http://blackjack.gamingsupermarket.com/news/ http://blackjack.gamingsupermarket.com/news/2595/blackjack-variations-at-roxy-palace-casino Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:25:11 GMT Roxy Palace Casino offers numerous versions of the game. Many experienced and novice players enjoy the offerings at Roxy. With such a wide variety, there’s enough to keep the thrill of blackjack fresh.

One variety of blackjack available at Roxy Palace is Atlantic City Video Blackjack. The game is based upon the classic blackjack game which requires players to beat the dealer’s hand without exceeding 21. In Atlantic City blackjack, the cards numbered from 2 to 9 are worth their number value. The cards worth ten points include the 10, Jack, Queen & King. The Ace can be used either as a 1 or 11. Bets are placed prior to the deal. You are first dealt two cards, of course face up. Then the dealer gives themselves two cards, one with the face up and one with the face down.  Then you would simply decide whether you want to stand, hit, double down, split or surrender.

Another blackjack variation found at Roxy Palace is European Blackjack. This variant is like other kinds of blackjack. You must try to get a higher score than the dealer without going over 21. One big difference is that European blackjack has a shoe comprised of two decks of cards. Therefore, the odds are in the favour of the player rather than the dealer. In European Blackjack, the dealer will always stand on 17.

Spanish blackjack is another blackjack variation offered at Roxy Palace Casino. The decks used in this game are different from other games. The decks include only 48 cards rather than the typical 52. The 10 cards are all removed from the decks comprising the shoe. The typical moves in Spanish blackjack are the same as other blackjack games. You can opt to hit, stand, double, split and surrender.  In Spanish blackjack, if you choose to double down and lose then you can opt for what is called double down rescue. In this case, you would only give up half of the amount of the double down. With such a subtle twist, Spanish blackjack is an exciting game to experience!

]]> http://blackjack.gamingsupermarket.com/news/2521/teen-patti-the-movie-gambling-greed-and-mathematics Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:38:07 GMT
Teen Patti is a card game not that dissimilar from poker. It originated in India and is also known as Flash. Each player contributes to the pot and the players are dealt three cards on which they bet. Each player can either fold, call (bet the same as the previous bet) or raise. It is also possible to play blind (not look at one’s cards) which allows the player to bet half the amount on non-blind players. Betting continues until only two players remain and one of them sees the other for twice the current bet amount. This betting structure means that bets can become very big and often limits are applied. Hand ranking is similar to poker with three aces being an unbeatable hand.

This game forms the backdrop to the movie. Venkat Subramaniam is a mathematics professor who develops a theory on randomness which he applies to Teen Patti. This allows him to predict with a reasonable degree of accuracy which hand is the strongest. Shantanu is a colleague who is in need of money and he persuades Venkat to test theory in various gambling clubs.

The pair of them enrol a number of students and create a sign language which they use to exchange information on hands. Initially they experience considerable success, but slowly things get out of hand and human foibles, which include blackmail and a Bonnie and Clyde type of love affair, get in the way of what could have been a successful enterprise. Although ultimately the gambling enterprise  fails, eventually Venkat Subramaniam is hailed as a mathematical genius and receives the Isaac Newton award.

In fact the movie lacks originality. It has borrowed extensively from “21”, the film about the Blackjack card counters from the MIT.  The plot is at least a little cheesy though there are some good performances from the cast which includes Ben Kingsley playing a mathematician from Cambridge University.

]]> http://blackjack.gamingsupermarket.com/news/2384/ladbrokes-casinos-live-dealer-blackjack Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:28:52 GMT Ladbrokes Casino has some exciting things going on for those that love live blackjack. Now, the online casino features a live dealer blackjack game. At the present time, this is the most life like blackjack game that you can find in any online casino. This game has been made possible by Microgaming, a leader in the development of online casino software.

This new blackjack game has some features that are new to online blackjack. The first of these is a feature known as bet behind. With this feature, you have the capability to make wagers on players that are seated at the blackjack table. Therefore, if you happen to observe a blackjack player that seems to have a good grasp of the game and plays well, you can choose to bet your money on his performance rather than actually playing the game yourself. Keep in mind that with this bet behind feature, you have no way of actually interacting with the chosen blackjack player. You will not be able to tell them how to play their hand. This is the same as in live land based casinos.

The other feature that is part of Ladbrokes’s latest blackjack offering is the waiting list. As the name implies, it is a waiting list for a specific blackjack dealer. You would add your name to the list and wait until a seat is open. What is nice about this feature is you can enjoy other casino gaming while on the waiting list. Names are added to the waiting list on a first come, first served basis. Playing while waiting is much more enjoyable than watching a table continually for a free seat to become available.

Along another line, this live dealer blackjack game also adds other aspects to the game in order to make a most realistic blackjack experience. The addition of video streaming technology permits players to see their hands being dealt by a live dealer. Secondly, this technology allows players to interact not only with the dealer but also one another. For those gamblers holding out for a more real life blackjack experience, this is the game for you!

]]> http://blackjack.gamingsupermarket.com/news/1672/card-counter-overturns-ban Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:14:49 GMT
Card counting at Blackjack used to be all the rage and was much publicised in the media through a number of movies and books. A number of groups made substantial sums of money using this technique, but were eventually caught by the casinos and banned. Now anybody caught card counting is liable to find themselves with a casino ban, despite the fact that it an entirely legal and many would argue legitimate activity.

Certainly this is how Thomas Donovan reacted after he was banned from the Grand Victoria Casino. He said that as card counting was in essence very easy to do, banning it was an absurdity. A court in Indiana agreed with him, and overturned the ban.

Now the casinos are appealing this decision and have called on the Supreme Court of Indiana to overturn it.

There are a dozen casinos in Indiana and they have seen revenues fall as a result of the national economy. The edge over the casino that card counters gain can be overcome by the casino  by modifying the rules of Blackjack, but these modifications make the game less attractive for non-card counting players, and as a result they play less frequently or for smaller wagers. Thus the casinos argue that they must either ban card counters or lose customers.

Donovan was caught counting in 2006 and was banned by the courts in 2007. This ban was overthrown some months later when the courts rules that card counters had a perfect right to play. The Casinos argue against this saying that they have to right to admit or exclude who they wish.

Donovan regularly earns $6,000 a year at Blackjack and has been counting cards since 1999.
]]> http://blackjack.gamingsupermarket.com/news/1536/london-blackjack-open-final Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:20:00 GMT
In order to compete in this tournament it is necessary to qualify for a seat online. This can be achieved at Paddy Power and several other online casinos. Currently qualifiers are being run on a daily basis at 20.00 and 22.00 GMT. Winners of these qualifiers can compete in a weekly final which takes place every Saturday, or it is possible to buy in to the final for £110. Two seats are awarded in every final.

The cost of the 20.00 qualifier is £13.75, and of the 22.00 qualifier is £27.50. There is also a ‘Pennyroll’ feeder satellite for the 20.00 qualifiers. This is played at 18.00.

In the live final the top eight players will receive a prize ranging from £1,250 to £10,000. There will be a minimum of twenty seats and a maximum of thirty two.

There is also a live warm-up event that takes place on the 28th November. There is a minimum prize fund of £3,000 and it is possible to compete for as little as £2.50. Qualifiers to this event are run daily at 21.00 and one seat is guaranteed every day. It is also possible to buy in directly (in advance) for £20.00. There are also sit and go games available for groups of four players. The cost is £5.00 and a seat is awarded to the winner.

Both of the live games will be played in the Shadow room at the Empire Casino. This is an exciting opportunity to enjoy live tournament blackjack for a small outlay along with the potential of winning some significant cash.

]]> http://blackjack.gamingsupermarket.com/news/1514/new-multi-touch-blackjack-table-hits-the-casinos Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:45:32 GMT
A new kind of electronic blackjack table has been resealed by MOTO, a company that specialises in multi-touch sensing equipment and machines that can be controlled using hand gestures.

Their blackjack table uses virtual cards and chips eliminating the need to set up, deal and clear the decks which eliminates any mistakes and allows more rapid and efficient game play.

The table uses what MOTO calls resistive touch. Cards are dealt face down and to see them it is necessary for the player hold his hand over them, shielding them with a cupped hand so that they are invisible to other players. They then show themselves to the player.

Dealing can be carried out automatically, or there can be a dealer who carries out a gesture which results in virtual cards sliding across the table.

Betting involves moving virtual chips to the centre of the table using a dragging motion.

Revealing the cards is carried out by a gesture that involves similar movements to viewing followed by raising the hand.

This multi-player gesture oriented blackjack table is far more satisfying than playing a conventional blackjack gaming machine. The fact that the participants are engaging in playing in a group rather than individually creates a social setting similar to that of a conventional live blackjack table.

Although the current table is still a prototype, MOTO is keen for it to be taken up by live casinos. The company is also investigating other games that lend themselves to gesture control. No doubt we will be seeing them in the real world before too long.
]]> http://blackjack.gamingsupermarket.com/news/1460/blackjack-at-roxy-palace Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:26:50 GMT
Fancy playing Blackjack American style? You should check out Atlantic City Blackjack. Atlantic City has lots of options and lots of ways to win big money.

Or maybe European Blackjack is more your thing, smooth, clear graphics and easy playability to enhance your gambling pleasure. Split to double your chances or double increase your winning potential. If the dealer is dealt an Ace, place an insurance bet and be rewarded if he gets blackjack.

For those more experienced Blackjack players Roxy offers Bonus Blackjack. Bonus Blackjack offers players the chance to personalise the game such as the ability to control the speed of the game.
Roxy also offer Vegas Blackjack for those players that wish to excel in the game. With over 9 types of Vegas Blackjack you are sure to find a version to suit you.

Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned player Spanish Blackjack is a must play with beautiful graphics, realistic sound effects and smooth animation Spanish Blackjack has all the tension and excitement of an authentic casino environment.

Don’t forget to try Pontoon Gold, this variation on Blackjack, has all the elements of classic Blackjack and a bit of British creative flair thrown in. With eight decks of cards in the game, you’ll discover endless winning combinations to keep you coming back for more.

If none of those appeal to you Roxy also offer the most classic version of the game - no extras, no twists, no confusing new rules. This game pulls no punches, it's just straightforward Blackjack with crisp graphics that's only aim is to re-create the feeling of sitting at a Blackjack table in a land casino.

So what are you waiting for? Log on today and win big with Roxy Palace.

]]> http://blackjack.gamingsupermarket.com/news/1442/blackjack-anti-card-counting-device-invented-by-uk-researchers Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:47:24 GMT
Card counting is not illegal in casinos in the UK or elsewhere, but if card counters are detected by Casino staff, they are perfectly entitled to request the card counter to leave the premises. Gone are the days when this included a good thumping in a deserted alleyway adjacent to the casino, that has been relegated to the movies, but once you have been ejected from a casino then it is very unlikely you will ever be permitted to return, and in the worst case your details could be circulated to other casinos who might also exclude you.

Card counters are simply trying to increase their chances of winning by determining if the deck is hot; that is if it contains a disproportionately high number of high cards. This is advantageous to the player as it increases the likelihood of a blackjack which awards a good payout. Card counters apply a simple algorithm that allows them to assign a ‘count’ to the cards, and when the count is high, that is there are a high proportion of high cards remaining, they increase the size of their bet. It is impossible to card count online, with online casinos generating random cards every hand.

This new device that has been developed at Dundee University has a stereo camera recording the table activities and the video is analysed by a computer which itself counts the cards. Thus the computer ‘knows’ when the deck is hot.

The camera determines the size of bets by analysing the chips, and can detect any changes to the betting patterns. This simultaneous analysis of the card deck and the manner of betting only needs twenty hands to determine if card counting is going on.

If it detects card counting it sends a message to the casino staff, and what they do is up to them.


]]> http://blackjack.gamingsupermarket.com/news/1262/blackjack-race-at-paddy-power-casino Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:06:37 BST
To play, simply log into your account at Paddy Power Casino and start playing Blackjack. The player who plays this game the most amount of times on that Tuesday will take away the thousand pound prize.

Remember that you must be a real cash player to be able to enter this specific competition and it can only be played on every Tuesday of the month. The competition is only available for players with UK or Euro accounts.







]]> http://blackjack.gamingsupermarket.com/news/1223/blackjack-a-mans-game Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:40:56 BST
Sandra Newman is a professional Blackjack player with a multitude of talents and success stories. Born in the USA Newman has worked in a variety of professions including copywriting, typing and gambling. She is also a university graduate and she is a published author.

Sandra Newman entered the gambling work in 1993 after replying to a job advertisement for a gamblers assistant. This was her first big gamble. It could have been a scam yet it turned out to be the beginning of a successful gaming period. The ad had been placed by a professional gambler who had been in the business over 15 years.  Newman was required to become part of his team and travel around with him playing Blackjack in casinos with his money after full training in cad counting and tracking systems.

Newman was part of a gambling team made up of women lead by one man. In 7 months they won a total of $250,000! Living an unbelievable lifestyle!

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