nd it pleasing.
Playtech Launches a New Blackjack Game
Playtech recently announced (PRNewswire, NICOSIA, Cyprus, March 21/05) that they were increasing their total number of games to 75 with the addition of four new games: Blackjack Surrender, Derby Day, ‘Jacks or Better’ 10-Line Video Poker, and ‘Aces and Faces’ 25-Line Video Poker. All games are to be available on all Playtech-powered casinos.
According to Playtech, Blackjack Surrender is a game based on Single- Deck Blackjack featuring a new surrender option. This new surrender feature allows players to surrender after they are dealt the fi rst two cards, losing the hand but only losing half their initial bet. Blackjack Surrender is the latest variation of blackjack to be added to Playtech’s software and joins their Standard 6-Deck Blackjack, Single-Deck Black- jack Pro and Blackjack Switch.
The launch of these four new games is the latest product development from Playtech. Recent developments of late include 12 fi xed-odds Flash games, UK-style 90-ball bingo, and the launch of totesportcasino.com.
Chapter 11: Tips You Need to Know
Find the Game with the Best Odds
“By their essential nature, triumphs can’t be given. They must be taken, and the worse the odds and the fi ercer the resistance, the greater the honor. Victo- ries can’t be gifts.”
—Lois McMaster Bujold, author
No matter what casino or software you choose, you’ll always want to fi nd a blackjack game that provides you with the best odds at winning. Look for a game in which the house advantage is low and the rules of the game are in your favor. Look for a game in which the dealer stands on soft 17, and where surrender, doubling, and splitting are al- lowed and favor you, the player. After all, it’s your money, and you don’t want to play for hours with odds that are stacked against you. Professional blackjack players always look for a casino that offers rules in their favor. Even though you’re not a professional yet, you should look for the following combination of rules:
✦ Single deck games (the less decks the better odds of counting the cards)
✦ Surrender (both early and late)
✦ Double down allowed on any two cards
✦ Double down allowed after splitting pairs
✦ Multiple pair splitting allowed, plus re-splitting Aces
✦ Dealer stands on a soft 17
Table 11.1 shows a few of the basic rules that a casino may offer on their blackjack game and how they affect the player’s advantage.
Table 11.1 Player’s Advantage
Basic Strategy Rules % Player Advantage Hitting and Standing
Soft (A, 2 through A, 10) 2.45%
Doubling
Hard non-pairs (5 through 11) 1.59%
Soft (A,2 through A, 9 with
Dealer showing 2 through 6) 0.14%
Pair Splitting
Doubling Allowed after Splitting 0.10%
Insurance 0.00%
Early Surrender Allowed 0.62%
Find the Best Bonuses
“No woman can endure a gambling husband, unless he is a steady winner.”
—Lord Thomas Dewar
As you learned, casinos offer incredible bonuses and promotions to attract new and keep current customers. Bonuses can be offered for simply registering an account at the casino’s Web site or for downloading their software. Casinos can also offer percentage bonuses, no-purchase bonuses, monthly bonuses, happy-hour bonuses, and other spe- cial bonuses. So it’s important to research a casino’s Web site to fi nd the best bonus you can. After all, this is free money, and it’s available to you for doing almost nothing!
Casinos also feature promotions if you choose one of their featured payment companies for your deposit/payment options. In Chapter 3, you learned about casinos offering a 10 percent bonus if you use NETELLER for your deposits. Figure 11.2 shows New York Casino advertising all their current promotions and bonuses.
Figure 11.2 New York Casino promotions
These promotions can really add up because the more you deposit, the more money you can make in a hurry. So make sure you remember to account for these promotions when you’re
Chapter 11: Tips You Need to Know
choosing which deposit/payment option you’ll use. If you know that you strictly want to use Citadel, look for a casino that offers great blackjack games and the extra Citadel promotions.
Also, don’t forget the comp points, given to regular customers by casinos in appreciation of their ongoing patronage. The more you play and bet, the more comp points you can earn and then convert to real money. These may not seem as appealing as the sign-up bonuses, but over the long run they are still adding money to your bank account for just showing up and playing the game.
The rarest bonuses that you should expect to benefi t from usually come in the form of special cash prizes that get added to your casino account. Prizes are usually offered on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis by casinos to give their current customers the VIP treat- ment. The odds of you winning one or many are very slim, and therefore they should not factor very highly in your choice of casino.
As always, keep an eye out for any rules that state which games are valid with the promo- tions offered, and the number of times you must bet your initial deposit and bonus before you can withdraw any of that “free” cash they offer.
Know Your Banking Options
“Gambling promises the poor what property performs for the rich:
something for nothing.”
—George Bernard Shaw, playwright
Usually, before you even choose your casino and blackjack game, you have an idea of how you want to pay for your deposits and receive your winnings. Some players prefer only to write checks, others prefer credit card transactions and wire transfers. Fortu- nately, there are usually plenty of options at almost all of the reputable online casinos out there. The options available to you are wire tranfers, bank drafts, online money transfer services, Web-based bank accounts, and online wallets. Look for the option that best suits you. The best advice I can give you with respect to this topic is to research all op- tions. What’s best for me (NETELLER) may not be best for you.
Don’t forget to seek out the bonuses and promotions mentioned previously. If you’re go- ing to deposit your money using one of these options, you may as well gain something in return from the company that you choose.
Get a Good Seat
“I love blackjack, but I’m not addicted to gambling. I’m addicted to sitting in a semicircle.”
—Mitch Hedberg, comedian
All seats at the blackjack table are created equal when it comes to being dealt good cards. Whether you’re sitting at fi rst base or third base, as you learned in the chapter on tournaments, you have to have luck to beat the dealer. Then again, if you’re entering a tournament, and you’re keeping track of the cards that have been played in a single-deck blackjack game, you’re able to view how players bet and play their hands when seated at third base before it’s your turn to play your hand. So it may be a good idea to get there early and get a good seat. Any advantage you can get is worth it.
Bet Sensibly and Limit Your Losses
“A loser doesn’t know what he’ll do if he loses, but talks about what he’ll do if he wins; and a winner doesn’t talk about what he’ll do if he wins, but knows what he’ll do if he loses.”
—Dr. Eric Berne, founder of Transactional Analysis
There are plenty of tips when it comes to betting. I’ve covered most of them already in this book, but it’s important to review them again. These tips include the following.
Never Bet More Than You Can Afford
Food, transportation, and lodging money should NEVER be used for betting. If you’ve determined that you can afford to play with $1000, you must stick to that limit. If you lose the $1000, you’re fi nished. Do NOT go into your savings account for additional cash with which to bet. This is the best tip I can give you when it comes to betting sensibly.
Set Win and Loss Limits
You learned previously that setting win limits will help you keep money in your casino account. If you’re able to win even 5 or 10 percent, you should set that money aside and not bet with it. This way, even if you lose that same amount later on, you’ll end up breaking even.
Don’t Increase Your Bets when You’re Winning or Losing Betting more money just because you’ve won your previous few hands gives you no greater chance to being a winning player in the long run. Increasing your bet has no af- fect on the probability of winning the next hand. For example, if you do decide to increase your bet from $5 to $10, you’ll only end up winning the same percentage of your $10 bets as you would your $5 bets. The probability of winning the next hand is not depen- dent upon the last hand’s result. The only way to make money by increasing your bets based on your chance of winning the next hand is to keep track of the cards by counting, and when it comes to online blackjack—counting is nearly impossible.
Chapter 11: Tips You Need to Know
Be Ready to Surrender
“There are two great pleasures in gambling: that of winning and that of losing.”
—French Proverb
The Surrender option lets a player fold his or her hand at only half the cost of the original bet. It’s a decision that is made immediately before you see that all-important third card.
Online casinos only offer Late Surrender where the dealer checks for blackjack, before the player is allowed to surrender his or her hand. You previously learned that you should only surrender when faced with more than a 50 percent probability of losing the hand.
“He who fi ghts and walks away lives to fi ght another day.”
Proverb
Remember the dreaded two-card total of 16? If you see that total in your hand, and you’re facing a dealer’s up-card of Nine or higher, it’s time to lay down your cards and give up half of your bet. Believe me, it will make sense in the long run. The chance of you beating the dealer in a situation like that is extremely slim. Also, a two-card total of 15 versus a dealer’s up-card of Ten is the other surrender hand in basic strategy. When having any of these hands, surrender is necessary.
If you have any other hands that give you the sense that you’re in trouble and just aren’t going to beat the dealer, it’s up to your discretion to surrender. Basic strategy doesn’t indicate that you should absolutely surrender with any other hand, so if you can squelch that gut instinct to throw down your hand, do so. I’ve often thought of surrendering and been surprised with the perfect third card that enabled me to beat the dealer and win big!
Drive Without Insurance
“Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people.”
—W.C. Fields, vaudevillian
I’ve heard it said that you should only take insurance when you have a “gut feeling” that the dealer has blackjack, or if you are card counting and aware of the cards remaining in the deck. Well, odds are that a gut feeling will get you in trouble, or may just be what you