dt: whats the big deal with barona?

[dt]

for years i've heard and read that Barona was one of the best places in the country (world) for BJ. upon finally finding it, and walking through it a while ago, i couldnt understand what all the fuss is about. the BJ single deck games i observed in the "high limit" area only dealt about 50%, and every BJ table had a prominent sign saying how such and such surveillance company was being used...???huh... I've never seen that anywhere. so...with poor penetration, and surveillance practically advertising itself on every table, can anyone actually explain what the fascination is with this place? thanks.

[Parker]

The "big deal" is a single deck game with 3:2 blackjack payout, double any two cards, double after splitting okay, and late surrender. This gives it a house edge of almost nothing. A multi-level count with full indices will give you a small edge flat-betting, and a modest spread will produce a significant edge.

Yes, the pen sucks (that's how they protect the game), which can result in some wild swings.

Surveillance is sharp, but the small house edge means you can give up a quite a bit in camo.

The double deck games (same rules) are also worth a look. While pen on these is also usually pretty mediocre, occasionally you'll find a dealer that does a little better.