SpiderMan: 1D BJ

[SpiderMan]

Which casinos in Nevada have the best rules for single deck BJ?

[Parker]

> Which casinos in Nevada have the best rules
> for single deck BJ?

The most important thing to remember is to avoid any of the single deck games with a 6:5 BJ payout (instead of the usual 3:2). These are the only single deck games you will find in most of the strip casinos. The house edge on these ripoffs is a whopping 1.45% or even worse, depending on the rules.

Another game to beware of is SuperFun 21. This has a lot of good rule variations (surrender after doubling or splitting, double on any number of cards, 5 card charlie, etc.) and one very bad one: most BJ's pay even money (a diamond-suited BJ pays 2:1). It's not as bad as the 6:5 ripoff games, but it still has a bigger house edge than a six deck shoe with normal rules.

"So if that's what you shouldn't play, then what should you play?"

I'm glad you asked. :-)

There are still some real single deck games to be found downtown. These are all H17, DA2, no DAS, no surrender, and can be found at the El Cortez, Four Queens, Gold Spike, Western, Lady Luck, and Golden Nugget. The Nugget allows resplitting aces.

Avoid the Horseshoe, which only offers 6:5 single deck games.

The best single deck game in Las Vegas just may be at the Fiesta on Rancho, where double after splitting is allowed. A word of warning: This game is watched very closely.

There are actually many more single deck games in the Reno area, with nearly every casino offering at least a few single deck tables. The downtown Reno casinos are mostly H17, D10-11 only, no DAS, no surrender. Outside of downtown you will find the same rules as downtown Las Vegas.

[Hard 8 :: ::]

Las Vegas Club and Golden Gate.

I have not seen the Lady Luck SD non-6:5 table open at any time of day for a long time now.

Good luck

:: ::

The most important thing to remember is to
> avoid any of the single deck games with a
> 6:5 BJ payout (instead of the usual 3:2).
> These are the only single deck games you
> will find in most of the strip casinos. The
> house edge on these ripoffs is a whopping
> 1.45% or even worse, depending on the rules.

> Another game to beware of is SuperFun 21.
> This has a lot of good rule variations
> (surrender after doubling or splitting,
> double on any number of cards, 5 card
> charlie, etc.) and one very bad one: most
> BJ's pay even money (a diamond-suited BJ
> pays 2:1). It's not as bad as the 6:5 ripoff
> games, but it still has a bigger house edge
> than a six deck shoe with normal rules.

> "So if that's what you shouldn't play,
> then what should you play?"

> I'm glad you asked. :-)

> There are still some real single deck games
> to be found downtown. These are all H17,
> DA2, no DAS, no surrender, and can be found
> at the El Cortez, Four Queens, Gold Spike,
> Western, Lady Luck, and Golden Nugget. The
> Nugget allows resplitting aces.

> Avoid the Horseshoe, which only offers 6:5
> single deck games.

> The best single deck game in Las Vegas just
> may be at the Fiesta on Rancho, where double
> after splitting is allowed. A word of
> warning: This game is watched very closely.

> There are actually many more single deck
> games in the Reno area, with nearly every
> casino offering at least a few single deck
> tables. The downtown Reno casinos are mostly
> H17, D10-11 only, no DAS, no surrender.
> Outside of downtown you will find the same
> rules as downtown Las Vegas.

[Doc]

> I have not seen the Lady Luck SD non-6:5
> table open at any time of day for a long
> time now.

Spoke with a Lady Luck pit boss a few weeks ago who said the real SD game has been permenantly eliminated.

Doc

[Parker]

> Las Vegas Club and Golden Gate.

> I have not seen the Lady Luck SD non-6:5
> table open at any time of day for a long
> time now.

I can't believe I forgot about the Las Vegas Club. I haven't been in Lady Luck for some time (the place is a sweatbox). Golden Gate also has gotten rid of their single deck games a few weeks ago.

[Battery]

> Golden Gate
> also has gotten rid of their single deck
> games a few weeks ago.

How much of the Golden Gate's decision to get rid of their two SD tables do you think was based on the demise of the Horseshoe and will any others be following soon?

Also, you have mentioned the Golden Nugget a few times lately. Is it true that their new SD game is a $25 minimum?

[Parker]

> How much of the Golden Gate's decision to
> get rid of their two SD tables do you think
> was based on the demise of the Horseshoe and
> will any others be following soon?

I don't think that that was a factor. I think that they just realized that they have a limited number of tables, and they can get many more hands/hour with DD and shoes.

The single deck tables were almost always crowded, making for a very slow game.

> Also, you have mentioned the Golden Nugget a
> few times lately. Is it true that their new
> SD game is a $25 minimum?

They have two SD tables. During busy times they are both $25 min. However, I have seen them both at $10 min during off-peak hours.

[john]

Most SDeck tables in the downtown area were $10 minimum and crowded I found when there Monday - Friday May 3-7 during the early evening hours.

Perhaps earlier in the day you might find a lower limit table. I was also in Laughlin that week, and mid-day there were no SDeck real BJ games for less than a $10 minimum, and they too had at least four players at the tables.

If Single Deck is your game, you will probably need to play early morning and probably at a $25 minimum table to have a chance I think.

> I don't think that that was a factor. I
> think that they just realized that they have
> a limited number of tables, and they can get
> many more hands/hour with DD and shoes.

> The single deck tables were almost always
> crowded, making for a very slow game.

> They have two SD tables. During busy times
> they are both $25 min. However, I have seen
> them both at $10 min during off-peak hours.

[Parker]

> Most SDeck tables in the downtown area were
> $10 minimum and crowded I found when there
> Monday - Friday May 3-7 during the early
> evening hours.

You can always find real $5 single deck at the Las Vegas Club, although it may be crowded.

You can always find $5 and $3 single deck at the El Cortez (warning: minor sleaze alert).

$2 min single deck can be found at the Gold Spike or Western (warning: major sleaze alert, although the Western has actually cleaned up quite a bit since the new ownership took over.

> Perhaps earlier in the day you might find a
> lower limit table. I was also in Laughlin
> that week, and mid-day there were no SDeck
> real BJ games for less than a $10 minimum,
> and they too had at least four players at
> the tables.

This is surprising. I have always been able to find $5 games at the Edgewater and Golden Nugget, although I admittedly have not been there in several months.

> If Single Deck is your game, you will
> probably need to play early morning and
> probably at a $25 minimum table to have a
> chance I think.

The $25 games are always better (if your bankroll will support it), simply because they tend to be less crowded.

[john]

re: El Cortez finding $3 & $5 table.

I was there on a Tuesday evening in the first week of May. No $3 tables, but I found an empty $5 table, which stayed empty for two hands and then then 3 other players joined in. (I understand that single deck should be played with no more than two other players). As the dealer was using rule of 6 there were only two rounds dealt---thus the conditions were poor (1/2 the hands were off the top of the deck and penetration never past 1/2 the deck).

However, the El Cortez offers Royal Match, and the other players were making those bets. Thus they revealing their cards before my turn to play. I could see what the others had played...If I knew how to use depth-charging or had a better counting system for playing stategy I might have taken advantage--but alas, I have not yet gotten that far with my study of Blackjack.

[Greasy John]

> I don't think that that was a factor. I think that
> they just realized that they have a limited number of
> tables, and they can get many more hands/hour with DD
> and shoes.

> The single deck tables were almost always crowded,
> making for a very slow game.

> They have two SD tables. During busy times they are
> both $25 min. However, I have seen them both at $10
> min during off-peak hours.

was that the dealer peeked at their hole card--no reader

Greasy John

[Greasy John]