Copyright: LVC Software


Contents

  Contents for BlackJack Professor

Getting Started

Introduction

How do I start playing now?

How to play Blackjack

Strategies and Card Counting

Theory

Basic Strategy

Hi-Opt I Strategy

Playing BlackJack Professor

    Player Menu Options

Strategy

Statistics

Play

    Casino Menu Options

Rules

Deck

Table Limits

Views

Registration

Warranty and Disclaimer


Introduction

Introduction to BlackJack Professor

Blackjack is the only casino game today where the player can get a consistent advantage over the casino. Thanks to researchers such as Julian Braun, Edward Thorpe, and others, many blackjack strategies have been developed so that you, the player, can win!

BlackJack Professor is the most powerful and easy to use learning tool available for blackjack. It can tell you when a playing mistake is made, suggest correct plays, and even run simulations. Here are some features:

 An on-line Help system

 Hundreds of rule variations

 Sum counts, true counts, and an Ace side-count

 An Error Warning option for when playing mistakes are made

 A View Box to keep track of the count, cards left, money, and more

 An Auto Deal option to run simulations or practice card counting

 A handy Dollars Per Hour statistic for evaluating strategies

 Basic Strategy included (developed by Julian Braun)

 The Hi-Opt I count strategy (no strategy tables)

The following additional features are included with the Expert Version of BlackJack Professor:

 User defined counts and betting

 User configurable strategy tables

 An option to automatically save statistics

 The Hi-Opt I strategy with single and multi deck strategy tables

Also, registered users have full product support via e-mail at : LVCSoft@aloha.com.


Start Playing Now

How do I start playing now?

Start Playing

To start playing, choose Play under the Player menu option. You will be prompted to enter a bankroll amount in the betting square. After a bankroll is entered, the shoe will be shuffled and you will be prompted for a bet. Enter a bet in the bet box (click on the colored chips to add to your bet), and click on the bet button. Play begins after a bet is made.

Change the Background Color

To change the background color of the game, double click on the background. A color palette will appear. Color changes will be saved when you exit the game.

Change the Cardback Design

To change the cardback design, double click on a card when the cardback is showing. This will cycle through the thirteen different designs available.


How to play

How to play Blackjack

The object of the game is to obtain a value of cards equal to or less than 21 and higher than the dealer's total. If the player's value exceeds 21, he loses (called busting). If the dealer busts and the player has 21 or less, the player wins. If neither player nor dealer bust, the higher hand value wins. If the hand values are equal, the player is given back his bet (called a push).

The cards used are a standard 52 card deck. The value of cards' Ten, Jack, Queen, and King is 10, Aces count as either 1 or 11, and all other cards are face value. Suits have no meaning. The number of decks used can be from 1 to 8. The fewer decks used, the greater the player advantage.

The number of players is from one to seven. They each play against the dealer, not against each other. A player's hand has no direct effect on other hands, but it is advantageous to play at a table with few or no other players. (BlackJack Professor is head-on play against the dealer. This way the cards look more realistic, making it easier to learn.)

Bets are made before any cards are dealt, each table having a betting minimum and maximum. Minimum bets usually range from $2 to $100, with an occasional $1 table. Maximum bets range from $200 to $2,000 or more. All bets pay even money except : blackjacks usually pay 3 to 2, insurance bets usually pay 2 to 1.

The dealer, starting at his left, gives each player a card, then gives himself a card. He does this once more so that all players and the dealer each have two cards. The dealer's cards are dealt one face up and one face down. All player's cards are dealt either face up or face down; face up is preferred when counting cards.

If the player or dealer is dealt a ten-value card and an ace on his first two cards, he has a blackjack, which is an automatic winner. If the dealer and player both have a blackjack, it is considered a push.

The following is a list of player options:

Stand

If the player is satisfied with his total.

Hit

If the player needs another card.

Double down

After seeing his first two cards, the player may opt to double his bet and receive one more card only  (rule variations exist).

Split

If the player's cards are the same value, he may separate the cards and play two hands (rule variations exist).

Insurance

If the dealer has an ace showing, the player may make a side bet up to half of his original wager, that the dealer has a ten value card face down.

Surrender

After seeing his first two cards, if the player feels he is going to lose, he may surrender his hand and half of his original wager.

The dealer options are set by the casino, he has no strategy or decisions to make.


Strategies and Counting

Card Counting Theory

Unlike most other casino games, the odds during play in blackjack are constantly changing. As cards are dealt out of the deck or shoe, the odds of drawing specific cards change, until the cards are reshuffled. A skillfull player can keep track of these changes and use them to his advantage.

All count strategies are based on a simple theory. An excess of high valued cards(i.e. ten-value cards) left to be dealt yields an advantage to the player, while fewer ten-value cards left to be dealt yields a greater advantage to the dealer.

A player strategy is made up of a count strategy and six play tables. Play tables are charts of correct playing decisions based on which cards are showing. There are six play tables to represent six decisions made by the player:

- Surrender

- Split

- Soft Double

- Hard Double

- Soft Hit

- Hard Hit

The tables are listed in the order that playing decisions are made.

It is beyond the scope of this help file to get more in depth about card counting theory. For more information, read one of the many books mentioned in Recommended Reading.


Recommended Reading

Following is a list of recommended reading. Each one of the books listed has at least one viable blackjack strategy.

Thorpe, Edward O. Beat The Dealer. Random House, 1962 (rev. 1966).

The second edition contains the Braun Point-Count strategy.

Humble, Lance and Cooper, Carl. The World's Greatest Blackjack Book. Doubleday, 1980.

Contains the HiOpt I strategy.

Revere, Lawrence. Playing Blackjack As A Business. Carol Publishing,1969 (rev. 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1993).

Has several strategies developed by Lawrence Revere.

Archer, John. The Archer method of Winning at 21. Wilshire, 1973.

Contains the Archer Point-Count.

Uston, Ken. Million Dollar Blackjack. Gambling Times, 1981 (rev. 1992)

Has several of Ken Uston's strategies including the Uston APC.


Basic Strategy

Basic Strategy was devised through computer analysis by Julian Braun. It gives the player about an even chance against the casino. You must learn it flawlessly before learning another strategy.

Two versions of Basic Strategy are included with the program, a strategy for single deck play and for four or more decks. Both are set for doubling allowed after splitting. The surrender tables are for late surrender. Configure Blackjack Professor with the following files:

single deck strategy	- Basic1.str

multi deck strategy	- Basic4.str

To learn more about Basic Strategy, the following book is recommended:

Thorpe, Edward O. Beat The Dealer. Random House, 1962 (rev. 1966).

The second edition contains the Braun Point-Count strategy.


Hi Opt

Hi-Opt I Strategy (Expert Version only*)

Hi-Opt stands for 'highly optimum'. The strategy is configured as presented in Lance Humble's book, The World's Greatest Blackjack Book. It is a simple and powerful strategy that anyone can learn.

The version of this strategy included with the program is configured for four deck play with doubling allowed after splitting. The betting range is 1 to 5 units, and an Ace side-count is enabled. The play tables are set up for a +/-6 point count. The surrender table is for late surrender. The tables take into account that the dealer stands on soft 17. The following file contains the tables that represent the Hi-Opt I strategy:

HiOpt I Strategy	- Hioptb.str

The following book will give you a thorough understanding of Hi-Opt I, as well as lots of great information about blackjack:

Humble, Lance and Cooper, Carl. The World's Greatest Blackjack Book. Doubleday, 1980.

* Included with the Basic version is the Hi-Opt I count strategy. It is set up to determine a bet size using the sum count. It does not include the Hi-Opt I play tables.


Strategy

Selecting Strategy will display a tabbed menu with six types of play tables, and a count strategy. Click on the tab of the table you wish to view.

Count

Count Strategy

Using the Count Strategy Scroll Bar will show each card value and its associated count value.

Bet Strategy

Units bet count values range from -100 to 100. Using the Bet Strategy Scroll Bar will display how many units will be bet on the current true count.

Unit Bet

This shows the size of each unit bet.

Insurance

Shows when to make an insurance side bet depending on what the true count is.

Ace Side Count Value

This will add an Ace side count to the sum count(which will change the true count) when it is time to bet, but not when playing decisions are to be made.

Adjust True Count

Most strategies adjust the true count by full-deck, but a few(Uston APC) adjust by half-deck. If Play using Sum Count is checked, the true count will always be adjusted to equal the sum count.

Play Tables

Correct playing decisions are contained in a grid. You can press Ctrl-T while playing to view the table with the correct playing decision.

Playing decisions are based on the dealer's up card and the player's hand value. The numbers listed along the top of the tables represent the value of the dealer's up card. Along the left side of the chart are all hand values that a player can have, two through twenty-one. They represent a hand total of two or more cards.

The split and surrender tables are presented differently. The player values represented on the split table are all pairs. The player values in the surrender table are all possible two card hands.

Use the Load button to load an existing strategy file. Strategy files have a '.STR' extension.

(Expert Version)

NOTE that if any changes are made to the count strategy or play tables, the strategy must be SAVED, or changes will be lost when EXITING.


Statistics

Selecting Statistics will bring up the statistics screen. Numbers in parenthesis are negative values.

The most important value is % Advantage. This is the bottom line on how good the strategy is. Another useful statistic is Per Hour Gain. It translates the % Advantage statistic into something everyone can relate to.


Play

Start Playing

To start playing, choose Play under the Player menu option. You will be prompted to enter a bankroll amount in the betting square. After a bankroll is entered, the shoe will be shuffled and you will be prompted for bet. Enter a bet in the bet box (click on the colored chips to add to your bet), and click on the bet button. Play begins after a bet is made.

When Play is checked, no changes can be made to the rules, the deck, or table limits. The reason for this is to keep the statistics valid. All of these options can still be viewed.


Rules

Double Down

Choose when to allow doubling. Doubling on any two cards and after splitting are most favorable.

Surrender

When choosing early or late surrender, the program will prompt you on your surrender choice on every hand. No surrender allowed is the most common option. Early surrender is the most advantageous option for the player.

Blackjack Payoff

Select the payout for a hand of 21. Blackjack pays 3 to 2 is by far the most common rule.

Splitting

Split once only or up to three times.The Resplit Aces option is superseded by the Split one time only  option.

Miscellaneous

Dealer peeks under tens determines whether the dealer checks his down card if a ten value card is showing. This applies to manually checking under the card or using a sensor.

Dealer must hit on soft 17 is a popular rule that is disadvantageous to the player.

Dealer wins ties is an uncommon rule that puts the player at a tremendous disadvantage.

Use the Load button to load an existing rules file. Rules files have a '.RUL' extension.

NOTE that if any changes are made, the rules must be SAVED, or changes will be lost when EXITING.


Deck

Number of Decks

Use the Number of Decks Scroll Bar to set the number of decks from 1 to 8. When the number of decks are changed, any Cheat modifications will be wiped out as the deck is made honest.

Reshuffle %

Use the Reshuffle % Scroll bar  to set the deck penetration from 1 to 100 percent. If the cards are dealt to the bottom of the shoe, the discards will be shuffled and used for the remainder of the hand.

Burn Cards

Use the Burn Cards Scroll Bar to set the number of burn cards from 0 to 8. These cards are not included in the count.

Deal Speed

Changing the Deal Speed will set the time delay between showing cards.

Cheat

Above the Take button is a small text box with a number in it. This is the number of instances of a specific card in the shoe. You can take or add instances of the card by using the Take or Add button.

Cheat is useful to see the effect on the % Advantage. An example would be a dealer who always shuffles a ten-value card to the bottom of the deck; effectively eliminating it. This could mean disaster for the player in a single deck game.

Prompt Player before Shuffling

Checking this option will cause the game to pause before each shuffle. Click on the Shuffle Cards button to continue playing.

Count Deck after Shuffling

Check Count deck after shuffle if you want to adjust the true count for a dishonest deck.

Reset

Use the Reset button to set the deck to: 1 deck, 75% deck penetration, 1 burn card, and no cheating.


Table Limits

Select Table Limits to view or edit the minimum or maximum bet allowed. Remember to set the minimum bet equal to or less than your unit bet.


Views

Auto Deal

Use Auto Deal to run a simulation. Recommend must also be checked, otherwise the program won't know which play is correct. To speed up the simulation, minimize the screen so that the computer won't need to draw the cards.

Auto Deal is also useful for card counting practice. Just set the Deal Speed under Deck options to the desired pace.

Error Checking

If Error Checking is checked, the computer will beep and display the correct play when a strategy deviation is made. Error Checking is disabled if Recommend is checked.

Total Bets

Total hands completed in the current session.

Bets Won

Percentage of bets that won.

Bets / Shoe

Total hands completed during the current shoe.

Sum Count

Current sum count. Note that some strategies do not assign count values to the cards. As a result, the Sum, True, and Ace counts will always remain zero.

True Count

True count is the Sum Count multiplied by Decks Left.

Ace Count

The Ace Count is added to the Sum Count when it is time to bet, but not when playing decisions are to be made.

Decks Left

Number of decks left, to the quarter-deck for one or two deck games, to the half deck for more than two decks.

Cards Left

Number of cards left in the shoe.

Money

How much money the player has. Numbers in parenthesis are negative.

Recommend

If Recommend is checked, correct plays will be shown in the view box. Just press ENTER, and the correct play will be made.


Registration

Thank you for evaluating BlackJack Professor! Select Register from the menu bar to bring up a registration form. If the Register option does not exist, just press the 'R' key while at the main screen. Or if you wish, print out the file 'REGISTER.WRI', provided with the program.

If you are a registered user of a prior version of BlackJack Professor, this is a free version upgrade! Use the same registration code you received when you registered. If you need to order a copy of the program, shipping charges will still apply.

LVC Software will pay the sales tax for Hawaii residents.

The S & H, and Disk fee is optional. However, if you choose not to include this fee, you will be sent a registration code ONLY. It will be assumed that you are registering the software copy already in your possession.

There are three separate ways to pay for the program:

--------Payment Method I     (cash, check, or money order)------

Send a check or Money order to:

LVC Software

Century Center, Suite 3557

1750 Kalakaua Avenue

Honolulu, HI  96826

USA

--------Payment Method II    (VISA / MasterCard)----------------

VISA and MasterCard are accepted through the 'First Virtual Internet Payment System'. This method of payment allows you to download BlackJack Professor immediately, over the Internet. No postage and handling fees, and no waiting for a disk in the mail.

First Virtual is a company that provides a service of simple, yet secure, buying and selling of information over the Internet. Credit Card information is never sent over the network, so you don't need to worry about 'Hackers' stealing your credit card number.

If you don't have an account with First Virtual, you will need  to sign up. This normally takes less than a day. Two things are needed to sign up: *access to the internet, *a VISA or MasterCard.

For more information about First Virtual, or to apply for a First Virtual account, visit the following Internet site:

http://www.fv.com   (via the World Wide Web)

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To purchase BlackJack Professor through the First Virtual Internet Payment System, visit LVC Software in the First Virtual InfoHaus. Here is the Internet address for the InfoHaus:

http://www.infohaus.com  (via the World Wide Web)

ftp.infohaus.com               (via FTP)

Please do not send credit card information to LVC Software.

--------Payment Method III   (charitable donations)--------------

LVC Software donates approximately one of every seven registrations to local charities. As an optional form of payment, you may donate the cost of registration to your favorite charity.

To do this, send a photocopy of a tax receipt or canceled check, written to your favorite charity. The tax receipt or check must meet these guidelines:

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Write "PHOTOCOPY ENCLOSED" on the registration form, and send to:

LVC Software

Century Center, Suite 3557

1750 Kalakaua Avenue

Honolulu, HI  96826

USA

The following restrictions apply:

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- The offer does not include the S & H, and Disk fee.

- All submissions are subject to approval and can be rejected for any reason.


Warranty

Warranty and Disclaimer

License Agreement

This version of BlackJack Professor is shareware. Non-registered users are permitted to evaluate the program for up to 30 days. The program must be registered within 30 days, or its use discontinued.

No one may disassemble, decompile, or reverse engineer the program in any way.

Distribution of BlackJack Professor is encouraged, provided that all of the following conditions are met:

1) It is distributed for the trial use of others.

2) All files are intact and in their original unmodified condition.

3) If a distribution fee is charged, it must not exceed US $8.00.

4) The program's Registration Code may NOT be distributed.

30 Day Money Back Guarantee

The following guarantee is only for registered users of BlackJack Professor who have paid full price for the product, and received the program on disk directly from LVC Software.

IF FOR ANY REASON YOU ARE DISSATISFIED WITH BlackJack Professor, YOU MAY RETURN THE PROGRAM DISK FOR A FULL REFUND WITHIN 30 DAYS OF PURCHASE.

Disclaimer

LVC SOFTWARE MAKES NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. LVC SOFTWARE IS NOT LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER ARISING FROM THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT.

Any use of this program constitutes your acceptance of this agreement.

ASP Ombudsman Statement

This program is produced by a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP). ASP wants to make sure that the shareware principle works for you. If you are unable to resolve a shareware-related problem with an ASP member by contacting the member directly, ASP may be able to help. The ASP Ombudsman can help you resolve a dispute or problem with an ASP member, but does not provide technical support for member's products. Please write to the ASP Ombudsman at 545 Grover Road, Muskegon, MI USA 49442-9427, Fax 616-788-2765, or send a CompuServe message via CompuServe Mail to ASP Ombudsman 70007,3536.

Copyright Information

BlackJack Professor is protected by United States and International copyright laws.

(C) LVC Software, 1994, All Rights Reserved.