Usenet 1993 July/InfoMagic USENET CD-ROM July 1993.ISO/answers/gambling-faq/part1

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From: [e-mail] (Steven R Jacobs)
Newsgroups: rec.gambling,rec.answers,news.answers
Subject: rec.gambling Frequently Asked Questions
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Archive-name: gambling-faq/part1

==================================
This is the rec.gambling Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list.

I wish to thank Frank Irwin for helping to compile much of the information
that appears in this list.  I also wish to thank those who contributed
information, as well as those who spent countless hours running blackjack
simulations in order to help answer many of these questions.  Changes or
additions to this FAQ list should be submitted to: [e-mail]

==================================
    Table of Contents

Section S: Spare us!
   S1  Martingale betting systems -- just double your bet until you win
   S2  The Inevitable Monty Hall
   S3  How much would you pay to play this game?

Section G: General Gambling Topics
   G1  What's in it for me?  (Why read rec.gambling)
   G2  What casino game has the best odds?
   G3  Where can I get books about gambling?
   G4  Is there a gambling archive?
   G5  How do you get comps?
   G6  What comps are available?
   G7  How do I get a casino credit line?
   G8  How are "markers" used?
   G9  What are the phone numbers for hotels/casinos in Las Vegas?
   G10 What are some good places to play/stay in Reno?
   G11 What are some cheap places to stay in Vegas?
   G12 Where can I get casino quality chips?
   G14 What are matchplay chips
   G15 Is this Vegas World offer worth it?
   G16 When did rec.gambling get started?
   G17 What is BARGE?
   G18 Where the hell is Elko Nevada?
   G19 Where the hell is Foxwoods?

Section B: Blackjack
   B1  What do these funny acronyms mean ...
   B2  What special terminology is used by blackjack players?
   B3  What special terminology is used by card counters?
   B4  What are "pit critters"?
   B5  Why is there so much talk about blackjack in rec.gambling?
   B6  Is casino blackjack a "beatable" game.
   B7  How much of an advantage can card counting give?
   B8  Is card counting illegal?
   B9  Can the casino ban card counters?
   B10 What is the correct basic strategy for single deck Blackjack?
   B11 What is the correct basic strategy for Atlantic City blackjack?
   B12 What is the house edge when playing basic strategy?
   B14 Why are single deck games better than multi-deck games?
   B15 Do 'bad' players at third base have any effect on expected gain?
   B16 Where is the best place to sit at a blackjack table.
   B17 How is card counting done?
   B18 What counting system is "best"?
   B19 What counting system is easiest to use?
   B20 What BJ counting system is most effective?
   B21 Does penetration have any effect on basic strategy expectation?
   B22 What is the correct strategy for late surrender?
   B23 What is the correct strategy for "multi action" blackjack?
   B24 What is "Over/Under" Blackjack?
   B26 What is the counting strategy for Over/Under blackjack?
   B26 What are some good/bad books on Blackjack?
   B27 What are some other sources of blackjack/gambling information?

Section C: Craps
   C1  What special terminology is used at the Craps table?
   C2  How is Craps played?
   C3  What are "Odds?"
   C4  What are "Come" and "Don't Come" bets?
   C5  What are all those other bets?

Section V: Video Poker
   V1  Is it possible to gain an advantage at Video Poker?
   V2  What is the "basic strategy" for Video Poker?

Section P: Poker
   P1  How is Texas Hold'em played?

Section M: Miscellaneous
   M1  How is Baccarat played?
   M2  How is Red Dog played?
   M3  Can the lottery be beat when the jackpot gets high enough?
   M4  How is Pai Gow Poker played?
   M5  Is there a horse racing newsgroup?

==================================
Section S: Spare us!

These questions come up occasionally, causing a lot of heated discussions
and wasted bandwidth.  The rec.gambling regulars are pretty sick of seeing
these questions, and they would appreciate it if you just didn't ask them.
If you do ask, we'll probably just say "see the FAQ list".

Q:S1  Martingale betting systems -- just double your bet until you win
A:S1  (Frank Irwin, Steve Jacobs)

  From: "The Eudaemonic Pie" by Thomas A. Bass

    The word comes from the French expression "porter les chausses a la
    martingale," which means "to wear one's pants like the natives of
    Martigue," a village in Provence where trousers are fastened at the
    rear.  The expression implies that this style of dress and method of
    betting are equally ridiculous.

  The betting scheme merely states that you would want to double your
  bet after each loss.  Beginning with one unit, you would bet two units
  if you lost the first.  Then four, then eight, until you win a bet.  You
  would then revert to a one unit bet.  The theory is that with each win
  you will win all that you lost since the last win, plus one unit.  The
  reality is that you will quickly come to a betting ceiling, governed by
  either your bankroll or the house limit, above which you may not increase
  your bet.  After 9 straight losses (it's happened to me) you would be
  betting 512 units.

  In practice, a lot of people get sucked into betting this way because it
  gives the illusion of really working.  This is because most of the time,
  you will end a string of bets with a win.  However, on those rare occasions
  when you do lose, you will lose a lot of money.  So, the end result is that
  you win a small amount almost always, but when you lose you will lose more
  than all of your little wins combined.

  The important point to realize is that most games simply cannot be beat
  in the long run.  In games such as craps, roulette, and non-progressive
  slot machines, it is mathematically impossible to gain an advantage over
  the house.


Q:S2  The Inevitable Monty Hall
A:S2  (Steve Jacobs)

  You are a contestant on "Let's Make A Deal", and Monty Hall offers you
  your choice of three doors.  One door has a prize, and the other two
  doors are empty.  Monty knows in advance where the prize is, and no
  matter which door you pick, Monty will open one of the other doors to
  show you that it is empty.  Monty then offers to allow you to trade your
  door for the other unopened door.  What should you do?

  My best advice is to grab Monty around the neck and strangle him :-)

  The short answer is that you should switch doors, because it increases
  your chance of winning from 1/3 to 2/3.  The odds are not 50/50, because
  the probability that the prize is behind the door you originally picked
  is 1/3, and this probability never changes until the prize is revealed.
  This can be seen by considering what happens if you decide to *never*
  switch doors -- in this case you will win one time in three, since you
  will win only if your original pick is correct.  So, if you *always*
  switch you will win 2/3 of the time, since you win whenever your original
  pick was wrong.  Since Monty can (and will) always show an empty door, it
  is as if he is saying "you can keep your door, or you can trade is for
  BOTH of the other doors, and to confuse you I will show you that one of
  the other doors is empty, even though you already knew that".

  Some of you won't believe that this is correct.  You will say "after Monty
  opens a door, there are only two choices so you have an equal chance of
  winning whether you switch or not".  This is wrong.  The fact that there
  are only two choices does NOT imply that the two choices have equal
  probability.  Still not convinced?  Suppose there are 100 doors, and only
  one prize.  You pick a door, and Monty shows you 98 empty doors (he can
  always do this, since he knows where the prize is), and offers to let you
  switch.  The chance that your original pick was right is 1/100.  If you
  never switch, you will almost always lose.  Therefore, if you always switch
  you will almost always win.

  Not convinced?  Try it yourself, but try playing the role of Monty in order
  to help see how it works.  Don't ask rec.gambling, because we'll know you
  didn't really try it yourself.

  The confusion caused by this question shows that probability problems
  often go against human intuition.  This question appeared (several times)
  in the "Ask Marilyn" column of the "Parade" insert that appears in many
  Sunday newspapers in the United States.  Many people with Ph.D.'s in
  mathematics claimed in wild disbelief that Marilyn's answer [2/3] was
  wrong, and that it was a sad commentary on the American education system.
  Indeed it is, because the mathematicians were wrong.


Q:S3  How much would you pay to play this game?
A:S3  (John P. Nelson)

  >I flip a coin until it comes up tails. If it comes up tails the first
  >time, you get $2; if the second, $4; if the third time, $8. That is,
  >if I flip the coin N times, you get 2^N bucks.  [How much would you
  >pay to play this game?]

  The problem is, of course, that the "expected value" of this game is an
  infinite series that does not converge:  The "expected" win appears to
  be infinite.  However, in any REAL implementation of this game, there
  would have to be an upper limit to your liability:  It would be
  unreasonable to expect you to really pay off a win of trillions of
  dollars.

  If you put an upper limit on the number of flips, then the expected
  value of the game converges, and it is quite easy to calculate the
  "break even" wager.  If we limit the game to N flips, and you pay me
  $2^M if tails comes up on the M'th flip and if N flips occur with no
  tails, you pay me 2^(N+1), then the expected value of each game is
  simply N+2.  (A variation on the rules:  If you pay me 0 if N flips
  occur with no tails, then the expected value of the game is $N).

  This is fairly easy to calculate:  On each independent trial, the
  chance of a tails is 1/2.  Clearly, the chance of a tails on the
  second trial is 1/4 (1/2 chance of heads on the first trial, times
  1/2 chance of tails on the second trial).  The odds of a tail occuring
  on the Nth flip is 1/(2^N).  The payoff at that point is 2^N.  So we
  have the series:

  1/2 * payoff-1flip + 1/4 * payoff-2flip + 1/8 * payoff-3flip

    or:

  $2     $4     $8      $(2^N)
  --  +  --  +  -- ...  ------
   2      4      8      $(2^N).

  Given a maximum of N flips, the expected win is 1+1+1..., N times.
  Given a $0 payoff on N heads in a row, that is the total expected win:
  N.  If you pay off 2^(N+1) after N tails, the final term is

    $(2^(N+1))
    ----------  = 2
      $(2^N)

  Which explains where the +2 in (N+2) comes from.


==================================
Section G: General Gambling Topics


Q:G1  What's in it for me? (Why read rec.gambling?)
A:G1  (Chuck Weinstock)

  One of our rec.gamblers (Chuck Weinstock) has established a relationship
  with three publishers of gambling books and newsletters.  The publishers
  are Arnold Snyder of RGE Enterprises (publisher of the Blackjack Forum
  newsletter, and books on blackjack including the Red 7 and Zen counts),
  Stanford Wong of Pi Yee Press (publisher of Professional Blackjack, and
  other books and newsletters on gambling), and Anthony Curtis of Huntington
  Press (publisher of the Las Vegas Advisor newsletter, Griffin's Theory of
  Blackjack, and other books on gambling).

  All three publishers have agreed to offer their products at a discount
  to rec.gamblers.  Orders must be placed through Chuck Weinstock
  ([e-mail]).  Contact him for a list of what is available,
  and ordering information.


Q:G2  What casino game has the best odds?
A:G2  (Steve Jacobs)

  In general, blackjack is the most favorable game in the casino.  The
  house edge for blackjack ranges from about 0.15% to 0.45%, depending
  on the house rules and number of decks.  Occasionally, single deck
  games can be found which give a slight edge to the player (as of June 93,
  the Frontier in Vegas has been dealing such a game consistently for the
  past year or so).  The house edge for other casino games is listed below.
  In games involving skill, these numbers assume that an optimal betting
  and playing strategy is used.

     Video Poker (Jacks or better, "9/6" payoffs): 0.5%
     Progressive Video Poker ("8/5" payoffs): 2.2% to -2%
     Craps line bets with single odds: 0.8%
     Craps line bets with double odds: 0.6%
     Baccarat "bank" bet: 1.06%
     Baccarat "player" bet: 1.24%
     Red Dog: 2.8%
     Roulette, double zero wheel: 5.26%
     Roulette, single zero wheel (rare): 2.6%
     Keno (estimate): 20% to 25%
     State Lottery: 50% or more

Q:G3  Where can I get books about gambling?
A:G3  (Steve Jacobs)

  Gambler's Book Club has a vast selection of books on topics related to
  gambling.  They are located at 630 South 11th Street in Las Vegas.

  Gambler's Book Club
  Box 4115
  Las Vegas, NV 89127
  [phone]
  [phone] (FAX)
  [phone] (orders only)


Q:G4  Is there a gambling archive?
A:G4  (Michael Hall)

  The gambling archive is intended to store stuff *useful* to rec.gamblers,
  like the FAQ list, blackjack card-counting information, poker statistics,
  etc.  It is not intended at this time to store all the daily drivel
  of rec.gambling.

  The archive is accessable via anonymous ftp to soda.berkeley.edu
  (128.32.131.179).  (Type "ftp soda.berkeley.edu" or "ftp 128.32.131.179"
  and then "anonymous" when it asks for the name. Then "cd pub/rec.gambling".)

  If you have some things you would like to contribute to the archive,
  contact [e-mail].


Q:G5  How do you get comps?
A:G5  (Frank Irwin, Michael Hall)

  The prerequisite for getting comped is to let the floormen/pit boss know
  how much you are betting.  You can do this in two ways:

  In Nevada, tell the floorman that you'd like to be rated, as you sit
  down to the table.  If your action (the amount you bet) is high enough,
  he will fill out a rating slip on you.  Sometimes, the floorman will
  approach you and ask you if you want to be rated.

  In A.C. [and some Vegas casinos, e.g. Tropicana, Frontier, Golden Nugget],
  you give the floorman a card, much like a credit card, as you approach the
  table.  He will either just fill out a rating slip, as in Vegas, or he will
  swipe the card through a reader.  When you leave, ask for your card back.

  The floormen will keep track of your buy-in, your initial bet, your average
  bet, and how much you leave the table with.  If you decide to try to
  decrease the amount they see you leave with by squirreling chips away, be
  sure to do it well.  Those dealers are much more aware than they let on.

  The amount of your comp worth is generally half of your average bet per hour.
  In most Las Vegas casinos (except places such as the Mirage and Caesars) you
  are expected to play for 4 hours/day at an average $25 bet to qualify for a
  room.  A sample comp chart, from the Stardust Casino, follows.


Q:G6  What comps are available?
A:G6  (Frank Irwin)

  The following is a listing of the comp schedule for the Stardust Casino
  in Las Vegas, Nevada.  This can be considered typical for a Las Vegas
  casino (casinos such as the Mirage or Caesars may require more action).

  Player Line or    Average        Hours        Complimentaries
   Front Money          Bet        Played           Extended
              $25          4        Comp. Room
              $50          4        Comp. Room,
                            Limited F & B
  $5,000          $75          4        Room, Food
                            & Beverage
              $100          4        RFB & $150
                            Airfare Reimburs.
  $10,000          $125            4        RFB & $250
                            Airfare Reimburs.
                     $150            4        RFB & $400
                            Airfare Reimburs.
                     $175            4        RFB & $575
                            Airfare Reimburs.
                     $200            4        RFB & $750
                            Airfare Reimburs.
  $20,000          $250            4        RFB & $1000
                            Airfare Reimburs.
                     $300            4        RFB & $1200
                            Airfare Reimburs.
                     $400            4        RFB & $1500
                            Airfare Reimburs.
                     $500            4        RFB & $1500
                            Airfare Reimburs.

  NOTES:

  A.  These requirements are based on four hours play per day.  Excess playing
      time reduces the average bet requirement and higher average bets reduce
      the playing time requirement.  For Example:  A $200 bet for 2 hours is
      equial to a $100 bet for 4 hours.

  B.  Airfare reimbursements are based on a minimum of 12 hours playing time.

  C.  Complimentary food and beverage are to include the player and one guest.

  D.  Size of bet in dice is the sum of all flat, place, proposition, field,
      come and buy bets.

  E.  Excessive RFB usage reduces airfare reimbursement amounts.

  F.  Please let our friendly floor staff know who you are when you initiate
      play at any table.


Q:G7  How do I get a casino credit line?
A:G7  (Frank Irwin)

  This is easy.  Just call up one of the casinos and ask for a casino host.
  Tell him that you would like to set up a line of credit.  Either he'll ask
  you some questions, or send you to someone who will.  They just take down
  your name, address, phone, place of business, what you do, and a bank
  account number.  You can ask for a particular credit line, but what they
  give you will depend on how much you have in your account.  If you have
  a savings account that contains more than your checking account, give
  them that number.


Q:G8  How are "markers" used?
A:G8  (Frank Irwin)

  At the beginning of your first trip to a casino after establishing credit,
  you will be required to go to the cage to sign some papers and let them
  copy your driver's license.  You will also indicate how you wish to pay
  for any outstanding markers upon your departure.  If it's your first trip,
  they may want you to settle before you leave.  Later, you may be able to
  work our some sort of payment plan.

  When you walk up to a table, ask the floorman for a marker.  He'll get your
  name and go away for a little while.  When he comes back, he'll give you a
  bank check to sign.  This is a regular check.  They may take money out of
  your account on this check.

  If you win at the table (and don't squirrel chips away :-), the floorman
  may ask you to buy back your marker.  This is exactly what you do; you
  give the dealer chips equal to your marker, and the floorman gives you
  your bank check.


Q:G9  What are the phone numbers for hotels/casinos in Las Vegas?
A:G9  (Eric Vincent, Jim Piercy, Blair Houghton, John Schwab)

  Call the 800 Information service at 1-800-555-1212 and ask them for
  the number for that hotel, giving the city (AC, Vegas, Reno, etc.)
  If the facility has no WATS line, the answer is to dial long-distance
  information (which is _free_) for Las Vegas at 1-702-555-1212 or AC
  at 1-609-555-1212 and ask them.

  The following is a list of toll-free numbers for the hotels/casinos in
  Las Vegas.  The source is "Tourguide Magazine" of May 3, 1991.  This
  is a weekly tourist publication in LV.

  Aladdin             [phone]   The Nevada Palace       [phone]
  Alexis Park         [phone]   O'Sheas Casino          [phone]
  Arizona Charlie's   [phone]   Paddlewheel             [phone]
  Bally's Resort      [phone]   Palace Station          [phone]
  Barbary Coast       [phone]   Park Hotel              [phone]
  Binion's Horseshoe  [phone]   Quality Inn             [phone]
  Bourbon Street      [phone]   Ramada Las Vegas        [phone]
  Caesars Palace      [phone]   Ramada Suites-St. Trop. [phone]
  California Hotel    [phone]   Rio Suite Hotel/Casino  [phone]
  Circus Circus       [phone]   Riviera Hotel           [phone]
  Continental Hotel   [phone]   Royal Hotel & Casino    [phone]
  Desert Inn          [phone]   Sahara Hotel            [phone]
  Dunes Hotel         [phone]   Sam's Town              [phone]
  El Cortez           [phone]   Sands Hotel             [phone]
  El Rancho           [phone]   Santa Fe                [phone]
  Excalibur           [phone]   Showboat Hotel          [phone]
  Fitzgeralds         [phone]   Silver City             [phone]
  Flamingo Hilton     [phone]   Slots-A-Fun             [phone]
  Four Queens         [phone]   Stardust Hotel          [phone]
  Fremont Hotel       [phone]   Townhall/Vagabond       [phone]
  Frontier Hotel      [phone]   Tropicana               [phone]
  Gold Coast          [phone]   Vacation Village        [phone]
  Gold Spike          [phone]   Union Plaza             [phone]
  Golden Gate         [phone]   Vegas World             [phone]
  Golden Nugget       [phone]   Western Hotel           [phone]
  Hacienda Hotel      [phone]   Westward Ho             [phone]
  Holiday Casino      [phone]   Colorado Belle          [phone]
  Hotel Nevada        [phone]   Edgewater Hotel         (800) 67-RIVER
  Hotel San Remo      [phone]   Flamingo Hilton         (800) HILTONS
  Imperial Palace     [phone]   Golden Nugget           [phone]
  Lady Luck           [phone]   Harrah's                [phone]
  Las Vegas Club      [phone]   Pioneer                 [phone]
  Las Vegas Hilton    [phone]   Ramada Express          (800) 2-RAMADA
  Mardi Gras Inn      [phone]   Regency Casino          [phone]
  Maxim Hotel         [phone]   Riverside Resort        [phone]
  The Mirage          [phone]   Sam's Town Gold River   [phone]


  [ The following is a list of toll-free numbers for the hotels/casinos in
  Atlantic City.  -- John Schwab]

  Bally's Grand          [phone]    Sands             [phone]
  Bally's Park Place     [phone]    Showboat          [phone]
  Caesars Atlantic City  [phone]    Tropicana         [phone]
  Claridge               [phone]    Trump Castle      [phone]
  Harrah's Marina        [phone]    Trump Plaza       [phone]
  Resorts International  [phone]    Trump Taj Mahal   [phone]



Q:G10  What are some good places to play/stay in Reno?
A:G10 (Mike Northam)

  Well, this is just IMHO, of course.  For cheap rooms:  Circus Circus,
  Fitzgerald downtown, Clarion (with the $29 coupon) if you have a car.  If
  you're going to be gambling something more than nickels ($5 bets), you
  might call a place like the Flamingo Hilton and get a credit application.
  Then you'll qualify for the "gambler's rate", which will usually be about
  half price.  You've gotta gamble for at least four hours per day to get
  this, in most casinos.  The best rooms are at Harrah's, but they have
  standard northern Nevada rules.  (If you're a gambler, check with their
  VIP services to see if they have any special deals going.  They often have
  special packages if you buy-in for $1200, or some such.)

  Best gambling for BJ:  Horseshoe Club (preferential shuffling unless you
  toke, IMHO), Flamingo Hilton (though a friend of my friend's brother says
  they recently went to double down on 10/11 only--anyone else hear this?),
  Clarion, Bally's (roughly in that order).  Everyplace else runs northern
  Nevada rules, I think.  The Comstock, I guess, no longer has their
  over-under game, but you might check it out to be sure.

  Craps:  most every place has double odds.  You can play for 25 cents at
  the Palomino (?) in Sparks and at one of the dives in downtown (Nevada
  Club?--can't remember).

  [The Union Plaza and it's 25c, 10x-odds Craps tables are one of the best
   and most consistent pure gambling deals in Vegas.  -- Blair Houghton]

  Shows:  well, my favorite is the planetarium at the University of Nevada
  :-).  Reno is not a big show town, but Harrah's usually has some country
  western star and sometimes a decent cabaret act.  The Hilton has a comedy
  club and usually a pretty good lounge act (which you can watch while you
  play BJ, which is fun).  Bally's has a big stage show (I think Oba Oba
  from Brazil is still there.)  The big headliners usually are found at
  Tahoe, not Reno.

  Restaurants:  I've always liked the Presidential Car (I think in
  Harold's--I never can remember).  A romantic (and expensive) meal can be
  had at sunset at the Top of the Hilton.  Several people have mentioned a
  good Italian restaurant at the El Dorado, but I haven't tried it myself.
  Harrah's has a pretty good $5 or so buffet, but their other restaurants
  are only so-so.  Bally's has a nice steak house.  If you like screaming
  kids with your meals, check out Circus Circus (though I haven't been there
  for years, so maybe things have changed?).

  Since you've never been to Reno before, I should mention that you can
  easily walk to all the downtown casinos.  There's a shuttle bus from
  downtown to Bally's (the closest to the airport--we traditionally stop in
  there on our way out of town for a few hours).  There's also a group of
  casinos in Sparks (centered around John Ascuaga's Nugget).  If you have a
  car, the Peppermill (popular with the yuppie crowd) and the Clarion
  (Reno's newest casino, and quite nice) are out on south Virginia St.


Q:G11  What are some cheap places to stay in Vegas?
A:G11  (Ron Birnbaum)

  In response to those looking for nice but inexpensive accomodations in
  Vegas, I can recommend two places:

  Downtown:  The Ogden House  - Fremont Street
             I don't have their number, but some friends stayed there in
             June for $18 per night, and found it clean and comfortable.
             Their phone number is [phone].


  Strip:  King Alburt Motel, 185 Albert Ave. (off Kovel, behind the Maxium)
          It's behind the Flamingo Hilton/Imperial Palace/Barbary Coast area.
          Every unit is furnished with a kitchen, tv, and private bath, with
          simple but clean furnishings. Their location is ideal, and they
          quoted me day rates of $25/wk $40/wkend  per night for a single.
          And these prices were for March,('92) - usually a busy and high
          priced season. And you can do even better than these rates for a
          weekly rental. They are happy to negotiate!  Their phone number is
          (800)-553-7753 or (702) 732- 1555

          Caveat Emptor: Another rec.gambler says to avoid this place,
          it is a dump.

   Call the Las Vegas Tourism Beareau for details of other low-cost
   area lodging. They have an toll-free number - 1-800-522-9555. Woops - I
   just called it and they only handle casinos.

   But these 800 numbers DO handle the smaller places as well. I called the
   LV Chamber of Commerece for these numbers, and they had even more than
   these:

   800 - 548-2008
   800 - 345-7177

   Through the 7177 number, I arranged a room in the beautiful new tower at
   the Stardust for much lower than what the hotel quoted me directly, also
   at a lower rate than the other 800 numbers could offer (32/wk 40/wkend).
   They are a room 'wholesaler' and seem to be the best place to make
   reservations through. The new tower at the Stardust is supposed to
   be ****1/2, according to Julie - the agent I spoke with. She also asked
   for a high floor which she said have spectatular views of the entire strip.

   They know all the deals in town! Good luck, hotel bargain hunters!!


Q:G12  Where can I get casino quality chips?
A:G12  (Michael Hall)

   CHIP SUPPLIER        CITY, STATE      PHONE     REGULAR        PERSONALIZED
  ================= ============== ============== ============== =============
  The Poker Store    Stanton, CA   [phone]  ?               $55/100
  Paulson            Las Vegas, NV [phone]  $.35/each       $.40/each
     "               ???, NJ       [phone]  $.35/each       $.40/each
     "               Reno, NV      [phone]  $35/100         $40/100
  Bud Jones Company  Las Vegas, NV [phone]  ?       1 color:$25/100
     "                "                            ?       2 color:$40/100
  Gambler's General  Las Vegas, NV (800) 322-CHIP  ?               $40/100
     Store

  Note that the chip prices above are for CASINO QUALITY, which means they're
  heavy clay and thus rather expensive.  The suppliers also have lighter
  clay chips and cheap-o plastic chips.

  One reason you might want personalized chips, other than for vanity's sake,
  is to have dollar amounts put on them. Several places said they can put your
  initials on one side and the dollar amount on the other, which is kind of
  neat. For their unpersonalized chips, you had a choice of a starburst or a
  horseshoe insignia.  Paulson was the most flexible, since they'd let you
  order any quantity (not just multiples of 100) with no minimum order. All of
  the suppliers had a wide variety of colors. Bud Jones Company had solid
  one color chips as well as the two colored chips that many casinos use.


Q:G14  What are matchplay chips
A:G14  (Chuck Weinstock)

  A matchplay chip is a non-negotiable chip, usually given by the casino
  to induce play at their tables.  The chips are good at any table game,
  but only for even money bets.  Thus you can bet them on craps (line
  bets), blackjack, roulette (odd/even, black/red), but not, for instance,
  the field at craps.  When you play a matchplay chip you must match it
  with a chip of your own (hence the name).  For the Bally offer I
  understand the chips have a value of $5.00, so you must play each one
  with $5.00 of your own money.

  If you lose the bet, you lose your $5.00 and the matchplay chip.  If
  you win your bet you win $5.00 on your $5.00 and $5.00 (real money) on
  the matchplay chip.  However, even if you win they take the matchplay
  chip.  (I'm not sure if this is universal, but it certainly is
  typical.)  I'm not sure how they pay off Blackjack (which pays 3-2).
  [ They always take your matchplay chip, win or lose.  Blackjack pays
  even money on the matchplay chip. - FAI ]
  [Most casinos don't take the match play chips on pushes and do pay even
   money on the match play portion of blackjacks.  Some casinos (e.g. Four
   Queens) pay 3:2 on the match play portion of blackjacks. -- Michael Hall]

  If you are playing in an even expectation game, you would expect to
  win half of your bets.  Thus the $200 in matchplay has an expected
  value of around $100.  Of course this is only an expectation, and you
  could win or lose much more than that.


Q:G15  Is this Vegas World offer worth it?
A:G15  (Steve Jacobs, Michael Hall)

  Vegas World is constantly running ads for a special casino package deal.
  It works something like this:  you send $396 to Vegas World in exchange
  for a "free vacation" deal that includes a room for 2 or 3 nights, some
  "prizes", and $1000 in casino "action" chips.

  Forget the "prize", it will undoubtedly be some cheap jewelry that is
  virtually worthless.  If you read the ad carefully, you will find that
  the "action" chips are good for one play, win or lose.  This means that
  if you win the bet, they take away the action chip and replace it with
  a real chip.  This reduces the $1000 in chips to an expected value of
  less than $500, assuming you could play them all at craps or blackjack.
  However, $400 of this $1000 is "slot action" that can only be played in
  special slots that return maybe 10% of what is put into them.  So, your
  expected return on the $1000 in action is about $340.  So, you can't
  really expect to come out ahead on this deal.

  The second big problem with Vegas World is that most of the games have
  funny rules that confuse the tourists and rob them of their money.
  Blackjacks are paid even money, giving the house a 2% edge.  They offer
  "crapless" craps, which is supposed to sound like a good deal, but is
  really designed to increase the house edge.

  But, if you like mirrors, you should check out Vegas World.  Their
  display of $1 million in cash is also somewhat amusing.  It is worth
  stopping in if you are really bored with the classy casinos.  Try out
  their huge Money Wheel, but be careful -- if it lands on "Bob Stupak",
  it will be your turn to take care of Bob for a week :-)

  Packages can be found at other casinos by calling the casino's marketing
  office or sometimes room reservations.  Bally's, Dunes, Four Queens, and
  Sands are some places to try in Las Vegas.  Often you are required to
  gamble for 8 hours at a certain minimum bet to qualify for the rebates.

  Local travel agencies sometimes have information on packages.  Consult your
  local phone book or the travel section of your local newspaper.


Q:G16  When did rec.gambling get started?
A:G16  (Matt Wilding)

  alt.gambling began in August, 1989.  It had plenty of traffic, so a
  newsgroup election for rec.gambling was held.  rec.gambling passed
  189-41.  The election results were announced on September 23, 1989,
  and the group created one week later.


Q:G17  What is BARGE?
A:G17  (Steve Jacobs)

  BARGE stands for "Big August Rec.Gambling Excursion".  This is the
  annual rec.gambling gathering, so far always in August (can you
  imaging a worse time to go to Vegas?), but if we go some other month
  we can change the "August" to "Annual" in order to preserve the acronym.

  The first BARGE consisted of maybe a dozen people, mostly in Vegas
  to attend SIGGRAPH '91 (well, at least that's how they got their
  companies to pay the airfare).  BARGE 2 had more attendees, about
  20 in all, and included meetings at the Frontier, GBC, and a live
  poker tournament.

  Previous BARGE trips have been mostly spontaneous events, with little
  advance planning and consequently little advance notice, so if you
  couldn't drop everything and fly to Vegas then you missed out.  BARGE 3
  can only be bigger, now that we've set an Aug. 7 date well in advance.
  No excuses, if you miss out on BARGE this year it's your own fault.


Q:G18  Where the hell is Elko Nevada?
A:G18  (Mike Northam, Steve Jacobs)

  [NOTE: Elko is about 120 miles west of the Utah/Nevada border. --SRJ]

  Casino Express [phone] or [phone] in Canada, owned by the
  people who run the Elko Red Lion Inn, runs numerous junkets to Elko, NV.
  They own at least one Boeing 737 aircraft, and charter several others on
  weekends.  They fly from several western cities (Seattle, Bellingham,
  Spokane, Portland, Eugene, Salem, San Jose, Fresno, Modesto, Santa Maria,
  Ontario, Denver, Salt Lake City, etc.) and have multiple-day junkets from
  Canadian and midwest cities (Minneapolis, Mason City, etc.)

  The casino has BJ, single and double deck, Northern Nevada rules (H17, DD
  10/11 only).  $5 minimum for single deck.  Penetration varies with the
  dealer, so there apparently isn't a house rule.  There is no heat
  whatsoever, so 10:1 spreads are no problem.  During the 'gambling frenzy'
  of the last few moments before the airport bus departs, *massive* spreads
  are possible--I've gone from $5 to $200 (40:1) no problem.  All the
  tables are *always* full, so two rounds of seven is all you'll see on the
  single deck.  There's also craps, roulette, and a small sports book.
  Keno for the truly adventuresome :-).

  From Portland, the junket cost is $49 for a 12-hour turnaround flight
  [these are $19 from Salt Lake, so you're price may vary], you have to show
  $300 in cash to board the flight.  Since it's a charter flight, there is a
  nice party atmosphere on board the plane. Your play is rated, and
  presumably, if you don't gamble enough, you might be barred from a future
  flight, though this hasn't been a problem for any of my friends.

  Elko also has a poker room, but it doesn't open until 5 pm.  They play
  7-stud ($1-$4) and Texas Hold'em ($4-$10).  These can be great games if
  there are several junket people (junkies?) at the table.  You can also
  fleece the locals if you catch them offguard, since they have great
  difficulty believing that anyone who flys to Elko could know anything
  about poker.


Q:G19  Where the hell is Foxwoods?
A:G19  Dave Tahajian

  There is now an Email alias group to exchange information about Foxwoods!
  This alias can be used for just about any topic; how to get there, new
  game info, special events, carpooling and ride sharing, places to stay
  and eat in the area, or just about anything to do with Foxwoods!

  I invite anyone who goes to Foxwoods to join our group.
  Just send some Email to:  [e-mail]


==================================
Section B: Blackjack

Q:B1  What do these funny acronyms mean ...
A:B1  (Michael Hall)

  The acronyms that are often used in blackjack articles in rec.gambling
  are listed below.

    Abbreviations:
        BSE = Basic Strategy Edge
        H17 = Hit soft 17 (dealer must hit)
        S17 = Stand on any 17 (dealer must stand)
        DOA = Double On Any first two cards
        D10 = Double on 10 or 11 only
        DAS = Double After Splitting is allowed
        RSA = Re-Splitting Aces is allowed
        ESR = Early Surrender
        LSR = Late Surrender
        O/U = Over/Under 13 side bets are allowed


Q:B2  What special terminology is used by blackjack players?
A:B2  (Steve Jacobs)

  Blackjack Terminology:

    "basic strategy" -- a playing strategy that is designed to minimize
        the house edge as much as possible without using techniques
        such as card counting, shuffle tracking, or dealer tells.
        Basic strategy is used as a foundation for card counting,
        but is also used by many non-counters.

    "burn card(s)" -- cards that are discarded without being dealt to
        the players.  After the cards are shuffled by the dealer and
        cut by one of the players, one or more cards are "burned"
        before any cards are dealt to the players.

    "bust" -- after a "hit", the player is said to "bust" if the new
        card causes the player's total to exceed 21.

    "card counting" -- a system for improving the player's edge by
        assigning "weights" to each card face and summing the card
        weights as each new card is turned face up.  The "count"
        indicates when the game is favorable for the player, so
        that the player can place larger bets and/or make changes
        in playing strategy.

    "cut card" -- a (usually colored plastic) card that is used to
        cut the cards after they have been shuffled by the dealer.

    "double down" -- to double the initial bet and receive exactly one
        more card.  The option to double is often allowed on the
        players first two cards only, although some casinos allow
        doubling after splitting a pair.  Many Northern Nevada
        casinos allowing doubling only with a two-card total of 10
        or 11.  It is very rare to find games that allow doubling
        of hands that have more than one card.

    "early surrender" -- surrender that occurs _before_ the dealer
        peeks at the hole card.  Very valuable to the player, but
        rarely (if ever) offered by the casinos.

    "even money" -- taking insurance when holding a blackjack results
        in a net gain of one bet.  This process is called "taking
        even money".

    "first base" -- the first player at a table to act on his/her hand
        is said to be sitting at "first base".

    "flat bet" -- to bet the same amount on each successive hand.

    "hard hand" -- any hand that is not a soft hand.

    "head up" -- playing at a table that has no other players.

    "hit" -- drawing a new card to add to the player's hand.

    "hole card" -- the dealer's card that is placed face down.

    "insurance" -- a side bet of 1/2 the original bet that is offered
        when the dealer's upcard is an ace.  This bet pays 2:1 if
        the dealer has a natural 21.

    "late surrender" -- surrender that occurs _after_ the dealer peeks
        at the hole card.

    "natural" -- a hand that totals 21 on the first two cards.

    "over/under" -- a rare bet that the first two player's cards will
        total over 13, or under 13, when aces are counted as one.

    "preferential shuffling" -- shuffling when the deck is favorable
        to the players, while avoiding a shuffle when the deck is
        unfavorable to the players.

    "push" -- a tie hand, the original bet is returned to the player.

    "shoe" -- a "box" for holding the undealt cards when several decks
        are used.

    "soft hand" -- any hand that includes an ace that can be counted
        as 11 without having the value of the hand exceed 21.  It
        is always possible to draw one card to a soft hand without
        busting.

    "split hand" -- hands that start with two cards of the same rank
        can be split to form two independent hands.  This option
        is exercised by adding a new bet to the second hand, and
        these hands are played independently.

    "spread" -- to place more than one bet before the cards are dealt.

    "stand" -- to stop drawing cards.

    "stiff (hand)" -- any hand that has a small change of winning
        regardless of how the hand is played (usually 12 - 16).

    "surrender" -- the option to give back the player's first two cards
        in exchange for a refund of 1/2 of the original bet (rarely
        allowed).  Some hands, such at 16 vs. dealer's 10, are so
        bad that it is less costly to surrender rather than play the
        hand.

    "third base" -- the last player at a table to act on his/her hand
        is said to be sitting at "third base".

    "upcard" -- the dealer's first card, dealt face up.  The correct
        playing decision often involves some consideration of the
        dealer's upcard.


Q:B3  What special terminology is used by card counters?
A:B3  (Steve Jacobs)

  Card Counting Terminology

    "betting correlation" = a measure of how well the card weights
        correlate to the change in the player's favorability when
        the cards are seen by the player and removed from the deck.
        This gives an estimate of the accuracy of the card counting
        system.

    "back counting" -- counting cards and waiting for the count to
        become favorable before sitting down to play.  Usually
        done standing in back of the players.

    "balanced count" -- any counting system that has a count starting
        at zero when the cards are shuffled, and ending at zero
        when all cards in the deck(s) have been exposed.  Most
        counting systems use a balanced count.

    "bet spread" -- the ratio between maximum and minimum bet size.
        A player who uses $20 maximum bets and $5 minimum bets
        is using a 4:1 bet spread.

    "card weight" -- the "value" assigned to each card face.  This
        weight is added to the "count" as each new card is exposed.
        Weights are usually small integer values like -1, +1, or +2.

    "count" (noun) -- a number that represents the player's estimate
        of how favorable or unfavorable.

    "cover bet" -- a bet (usually large) placed at the "wrong" time,
        in order to fool the pit critters into thinking that the
        player is not counting cards.

    "insurance correlation" = a measure of how well the card weights
        correlate to the change in the player's favorability for
        placing insurance bets.  This gives an estimate of the
        accuracy of the card counting system for predicting when
        to take insurance.

    "penetration" -- the number of cards that are dealt before the
        cards are shuffled.  Penetration is usually expressed as
        a percentage of the cards, as in "75% penetration".  Good
        penetration is extremely important to card counters.

    "playing efficiency" = effectiveness of strategy variations in
        tracking the optimal playing strategy as the deck composition
        changes.  Efficiency is given by E = AG / PG, where AG is
        the actual gain from making the strategy changes, and PG
        is the possible gain that could be made by using a playing
        strategy that is "computer perfect".

    "running count" -- the total of the weights of all cards that have
        been exposed since the cards were shuffled.

    "shuffle tracking" -- a system to predict which sections of the
        deck/shoe will be favorable to the player, based on the
        locations of favorable sections of the previous deck/shoe,
        and on studying the method used to shuffle the cards.

    "side count" -- a count in addition to the "main" count, usually
        involving a single card face, as in "ace side count".

    "strategy variations" -- varying from basic strategy when the
        count indicates that it is profitable to do so.

    "ten poor" -- a deck that has a lower than average density of
        tens and face cards.

    "ten rich" -- a deck that has a higher than average density of
        tens and face cards.

    "true count" -- a count that is adjusted according to the number
        of undealt cards, usually by dividing the running count
        by the number of undealt *decks* (or half-decks).

    "unbalanced count" -- any counting system that has a count that
        starts or ends on a non-zero value (see "balanced count").
        Red 7 is an example of an unbalanced count.

    "wonging" -- improving the player's edge by placing bets only when
        the count is favorable for the player, and "sitting out"
        when the count is unfavorable.


Q:B4  What are "pit critters"?
A:B4  (Steve Jacobs)

  Casino personnel who are responsible for supervising the games and dealers
  are often "affectionately" referred to in rec.gamblinng as "pit critters".
  The various species of pit critters are described below:

    "floorman" -- the lowest level of pit critter, and the most likely
        to be encountered by players.  The floorman is usually
        responsible for only a few tables.

    "pit boss" -- the next level of pit critter, responsible for several
        floormen and their tables.  This pit critter supervises one
        "pit" in the casino.

    "shift supervisor" -- the head pit boss during a particular shift.

    "casino manager" -- the mother of all pit critters [and usually
        the owner's son. -- Blair Houghton]


Q:B5  Why is there so much talk about blackjack in rec.gambling?
A:B5  (Steve Jacobs)

  Blackjack is the most popular table game in American casinos, and
  the abundance of blackjack articles in rec.gambling is a reflection
  of this popularity.  Unlike many other casino games, skillful play
  in blackjack allows the player to gain a slight advantage over the
  casino.  However, there is no single form of the game that is found
  in all casinos, and it is often possible to find several slightly
  different forms of blackjack within the same casino.  When playing
  blackjack, the "correct" strategy to use will depend on the number
  of card decks used and on the particular "house rules" that are in
  effect during play.  All of these factors combine to make blackjack
  a very complicated topic.


Q:B6  Is casino blackjack a "beatable" game.
A:B6  (Matt Wilding)

  Background: Many books have been written that claim that BJ is
  beatable.

  Answer: Simulations performed by rec.gamblers show different amounts
  of potential player advantage in theory in BJ, depending on
  strategies, exact rules, and playing conditions.  These numbers
  typically approach 1% (an average penny gain for every dollar bet)
  though in certain particular, ideal circumstances this can get
  somewhat higher.  There is disagreement on the net about how much
  advantage this translates into in "real-world" casinos, but it's
  generally believed that players can play with a small, long-run
  advantage in BJ.  The variance is very high in this game, however,
  which makes the slight advantage in BJ far from a sure thing.


Q:B7  How much of an advantage can card counting give?
A:B7  (Steve Jacobs)

  A typical card counter will have an edge of 1.5% or less, depending on
  the counting system used, the skill of the player, and the particular
  house rules that the player is fighting against.  It is quite unusual
  to find playing conditions that allow the player to get more than a 2%
  edge against the house, even against single deck games.  The player's
  edge against multi-deck games is generally less than 1%.


Q:B8  Is card counting illegal?
A:B8  (Steve Jacobs)

  No.  The casinos would like you to believe that card counting is illegal,
  immoral, and fattening, but the fact is that card counters are simply
  using a greater level of skill than the typical blackjack player.  The
  Nevada courts have ruled that blackjack players are free to use any
  information that is made available to them, provided that there is no
  collusion between a player and casino personnel.  For example, if a
  dealer accidentally handles the cards in such a way that a player can
  see the dealer's hole card, the player can make use of this information
  without breaking the law.


Q:B9  Can the casino ban card counters?
A:B9  (Steve Jacobs)

  This depends on where you play.  In Atlantic City, where games of skill
  are not permitted, the casinos are not allowed to ban skillful players.
  In Nevada, casinos are allowed to refuse service to anyone at any time
  for any reason.  Players are routinely "barred", usually by being asked
  to leave or by being told that they are welcome to play any game other
  than blackjack.  If you are barred but persist in trying to play, the
  casino can have you arrested for trespassing.


Q:B10  What is the correct basic strategy for single deck Blackjack?
A:B10 (Steve Jacobs)

   The following basic strategy is for single deck games without
   DAS (double-after-splits).

   +--  Player's hand
   |
   |     dealer     dealer
   |   <-might bust-><-might stand->
   V   2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  X  A  <------- dealer's upcard
  ---+-------------------------------
  XX | S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S   never, ever, ever split
  99 | P  P  P  P  P  S  P  p  s  s   split if (d <= 9), except 7
  88 | P  P  P  P  P  P  p  p  p  p   always split
  77 | p  p  P  P  P  p  h  h  s  h   split if (d <= 7), stand against 10
  66 | p  p  p  P  p  h  h  h  h  h   split if (d <= 6)
  55 | D  D  D  D  D  D  D  D  H  h   never split, treat like hard 10
  44 | h  H  H  DH DH H  h  h  h  h   never split, double against 5, 6
  33 | h  h  P  P  P  p  h  h  h  h   split if (d >= 4) and (d <= 7)
  22 | h  p  P  P  P  p  h  h  h  h   split if (d >= 3) and (d <= 7)
  AA | P  P  P  P  P  P  P  P  P  p   always split
  ---+-------------------------------
  A9 | S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S   always stand
  A8 | S  S  S  S *DS S  S  S  s  s   double against a 6
  A7 | S  DS DS DS DS S  S  h  h  h*  double 3-6, hit against 9, 10, A
  A6 | DH DH DH DH DH H  h  h  h  h   double low, hit high
  A5 | h  H  DH DH DH h  h  h  h  h   \
  A4 | H  H  DH DH DH H  h  h  h  h    \ double against 4,5,6
  A3 | H  H  DH DH DH H  H  h  h  h    /
  A2 | H  H  DH DH DH H  H  h  h  h   /
  ---+-------------------------------
  21 | S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S   always stand
  20 | S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S   always stand
  19 | S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S  S   always stand
  18 | S  S  S  S  S  S  S  s  s  s   always stand
  17 | s  s  s  s  s  s  s  s  s  s   always stand on HARD 17 or above

  16 | s  s  s  s  s  h  h  h  h  h   \
  15 | s  s  s  s  s  h  h  h  h  h    \
  14 | s  s  s  s  s  h  h  h  h  h     > hit if dealer might stand,
  13 | s  s  s  s  s  h  h  h  h  h    /    stand if dealer might bust
  12 | h  h  s  s  s  h  h  h  h  h   /   (special case against 2, 3)

  11 | D  D  D  D  D  D  D  D  D  D   always double
  10 | D  D  D  D  D  D  D  D  h  h   double if (d < 10)
   9 | DH DH DH DH DH H  H  h  h  h   double if dealer might bust
   8 | h  H  H  DH DH H  h  h  h  h   double only against 5, 6
   7 | h  h  h  H  H  h  h  h  h  h
   6 | h  h  h  H  H  h  h  h  h  h   (4-2)
   5 | h  h  h  H  H  h  h  h  h  h   (3-2)
   4 | h  h  h  H  H  h  h  h  h  h   (this hand is really 2-2 pair)
  ---+-------------------------------
  S=stand H=hit D=double P=pair(split)
  DH= double if allowed, otherwise hit
  DS= double if allowed, otherwise stand
  <uppercase> = "strong" hand, favorable to player
  <lowercase> = "weak" hand, favorable to house

  (*) notes:
     Playing A7 against dealer's ace:
        hitting gains 3.63% if dealer must hit on soft 17
        standing gains 0.32% if dealer must stand on soft 17

     Playing A8 against dealer's 6:
        doubling gains 1.96% if dealer must hit on soft 17
        doubling gains 0.03% if dealer must stand on soft 17
        (this rule may be ignored to simplify the strategy)


Q:B11  What is the correct basic strategy for Atlantic City blackjack?
A:B11  (Steve Jacobs)


  The following basic strategy is for typical Atlantic City rules.

  HOUSE RULES:
     Cards are dealt from 6 decks.
     Dealer must stand on any 17.
       Double-down allowed on soft hands.
     Pairs may be split only once.
       Player may double-down after splitting pairs.
     Surrender is not allowed.


                   Strategy Table

       <---might bust--->  <---might stand--->  <---- dealer possibility
  ---+----------------------------------------
       2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   X   A    <---- dealer's up card
  ---+----------------------------------------  Pairs
  XX | S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S
  99 | PS  PS  PS  PS  PS  S   PS  ps  s   s
  88 | Ps  Ps  Ps  Ps  Ps  Ph  ph  ph  ph  ph
  77 | ps  ps  Ps  Ps  Ps  ph  h   h   h   h
  66 | ph  ph  ps  Ps  Ps  h   h   h   h   h
  55 | DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  H   H
  44 | h   H   H   PH  PH  H   h   h   h   h
  33 | ph  ph  Ph  Ph  Ph  ph  h   h   h   h
  22 | ph  ph  Ph  Ph  PH  ph  h   h   h   h
  AA | PH  PH  PH  PH  PDH PH  PH  Ph  Ph  Ph
  ---+----------------------------------------  Soft Hands
  AX | S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S
  A9 | S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S
  A8 | S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S
  A7 | S   DS  DS  DS  DS  S   S   h   h   h
  A6 | H   DH  DH  DH  DH  H   h   h   h   h
  A5 | h   H   DH  DH  DH  h   h   h   h   h
  A4 | h   H   DH  DH  DH  H   h   h   h   h
  A3 | H   H   H   DH  DH  H   H   h   h   h
  A2 | H   H   H   DH  DH  H   H   h   h   h
  AA | H   H   H   H   DH  H   H   h   h   h
  ---+----------------------------------------  Hard Hands
  21 | S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S
  20 | S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S
  19 | S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S
  18 | S   S   S   S   S   S   S   s   s   s
  17 | s   s   s   s   S   s   s   s   s   s

  16 | s   s   s   s   s   h   h   h   h   h
  15 | s   s   s   s   s   h   h   h   h   h
  14 | s   s   s   s   s   h   h   h   h   h
  13 | s   s   s   s   s   h   h   h   h   h
  12 | h   h   s   s   s   h   h   h   h   h

  11 | DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  H
  10 | DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  H   H
   9 | H   DH  DH  DH  DH  H   H   h   h   h
   8 | h   H   H   H   H   H   h   h   h   h
   7 | h   h   h   H   H   h   h   h   h   h
   6 | h   h   h   h   h   h   h   h   h   h
   5 | h   h   h   h   H   h   h   h   h   h
   4 | h   h   h   h   H   h   h   h   h   h
  ---+----------------------------------------
  S=stand H=hit D=double P=split Q=surrender

  NOTES:
       1) If more than one option is listed,
          options to the left are preferred
          over options to the right.  Options
          less favorable than STAND or HIT are
          not shown.

       2) Use the "Hard Hands" table only
          when the other tables do not apply.

       3) If splitting Aces is not allowed,
          use the "Soft Hands" table.

       4) Uppercase options favor the player,
          lowercase options favor the house.

  ---+----------------------------------------


Q:B12  What is the house edge when playing basic strategy?
A:B12  (Steve Jacobs)

  The expected gain for basic strategy play depends on the house
  rules and the number of decks.  The following table summarizes
  the players expectation for a variety of games.  All numbers are
  in units of percent of initial bet.

                           <-- number of decks -->
                  |    1  |   2   |   4   |   6   |  20   |  100  |
  ----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
  AC              | .1541  -.2228  -.3991  -.4569  -.5368  -.5638 |
  AC + LSR        | .1761  -.1717  -.3323  -.3843  -.4552  -.4790 |
  AC + ESR        | .7694   .3952   .2265   .1721   .0968   .0714 |
  ----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
  strip           | .0497  -.3191  -.4904  -.5468  -.6245  -.6507 |
  strip + LSR     | .0707  -.2685  -.4239  -.4744  -.5429  -.5659 |
  strip + DAS     | .1809  -.1795  -.3472  -.4021  -.4779  -.5034 |
  strip + ESR     | .6511   .2927   .1320   .0801   .0084  -.0157 |
  ----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
  vegas           |-.1445  -.5243  -.7036  -.7625  -.8445  -.8722 |
  vegas + LSR     |-.1095  -.4594  -.6221  -.6747  -.7469  -.7713 |
  vegas + DAS     |-.0103  -.3813  -.5570  -.6146  -.6951  -.7223 |
  vegas + ESR     | .5403   .1720   .0046  -.0493  -.1245  -.1500 |
  ----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+
  reno            |-.4208  -.7386  -.8928  -.9439 -1.0154 -1.0396 |
  reno + LSR      |-.3858  -.6737  -.8113  -.8560  -.9178  -.9387 |
  reno + DAS      |-.3121  -.6176  -.7658  -.8151  -.8840  -.9073 |
  reno + ESR      | .2639  -.0423  -.1846  -.2307  -.2307  -.3174 |
  ----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+

  "AC" rules: (typical of Atlantic City)
        dealer stands on soft 17
        double down on any two cards
        double after splits
        no resplitting

  "strip" rules: (typical of Vegas Strip)
        dealer stands on soft 17
        double down on any two cards (but not after splits)

  "vegas" rules: (typical of Vegas Downtown)
        dealer hits soft 17
        double down on any two cards (but not after splits)

  "reno" rules:  (typical of Reno, northern Nevada)
        dealer hits soft 17
        double down allowed on two card total of 10 or 11 only

  DAS = Double After Splitting
  LSR = Late Surrender
  ESR = Early Surrender (no longer available)


Q:B14  Why are single deck games better than multi-deck games?
A:B14  (Michael Hall)

  There are some surface differences, such as single and double deck usually
  being hand-held, while four or more decks are dealt from a shoe, but there
  are fundamental mathematical differences too.

  Single deck blackjack is usually better than multiple deck blackjack
  for card counters, basic strategists, and the clueless.  Additional decks
  make busts less likely, since one can draw to hands like 2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2
  (for 18) which are improbable/impossible in single deck.  Busting less
  often helps the dealer's hand more than yours, since the dealer is forced
  by the rigid rules to hit more often than you.  Blackjacks are also less
  frequent, which is bad since you get paid 3 to 2 for those.  All in all,
  multiple decks will cost a basic strategist nearly 0.5% in advantage, which
  is more than all but the very best package of favorable extra rules will
  give you.  This was an intuitive explanation; a complete mathematically
  sound (albeit huge) proof can be generated by a combinatorial analysis
  program.

  Card counters face the additional problem that the count is less volatile
  with multiple decks and hence offers less frequent opportunities for large
  favorable bets.  Consider the difference between an urn with 1 black and
  1 white marble versus an urn with 100 black and 100 white marbles.  Draw
  half the marbles: what is the probability that all the remaining marbles
  are white?  In the 1 and 1 case, there is a 1 in 2 chance.  In the 100 and
  100 case, there is only a 1 in 100,891,344,545,564,193,334,812,497,256
  chance!


Q:B15  Do 'bad' players at third base have any effect on expected gain?
A:B15  (Steve Jacobs)

  No.  It is a common misconception that incorrect plays by the player
  at third base will "take the dealer's bust card" or "leave the dealer
  a good card".  As long as the shuffle is sufficient to randomize the
  cards, improper play of other players will be just as likely to help
  as it is to hurt.  However, bad players can cause frustration and
  anxiety which may increase the likelihood of making mistakes.  It is
  best to avoid the temptation to strangle bad players.


Q:B16  Where is the best place to sit at a blackjack table.
A:B16  (Steve Jacobs)

  It depends.  For basic strategy players, seat position has no significant
  effect on the player's expected return.  For card counters who use strategy
  variations, it is probably best to sit at third base in order to see as many
  cards as possible before playing the hand.  When playing against a "front
  loading" dealer, the best seat is whichever seat gives you the best shot at
  getting a glimpse of the dealer's hole card.  When playing at the Rio, the
  best seat is the one that gives the best view of the cocktail waitresses.


Q:B17  How is card counting done?
A:B17  (Steve Jacobs)

  The card counting system described below is an unbalanced 10 count
  that is 100% accurate for determining when to take insurance.  As
  a general purpose card counting system, it is relatively weak and
  not particularly recommended, but it illustrates many of the principles
  behind card counting.  This is intended only to give a feel for how
  card counting is done, and is not recommended for actual practice,
  although I've used it because of its simplicity.  This counting
  strategy is listed as "Unbalanced 10 Count" in other parts of the
  FAQ list.

  ---------------------------------------------------------------
  For SINGLE DECK games:

  1) Start the count at -4 when the deck is shuffled.

  2) Count -2 for 10, J, Q, K

  3) Count +1 for everything else (including aces)

  4) Bet low when the count is negative, high when the count is
     positive (actually, simulations show that you can bet high
     for a count of -2 or above).

  5) Take insurance when the count is positive.

  6) Play basic strategy at all times.

  ---------------------------------------------------------------
  For N deck games:

  1) Start the count at (-4 * N).

  2) all other rules are the same.
  ---------------------------------------------------------------

  NOTES:

    The unique feature of this counting method is that it is
    perfectly accurate for dealing with insurance.  When the
    count is positive, the player has the advantage when
    taking the insurance bet.  When the count is negative,
    the house has the advantage, so insurance should not be
    taken.

    Counting is best done by counting several cards at once.
    It is easy to practice this counting method in the following
    way:

    1)  Count through a deck of cards, counting one card
        at a time.  Start at -4, and count through the entire
        deck.  After all of the cards have been seen, the
        count should be ZERO.  If it is not zero, a mistake
        has been made somewhere.  Repeat counting through
        the deck one card at a time, until you can do it
        quickly without making mistakes.

    2)  Count through the deck, counting two cards at a
        time.  Look for the following patterns, adding
        the correct amount for each pattern

        (X = 10, N = non-ten)

        NN    +2
        XN    -1
        XX    -4

        Again, the count should be zero after all cards have
        been seen.  Repeat until you can do it efficiently.

    3)  Count through the deck, counting three cards at a time.
        Look for the following patterns, adding the correct
        amount for each pattern.

        (X = 10, N = non-ten)

        NNN    +3
        XNN     0    (this pattern is common)
        XXN    -3

    4)  Practice against a computer blackjack game.  When I
        play, I usually count the cards by counting an entire
        hand (player's or dealers) at once.  If there are more
        than three cards in the hand, I mentally break it up
        into groups of 1, 2, or 3 cards (I usually look for
        "XNN" patterns and ignore those cards, since they
        add up to zero).  I usually count the cards just
        before the dealer picks up the hand (exception: for
        insurance, you should count your cards and the dealer's
        up card immediately).
  ---------------------------------------------------------------

Q:B18  What counting system is "best"?
A:B18  (Matt Wilding)

  This has been answered by rec.gamblers using different approaches.

  The first approach is to evaluate different systems by simulation.
  This approach obscures the particular advantages of each system, but
  it's easy to see how a system will perform in one particular realistic
  casino playing situation, and not hard to judge the tradeoff between
  performance and ease of use (see Q/A B15 for more details).

  The second approach estimates several performance parameters of each
  system that collectively approximate the system's inherent potential.
  This allows the strengths of different BJ systems to be studied in
  detail, which should allow better, more precise comparison of different
  systems and aid efforts to improve a particular system.  This approach
  gives results which may be used to determine which counting system is
  _theoretically_ most profitable, but does not address the issue of how
  easy it is to use the counting system under actual playing conditions
  (see Q/A B16 for more details).

  It's not yet clear how these two studies relate, and no rec.gambling
  consensus has emerged as to how the more sophisticated performance
  parameters actually translate to advantage at the tables as in the
  simulations.


Q:B19  What counting system is easiest to use?
A:B19  (Matt Wilding)

  Background: Lots of systems are available.  There is an important
  tradeoff between complexity and theoretical power, as more complex
  systems are harder to use and more error-prone.

  Answer: You pick'em.  A rec.gambling study was accomplished that
  compared different systems, and here a summary of what came out:

  Complexity is a subjective measure with guidelines described in the
  results paper. Power is the integer closest to p/0.05%, where p is
  the % advantage of the strategy one-on-one in a single deck, dealer
  hits on soft 17, no DDAS, resplitting-allowed game that's dealt
  down to 20 cards and using a 1-4 betting spread.  15,000,000 hands
  guarantee correctness to within 1 point 99% of the time.

   name             complex power      card weights             reference
                                A  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  X
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------
  BASIC               0     -5                                 Steve Jacobs
  UNBALANCED 10       2     13   1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1 -2  Steve Jacobs
  SUPER-SIMPLE OPT-I 2.5    16         1  1  1  1          -1  WGBJB (1)
  REVERE PM          3.5    16  -1  1  1  1  1  1          -1  PBaaB
  RED SEVEN          3.5    19  -1  1  1  1  1  1 R:1      -1  BiB
  OPT1-6+6            5     18         1  1  1  1          -1  WGBJB
  WONG HIGH-LOW       5     19  -1  1  1  1  1  1          -1  PB
  ZEN                 5     19  -1  1  1  2  2  2  1       -2  BiB
  HORSESHOE           6     14      1  2  2  3  2  2  1 -1 -3  MDB (2)
  REVERE APC          6     17  -2  1  2  2  2  2  1       -2  PBaaB
  OPT1-6+6 W/ ACE     7     23         1  1  1  1          -1  WGBJB
  ANDERSON           9.5    16  -2  1  1  1  2  1  1    -1 -1  TtToLV
  USTON APC          10     22      1  2  2  3  2  2  1 -1 -3  MDB

  WGBJB: "World's Greatest BlackJack Book" by Humble and Cooper
  PBaaB: "Playing Blackjack as a Business" by Lawrence Revere
  BiB: "Blackbelt in Blackjack" by Arnold Snyder
  PB: "Professional Blackjack" by Stanford Wong
  TtToLV: "Turning the Tables on Las Vegas" by Ian Anderson
  MDB: "Million Dollar Blackjack" by Ken Uston
  (1) with modifications by Matthew Wilding
  (2) with modifications by Paul C. Kim


Q:B20  What BJ counting system is most effective?
A:B20  (Michael Hall, Jeff Jennings)

  The playing efficiency, betting correlation, and insurance correlation
  is listed below for several counting systems.  These numbers give an
  indication of the effectiveness of the counting system. When two
  numbers are listed, the second number results from adding an ace side
  count in addition to the "main" count.

  See answer B3 for definitions of "betting correlation", "playing
  efficiency", and "insurance correlation".


                  EXPLANATION OF COUNTING SYSTEMS
  ===========================================================================
  COUNTING           COUNTING VALUES         "BEST" EFFICIENCY  CORRELATION
  SYSTEMS      2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  X  A  SOURCE  PLAY+ace  BET+ace INSURE
  --------     ----------------------------  ------  -------- -------- ------
  Griffin      0  0  1  1  1  1  0  0 -1  0  Griffin  64-64+  .85-.95  .85
  Hi-Opt I     0  1  1  1  1  0  0  0 -1  0  Humble   61-63   .88-.97  .85
  Hi-Opt II    1  1  2  2  1  1  0  0 -2  0  Humble   67-67+  .91-.99  .91
  High-Low     1  1  1  1  1  0  0  0 -1 -1  Wong     51-63   .97      .76-.85
  Ita          1  1  1  1  1  1  0 -1 -1 -1  Sys.Res. 53-63+  .96      .69-.76
  Red 7's      1  1  1  1  1 **  0  0 -1 -1  Snyder   54-64+  .98      .78-.87
  Unbal 10's   1  1  1  1  1  1  1  1 -2  1  Roberts  61-61+  .73-.94 1.00
  Uston +-     0  1  1  1  1  1  0  0 -1 -1  Uston    55-64+  .95      .76-.85
  Uston APC    1  2  2  3  2  2  1 -1 -3  0  Uston    69-69+  .91-.99  .90
  Wong Halves  1  2  2  3  2  1  0 -1 -2 -2  Wong     57-67+  .99      .72-.85
  Zen          1  1  2  2  2  1  0  0 -2 -1  Snyder   63-67+  .97      .85-.91
                           ** red 7's +1, black 7's 0

  Note: Playing efficiencies have a pratical maximum of about 0.7.
        "Unbal 10's" is short for "Unbalanced 10 Count"


Q:B21  Does penetration have any effect on basic strategy expectation?
A:B21  (Steve Jacobs)

  Probably not.  Unless the dealer is cheating, the cards will be in
  a random order after the shuffle.  If the player is not counting cards
  or using other techniques to gain an advantage, it will not matter if
  there are several rounds or only a single round between shuffles.  But,
  if the dealer if using preferential shuffling, this will hurt the basic
  strategy players as well as the card counters.


Q:B22  What is the correct strategy for late surrender?
A:B22  (Michael Hall)

  Basic strategy for late surrender in AC multi-deck games is:

    Surrender hard 16 (but not 8-8) vs. 9, 10, ace
    Surrender hard 15 vs. 10

  If you are the least bit risk-adverse, you should also:

    Surrender hard 15 vs. ace

  At some casinos you can surrender your first two cards.  You lose half
  your bet in return for not having to play through the hand.  With early
  surrender, you get back half your bet even if the dealer has blackjack,
  while with late surrender you lose anyway when the dealer has blackjack.


Q:B23  What is the correct strategy for "multi action" blackjack?
A:B23  (Steve Jacobs)

  Multi Action blackjack allows the player to place up to three bets
  simultaneously on the same blackjack hand.  The player is dealt a
  single hand, and the three bets are played out against the same dealer
  upcard, but with different "drawn" cards for each bet.  Many players
  feel nervous about hitting stiff hands against a high dealer's upcard
  (7 or higher), since they will lose all three bets if they bust.
  However, basic strategy is COMPLETELY UNCHANGED for this game, and the
  correct strategy is no different than if the player had only a single
  bet at risk.


Q:B24  What is "Over/Under" Blackjack?
A:B24  (Steve Jacobs)

  Caesar's Tahoe introduced the Over-13 and Under-13 side bets that are
  allowed at some blackjack tables.  These bets are based on the player's
  total for the first two cards, when aces are counted as one.  Over-13
  bets win when the player's cards total 14 or higher, while under-13 bets
  win when the player's cards total 12 or under.  Either bet will lose
  when the player's total is exactly 13.  These bets are placed at the
  same time as the blackjack bet, and usually the side bet can be no larger
  than the bet on the blackjack hand.  Over/under games are usually dealt
  from a six deck shoe, and the player's first two cards are always dealt
  face up.  Although these are "sucker" bets for basic strategy players,
  with a house edge of 6% to 10%, special card counting strategies can be
  used to give the player a significant edge on these bets.


Q:B25  What is the counting strategy for Over/Under blackjack?
A:B25  (Steve Jacobs)

  The card weights used for the Over/Under count are as follows:  count
  +1 for Ace, 2, 3, and 4, and count -1 for tens and face cards.  The deck
  becomes favorable for counts of +2 and above, and for counts -4 and below.
  Over-13 bets should be placed when the count is +3 and above.  Under-13
  bets should be placed when the count is -4 and below.

  When playing Over/Under blackjack with this counting scheme, virtually
  all of the player's profit comes from the over-13 and under-13 side bets.
  This counting scheme is very poor for playing the blackjack portion of
  the bet, and will only allow the player to play about even with the house
  on the blackjack bets.  However, the over/under bets can be very profitable
  if the game has good penetration.  A 6-deck over/under game with good
  penetration can give the player an advantage of 1.5% or more.  Single deck
  over/under games with good penetration (very rare) can give the player
  an edge of over 4% when using the over/under count.

  Snyder's "Over/Under Report" discusses the over/under game in detail, and
  is available from RGE at an outrageous price.


Q:B26  What are some good/bad books on Blackjack?
A:B26

  The individual book reviews given below are grouped according to the
  person doing the review.  If you have an opposing view or wish to
  express another view of any of these books, write your own review
  and send it to the maintainer of the FAQ list, and it will be included.
  Reviews of books that are not mentioned here are especially welcome.

  There are undoubtedly many good books that are not listed here, as
  well as many terrible books that are not listed here.  These reviews
  are only the opinions of the reviewers, and your mileage may vary.


  Review by Michael Dalton (as reported by Michael Hall)

     Dalton, Michael.  _Blackjack:_A_Professional_Reference_. Spur of the
     Moment Publishing, PO BOX 541967, Merritt Island, FL; 1991. (1964 pages)

       - Written by a NASA computer systems engineer, this book is a
     comprehensive _reference_ to the game of blackjack. Over 1000 entries
     listing books, magazines, publications, newsletters, articles, reports,
     videos, software and other products available for serious players of the
     game twenty-one.  Also included is the most comprehensive blackjack
     dictionary ever compiled explaining blackjack terminology, system and
     strategy descriptions, rules, and miscellaneous blackjack trivia.
     Complete basic strategy charts that cover most blackjack games in the
     world are also presented.  Fully cross-referenced with recommendations.


  Reviews by Edmund Hack:

     Blackjack Video: "Winning at Blackjack with Bobby Singer", JCI Video,
     1987, 103 minutes.  This video is a tape of a sales pitch/introduction
     to card counting seminar hosted by Bobby Singer, billed as the "World's
     biggest winner at the game of Blackjack" on the back cover.  The tape
     covers 5 areas:  Basic Strategy, Card Counting, Money Management, Team
     Play and Casino Awareness.  Unfortunately, the information is incomplete.
     For example, the basic strategy section only covers hard and soft hands
     and the card counting section only covers the card values for the Hi-Lo
     count, but no bet sizing or strategy adjustments.  The rest of the
     information is avaiable for $149.00.  For this price, you get a set of
     notebooks with lessons and audio tapes covering the Hi-Lo count and an
     800 number you can call to find out where the best games are in the city
     you plan to play. I rented the tape for $1.50 and maybe got my money's
     worth.

     One interesting point covered in moderate detail is team play.  Singer
     advocates playing 4 deck or up shoes with the "Big Player" approach
     pioneered by Uston and others.  He advised using a counter at one or
     more tables who flat bets and uses hand signals (i.e. scratching the
     head) to call in a big money player.  The current count is signaled to
     the Big Player by the stacking of chips in front of the counter in a
     particular way.  The Big Player can then play out the rest of the shoe,
     presumably free of heat.  If the count goes bad, the big player leaves,
     proclaiming a trip to the rest toom is needed.  The home study course is
     said to have info on bet sizing related/risk of ruin for teams and
     individuals.


     "The Winner's Guide to Casino Gambling", Edwin Silberstang, Plume, 1980
     and 1989.  This is a general overview of casino gambling with chapters
     on casino operations, comps, junkets, credit and the games offered.
     Detailed sections on craps, baccarat, roulette, keno, slots, video poker
     (89 edition only) and blackjack give the staff, rules, and procedures of
     each game, the house advantage, a glossary, and the best plays for each.
     In addition, there are anecdotes about playing the games.  As the author
     has separate books on poker and sports betting, there is little
     information on them here and Red Dog and Pai Gow poker are not covered.
     The blackjack section has correct basic strategy information for 1,2,
     and 4+ deck games with and without DAS, and a discussion of Strip, Reno
     and Downtown rules variations.  He presents the Hi-Opt I count (not by
     that name) and how to use it for bet sizing and insurance bets, but no
     strategy adjustments.  There is a section written by a professional
     blackjack player on how to hide the fact that you are counting and life
     as a pro.  If you want a single book as an introduction to casino
     gambling, this is it. [Note: there are 2 versions of the book out - a
     small green paperback from 1980 and a black trade paperback from 1989
     that has been updated.]


  Reviews by Michael Hall:

     "Fundamentals of Blackjack" by Chambliss and Rogenski - this book is
     pretty much a standard blackjack book, but it has exceptionally good
     tables of information.  I advise buying this book as a supplement to
     whatever book you use for your counting system (probably either
     "Professional Blackjack", "The World's Greatest Blackjack Book",
     "Blackbelt in Blackjack" or "Million Dollar Blackjack".)  The counting
     system discussed in "Fundamentals..." is not one that you would
     actually want to use, but the tables don't assume this system is used.
     Unfortunately, many of the tables were generated using Snyder's
     "Blackjack Formula", and so the accuracy is not as good as would be
     the case with computer simulations.

     "Card Counting for the Casino Executive" by Bill Zender - this book
     is written for casino executives, as you might suspect, which makes
     it insightful reading for card counters.  The book goes into detail
     about how pit critters should go about identifying and discouraging
     card counters.  It also lists all kinds of ways the players can win,
     both honestly and by cheating.  The author is fairly counter-tolerant,
     which is refreshing.  Alas, the book is spiral bound, only 138 pages
     long, and *full* of white space.


  Reviews by Steve Jacobs:

     "Million Dollar Blackjack" by Ken Uston.  This is a good all-around
     blackjack book, although the advanced counting scheme is much more
     difficult than most.  Ken gives a balanced view of blackjack, without
     the exaggerated claims that many BJ authors are fond of.

     "World's Greatest Blackjack Book" by Humble & Cooper.  This is a good
     book with a pretty reasonable counting scheme.  The authors are _way_
     too paranoid about cheating, to the extent that they attribute virtually
     all of their losses to cheating.  Otherwise, it is a good book.  These
     guys have absolutely nothing nice to say about Lawrence Revere, so if
     you've read "Playing Blackjack as a Business" and would like to read
     an opposing viewpoint, this is the book for you.

     "Blackbelt in Blackjack" by Arnold Snyder.  The Red Seven count in
     this book is simple, and quite effective against single deck games.
     The Zen count is more difficult, but more powerful.  Snyder includes
     some interesting ideas that aren't found in other books, such as "depth
     charging".  This book is probably not as good for beginners as are
     the previous two books, but is a good book for more advanced readers.

     "Theory of Blackjack" by Peter Griffin.  This is one of the few good
     books that cover the mathematical considerations of the game.  This
     book is either a complete must or a complete waste of time, depending
     on how you feel about mathematics.

     "Beat the Dealer" by Edward Thorp.  This book is a classic, and
     is still worth reading.  The card counting schemes are now somewhat
     dated, but it is still a good book for card counters.

     "Professional Blackjack" by Stanford Wong.  Some people really like
     this book, but I didn't find it all that exciting.  It is considered
     a classic, and has a lot of good material.

     "Playing Blackjack as a Business" by Lawrence Revere.  This is one
     of the most accurate books for basic strategy, and the color charts
     are very nice.  The numbers in the tables were provided by Julian
     Braun, and are about as accurate as any available, but don't believe
     the numbers that Revere gives for player's expected gain.  Revere's
     counting scheme isn't of much value, and Revere's "I'm right and
     everyone else is a dope" attitude is very annoying, although
     partially justified if you account for the date of first publication
     and the scarcity of good books at that time.  Revere also makes many
     inflated claims about player's expectation, which Humble & Cooper
     would attribute to character flaw.

     "Scarne on Cards" by John Scarne.  This book is simply wrong when
     it comes to blackjack, and Scarne was too arrogant to even consider
     the possibility that he might have been wrong.  He spends a lot of
     time trying to discredit Thorp.  This book has _negative_ value for
     serious blackjack players, and should probably be avoided completely.

     "Turning the Tables on Las Vegas" by Ian Anderson.  This is an
     entertaining book that describes techniques for disguising your
     play to avoid detection by pit critters.

     "Tournament Blackjack" by Stanford Wong.  This book covers some
     of the unique considerations that only come up in tournament play.
     If you plan to play in tournaments and you can laugh at the $100
     price, then this book may be for you.  I personally felt that it
     was _way_ overpriced.


Q:B27  What are some other sources of blackjack/gambling information?
A:B27  (Jonathan Rosenberg, Michael Hall)

  RGE Publishing, 414 Santa Clara Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610, [phone]
  Publishes Blackjack Forum, $30/year (4 issues).  Call for their very
  interesting catalog.  Includes books, videos, PC based BJ practice programs,
  analyzers and simulators, and back issues of Blackjack Forum.

  Current Blackjack News, by Stanford Wong.  $95/year (12 issues).  Available
  through RGE.

  Blackjack Confidential Magazine, 513 Salsbury Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
  $99/year (10 issues).

  Win Magazine, 16760 Stagg St. #213, Van Nuys, CA 91406, [phone]
  Formerly Gambling Times.  $36/year (12 issues).  Covers all gambling and
  gaming topics.

  The Experts Blackjack Newsletter, Gambling Times Incorporated, 16760
  Stagg St. #213, Van Nuys, CA 91406, [phone]
  New, advertised in WIN Magazine.  $30/year (6 issues)

  The International Gamblers' Club Newsletter, P.O. Box 73, Thornhill,
  Ontario, Canada L3T 3N1
  $24/year (4 issues).  Founded by Lance Humble.  They'll send you a free
  but dated sample if you write.  Mainly BJ but contains some sports betting
  information.  (I wasn't impressed with my sample).

  Gambler's Book Club, 630 South 11th Street, Box 4115, Las Vegas, NV 89127,
  [phone].
  Not a newsletter but call for their awesome, awesome, awesome catalog
  containing not only just about every blackjack book ever written but
  practically every book ever written on any gambling topic.  They also
  operate a book store at the above address in Las Vegas.
  [And they have gambling experts (including card counters) working at
   the store most of the time, willing to answer questions -- Michael Hall]

  Las Vegas Advisor, Huntington Press, PO Box 28041, Las Vegas, Nevada 89126,
  [phone]. $30/year (12 issues).  Produced by Anthony Curtis.  Lots
  of information on deals and freebies available in Las Vegas.  Sometimes
  includes valuable coupons or arranges special deals for subscribers.
  (I have personally more than recouped the $30/year cost in actual cash
   back from coupons for about half year's worth of the subscription. -Hall)

==================================
Section C: Craps


Q:C1  What special terminology is used at the Craps table?
A:C1  (Steve Jacobs, Ken Elliot III)

  Craps Terminology:

    "any craps" -- a bet that the next roll will be 2, 3, or 12.  This
        bet pays 7:1 and has a house edge of 11.1%.

    "any seven" -- a bet that the next roll will be 7.  This bet pays
        4:1 and has a house edge of 16.7%.

    "big 6" -- a bet that a 6 will be rolled before a 7 comes up.  This
        bet pays even money, and has a house edge of 9.1%.  A place
        bet on 6 pays 7:6 and is almost identical.  The place bet is
        preferred, having a house edge of 1.5%

    "big 8" -- a bet that an 8 will be rolled before a 7 comes up.  This
        bet pays even money, and has a house edge of 9.1%.  A place
        bet on 8 pays 7:6 and is almost identical.  The place bet is
        preferred, having a house edge of 1.5%

    "buy bet" -- giving the house a 5% commission in order to be paid
        correct odds for a place bet.  The buy bets on 4 and 10    allow
        the player to reduce the house edge from 6.67% to 4% on these
        bets.

    "come out roll" -- the first roll of the dice in a betting round is
        called the "come out" roll.  Pass/come bets win when the
        come out roll is 7 or 11, while pass/come bets lose when the
        come out roll is 2, 3, or 12.  Don't bets lose when the come
        out roll is 7 or 11, and don't bets win when the come out
        roll is 2 or 3.  Don't bets tie when the come out roll is 12.

    "dice pass" -- The dice are said to "pass" when the shooter rolls a
        7 or 11 on the come-out roll.  The dice "don't pass" when the
        shooter    rolls a 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out.  If the come-out
        roll is a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, this roll sets the "point",
        and the shooter continues to roll until the point is rolled
        again or a 7 is rolled (see "seven out").  If the shooter
        rolls the point before rolling a seven, the dice pass.  If the
        shooter sevens out, the dice don't pass and the shooter loses
        control of the dice.  NOTE: in this context, "pass" does NOT
        mean that the dice to given to the next player.  Control of
        the dice is tranferred only when the shooter "sevens out" or
        when the shooter has completed a game and no longer wishes to
        roll the dice.

    "don't pass bet" -- a bet that the dice will not pass.  This bet can
        be placed only immediately before a "come out" roll.  House
        edge on these bets is 1.40%.

    "double odds" -- an odds bet that is about twice as large as the
        original pass/come bet.

    "field bet" -- a bet that the next roll will be 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11,
        or 12.

    "hard way" -- a bet on 4, 6, 8, or 10 that wins only if the dice show
        the same face.  A "hard 8" occurs when each die shows a four.

    "hop bet" -- a bet that the next roll will result in one particular
        combination of the dice, such as 2-2 or 3-5.

    "horn bet" -- a bet that the next roll will be 2, 3, 11, or 12.

    "lay bet" -- a bet that a particular number (4,5,6,8,9, or 10) will
        NOT be rolled before a 7 comes up.  The casino takes 5% of
        the winnings on these bets, up front.

    "lay odds" -- after a point has been established, the don't-pass
        bettor can place an additional odds bet that will win if the
        original don't-pass bet wins.  The odds bet is paid at the
        correct odds for the point, and is a fair bet with no house
        edge.

    "line bet" -- a bet on the "pass line" or the "don't pass line" is
        called a "line" bet.  These bets are placed at the beginning
        of the game, before the "come out" roll.

    "odds off" -- odds bets that are "not working".  Odds bets can be
        called "off" by the player at any time, but are left on the
        felt until the bet is resolved.  Also, odds bets are usually
        "off" during the come out roll, unless the bettor asks to
        have the odds bets "working".  Odd bets that are "off" will
        be returned to the player if the line bet loses    on the come
        out roll.

    "pass bet" -- a bet that the dice will pass.  This bet can be placed
        only immediately before a "come out" roll.  House edge on
        these bets is 1.41%.

    "place bet (to win)" -- a bet that a particular number (4, 5, 6, 8,
        9, or 10) will be rolled before a 7 comes up.  These bets are
        paid at    slightly less than correct odds, giving the house an
        edge of    1.52% on 6/8, 4% on 5/9, and 6.67% on 4/10.

        "place bet (to lose)" -- a bet that a 7 will be rolled before
                the number you are placing (4,5,6,8,9, or 10) comes up.
            The casino requires you to lay slightly more than the
                correct odds, giving the house an edge of 3.03% on 4/10,
        2.5% on 5/9, and 1.82% on 6/8.

    "point" -- if a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 is rolled on the come out roll,
        then this number becomes the "point".  The shooter must roll
        the point again, before rolling a seven, in order for the
        dice to "pass".

    "right bettor" -- a player who bets that the dice will pass.

    "seven out" -- when the shooter rolls seven after a point has been
        established.  Control of the dice is transferred to the next
        shooter.

    "shooter" -- the player who is rolling the dice.  The shooter must
        place a "line" bet ("pass" or "don't pass") in order to be
        eligible to roll the dice.  Of course, the shooter can place
        other bets in addition to the required "line" bet.  Most
        shooters (and players) tend to play the "pass" line.  Note
        that shooters who make "don't pass" bets are not betting
        against themselves, they are simply betting that the dice
        will not "pass".

    "single odds" -- an odds bet that is about as large as the original
        pass/come bet.  Some casinos allow "double odds", or even
        larger odds bets.

    "take odds" -- after a point has been established, the pass/come
        bettor can place an additional odds bet that will win if the
        original pass/come bet wins.  The odds bet is paid at the
        correct odds for the point, and is a fair bet with no house
        edge.

    "working odds" -- odds bets that are in play are said to be "working".
        Odds bets are usually "off" during the come out roll, unless
        the bettor asks to have the odds bets "working".

    "wrong bettor" -- a player who bets that the dice will not pass.


Q:C2  How is Craps played?
A:C2  (Dave Decot, Frank Irwin, Alan Mintz, Ken Elliot III)

  Each player bets a minimum amount determined by the table.

  Each die has six sides, each side with a different number of spots
  from one to six.

  Two such dice are rolled by one player called the "shooter".  The shooter
  must place a "pass" bet or a "don't pass" bet in order to be eligible to
  roll the dice.  Exception:  the shooter can let his Hot Babe (TM) roll the
  dice for him if he has a pass or don't pass bet down.

  The total number of spots on the tops of the dice after the shooter has
  rolled is called the "roll".

  A game consists of a series of rolls.

  A roll of 2, 3, or 12 is called "craps".

  The first roll by the shooter during a game is called the "come-out roll".

  If the come-out roll is 7 or 11, the game is over:

     Bets on the "Pass line" win 1:1.

     Bets on the "Don't Pass line" lose.

  If the come-out roll is craps, the game is over:

     Bets on the "Pass line" lose.

     Bets on the "Don't Pass line" win unless:

    The "Don't Pass" line says "Bar <roll>" and the roll is the
    indicated value, in which case the bet pushes.

  Otherwise, the come-out roll becomes the "point", and a large white marker
  is placed on the number representing the point (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10).

  For each roll in a game subsequent to the come-out roll:

     If the roll is the point, the game is over:

     Bets on the "Pass line" win 1:1.

     Bets on the "Don't Pass line" lose.

     If the roll is 7, the game is over:

     Bets on the "Pass line" and lose.

     Bets on the "Don't Pass line" win 1:1.

     The turn of the "shooter" is over.

     Otherwise, the game continues and the shooter rolls again.

  During a game, bets on the Pass line cannot be removed or changed.  Bets
  on the Don't Pass line may be decreased or removed, but not increased.

  When a game is over:

    If the game was over on the come-out roll, or because the point was
    rolled again, the shooter may continue to be the shooter for another
    game, or pass the dice on to the player just clockwise, who becomes
    the new shooter.

    Otherwise, the shooter must pass the dice on to the player just clockwise,
    who becomes the new shooter.


Q:C3  What are "Odds"?
A:C3  (Matt Wilding)

  Casinos allow a player to place "odds" on pass, don't pass, come, and don't
  come bets after a "point" has been established.  If the bet on which odds
  are placed wins, the odds bet is paid fairly.  This means the odds on pass
  and come bets are paid 2-1 for the 4 and 10, 3-2 for the 5 and 9, and 6-5
  for the 6 and 8.  The odds for don't pass and don't come bets are paid 1-2
  for the 4 and 10, 2-3 for the 5 and 9, and 5-6 for the 6 and 8 (this is
  called "laying" odds).

  The player should make odds bets that can be paid exactly, or the dealer
  will pay off by rounding down.  Odds on the pass line and come bets should
  be a multiple 5 if the point is 6 or 8 and a multiple of 2 if it's a 5 or 9.
  (Don't betters can figure this out themselves.)

  Casinos advertise the maximum odds bets they allow as the maximum amount
  "times" the original bet the odds bet may be.  You can increase your odds
  bet over this advertised maximum only enough to allow you to make an odds
  bet that can be paid exactly.

  A player can modify his odds bets at any time.


Q:C4  What are "Come" and "Don't Come" bets?
A:C4  (Dave Decot, Frank Irwin, Alan Mintz)

  Other bets can be made during the game after the come-out roll by anyone,
  called "Come" and "Don't Come" bets.  These are made by placing the bet
  on the "Come" line or the "Don't Come" line; these bets are regarded
  as Pass bets, but as if the very next roll of the dice were the "come-out"
  roll of a new game.  That is, if the next roll is 7 or 11, the Come bet
  wins immediately; if the next roll is 2, 3, or 12, the Come bet loses
  immediately; otherwise, the number rolled is the point for that Come bet.
  Such a Come bet is moved onto the area of the table where its point appears,
  awaiting a roll of either its point or seven.  The game for a Come bet
  always continues until this happens, even though the shooter rolls the point
  for the Pass line, even though the shooter begins a new game for
  the Pass line, even though another shooter begins rolling, as long
  as the termination conditions for that Come bet have not yet occurred.

  Note that rolling a seven always terminates all Pass, Come, Don't Pass, and
  Don't Come games on the table; since it results in immediate win or loss.
  When this happens, the shooter is said to "seven out".

  The payoffs for Come and Don't Come bets are the same as for Pass and
  Don't pass bets.

  It is possible to place odds bets on the points of your own Come and
  Don't Come bets by handing the bet to a dealer and stating that you
  want "odds on my <point>". Unless you specify otherwise, odds bets on
  Come are declared "not working" on a come out roll after a point is made.
  However, odds on Don't Come bets are usually working by default.


Q:C5  What are all those other bets?
A:C5  (Dave Decot, Frank Irwin, Ken Elliot III)

  Other bets are possible:

    Place bets (to win):

      Bets that an indicated number will be rolled before 7 is rolled
      (come-out rolls are ignored for the purpose of determining this,
      unless otherwise specified by the player making the bet).

    Place bets (to lose):

      Bets that a 7 will be rolled before the indicated number is rolled
      (come-out rolls are ignored for the purpose of determining this,
      unless otherwise specified by the player making the bet).

    One roll bets:

      Bets that a certain roll, or a certain pair of dice faces, or one
      of several rolls, will appear on the next roll of the dice.  Such
      bets may be made before any roll.  These all pay higher than 1:1,
      This includes "Any craps", "eleven", "seven", "Horn", and "field"
      bets.

    Field:

      A special case of one-roll bet.  This pays 1-1 whenever 3, 4, 9,
      10, or 11 is rolled, and possibly higher amounts when 2 or 12 is
      rolled.

    Hardways:

      Bets that a certain pair of dice faces will appear before 7 is rolled,
      and before any other pair of dice faces with the same total value
      are rolled.  For example, a bet on "hard 4 (2 and 2)" loses when
      (1 and 3) is rolled, because this is an "easy way" to roll 4.
      A bet on "hard anything" loses when 7 is rolled.

    Hopping hardways:

      Bets that a certain pair of identical dice faces will appear on
      the next roll.  These all pay 30:1 (or sometimes higher or lower).

    Horn bets:

      Basically, just betting on the 2,3,11, and 12 at once.  This requires
      4 units, since you are really making 4 bets.


Q:C6  What are the odds for all these bets?
A:C6  (From: "Winning Casino Craps" by Edwin Silberstang, and Ken Elliot III)

  Bet                         Casino Payoff                  Casino Advantage

  Pass-Line                        1:1                             1.41%
     With Single Odds              1:1 + odds                      0.8
     With Double Odds              1:1 + odds                      0.6

  Come                             1:1                             1.41%
     With Single Odds              1:1 + odds                      0.8
     With Double Odds              1:1 + odds                      0.6

  Don't Pass                       1:1                             1.40%
     With Single Odds              1:1 + odds                      0.8
     With Double Odds              1:1 + odds                      0.6

  Don't Come                       1:1                             1.40%
     With Single Odds              1:1 + odds                      0.8
     With Double Odds              1:1 + odds                      0.6

  Place Numbers (to win)
     4 or 10                       9:5                             6.67%
     4 or 10 (bought)              2:1 (-5% commission)            4.76
     5 or 9                        7:5                             4.0
     6 or 8                        7:6                             1.52

  Place Numbers (to lose)
     4 or 10                       5:11                            3.03%
     4 or 10 (layed)               1:2 (-5% commission)            2.44
     5 or 9                        5:8                             2.5
     6 or 8                        4:5                             1.82

  Big 6 and Big 8                  1:1                             9.09%

  Field
     With 2 and 12 paying 2:1      1:1 except 2 & 12               5.55%
     With 2 pay 3:1, 12 pay 2:1    1:1 except 2 & 12               2.77%
     With 2 pay 2:1, 12 pay 3:1    1:1 except 2 & 12               2.77%

                              Proposition Bets
  Bet             True Odds            Casino Payoff         Casino Advantage

  Any 7              5:1                   4:1                      16.67%
  Any Craps          8:1                   7:1                      11.1
  2 or 12           35:1                  30:1                      13.89
                                          29:1                      16.67
  3 or 11           17:1                  15:1                      11.1
                                          14:1                      16.67

  Hardways
     4 or 10         8:1                   7:1                      11.1%
     6 or 8         10:1                   9:1                       9.09


==================================
Section R: Roulette


Anybody out there really care about roulette?


==================================
Section V: Video Poker

Q:V1  Is it possible to gain an advantage at Video Poker?
A:V1  (Steve Jacobs)

  The video poker strategy discussed here is for the common "8/5" machines
  (called 8/5 because of the 8-for-1 payoff for a full house and 5-for-1
  payoff for a flush).  "Joker's Wild" and "Deuces Wild" machines will
  require a much different strategy.

  In order to have an advantage over the house, you must find a machine
  with a progressive jackpot that is larger that about 1750 maximum bets.
  ($8750 for $1 machines, $2200 for $.25 machines, $440 for $.05 machines).
  The level only makes the game even with the house.  The jackpot must
  be higher than this in order to gain an advantage.  The player's edge
  increases by about 1% for each addition of 750 maximum bets into the
  progressive jackpot.

  In order to have a 2% edge, the jackpot must be about 2500 max. bets.
  ($12,500 for $1 machines, $3125 for $.25 machines, $625 for $.05 machines).

  The main difficulty with playing video poker is that it takes an average
  of 60 hours of rapid play to hit a royal flush, and it takes a _huge_
  bankroll to survive long enough to win.  During this times, the casino
  enjoys an advantage of approximately 5%.  Straight flushes can be expected
  about once every 6 hours on average, but these contribute only about 0.5%
  to the player's edge.  4-of-kind hands occur only about once per hour, and
  these hands account for about 5% of the player's return.

  What this all means to the video poker player is that you will be playing
  with about a 10% disadvantage while waiting for an occasional "boost"
  from a 4-of-kind or straight flush.  On average, it will take a bankroll
  about as large as the progressive jackpot to survive long enough to hit
  the royal flush (and this assumes that the jackpot is large enough to
  give the player a reasonable edge over the house).

  The following table shows the relative frequency of each hand, and the
  resultant effect on the expected return, assuming the given strategy
  is used.  The table shows that you can expect to get nothing back about
  55% of the time, and hit either a high pair, two pair, or three of
  a kind another 41% of the time.  Hands of higher value occur only about
  3.6% of the time.  This means that the house has a whopping 31% edge most
  of the time.

    return    % rate    frequency    variance
  ------------------------------------------
    5.308 ->  0.00306 -> 1/32680     91.90  --=<ROYAL FLUSH!!!>=--
    0.492 ->  0.00984 -> 1/10163      0.246 STRAIGHT FLUSH!!!!
    5.878 ->  0.235   -> 1/425        1.469 FOUR OF A KIND!!!
    9.183 ->  1.148   -> 1/87         0.735 FULL HOUSE!!
    5.584 ->  1.117   -> 1/89.5       0.293 FLUSH!
    4.512 ->  1.128   -> 1/88.7       0.180 STRAIGHT!
   22.227 ->  7.409   -> 1/13.5       0.667 THREE OF A KIND
   25.780 -> 12.890   -> 1/7.76       0.516 TWO PAIR
   21.053 -> 21.053   -> 1/4.75       0.211 HIGH PAIR
  ------------------------------------------
             44.993%                  4.317 + royal


Q:V2  What is the "basic strategy" for Video Poker?
A:V2  (Steve Jacobs)

  Strategy based on the following payoffs:

        high pair          1 for 1
        two pair           2 for 1
        3 kind             3 for 1
        straight           4 for 1
        flush              5 for 1
        full house         8 for 1
        4 kind            25 for 1
        str flush         50 for 1
        royal flush     2500 for 1 (expected return 102%)

  --------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Simplified strategy (find first hand that matches, keep only needed cards).
  Best draws are listed in order of decreasing expected value.

  Expected value of each draw is shown, in units of one max. bet.  Numbers in
  () vary, depending on progressive jackpot (value shown is for jackpot
  of 2500 max. bets).

  drawing  value      hand
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------
    0     (2500)     royal flush
    1     (  54)       4/royal (break up KQJT9 str-flush) [1]
    0        50         straight flush
    0        25         4 kind
    0         8         full house
    0         5      flush
    2         4.24   3 kind
    0         4      straight
    1         3.4      4/str-flush
    2     (   2.9)     3/royal (break up pairs) [2,3]
    1         2.51   two pair
    3         1.53   high pair
    1         1.0      4/flush
    1         0.87     KQJT 4/straight
    3         0.814  low pair
    1         0.809    QJT9 4/straight (outside, two high cards)
    1         0.745    JT98 4/straight (outside, one high card)
    2         0.699    QJ9 3/str-flush
    2         0.697    JT9 3/str-flush
    3     (   0.69)    2/royal (both non-tens)
    1         0.681    4/straight (outside, no high cards)
    2         0.599    3/str-flush (one high card, spread 4)
    2         0.597    3/str-flush (spread 3)
    3     (   0.59)    2/royal (10 + one high card)
    1         0.596    AKQJ straight (4 high cards)
    1         0.532    AKQT/AKJT/AQJT/KQJ9 straight (3 high cards)
    2         0.515    KQJ unsuited
    3         0.509    QJ unsuited
    2         0.502    3/str-flush (one high card, spread 5)
    2         0.500    3/str-flush (none high cards, spread 4)
    3         0.48     3 unsuited high cards (keep lowest two)
    3         0.48     2 unsuited high cards
    4     (   0.48)    high card
    2         0.402    3/str-flush (none high cards, spread 5)
    5         0.360    garbage (draw 5 new cards)
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------
  [1] Keep KQJT9 straight flush if progressive jackpot is below 2282 bets.
  [2] Keep two high pair if progressive jackpot is below 2100 bets.
  [3] Keep high pair plus paired 10's if progressive is below 2175 bets.

  The following draws should NOT be taken, since drawing 5 new
  cards gives a greater expected gain.

    1         0.340   4/straight (inside, no high cards) --> keep none
    2         0.305   3/flush (no high cards) --> keep none
    2         0.275   3/straight (no high cards) --> keep none
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------


==================================
Section P: Poker


Q:P1  How is Texas Hold'em played?
A:P1  (Will Hyde)

  TEXAS HOLD'EM RULES (From the Garden City, San Jose, Rulebook):

  Each player is dealt two down cards (hole, or 'pocket' cards) as
  their initial hand.

  There is a round of betting after these cards have been
  delivered.

  Three board-cards are turned face up simultaneously (which is
  called 'the flop') and another round of betting occurs.

  The dealer then turns a fourth card face up on the board, and the
  third round of betting follows.  [the 'turn' card]

  After a fifth card is turned face up on the board, the final
  round of betting takes place.  [the 'river' card]

  The five face up board-cards are called community cards and a
  player may use any combination of five cards to determine his
  best hand.

  Best five-card hand wins.

  A player may use any combination of board cards or hole cards to
  make a hand.


==================================
Section M: Miscellaneous

Q:M1  How is Baccarat played?
A:M1  (Steve Jacobs)

  Baccarat is a card games that is usually dealt from a shoe that holds
  6 or 8 decks of cards.  Two hands are dealt by the house dealer, the
  "bank" hand and the "player" hand.  Before the hands are dealt, the
  players can bet either on the bank hand or the player hand, or on a
  tie.  Winning bets are paid 1:1, but a 5% commission is charged on bank
  bets.  Tie bets are paid 8:1.  Once a bet has been placed, there are no
  opportunities for the player to make decisions -- both the bank hand and
  the player hand are dealt according to fixed rules.

  A game of baccarat is started by dealing two cards for the player hand
  and two cards for the bank hand.  The object of the game is to be dealt
  the hand with the highest rank.  The rank of a hand is determined by
  totalling the ranks of the individual cards.  Tens and face cards are
  counted as zero, while all other cards are counted by the number of
  "pips" on the card face.  No baccarat hand can have a total greater
  than nine.  If a card is added that would give a total greater than
  nine, the hand rank is adjusted by subtracting 10.

  According to the rules of baccarat, the player will stand if the first
  two cards total 6, 7, 8, or 9.  An eight or a nine is a "natural", and
  is an automatic winner if the other hand has a lower total.  If both
  hands are eights or both are nines, then a tie occurs and neither side
  wins.  If neither hand is a natural, then cards might be drawn before
  the game ends.  If the player hand totals 5 or less, then a third card
  is drawn for the player hand and the player will stand regardless of
  the total.  The banker stands when holding 7, 8, or 9, and always draws
  one card when holding 0, 1, or 2.  For other banker totals, drawing is
  determined by the rank of the player hand, according to the following
  table:

       Bank     0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  <- player hand rank
      --------------------------------------
        9       s  s  s  s  s  s  s  s  s  s
        8       s  s  s  s  s  s  s  s  s  s
        7       s  s  s  s  s  s  s  s  s  s
        6       s  s  s  s  s  s  H  H  s  s
        5       s  s  s  s  H  H  H  H  s  s
        4       s  s  H  H  H  H  H  H  s  s
        3       H  H  H  H  H  H  H  H  s  H
        2       H  H  H  H  H  H  H  H  H  H
        1       H  H  H  H  H  H  H  H  H  H
        0       H  H  H  H  H  H  H  H  H  H


  When baccarat is dealt from 8 decks, the probability of a banker win
  is 45.86%, the probability of a player win is 44.62%, and the probability
  of a tie is 9.52%.  The house edge on "player" bets is about 1.24%.
  Winning "bank" bets are charged a 5% commission, resulting in a 1.06%
  edge on these bets.  The house edge on "tie" bets is about 4.9%.


Q:M2  How is Red Dog played?
A:M2  (Steve Jacobs)

  "Red Dog" is also known as "Acey Duecey" or "between the sheets".  It is
  a card game that is usually dealt from a shoe containing four or five
  decks, although single deck games can be found occasionally.

  After the players bet, two cards are dealt face up on the table.  If the
  two cards are adjacent, it is a tie.  If the two cards are not identical,
  the player is allowed to place a "raise" bet, up to the size of the
  original bet.  If the third card drawn is _between_ the first two cards,
  the player wins.  If the first two cards are identical the player is not
  allowed to raise, and if the third card matches the first two, the player
  is payed 11:1.  Payoffs are at even money unless the first two cards are
  a pair or the "spread" is 3 or less.

                Spread          Payoff
        ----------------------------------
                 pair            11:1
                   0 (adjacent)   push
                   1              5:1
                   2              4:1
                   3              2:1
                   4 - 11         1:1

  The number of players at the table is totally irrelevent, since all players
  win or lose simultaneously.  The only strategy decision that the player
  is allowed to make is whether or not to double the bet.  With these payoffs,
  the bet should be doubled only when the spread is 7 or greater.

  The house edge for Red Dog is about 3%, and decreases slightly as more
  decks are used.


Q:M3  Can the lottery be beat when the jackpot gets high enough?
A:M3  [under construction]


Q:M4  How is Pai Gow Poker played?
A:M4  (John F. Reeves)

  Pai-gow poker is a banking poker game played in Las Vegas and some of the
  California card clubs.  The object of pai-gow poker is to make two poker
  hands that beat the banker's hands.  The player is dealt 7 cards that he
  makes into a five card hand (high hand) and a two card  hand (low hand).
  The hands are played and ranked as traditional poker hands (with one
  exception: A2345 is the second highest straight), and the 5 card hand
  must be higher than the 2 card hand.  If both hands are better than the
  banker's hand, you win, if both lose, you lose, otherwise it's a push.
  The banker wins absolute ties (i.e. K Q vs K Q).

  The game is played with a 52 cards plus one joker.  The joker can be used
  as an Ace or to complete a flush or straight.  The table layout has 7
  spots one in front of the dealer and 6 for players, like this:

             Dealer
               7
         1        6
           2      5
             3  4

  Each player spot has spaces for a bet, low hand, high hand and sometimes
  the house commission.  The dealer deals 7 7-card hands in front of the
  chip tray.  The banker can be a player, but is usually the house.  The
  banker designates which hands go to which player by shaking a dice cup
  with three dice; the banker's position is either 1, 8 or 15 and the hands
  are passed out counterclockwise.  So, if the dealer is the bank and the
  dice total to 6, player 5 gets the first hand, player 6 gets the second,
  the dealer gets the third and so on.  The dice mumbo-jumbo appears to be
  ritual stuff --- you don't need to worry about anything until you get
  your hand.

  The player puts the two card hand face down in the box closest to the
  dealer, and the five card hand face down in back.  Once everybody has set
  their hand, the dealer turns over and sets the bank's hand.  The dealer
  goes counterclockwise around the table comparing the banks hand to the
  players, and taking, paying, or knocking.  There is a 5% commission
  on winning bets that you can either put out next to your winning bet, or
  the dealer will subtract from your payoff.  The lowest minimum bet is $5,
  seen at the Imperial Place and Four Queens.

  In pai-gow poker, the only strategic decisions are how much to bet and
  how to set your hand.  The simple basic strategy for setting your hand is
  to make the highest 2-card hand that is less than your five card hand.
  If you can't figure out what to do, you can show your hand to the dealer
  and they will tell you how the house would set it.  Since pairs generally
  win the 2-card hands, and two-pair wins the 5-card hands, the only
  difficult decisions are when to split two pairs.  The house rules at the
  Four Queens were not to split low pairs (<= 6) and not to split pairs <=
  10 if there was a Ace high two card hand.   So the house would set

     A 10 10 6 6 5 3 =>  A 5 / 10 10 6 6 3
     K Q 10 10 6 6 3 =>  6 6 / 10 10 K Q 3

  A ``Pai-gow'' is a hand with no pairs, such as Q J / K 7 8 6 2.

  Things get a little weird if a player wants to be the bank.  To quote
  from the IP house rules: ``The House Dealer or the player may be the
  ``BANKER.''  The Bank wagers against all players.  The bank will alternate
  between the house and the player (the House Dealer will at least take the
  bank every other hand).  The BANKER will be signified by a white plastic
  marker.  A Bank Player must either cover half or all wagers against
  him/her.  The House will co-bank at 50/50 only at the Bank Player's
  request.  The hand will be set according to house way and the table limit
  will apply if the House acts as a co-banker.  In order to bank, a player
  must have played the previous hand against the House.  The House will
  wager a sum equal to that player's wager against the house the previous
  hand.  The player may request that a smaller amount be wagered.  A Banker
  must be bank at the same spot of the hand he previously played against the
  house.''  Got that??

  In the CA card clubs, all wagering is between players, so the option
  to be the bank rotates among the active players.  The rule differences
  from the IP rules are that the Joker is wild, and the house commission
  is a flat $1 per hand ($10 minimum bet).

  Pai-gow poker is an easy game to play, and since each hand takes a while
  to play (dealer has to shuffle for each game) and most hands push, you
  can play on $20 at a $5 table for quite a while.


Q:M5  Is there a horse racing newsgroup?
A:M5  (John Wilkes)

  Not another newsgroup, but there is a mailing list for discussion of horse
  racing and handicapping.  If you are interested in joining us, send a note
  to [e-mail] and be sure to include an Internet email address
  (i.e., a "@" address.)  Uucp "bang-style" addresses severely confuse the
  local software that processes alias mail, so I cannnot accept them for the
  list.