Page 8 - Jackpot Magazine South ~ December, 2022

PLAY TO WIN
Best to be nice (not naughty) playing ‘21’
“He’s making a list; He’s checking it twice. He’s gonna find out; Who’s naughty or nice. Santa Claus is comin’ to town.”
— Haven Gillespie, lyricist
Procedures, codes of conduct and playing strategies are all part of the game of blackjack. The procedures are essential to ensure the security and integrity of the game. The conduct codes encompass the playing etiquette, and the playing strategies are designed to help players win.
This means there are things you should do and things you shouldn’t do when playing. In a past column for Jackpot!, Henry Tamburin, best-selling author and gaming expert, shared some of the dos and don’ts. It reminds me of the lyrics to a popular song heard this time of year:
“He knows if you’ve been
bad or good, so be good for
goodness sake!”
We recommend you follow these rules to have a game that is good for you, the dealer and everyone at the table.
• Do not hand money directly
to the dealer. All cash transactions must be visible to the security cameras, so always place your cash on the layout outside of your betting spot, and then tell the dealer what denomination chips you want.
• Do not touch the cards when they are dealt face up. When four or more decks of cards are used, they are dealt face up to each player from a dealing shoe. The reason the cards are dealt face up is two-fold. First, it eliminates the potential for player cheating (by either marking or switching the cards), and secondly, it speeds up the game, because the dealer can quickly announce the total of each player’s hand. There is no reason to touch the cards, so don’t do it.
• Pick up the cards with one hand, not two, in games where the cards are dealt face down.
• Do not remove the cards from the
table. Your cards must always be in full view of
the dealer and the security cameras. Therefore,
you should never, for example, hold them in your lap.
• Purses, wallets, bags and other items should not be on the table. They should be placed on your person or next to you (except ladies’ purses, which should be held in the lap). It is OK to have a drink on the table, but use the drink holders provided by the casino to avoid spilling anything on the layout.
• Saying “hit” doesn’t work. That might be OK when you play blackjack with friends back home, but in the casinos, it won’t fly. For security reasons, you must always use hand signals to signify whether you want to hit or stand.
• Do not touch your chips after you’ve made your bet and the cards are dealt. Your original bet must stay on the layout untouched until it either wins, losses or ties. Once the dealer starts dealing the cards, that’s your cue to not touch your wager.
• Always place a higher denomination chip on top of a lower denomination chip in your
betting spot.
• Do not take your bad luck out on the dealer or fellow players. They are not the reason why you are losing or why you haven’t had a true blackjack. Most likely, it’s just a bad run of cards, which happens to all players.
•Ashardasitistostayquiet,donot tell your fellow players how to play their hands. It’s their money and they have the right to play their hand any way they want to. However, if a fellow player asks you for advice, then it’s OK to offer it.
• Insert the cut card at least a half deck from either end of the stack, not just a few cards from either end of the shuffled decks of cards. If you place it less than that, you’ll get a rebuke from the dealer and a request to cut again.
• Sitting down and making a bet in the middle of a shoe can be a no-no. In some casinos, this is forbidden and
there will be a “No Mid-Shoe Entry” sign posted on the table. If you are not sure, ask the dealer.
• Use basic playing strategy. The basic playing strategy is the mathematically correct way to play every hand dealt to you. This playing strategy is readily available in books, on the Internet and on strategy cards, which you can take with you when you play (they are legal to use in a casino). Even if you are a regular player, there really is no reason to guess how to play a hand when you can have the answers at your fingertips by using a strategy card.
• Always get rated when you play. If you don’t know how to go about this, get the details at the players club or ask a casino host. It’s the only way you’ll be able to rack up comps, gifts, invites and more.
• Using a progressive betting system doesn’t work. I know, I know, many players use them and swear they work. But trust me, they don’t. Never have, and never will, because your chance of winning the next hand is completely independent of whether or not you won (or lost) the previous hand.
• Not using a casino host is a big mistake if you are a regular player. Casino hosts can do a lot for you and you don’t necessarily have to be a high roller to use one.
• Remember to tip the dealer. It’s not mandatory to tip a dealer; however, if the dealer has been pleasant and helpful, it’s customary to tip to show your appreciation for a job well done.
If you follow these guidelines, you will find that you will enjoy the game better, play better, and wind up with fewer losses and more wins. And remember, he knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good... well, you know the rest.
Do you have a question on the best way to play to win? Or, do you have your own pet peeve you want to share? Email jackpotmagazine@gmail.com.
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8 JACKPOT! MAGAZINE • December 2022
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