DigiDeal cardroom blackjack table

**jamesrav** · 02-25-2015, 02:17 PM

any opinions on whether these are 100% fair or not? Do they have to pass a licensing test to ensure there's no hanky-panky involved when bets get big or there's suspicion of card-counting? I'm a programmer, and know how easy it would be to recognize a counter - and then crush him. How could anyone dispute it, or make a complaint? Last night I was playing the table alone, up/down, up/down very small amounts (and small bets) over an hour. Finally the count got quite good for 4 hands - lost them all at 5x the usual bet. Count lowered - won a few small bets, count went good again, lost 4 straight again at 5x the usual bet. Obviously explainable, but does make me wonder. Clearly they don't want to kill everyone or the table won't be used, but there's no reason they'd want a counter trying to make some money. It's a DigiDeal table, probably moved from a California card room to Mexico (where I live). Has the DealBuster side bet and another one. I guess the only way to find out is try it again until an 'unexplainable' pattern emerges.

**NotEnoughHeat** · 02-25-2015, 05:37 PM

Like you said, obviously explainable. Anyone who's played blackjack would have experienced what you described. Unfortunately, there's no way to tell without either a large sample or some kind of manual that outlines the design ("Dealer's must press the button underneath the table to make the players lose a given hand"). I think the burden of proof would be on those that distrust the machine to show that it is unfair, since the alternative is a more straight-forward and readily available hypothesis.

**jamesrav** · 02-25-2015, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by NotEnoughHeat

"Dealer's must press the button underneath the table to make the players lose a given hand". I think the burden of proof would be on those that distrust the machine to show that it is unfair, since the alternative is a more straight-forward and readily available hypothesis.

well there is no human dealer involved (I think your quote was indicating that ??) so it's all program. I guess it deserves another chance, the phrase "once bitten twice shy" will have to be put aside, but another drubbing exactly at high count will be enough. Too easy for them to do it, and no recourse ("I was counting cards and when the count got good .... ").

**NotEnoughHeat** · 02-25-2015, 07:52 PM

It was a bit of a joke I made, the point was the only other way you could prove that they were doing such a thing without jumping the gun is if you had a document, concerning the program, showing that it was design to cheat. The first way was meant to point out that, no, another drubbing exactly at high count won't show anything. I look back at some of my play with human dealers and can point out numerous occasions where I've had two back to back (from shoe to shoe or session to session) terrible losses at high counts. You won't be able tell with any reasonable certainty till it is too late.

I'm a bit skeptical that the program is anything but fair, but it's not unheard of for casinos to cheat in this day and age. If you're still suspicious, you might as well simply avoid it just in case.

**jamesrav** · 02-26-2015, 02:00 AM

Originally Posted by NotEnoughHeat

It was a bit of a joke I made, the point was the only other way you could prove that they were doing such a thing without jumping the gun is if you had a document, concerning the program, showing that it was design to cheat. The first way was meant to point out that, no, another drubbing exactly at high count won't show anything. I look back at some of my play with human dealers and can point out numerous occasions where I've had two back to back (from shoe to shoe or session to session) terrible losses at high counts. You won't be able tell with any reasonable certainty till it is too late.

I'm a bit skeptical that the program is anything but fair, but it's not unheard of for casinos to cheat in this day and age. If you're still suspicious, you might as well simply avoid it just in case.

your opinion is highly valued, I will certainly give it another (or two) try. All it will take is one 'good' session at high count to give me total confidence , since I highly doubt the machine is sophisticated enough to 'toy with me' and let me win some times (but "we'll destroy him next time"). However, the machine clearly can identify me by membership card ... whether past data ("he's a counter") can be used by the program seems unlikely. The drubbing would have to be 'on the spot' and every time to draw a valid (negative) conclusion. Being in Mexico - point against it (I love it here, but scrupulously honest is not one of the reasons - I can certainly see them asking the company to put in your "strongest software, wink wink" for an extra payment). The machine is unattended and unused, so it does represent a very good environment to practice. Rules are good, but no surrender.

**RWM** · 02-26-2015, 01:47 PM

If the machine is in NV you can feel safe. If it were moved to Mexico I wouldn't touch it.

**jamesrav** · 02-26-2015, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by RWM

If the machine is in NV you can feel safe. If it were moved to Mexico I wouldn't touch it.

I'll give it one more try. Regarding Mexico, two schools of thought: no reluctance on their part to ask that the software be adjusted (bad scenario) ; but there is a tendency to be lazy and something brought from technologically advanced California (I've seen reference to these in California card rooms) would be deemed "good enough as is" and clearly designed to make money with no extra effort needed (the good scenario). It's one or the other, one good session would settle the question. Just depends how much I want to risk determining that.