Blackjack Tables
Putting the fun back in to Blackjack!

Putting the fun
back in to Blackjack!

Archive for May, 2010

Fast times at the Crown Casino Melbourne

Monday, May 31st, 2010

Greetings fans. I’ve had a lot of people getting in touch with me about a strategy I proposed in my last blog, so I just thought I’d clarify: when I said always stand on 17, I meant, always stand on 17. No ifs, no buts, just a golden rule. Honestly, I wouldn’t be in the position I am today – widely regarded as one the finest blackjack players Chiswick has ever seen – if I wasn’t used to sticking to my guns. So to the gentleman from Barking who emailed suggesting that I should change my strategy under certain circumstances (too contrived and improbable to warrant reproduction here) – NO. Not now, not ever. No way.

Anyway, on with the here and now. It’s been a busy time for me of late, I’ve actually played in a few blackjack tournaments. These days I don’t like to play for real gain too often as it seems unfair on the other players but I have been tempted into the fray by the prospect of going up against some of the liveliest young table jockeys out there. Of course, I schooled them all, coming away with a tidy set of winnings which I used to take myself and Elizabeth away for the weekend.

I read recently, with some mirth I might add, about the story of a player who lost his Ferrari after valet staff at the Crown Casino in Melbourne gave his keys to the wrong driver. It reminds me of the time when I visited the Crown on my trip to Australia at Christmas. The blackjack tables there are among the finest in the world. Nothing as dramatic as me losing my car happened, although the motorbike I had hired did gain more than a few admiring glances from some local onlookers – I was quite concerned for its safety. Luckily it remained in my possession for the duration of its lease and the worst thing that happened was that it fell over onto the tarmac when I tried to get back on it upon leaving – very embarrassing.

All this talk of blackjack tables has got me thinking that I’d like to get back into reviewing casinos – it’s something I’ll be doing more of on the blog in months to come. I think I’ll organise a few trips around the country, maybe even the world, and report back to you on my findings – and winnings.

Until then, keep hitting.

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Blackjack tips of the trade

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

Play hard, win hardIf I had a pound every time someone asked me to reveal my secrets on the blackjack tables, well, I’d be a very rich guy. I’d have bought a flash car, a holiday home, maybe even my own island. OK, I’m probably getting a bit carried away here, but the point I’m trying to make is that it happens a lot.

Now down the years, it’s true that I’ve had a lot of success with the cards. At the risk of sounding big-headed, one of the main reasons for this is sheer talent. Some people have it, some people don’t. I’ve known plenty of players who’ve put in way more hours than me on the blackjack tables and still haven’t had a fraction of my success. They might claim they’re cursed or blighted with bad luck – a few of them might even believe it – but the hard truth is you make your own luck.

It goes without saying that not everyone has a flair for blackjack. However, even if you’re not one of the lucky few, there are some basic blackjack strategies that can set even the most erratic players on the right track. So in an effort to help my fellow man do better on the blackjack tables – and more importantly, to stop them bugging me all the time – here are my top three tips.

  • Firstly, always stand on 17s. I’m constantly amazed by the number of blackjack players who get a 17 or 18 and still demand another card. Don’t lose your head in the thrill of the draw.
  • Secondly, if you have an Ace in your opening pair, go for broke. The extra safety cushion you get from an Ace cannot be underestimated on the blackjack tables. Always be bold when you’ve got a soft Ace hand – after all, if you go over 21 with a soft Ace, you can just play it as a hard Ace instead.
  • Thirdly, know when to split. If you’ve got two Aces or two eights, always split. Personally, I’ve also found that it’s well worth splitting when you’ve got a pair of fives or a pair of nines.

I could go on all day. Really, I could. But then I don’t want to give away too many of my secrets, do I? Still, if you always keep these three rules in mind, I guarantee your luck on the blackjack tables will be transformed overnight.

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Getaways and blackjack days

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Lovely scenesIt’s that time of year folks! The weather is heating up, so there’s only one place to be – the casino! Not literally, of course, my wife would kill me. So what I like to do is keep the missus happy as well as quench my thirst for blackjack by heading abroad for some quality time in the sun, making sure I bring my trusty laptop with me.

My friends know I can make a living from playing blackjack, but they often don’t believe me when I tell them that online blackjack can be just as thrilling an experience as playing in a real casino. And ‘real’ is the operative word here. Some people may not consider playing online to be real but, trust me, the money and the payouts are very, very real.

Where you decide to play can really help you also, especially in terms of making you feel comfortable and setting the right mood. For example, there is nothing stopping you from staying in bed and attempting to play your cards right under the duvet or, as I’ll be doing this summer, attempting to pick up some extra holiday money on a beach somewhere exotic or by the hotel pool.

I’m torn between going to the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. I know that my wife is slightly less keen on the latter – believe it or not – because they have a wealth of offline casinos she’s worried I’ll skulk off to during the day. But I’m not so sure about the Mediterranean as we’ve been there before and at my age I’m a little bit bored of package holidays to places everybody has already been to. Basically, I’m not interested in sharing our hotel with a bunch of 20-year-olds. Perhaps my wife’s grandma was right – we should try ‘one of those Danish countries’!

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