Blackjack for Baccarat Players:

[Guest]

I see Keith is offering some special BJ deals to Baccarat Players so I want to add my thoughts on this. Why might a Bac player also want to learn BJ?

First, I would like to know a little more about BJ conditions in Singapore and throughout Asia. Perhaps one of you Singaporeans could supply some BJ information.

First, do they even have BJ in Singapore?

Are they 6 or 7 player tables?

Most important , how crowded are these tables?

Can you usually get head to head games or is it usually too crowded?

History: Looking at per capita casino profits of both games:

Back in the '90s BJ was the no.1 casino game in the US. Most of the casino profits came from BJ. Today BTW it is the slots.

Casino BJ profits went from 6% in the early 90s and settled in at 15%. Today casino BJ profits have been stagnant at 15% for about 15 years and I don't see this changing much.

Over about the same years Bac profits went from 3% to about 25% and have been running at 25% for about 8 years now.

So we can say that 20 years ago Bac was the easier of the two games. But today BJ is the easier by a considerable margin.

In Bac, we can say that the closer the game is to random, the harder it is to play.

But in BJ, the closer the game is to random the easier the game is to play.

In Bac, the more the cards are played, the more random the cards become and the harder the game is to play. This is why in Bac, we prefer new cards.

In BJ, since it is play itself that clumps the cards, we can say that the longer the cards are played and the more players in the game, the more the cards clump and the harder it is to play. So in BJ we also prefer new cards.

So in Bac, as its popularity increases, its difficulty increases.

But in BJ, as its popularity decreases due to the advent of other casino games such as Poker, Bac and the junk table games, BJ becomes easier to play while Bac becomes more and more difficult.

So, while 20 years ago Bac was the easier of the two games to beat, today BJ is, by far, the easier game to beat and the proof is current casino profits, 25% for Bac while only 15% for BJ. Times have changed.

So why wouldn't I drop teaching Bac altogether and go back to only teaching BJ? Ha, believe me the thought has occurred to me. But the fact is that Bac is by far the easier game to learn.

Think about it. In Bac all decisions are made for you except when to bet, which side and how much. Bac isn't really even a game any more than flipping a coin. It requires no skill to play.

In BJ, YOU make all the decisions: It is not automated like Bac is.

Do I hit or stand?

Do I double?

Do I split?

Do I resplit?

Do I insure?

Do I surrender?

When do I increase my bet?

When do I decrease?

See that? BJ is an actual game. Bac is just something to bet on.

And BTW, in BJ you must play every hand. Most casinos will not let you stand out even for a single hand. If you do, you must sit out the rest of the shoe. But shoes only last a few minutes. BJ is a much faster game.

While table selection is important in Bac, it is critical in BJ. In BJ some tables you can beat with Basic Strategy alone requiring no special skills. Other tables are impossible to beat regardless of your skill level. So table selection is everything.

Once equally skilled in both games, which can win the most money? Answer BJ by a country mile.

Have you watched my BJ training film on the NBJ movable stop loss? Remember my first goal was to make a second pile of 12. This is comparable to doubling your buy-in in Bac. You would be happy with that in a Bac game, Right? Well in BJ, with that first pile of 12, I'm just getting started. I might do that in ten minutes that took you an hour and a half to accomplish in a good Bac game. In BJ, I've ended up with 24 piles of 12 in one sitting while you were playing 3 shoes of Bac and thought you were doing good to make one pile of 20.

We have all had days when there are simply no good Bac tables in the whole casino. I can always go play BJ but what are you going to do? You are going to play Bac anyway, aren't you.

While Bac is getting more and more difficult today, BJ is getting easier. But, there is a lot to learn.

I rest my case.

Edited April 21, 2012 by Guest

[Jim Files]

I see Keith is offering some special BJ deals to Baccarat Players so I want to add my thoughts on this. Why might a Bac player also want to learn BJ?

First, I would like to know a little more about BJ conditions in Singapore and throughout Asia. Perhaps one of you Singaporeans could supply some BJ information.

First, do they even have BJ in Singapore?

Are they 6 or 7 player tables?

Most important , how crowded are these tables?

Can you usually get head to head games or is it usually too crowded?

History: Looking at per capita casino profits of both games:

Back in the '90s BJ was the no.1 casino game in the US. Most of the casino profits came from BJ. Today BTW it is the slots.

Casino BJ profits went from 6% in the early 90s and settled in at 15%. Today casino BJ profits have been stagnant at 15% for about 15 years and I don't see this changing much.

Over about the same years Bac profits went from 3% to about 25% and have been running at 25% for about 8 years now.

So we can say that 20 years ago Bac was the easier of the two games. But today BJ is the easier by a considerable margin.

In Bac, we can say that the closer the game is to random, the harder it is to play.

But in BJ, the closer the game is to random the easier the game is to play.

In Bac, the more the cards are played, the more random the cards become and the harder the game is to play. This is why in Bac, we prefer new cards.

In BJ, since it is play itself that clumps the cards, we can say that the longer the cards are played and the more players in the game, the more the cards clump and the harder it is to play. So in BJ we also prefer new cards.

So in Bac, as its popularity increases, its difficulty increases.

But in BJ, as its popularity decreases due to the advent of other casino games such as Poker, Bac and the junk table games, BJ becomes easier to play while Bac becomes more and more difficult.

So, while 20 years ago Bac was the easier of the two games to beat, today BJ is, by far, the easier game to beat and the proof is current casino profits, 25% for Bac while only 15% for BJ. Times have changed.

So why wouldn't I drop teaching Bac altogether and go back to only teaching BJ? Ha, believe me the thought has occurred to me. But the fact is that Bac is by far the easier game to learn.

Think about it. In Bac all decisions are made for you except when to bet, which side and how much. Bac isn't really even a game any more than flipping a coin. It requires no skill to play.

In BJ, YOU make all the decisions: It is not automated like Bac is.

Do I hit or stand?

Do I double?

Do I split?

Do I resplit?

Do I insure?

Do I surrender?

When do I increase my bet?

When do I decrease?

See that? BJ is an actual game. Bac is just something to bet on.

And BTW, in BJ you must play every hand. Most casinos will not let you stand out even for a single hand. If you do, you must sit out the rest of the shoe. But shoes only last a few minutes. BJ is a much faster game.

While table selection is important in Bac, it is critical in BJ. In BJ some tables you can beat with Basic Strategy alone requiring no special skills. Other tables are impossible to beat regardless of your skill level. So table selection is everything.

Once equally skilled in both games, which can win the most money? Answer BJ by a country mile.

Have you watched my BJ training film on the NBJ movable stop loss? Remember my first goal was to make a second pile of 12. This is comparable to doubling your buy-in in Bac. You would be happy with that in a Bac game, Right? Well in BJ, with that first pile of 12, I'm just getting started. I might do that in ten minutes that took you an hour and a half to accomplish in a good Bac game. In BJ, I've ended up with 24 piles of 12 in one sitting while you were playing 3 shoes of Bac and thought you were doing good to make one pile of 20.

We have all had days when there are simply no good Bac tables in the whole casino. I can always go play BJ but what are you going to do? You are going to play Bac anyway, aren't you.

While Bac is getting more and more difficult today, BJ is getting easier. But, there is a lot to learn.

I rest my case.

Hi Ellis,

I have always enjoyed Blackjack but I always got my head handed to me on a platter when I played BJ. Here is Arizona, the casinos don't have Baccarat but they do have BlackJack. I've been working on learning Baccarat because I have always thought that Baccarat was the easier to beat (although I haven't found either one easy to beat). I have played basic strategy in BJ but the dealers still managed to slaughter me like a lamb. I have been able to hold my own and actually come out ahead in Baccarat with what I have learned from you but before that I got taken to the cleaners in Baccarat also. So my question is, with no Baccarat in Arizona, should I be concentrating on learning BJ from you instead of Baccarat? I was hoping with the new net betting for random shoes that we are working on in Baccarat that I could maybe use that on the air ball roulette that they do have in Arizona but should I switch to BJ? What do you think?

Best Regards,

Jim

[Guest]

Hi Ellis,

I have always enjoyed Blackjack but I always got my head handed to me on a platter when I played BJ. Here is Arizona, the casinos don't have Baccarat but they do have BlackJack. I've been working on learning Baccarat because I have always thought that Baccarat was the easier to beat (although I haven't found either one easy to beat). I have played basic strategy in BJ but the dealers still managed to slaughter me like a lamb. I have been able to hold my own and actually come out ahead in Baccarat with what I have learned from you but before that I got taken to the cleaners in Baccarat also. So my question is, with no Baccarat in Arizona, should I be concentrating on learning BJ from you instead of Baccarat? I was hoping with the new net betting for random shoes that we are working on in Baccarat that I could maybe use that on the air ball roulette that they do have in Arizona but should I switch to BJ? What do you think?

Best Regards,

Jim

Hmmm, I'd like to know more about air ball roulette since Keith and I are talking about starting a new Roulette forum.

How long have they had BJ in AZ ?

How many decks? 1,2 and 6? Any 8 deck?

Are AZ BJ profits also running about 15% ? (You should be able to check out their profits on your computer since public profit reports are mandatory in most states.)

You already know Basic Strategy and that is a good start.

The primary reason most BS BJ players lose is they don't know which tables are susceptible to BS and which tables aren't and when. But that is not hard to learn.

How crowded are these BJ tables?

Can you usually get head to head games? Or can you at certain times of the day? In BJ, the more players at the table, the more it favors the casino. This pretty much rules out $5 and $10 BJ in many casinos but not all and not at all times of the day or all days of the week.

And what about your own schedule? Are you confined to certain hours and certain days or can you pretty much play anytime?

Especially given the fact that it is the only game in town, I'd sure give it a shot TJ.

Edited April 22, 2012 by Guest

[Guest]

I was there for the separate opening of BJ in MS, MN, and the Gulf Coast. While the Gulf Coast started right out with straight up games, there was rampant casino cheating at some casinos in MN and MS. I know because I caught them red handed enough times. However this phase did not last long because very quickly all the business went to the straight up casinos and most of the cheating casinos either quit cheating or went out of business. I'm hoping that all new casinos have learned that lesson by now.

I personally stopped one unnamed MN casino from cheating. On a crowded Saturday night I began counting sixes very loud. You could hear me 6 tables away. A crowd of some 200 people quickly gathered. My very loud count got up to 33, 34, 35. Ha, it was a 6 deck game. I had about 30 guys with me from a BJ seminar. They all joined in on the count. You could hear us throughout the whole casino. They couldn't throw me out. Too late for that. The casino went ape shit. So did their players. Never caught them cheating again.

I have noted that all those posters on other forums who argue that casinos would never cheat are the same people who've never played casinos. Common sense does not reign over first hand experience.

Edited April 22, 2012 by Guest