Don't ask, just do it!

[zerg]

You may want to rethink "playable." The 6-5 rule blackjack is worse than the ante, costing $1.04 on a $75 bet. With all the bad rules together, you are looking at over a 2% HE game before considering the ante. With rules, ante, and a $75 bet It is probably TC 6 before you have a slight player edge.

I agree it can't hurt to just say "surrender" and see if you can get away with it.

[zerg]

I use to play some single deck with D10 rule. Id try to double soft hands against each dealer to see if I could get away with it. Sometimes I could. But I learned it is a bad play, almost like a freeroll for the casino. One time the floor caught a double being paid and only paid one bet. I think they would have taken both if I had lost.

[TheRedKing]

I've found a card room that had a dealer giving ES all night. Went back the following and someone had corrected him that fast. If you find it take advantage of it while it lasts.

[ZenMaster_Flash]

"Wong-In at +5" he said.

Not only is that barely sufficient to make the game playable,

but I guesstimate that he will perhaps get to see 4 or 5 hands per hour.

L.O.L.

[Darkestknight]

ZenMaster_Flash...Its WAY LESS than 5 hands an hour! I actually only get to play at all one trip in 3 and when I do play I only get about 5 hands-10 hands (at best) and my average trip is 3 hours. Keep in mind this is not a place I go to make money, its a place I go to either hang out or simply to clear my head.

You may find it odd, but sometimes after a stressful week spending an hour or two just standing in a real casino back-counting can be very relaxing. There have been many trips I don't play no matter what the count is. I go count for an hour and suddenly all that stress I had, all those things that got to me about my week, they just kind of go away.

I'm not offended by anyone, I welcome everyone to give their opinions. I would like to clarify: the double deck and shoe games have different rules. The double deck (new) is 6:5, Double 9,10,11 only etc...the shoe games are 6 deck, 3:2, DAS, S17, Split x 4, Double Any Total, etc. so very different games. I HAVE NEVER AND WILL NEVER PLAY THE DOUBLE DECK VERSION, it really is that bad.

I find it interesting that no one has mentioned anything like hole carding. I'm sure most of the games that JG plays seem like complete crap....unless you know how he's playing.

Yes my local games blow, but better than no local casino...after all, free drinks

Thanks for everyone's advice on the ES LS thing also, much appreciated!

[Three]

Where they rotate dealers from different games I have seen people surrender after taking a hit and get away with it. I didn't try because the Floors all know I now the rules better than anyone in the casino. They are very tolerant of me almost everywhere. I try hard to cultivate that and don't need to jeopardize it for a half bet. I would ask for surrender when surrender would be appropriate. You never know if the dealer will allow it and it can be hard to keep the rule differences straight if you play in many different casinos.

[Darkestknight]

Exactly what I was looking for! I am going to Vegas in a few months and I have a list of places that have games I want to check out but I don't want to ask about the rules like ES LS and stick out, and after my experience the other day I figure it would just be better to try if the situation arises and see what they say.