automatic card shufflers

Seeking information and/or experience as to how one plays against an automatic card shuffling machine. Encountered these machines in several German casinos last summer. After each deal the dealer drops the cards into the machine slot and apparently the machine shuffles at that point. Machine holds six decks.Seems to make card counting impossible/meaningless. Anyone have any advice on playing against such a machine? In addition, the rules are not very favorable, i.e., splitting of only 9,10,A. no doubling on soft hands. Is this a blackjack game best avoided?

You will need to check the name but the last I heard German casinos were all using Shuffle Stars. These devices are relatively unsophisticated and may keep several decks out of play at once. According to the manufacturer they return a card into the main body of the machine at the rate of one per second. A substantial resovoir of discards can build up under the right conditions which can be very profitable.
If you know a little stats you've probably figured out what to do with that information already. If not, have a look at my "Get The Edge At Blackjack" which contains the appropriate information.

that your book explains how to beat the shufflestars?

Thanks,
Curious

There are many brands of csm. You couldn't fit the behaviour of each into a book, and indeed it would be pointless as csm's are constantly being upgraded. However, the book discusses a general approach for determining csm latency and exploiting it, which is very applicable to the shufflestar.

Hi Gary,I am living in this country.
The machines are shufflestar.
The rules are 6-decks, S17, D 9,10,11,
resplitting all pairs,D soft 9, 10, 11,
double on split.
I am watching the game very often.
Notice winns and losses in steno books.
Often there are long winning and losing
streaks.
IMHO it's not worth to play against them.
Best way drve to the next casino with shoe
games,for exaple Hamburg in the North,
good pen,the shuffle trackeble, all spread
possible.
I think there could be one way,to beat the
shufflestar: stay behind a BS player,make
your notices,it could last many hours,be
patiend, if there is a long winning streak,
for your frontguy and all the others,
the dealers busts mosttime.
Before 4 days I noticed a streak as follows:

- - + - ++ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
+ + - + + + + - - - -
that was "happy table"
I am no Progressionist, but in such a case
you should use Donald Dahl's Pro.
Such streaks are coming.Wait like a grinder.
Regards Rainer

Mr. May appreciate your comments on continuous shuffler machines. Don't know the brand name of the machines but have gone ahead and ordered your book.Not sure from your comments whether you've actually played against these machines or know from other players. Would welcome any other sources of information you might have on said machines or players you might know who have experience playing in Continental, particularly German, casinos. Thanks again.

European, and have played against csm's in most parts of Europe. I'm sorry I can't discuss the activities of other professional gamblers here under any circumstances. Please feel free to follow up with anything else at the above address.

Mr. May:

Thanks for your recent message giving email address sys381@yahoo.com
Wanted to send you a response, couldn't reach given address. Is your address correct or am I making a mistake. Regards.

Not sure what's wrong. You might try candtmay@chew46.freeserve.co.uk