Be on guard against bad blackjack games

Last week, we mentioned a genuinely "good" double deck blackjack game that opened up at a local casino. Good blackjack games are newsworthy because they're becoming an unusual breed. Sadly, it's "bad" blackjack games that are growing at an alarming rate - and you should watch out for them. So today, I'll describe the earmarks of a "bad" blackjack game.

First off, all other things being equal, the fewer the decks being used, the better the game is. But we're living in 2008, not 1968. So for the most part, you'd better get used to playing blackjack with six- and eight-deck shoes. Although not particularly good, multi-deck shoes alone do not make a game bad. Other factors can make a shoe game unplayable or undesirable.

The first and most common factor these days is what does the dealer do on soft 17? She might have to hit, or she might have to stand. If she stands, that's better for the player by a considerable, but not an enormous, amount. You can still play in "hit-soft-17" games if you're a solid player and other factors are good. But it would be worth playing at 30-40% higher stakes to get into a "stand-soft-17" game, if one's available where you're playing.

By far, the most damaging rule you need to get away from is the "6-to-5 blackjack payoff." This was the clever brainchild of some casino sharpies who figured they'd bring back single-deck blackjack to attract the players. So what's the big deal if a $15 blackjack pays only $18 instead of $22.50? It's still single deck. It's gotta' be a great game - right? Wrong! Most regular players have no idea how much this cripples their chances to win at the game. Let me spell it out for you.

Over the long haul, you'll get a blackjack once every 21 hands. Now at a four-handed table, you'll be dealt about 85 hands per hour. On average, you'll get four blackjacks during that time. If you're betting $15 per hand, by being paid $18 per blackjack rather than $22.50, the house is reaching over taking $18 per hour right off your chip stack! It may not sound like that much, but it quadruples the casino's edge over you. Don't be lured into that game just because it's single deck. You can't beat it.

Another game condition that insulates the house from skillful players is the "continuous shuffling machine" (CSM). These pop up mostly at the lower stakes tables.

This is not a mere automatic shuffler that mixes one setup of cards while the dealer deals another. Oh no! The continuous shuffler is a dual-purpose dealing shoe that has a slot at its rear in which the dealer inserts the discards after the hand is over. Those discards then proceed to get mixed with the rest of the cards in the ever-shuffling "shoe/shuffler" right there - while you're playing your hand. As a result, you might actually get back some of the same cards you received on the last round.

With a CSM, the shoe never runs low on cards and you never know whether you're more likely to receive a high or a low card. This eliminates the one player skill that could enable you to beat the game. The continuous shuffler is another big "no-no".

So then, what should you look for in today's blackjack games? Six decks are just a smidge better than eight. Stand-soft-17 is considerably better than hitting. The right to re-split your Aces if you catch a third Ace helps. Having the "Surrender" option is a plus. If you can snag any two of these four conditions, you're playing the better half of all the games out there.

• For a signed copy of Fred's book, send $16 to "Blackjack Bluebook II", P.O. Box 598, Elk Grove Village, IL 60009.