Gaming Guru

Hostile playing conditions found on some blackjack game

In the "good ol' days", Justin, it was always to your advantage to play on a game with the fewest decks. Compared to the math of a single deck game, that of a multi-deck game seriously handicaps your play: 0.35% for two decks, 0.48% for four, 0.54% for six , and 0.58% for eight If you were to play 100 hands per hour at $5 per hand, each -0.1% of additional handicap would cost you approximately 50¢ per hour. Playing on a game with two decks versus one deck will cost you an extra $1.75 per hour, with each additional deck prying deeper into you wallet. .

Unsurprisingly, stumbling upon a single deck blackjack game today is a rare occurrence, unless you come across a casino that advertises "Back by popular demand, Single Deck Blackjack." But -- write this down -- look closely at the table layout, to see whether there's the fatal notice: "Blackjack Pays 6:5."

On a conventional blackjack game, a blackjack typically pays 3:2. If you bet $10 and get a natural, you'll be paid $15. However, at these new 6:5 games, a $10 blackjack gets you only $12. Despite the fact that the game is played with a single deck, this one little rule change -- inspired by Saint Barnum -- dramatically increases the house advantage—big time!

This new single deck game has been very successful for the casinos because the uninformed player has been told over the years that single deck blackjack is a better game than the shoe games that are now prevalent on the casino floor. But here's the real deal. By accepting blackjack payouts reduced from 3:2 to 6:5, a generosity you may not have intended, you are giving the casino a 1.39% advantage. Compare that to an 8-deck game where the house edge for a basic strategy player is a more civilized 0.58%.

So what's the difference between the two in actual dollars and cents? For a $10 player playing perfect basic strategy at 60 hands per hour, the expected loss on an 8-deck shoe is $3.50 per hour. The expected loss for the same player on a 6:5 single deck game is $8.35. Ouch!

I highly recommend, Justin, that you don't waste your hard-earned money on any blackjack game that pays less than 3:2 for a blackjack. Instead, imitate smart blackjack players who play in a casino that offers the following combination of rules: Fewest decks possible; surrender, both early and late; double down allowed on any two cards; double down allowed after splitting pairs; multiple pair splitting allowed, plus re-splitting aces; dealer stands on a soft 17; deep deck penetration; and of course 3:2 for a blackjack.

Dear Mark, Long ago while playing poker with friends I learned the term "eight, skate and donate" whenever an eight appeared. But I never learned its true origin or what it means. Have you ever heard this term before, and if yes, what does it mean? Dick E.

I looked for and couldn't locate its origin, Dick, but I do know that "Eight, Skate, and Donate" is not known as a greeting for an eight. "Eight, Skate, and Donate," "Eight-to-Go" and "Eight-to-Skate" all describe a no-limit game whose minimum bet is $8.

Gambling quote of the week: "Judged by the dollars spent, gambling is now more popular in America than baseball, the movies, and Disneyland-combined." -Timothy L. O'Brien, Bad Bet (1998)