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BJI Newsletter, October 2007, #93

A WORD FROM HENRY

This issue is loaded with solid advice and good reading. For starters, we've got field reports on blackjack playing conditions in Las Vegas, Tunica, Mohegan Sun, and Atlantic City. The Tunica report also includes information on craps, video poker and advantage slot machines. Articles in this issue include: the details of what a gaming consultant teaches casino personnel about how to identify and then deal with card counters (a must-read for all advantage casino players); the strategies used by blackjack teams to get the money; tournament strategy advice covering last hand betting and doubling-down; the demise of a well-publicized million dollar blackjack tournament; more tips for playing in poker tournaments; and last, but not least, a schedule of upcoming blackjack tournaments around the US, courtesy of blackjacktournaments.com. Enjoy the issue!

Congratulations to BJI contributing writer Joe Pane for finishing first in the recent IP blackjack tournament in Biloxi. Joe pocketed a cool $79,000 in total winnings. BJI writer Ken Smith (and his lovely wife Jan) made it to the semi-finals.

Congratulations to Terry Courtier for winning the BJInsider.com sponsored tournament at the recent TBJPA event in Seattle.

Sales of Ken Smith's new blackjack tournament e-book have exceeded our expectations. And why not? Ken's book is jammed with solid advice for tournament players that want to improve their game and their chances of winning a tournament. Let me put it this way: You wouldn't want to face an opponent armed with the information contained in Ken's book, now would you? So what are you waiting for? For details on his book and purchasing, click here.

We have a few openings remaining for our Las Vegas Golden Touch Blackjack class which will be held the weekend of Oct. 20 and 21. In this hands-on class you will learn and practice under casino simulated conditions: the Speed Count, the optimum basic strategy, how to bet, how much bankroll you need to minimizing your risk of ruin, the good and bad games, how to disguise your skills, and everything else you need to be a successful advantage player. There is a $100 course discount to BJI subscribers. This is the last class in 2007. Sign up TODAY. Call 1-800-944-0406.

If you come across an unfamiliar blackjack term in one of our articles or reports, see our Blackjack Glossary: www.bjinsider.com/questions_glossary.shtml

E-mail subscribers can also read each month's issue online at our web site: BJI Issue #93, October 2007.

Henry Tamburin

Editor

STEPS USED TO IDENTIFY CARD COUNTERS by Bill Zender

"One of the most frequently asked questions that I receive as a gaming consultant deals with how to identify card counters. I'm not only a seasoned casino executive, but also an ex-card counter, so I get plenty of e-mails from casino supervisors and surveillance operators about the best methods they can employ to handle players who are counting cards..."

Read Zender's complete article.

TEAM TACTICS by The GameMaster

"As I've tried to show you in previous articles in the BJI, the most important component of team play, besides honest and competent team members, is money management. Once you've resolved that issue, it's now time to plan the team strategy you'll use in the casino..."

Read The GameMaster's complete article.

LAS VEGAS BLACKJACK REPORT by Joe Pane

Read Pane's complete article.

TUNICA BLACKJACK REPORT by Jerry "Stickman"

"Tunica, Mississippi - flat delta land with endless cotton fields. The pace of life is slower and the people seem a little friendlier. Home to nine casinos, Tunica was the absolute best place for a gambler a few years back. Unfortunately times have changed..."

Read Stickman's complete article.

MOHEGAN SUN BLACKJACK REPORT by The Counter

"If you are a counter, have no fears. From my playing experience, pit supervision does not blink at a 1 to 10 bet spread at low-level tables, meaning $50 minimum or less tables. Additionally, no action is too large at the Mohegan Sun Casino. They have $5,000.00 denomination chips on the floor at all times and are reported to have up to $50,000.00 chips available for whales..."

Read The Counter's complete article.

ATLANTIC CITY BLACKJACK REPORT by Alene Paone and Frank Scoblete

"The AC blackjack games 12 years ago (give or take) had some four-deck games, many games with surrender, more liberal rules and none of the idiocy of 6-to-5 single deck games, and no games with the dealer hitting soft-17s. Given a quick appraisal of AC in terms of blackjack, except for the Borgata, it is nowhere near as good as it was in the past. That is not news to AC blackjack players who have to scout to get decent games..."

Read Paone's and Scoblete's complete article.

LAST HAND BETTING, VISUALLY EXPLAINED by Kenneth R. Smith

"This month I want to go back to the basics, and cover a very fundamental idea of blackjack tournament strategy with an explanation that I hope everyone will find easy to understand. I won't use any percentages, but will instead present a few visual representations of hand outcomes. We'll look at a betting situation that newbie tournament players often misplay, but one that is quite simple once you see the light..."

Read Smith's complete article.

THERE IS ALWAYS A BETTER BET, SWINGS, SURRENDER AND MIND MUDDLING, PART 4 by The Babe

"An incident occurred over 20 years ago that finally resulted in bringing this four-part article to print. I was sitting in the 3rd base seat of a semi-final round in a tournament at the now closed Lady Luck Casino in downtown Las Vegas. I was last to bet in the 2nd to the last hand of the round. $30,000 to the winner was up for grabs, and I WANTED to be in that final..."

Read The Babe's complete article.

THE FUTURE OF THE LAS VEGAS HILTON'S NON-INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENTS by Peter Nathan

"This tournament sounded too good to be true and, as it turned out, it was too good to be true. I must give the Hilton credit for "anticipating" that such a tournament was "too good to be true," when they clearly stated in the brochure this statement: "All prize money (including the monthly) is based upon a minimum of 65 entries in each monthly tournament..."

Read Nathan's complete article.

ALL ABOUT POKER: POKER TOURNAMENT TIPS Part 2 by Bill Burton

"Last month I covered the etiquette tips I gave players before the poker tournament. This month I share some of the strategy tips I gave them. Whether you are new to no limit poker tournaments or more experienced, you may find these 10 tips helpful in getting you to the final table..."

Read Burton's complete article.

BLACKJACK TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Check out the schedule of major blackjack tournaments in October and November by region in our Blackjack Tournament Report.

Read our tournament schedule.