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Archive for the Gambling stories Category

Blackjack Strategy for Intermediate Players – The Hi-Lo Card Counting System

08/05/2008 by Alex.

As promised here is the second of my three blackjack strategy articles

An Introduction to Blackjack Strategy for Intermediate Players Knowing Blackjack strategy is important regardless of whatever level of player you are. It works for beginners, intermediate players, and also players who are expert at blackjack. There are different strategies you can adopt for Blackjack if you are an intermediate player. One such strategy is the Hi-Lo card counting system, one of the most commonly used blackjack strategies by teams.

In this article, we will discuss the different aspects of the Hi-Lo card counting system that Blackjack players employ.

Blackjack Strategy – An Overview of the Hi-Lo Card Counting System

The Hi-Lo card counting system is a Blackjack strategy that players at the beginner and intermediate levels can use easily to improve their odds of winning a game. The creator of the Hi-Lo card counting system, also called the Hi-Lo system, was Harvey Dubner.

Prior to Dubner, Dr. Edward Throp had come up with the Ten-Count, a path-breaking system that had certain levels of complexity attached to it. Dubner introduced the Hi-Low system to make things easier for players during the course of a Blackjack game. The simplicity of the Hi-Lo system is what makes it a favorite among beginner and intermediate level Blackjack players.

Blackjack Strategy – More about the Hi-Lo System

One of the easiest strategies to learn for Blackjack is the Hi-Lo system. At the outset, players must know the basic value attached to each card in a given deck of cards. The cards 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are assigned a value of Count +1, while the cards with the value 7, 8, and 9 are assigned a value of Count 0. The cards 10, the face cards – J, Q, K – and A are assigned a value of Count -1.

Essentially, the 20 small cards and the 20 big cards are assigned values of +1 and -1 respectively, while the 12 middle cards are considered to be neutral and therefore assigned the value 0. Blackjack players consider this system to be a balanced system, as counting down each card in a standard 52-card deck would finally give you the value 0 – 20 +1s, 20 -1s, and 12 0s.

The Hi-Lo system makes the game of Blackjack very interesting, as every card changes the count in some way. There is a constant push and shove between the high cards and the low cards to retain control over the card count. The more you play the smaller cards, the bigger the chances of you winning the game. If you have a lesser number of small cards, there are three possibilities for you immediately – an increased chance of you receiving a Blackjack, a better chance of the dealer going bust, and more chances of you receiving stronger hands.The count starts at 0 when you start a game of blackjack, with a new deck of cards. From there on, you go on adding or subtracting 1s and also adding 0s with each card you get. Even if you happen to miss counting cards that you have received and lose track of your counting, it still can work in your favor as you may have inadvertently increased your chances of winning the game.

Posted in online blackjack, Gambling stories, Blackjack Strategy | 2 Comments »

Blackjack Ballroom pays out over $300,000

27/02/2008 by Alex.

FINLAND — (PRESS RELEASE) — Online gambler wins highest ever progressive poker jackpot at Blackjack Ballroom, with a life changing $309,766 prize payout.

Blackjack Ballroom offers all new players 1 hour and $500 free of charge to use at their casino. With more than just online blackjack, Blackjack Ballroom features 15 progressive jackpot games, including table games, slots and card games catering for every player. R.R. from Finland started with the $500 free play, hitting the jackpot on Poker Ride with the best possible hand, a Royal Flush. In the very same month, a UK player at another online casino in the Casino Rewards Group went against all odds with another Royal Flush and a $194,000 jackpot win.

Progressive jackpots increase constantly with every game played, with online casinos such as those showcased by Casino Rewards/Rewards Affiliates able to offer colossal payouts due to numerous players contributing to the jackpot simultaneously. At present, due to its sheer popularity, the total progressive jackpot on offer at Blackjack Ballroom is over $8m.

Posted in Gambling stories, BlackJack News | No Comments »

Archive for the Gambling stories Category

Blackjack Strategy for Intermediate Players – The Hi-Lo Card Counting System

Blackjack Ballroom pays out over $300,000

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