Radar: Magazine Fallacies

[Radar]

Although I have played BJ for a number of years as a Ploppy, I have become an AP only the beginning of this year. With that being the case, I may not be an expert on the level of those of you that post here, but I do believe, I have been taugh correctly and that is why I am posting.

It seems that these so-called "Casino" magazines that are published, do so by touting systems and philosophys that are not inlined with correct BJ strategies.

For instance, there is a new magazine that is out that I picked up called "Player". Player magazine is owned by Avery Cardoza who espouses that he is an expert because he is a million-selling author of "21 books on Gambling", including "Winning Casino Blackjack for the Non-counter", "Essential Blackjack Wisdom", and "Quick Guide to Winning Blackjack".

It is apparent that this guy is not very well respected in the BJ community if for no other reason than the titles of his "Winning" blackjack books. Here's another.

In the latest issue of Player, there is an article that he writes entitled, "Multiple Deck Strategies". In this article he is teaching all the correct strategy moves for multi-deck BJ. Here's a couple that are interesting.

He says that on a player's hand of 6,6 against a dealer's 2..."the dangerous deuce. In a single deck game, the removal of these two 6s make the split correct, but in the multiple deck game, with their removal hardly felt, drawing (12 vs. 2) is the correct play" What? I am no mathmetician but I do rely on Don and other pros to teach me proper basic strategy, and I have always been taught to split these in multiple decks.

He goes on to say..."hit 2,2 vs. 3. This time the deuce is on the player's side and allows the aggressive split in a single deck game. Hit only, do not split in multiple deck game."

In another, "Casino" magazine, we have our friend, Dan Pronovost being "interviewed" by non-other than Henry Tamburin. The title of the article is, "Blackjack Card Counters Where are They?".

The whole idea of this article is to portray the new "Speed Count" system that we have discussed previously on this board, as an easy way for players to count cards, using the same (Speed Cont delivers 70 to 95% of the performance advantage of popular count systems such as High-Low or Knock-Out without the indices).

The thing that gets me about this "interview", it even tells that the "interviewer, Henry Tamburin" is one of the instructors of the Speed Count course. Although the article is written with questions and answer for Don from Henry to project an in-debt interview, it is nothing more than an advertisement and should be listed as one.

So, I need everyone's opinion. I have read "Casino" player for years for the entertainment value, not for knowledge, but after this "interview" should I seriously consider giving up my subscription?

[Don Schlesinger]

> It seems that these so-called
> "Casino" magazines that are
> published, do so by touting systems and
> philosophies that are not in line with
> correct BJ strategies.

Yes, that certainly can be true.

> For instance, there is a new magazine that
> is out that I picked up called
> "Player". Player magazine is owned
> by Avery Cardoza who espouses that he is an
> expert because he is a million-selling
> author of "21 books on Gambling",
> including "Winning Casino Blackjack for
> the Non-counter", "Essential
> Blackjack Wisdom", and "Quick
> Guide to Winning Blackjack".

Cardoza writes for the masses. Doesn't make him a bad person, but his level of knowledge is not on a par with serious blackjack authorities.

> It is apparent that this guy is not very
> well respected in the BJ community if for no
> other reason than the titles of his
> "Winning" blackjack books. Here's
> another.

Right.

> In the latest issue of Player, there is an
> article that he writes entitled,
> "Multiple Deck Strategies". In
> this article he is teaching all the correct
> strategy moves for multi-deck BJ. Here's a
> couple that are interesting.

> He says that on a player's hand of 6,6
> against a dealer's 2..."the dangerous
> deuce. In a single deck game, the removal of
> these two 6s make the split correct, but in
> the multiple deck game, with their removal
> hardly felt, drawing (12 vs. 2) is the
> correct play" What? I am no
> mathmetician but I do rely on Don and other
> pros to teach me proper basic strategy, and
> I have always been taught to split these in
> multiple decks.

When DAS is permitted, splitting 6s v. 2 is correct. If DAS is not allowed, we don't split. So, I'll cut the author some slack and assume that he was writing for a game where DAS isn't permitted.

> He goes on to say..."hit 2,2 vs. 3.
> This time the deuce is on the player's side
> and allows the aggressive split in a single
> deck game. Hit only, do not split in
> multiple deck game."

Same comment. If DAS is permitted, you split. If not, you don't.

> The thing that gets me about this
> "interview", it even tells that
> the "interviewer, Henry Tamburin"
> is one of the instructors of the Speed Count
> course. Although the article is written with
> questions and answer for Don from Henry to
> project an in-debt interview, it is nothing
> more than an advertisement and should be
> listed as one.

Right again.

> So, I need everyone's opinion. I have read
> "Casino" player for years for the
> entertainment value, not for knowledge, but
> after this "interview" should I
> seriously consider giving up my
> subscription?

CP is a "masses" magazine, supported by advertising from the casinos, for which it is an enormous shill. That said, it has some knowledgeable authors who, more often than not, are correct in what they right. You won't get any high-level, sophisticated information from reading CP, but you shouldn't get much misinformation, either.

Don

[Norm Wattenberger]

In another, "Casino" magazine, we have our friend, Dan Pronovost being "interviewed" by non-other than Henry Tamburin.

Also a 'review' of Dan's software has been on the front page of BJ21 for years. He pays for that 'review.' I was offered the opportunity to to have it replaced with 'reviews' of my software for $3,000 a year. Of course I refused. I do not subscribe to such practices. Infomercials on TV and paid articles in magazines are required by law to identify themselves as advertisements.

[Radar]

You won't get any high-level,
> sophisticated information from reading CP,
> but you shouldn't get much misinformation,
> either.

> Don

Don,

For once I must disagree with you. In last month's issue there were articles written by two of the best in the business...Arnold Snyder and Cellini.

Once in awhile, they do portray some accurate information that is useful to even the more skilled players. (Most of these articles the more skilled players have read or have knowledge of anyway, so maybe they won't be too beneficial to the skilled AP, but they do give accurate info to the non-skilled public)

[Radar]

Also a 'review' of Dan's
> software has been on the front page of BJ21
> for years. He pays for that 'review.' I was
> offered the opportunity to to have it
> replaced with 'reviews' of my software for
> $3,000 a year. Of course I refused. I do not
> subscribe to such practices. Infomercials on
> TV and paid articles in magazines are
> required by law to identify themselves as
> advertisements.

Norm,

I did not see anything, anywhere, that listed this so-called interview as an advertisement. Because of this, I intend on sending a note to the editor and dare them to print my "Letter to the Editor" in the mag and respond to it. I give 6-5 it won't happen!

[Ouchez]

> You won't get any high-level,

> Don,

> For once I must disagree with you. In last
> month's issue there were articles written by
> two of the best in the business...Arnold
> Snyder and Cellini.

This is a casino magazine, read by a great amount of casino employs. Why put anything in this mag unless the true motive is to educate casino employees? I will never forget the article in this mag. by AS on cover techniques for counters!

Damn!

Just my opinion, I may be wrong.

Regards,
Ouchez.

[Radar]

> This is a casino magazine, read by a great
> amount of casino employs. Why put anything
> in this mag unless the true motive is to
> educate casino employees? I will never
> forget the article in this mag. by AS on
> cover techniques for counters!

> Damn!

> Just my opinion, I may be wrong.

> Regards,
> Ouchez.

I don't believe Casino Player magazine is written mainly for casino employees. Is it written for the ploppies and slot junkies to advertise different casinos and products to make $$.

The articles I have read by Arnold and Cellini are very accurate and not giving away any secrets, so to speak. It is pretty basic knowledge that most of the readers would enjoy...AND accurate!

Just my opinion, and I may be wrong.

[Ouchez]

> I don't believe Casino Player magazine is
> written mainly for casino employees. Is it
> written for the ploppies and slot junkies to
> advertise different casinos and products to
> make $$.

> The articles I have read by Arnold and
> Cellini are very accurate and not giving
> away any secrets, so to speak. It is pretty
> basic knowledge that most of the readers
> would enjoy...AND accurate!

> Just my opinion, and I may be wrong.

I question the motive of those involved in writing for this Mag. Although, it does not surprise me that Cellini is now *penning* there.

Just our opinions, we both may be wrong. :-)

Regards,
Ouchez.

[Don Schlesinger]

My take on CP has always been that it is written for the masses, and is blatantly pro-casino, since virtually all of its revenue is derived from casino advertising. Although it covers all forms of casino gaming, it is hugely biased towards slots. In every issue, almost all of the questions to the editor are about slots, as if that's all the public cared about.

As for the authors, with practically no exceptions, they barter their articles for space in the magazine for ads for their products -- a common quid pro quo that is not unique to CP.

And while Arnold may write for CP, his material is "dummied down" to the level of the reader; it bears no resemblance to the kind of stuff he wrote for BJF or in his books.

Don

[Radar]

[Don Schlesinger]

I never said it wasn't accurate. I said it was "dummied down" to the level of the CP reader.

There is not a lot of misinformation in CP. There's just not much there for the more sophisticated player.

Don