How To Evaluate A Blackjack Game (Part II)
Read also
2. Where is the cut-card? Is it a half-deck from the end? Three-quarters of a deck? One deck or more? (Any more than one deck is generally not playable in a four deck game unless the rules are exceptionally good, that is, not worse than about - .5% off-the-top.) Does the dealer complete the round when the cutcard comes out, or does he stop right at the cutcard and re-shuffle before completing the round? You obviously prefer the former practice.
Be sure to watch more than one dealer in a given casino; cut-card placement can sometimes vary quite widely from dealer to dealer. If possible, check different shifts, too; shift managers can have different philosophies about the cutcard.
3. What bet variation is allowed? The player accustomed to playing in the U.S. will be surprised at the bet variation sometimes permitted in foreign casinos. In fact, this is generally the factor that makes the foreign games attractive. Ratios of 300-to-1, 500-to-1 and even 700-to-1 are sometimes encountered abroad (these often require large banks). Foreign casino operators tend to have less expertise about card counting (although they're learning fast); many also assume their multiple decks and limited rules protect them from counting.
4. What are the limits? If you're playing to a small bank, the house minimums may be too high for you to get an acceptable bet ratio without betting too high relative to your bank. If you're playing abroad primarily to make money, you should have worked out a betting strategy given the size of your bank. If your trip is primarily a vacation, remember that with a 1% edge over the house on a given hand, you can bet 1/150 of your bank and have a 5% ruin factor; with 2%, it's 1/75.
If you're playing to a large bank, the house maximums may be too small to make it worth your time. Some clubs, such as those in Austria and parts of Germany, may have maximums of $50 (U.S.) or so. Hourly earnings rates here with banks of $100,000 or so are just not worth it; find higher games.
5. What are the conditions? Are the tables always full? Is it necessary to wait before getting a seat? How many hours a day are the blackjack tables open? How fast is the play? Can an acceptable number of hands per hour be played? Is it possible to change tables periodically when a really negative shoe is encountered? If you have a fairly large bank, you may want to be able to arrange a private game; we've done this in numerous places, including the casinos in Nederbraun and Dieppe, France, at Loews' Monte Carlo and in Korea.
