Blackjack Adventures: I’m Amazed
Gambling Times Magazine
by Bobby Singer
I started playing Blackjack in back room games of Detroit in the
middle 50’s. Beginning in 1962 I headed to Las Vegas armed with
$3000.00, as well as confidence in the skills I had honed in those
back room games over six or seven years. Ten days after my arrival
in Las Vegas, my bankroll of $3000.00 was down to $100.00. I decided
to return to Detroit, my bankroll depleted, my ego battered, my
stamina weakened, but fortunately my desire to play winning
Blackjack was still at a very high level.
Because my career and its extreme financial successes have been so
public over the years, I wish to share with you many of the
intricacies that led to the overall success. I also believe I have
influenced casinos to change how they deal. Some of those changes
were bad for the player and some are good.
Shortly after returning to Detroit from my first visit to Las Vegas
(A.K.A. lost wages), my father gave me a book called Beat The Dealer
by Edward Thorp. My unusual gift for math helped inspire me and made
learning to count cards a breeze. I studied very hard knowing casino
conditions are far different than the practice sessions at home.
Your reaction time for making decisions at Blackjack while in a
casino is much shorter than the time you have at home while
practicing. In the casino, the dealers and floor personnel are
talking to you, which of course can be very distracting. Cocktail
waitresses are asking if you want a drink. Many casinos have loud
entertainment within range of the gaming tables. In general, the
conditions can be extremely distracting as well as intimidating. My
practice sessions had gone well. I now was able to react correctly,
almost robotic. This would prove to be powerful in maintaining a
proper level of energy.
My next trip to Las Vegas was successful. I was now in the groove.
Over the next twenty years I averaged forty to forty-five weekends a
year in a casino somewhere on this planet. I played winning
Blackjack on every continent on earth other than Antarctica.
Although I had occasional losing sessions, I rarely had a losing
trip. Besides playing a mathematically correct game, other skills
were developed through casino awareness. Reading hole cards by
playing first base. Reading the warps caused by dealer peeking.
Shuffle tracking to keep clumps of high cards to the front were just
some of the many tricks of the trade. It’s not necessary to
explain how it was done because the casinos no longer peek manually
at the hole card and have learned to shuffle better to avoid players
cutting large cards to the front. Those changes came about because
of people like me. Teaching those skills on the lecture circuit,
infomercials as well as home study courses may have taught players
the importance of casino awareness but also made the casino
executives aware of their fallacies. However because of articles
appearing in magazines like Gambling Times, there are some changes
for the good.
In the Spring of 2002 issue of Gambling Times magazine, I wrote an
article titled “Let’s Save Blackjack.” I urged all Blackjack
players, neophyte as well as skilled to please fight back. Don’t
play where the rules are not favorable! I also recently wrote an
article about the casinos near where I live and how all but one were
dealing a game not worth playing, casinos hitting soft seventeen as
well as using constant shuffling machines. I’m delighted to now
report a changing climate for the better. All of the casinos in my
area near Palm Springs now stand on all 17’s as well as deep
penetration of the shuffle point. I’m amazed!
I still travel to Las Vegas once or twice a month. It keeps me in
touch with the casinos policy of dealing Blackjack. This game is a
tremendous source of revenue for the casino. The neophyte loses all
and has no concept of the different rules being offered. Most
casinos today deal a different game of Blackjack under one roof. The
rules for a single deck pay only 6/5 for Blackjack in most casinos.
If they offer a double-deck game, the rules are different than the
game they deal from the shoe.
We really can make a difference. Help spread the word. If the casino
hits soft seventeen, uses constant shuffling machines or doesn’t
allow doubling down after a split, just don’t play. They’ll get
the message. But then there’s more. It’s really worth learning
how to play winning Blackjack. At my house we receive anywhere from
three to five invitations a week to different casinos. These
invitations include complimentary rooms, food and often tournaments
with entry fees paid. The tournaments are fun, often lucrative and
complete with prize award banquets. I’m amazed!
Let’s sort out this mess. When you’ve learned to play winning
Blackjack, the only casino game the player can have a winning
percentage over the house, you will win their money consistently.
Equally important is how the average casinos comp policy works.
Because you’re winning, the time you spend at the Blackjack table
will dramatically increase. You can also help this program by
playing at full tables. The more time you spend at the table, the
greater the rewards become from the casino. It’s called time and
speed. The average bet and length of time played is how the casino
bases their comps. If you lose because you’re unskilled you
probably are not at the tables very long and therefore won’t get
any comps. Lose and pay or win and receive comps. Those are your
choices. I’m amazed!
During the last two years another member of my household has learned
to play winning Blackjack, which is why we continue to receive
invitations for complimentary rooms, shows, etc. The skills continue
to get better allowing for more time at the tables and therefore
greater rewards both monetarily as well as casino perks. What we do
is fun, rewarding and easy. The ingredients necessary are the desire
to learn and the discipline to apply. Learn the differences in the
game and how to apply your skills properly. Practice to avoid being
the losing neophyte the casinos love. Enjoy the comps.
Hopefully I’ll get to meet many of you and watch you win in the
casinos, then I’ll really be amazed!
This story was first published in the Winter 2002-2003 issue of
Gambling Times Magazine. |
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