The Deterioration of Casino Blackjack: Can the Game Still Be Beaten?

I recently cruised some casinos in Las Vegas and was horrified by the Blackjack I saw. This is of concern to the professional, semi-professional or casual serious player.

In my article,"Can You Make Money Consistently by Playing Blackjack,"I explained that one could certainly beat the game on a regular basis, but I also described how the casinos were making it more difficult to do so. I am sorry to say that conditions seem to have further declined.

Let's take a look at how the casinos continue to make the game unfavorable, so that skilled players are hindered tremendously:

The Widespread Implementation of "6 to 5" Blackjack

Bill Burton, former about.com guide, explains this sad version of Blackjack:

"Instead of paying 3 to 2 for natural Blackjacks the casinos are paying 6 to 5. If you are betting ten dollars a hand you would normally be paid $15 dollars for a blackjack. Instead with a blackjack paying 6 to 5 you will only be paid $12 for your natural. This one rule variation increases the house edge by 1.4 percent. This puts the basic strategy player at a two percent disadvantage. These games should be avoided.

To add insult to injury as they say, some casinos are actually advertising that 'Their Blackjack Pays 6 to 5' as if this was a good thing. The unsuspecting player may be suckered in to this hype."

Personally, I don't understand why gaming commissions allow the game to still be called "Blackjack" with such a fundamental rule change. Traditionally, Blackjack has had a 3 to 2 payout. In any event, knowledgeable players know to stay away from it.

The Use of 8 Deck Games

The more decks that are used, the more disadvantagious it is for skilled players because there are more cards to track and favorable conditions do not arise as often. Single deck Blackjack games with traditional rules are the most favorable, with double deck being a close second. I have found that it is entirely possible to win at 6 deck games if the player is proficient. When 8 decks are used, the difficulty is increased substantially according to my experience.

Thirty years ago there was an abundance of single deck games with a 3 to 2 favorable payout, instead of the "6 to 5" ripoff. There are very few 3 to 2 single deck games in existence today. To make matters worse, casinos are also beginning to use the "6 to 5" payout in 8 deck games!

Double Deck Games "Cut in Half"

It is important to skilled Blackjack players for most of the cards to be dealt, because the more cards that are removed from the deck, the greater the effect on the remaining cards. While double deck games are generally great, the casinos feel they can attract casual players, while taking away the advantage of skilled individuals by simply not dealing below the half-way point.

Other Restrictive Rules

In addition to the horrible "6 to 5" aspect, casinos are using other player-unfriendly rules on some tables, such as "doubling allowed on 10 and 11 only." This was once commonly used in Reno and Lake Tahoe, and professional players prepared for it when visiting those vicinities.

Continuous Shuffle Machines ("CSM's")

The continuous shuffle machines are mechanical devices used instead of a "shoe" (the box that normally holds multiple decks of cards). These devices allow the dealer to feed the cards back into the mix, so that every hand has the similarity of the first hand dealt, no matter how many decks are used. This takes away the advantage of a skilled player who uses the effect of the cards dealt to determine how much to bet and how to play each hand.

When one presently walks into a casino in Las Vegas or elsewhere, it is common to see a "mish-mash" of Blackjack games and hard to know what to expect. One table might be single deck with a 6 to 5 payoff and the table beside it may be a double deck game cut in half. The next table might be an 8 deck game with or without a 6 to 5 payoff and the game beside it could possibly stipulate "doubling on 10 or 11 only." Of course, the dreaded "CSM's" could also be interwined.

Such an enviroment never used to exist in the Blackjack areas of casinos and in my opinion it resembles a zoo. The better quality games have mostly disappeared and the establishments have apparently succeeded in significantly reducing the edge of the tiny percentage of players capable of beating the game. There are still games that are beatable, but the situation has obviously worsened.

My article, "Professional Blackjack: 6 of the Most Exciting and Unusual Plays" may also be of interest.

Sources: Bill Burton, casinogambling.about.com/cs/blackjack/a/blackjack65.htm
Self, based on years of experience as a professional Blackjack player