New to this! Need your expertise.

[smitty3000]

Hi, everybody. Smitty3000 here. I just recently got a manual for NBJ and all though I haven't read through it completely, I would like to get your opinions on a few things.

I play in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. And most of the casinos here use the One-Two-Six automatic shufflers from shuffle master. Does NBJ work against automatic shufflers, or does it just work with hand shuffle? There are two smaller casinos that hand shuffle 6 or 8 decks and load them into a shoe. Is playing against an automatic shuffler a bad idea?

Also, how many players are too many at the table for NBJ to work sucessfully?

Has anyone won significant amounts with just using the first base casual play strategy chart?

What does the learning curve look like for some of you? How long did you have to practice to acheive a 52% hand win rate?

Thanks guys I would appreciate any feedback.

Smitty3000

[smitty3000]

Hey guys, one more thing.

All the casinos in my area have games that are dealt face up. The dealer gives each player one card and then herself one card, face up. Then each player is given their second card but does not give herself a face down card. So everyone is hitting or standing while there is only one card face up. After everyone is done their hitting or standing, then the dealer gives herself her second card and draws until 17 or soft 18.

My question, is this type of game harder for hole card identification? Because the dealer's second card is not dealt until all the players finish hitting or standing.

Thanks,

Smitty3000

[ECD]

To your first question: NBJ is usually played against shuffle machines and we have been beating them for years. Some players even prefer machines because they have better consistency as opposed to hand shuffle. This is because hand shuffle gets a slightly different shuffle every time they change dealers while machine shuffle makes no difference from dealer to dealer.

As for your second question: The delayed hole card (we call that European rules) does effect your hole card read because there is no hole card at the time of your decision. It also effects insurance bets for the same reason. On the plus side, it gives the third base player more control over the dealer's hand and dealer breaking. It simplifies the First Base player's bet decision because the last card dealt is ALWAYS to the dealer. I would play First Base against this arrangement if you see sufficient clumping. But if the cards are mostly random I would play third. In random cards you don't get a hole card read anyway so the delayed hole card makes little difference. Another advantage is that this arrangement reduces dealer biases. Check her first card tens and I think you will find her closer to 4 out of 13.

I did very well against this arrangement in the Canery Islands. There was very little dealer bias. The Third base players cards are still most like the dealers so a 3 bet neg. prog. was very successful. Check and see if morning cards are mostly random.

Player number is a little less important in this arrangement but I would still tend to avoid 5 or more. Recognize that head to head play is ALMOST the same and when you don't hit it is exactly the same. That might be your best bet.

Have any other NBJ players played this arrangement?

[Guest CarlosM]

I played the Exhibition here in Toronto where they used the same no hole card. They also had the rule where they win even when you push! Putting that push rule aside, I saw how easy it was to control what card you wanted the dealer to get with her up card. If done right, you could have her breaking almost all the time!