card shredding?

Hi everyone. I just started playing a few weeks ago, and have been reading lots on advantage play since then. I have only the local casino to practice in, their $5 minimum BJ game is dealer hit on soft 17, DAS allowed (i think, have to verify that one), splitting aces allowed, split others up to 4 hands, double on any initial 2 cards, insurance allowed, no surrender, 3:2 BJ. Penetration is a concept I learned after my last session, so haven't been able to observe that yet, will pay more attention next time. My memory puts it between 50 and 66%, however.

I have two questions: what penetration do I need with this game to give myself an advantage if I'm counting hi-lo? Is it worth playing this game?

Also, my friend told me that at this casino that they start with 8 decks in the backroom, shuffle it, take out 3 decks' worth of cards and physically shred them, and then bring the rest out to the table in the shoe. Does this actually happen and how would it affect the expectation and play style, if at all? Would it be of value to backcount the entire shoe twice and average the count of those two run-throughs to give a modifier to the running count based on the richness or sparseness of the shoe?

Thanks for any thoughts. I'm eager to learn :)

I doubt they remove any decks in the back room. If they did you'd have some shoes eternally positive for the entire time you played them before they were changed again. The casino would be broke in a short time. Even if they were extremely paranoid you could just keep training strangers and sending them in.

Most people seem to feel 1.5 decks cut off 6 decks is playable. I personally feel that is not worth it and won't play more than 1.25 cut off. How many other players there are at the table is also quite important as well as the rules.

I've never heard of this practice myself, and it seems unlikely as taking random cards out is just as likely to benefit the player and not the casino.

Simple solution, Go when the casino opens its tables and watch them open and shuffle. Or ask the dealer what their table opening procedures are before you sit down, ask if a player has to verify the cards before the shuffle. I've heard of people who suspect casino cheating to "accidentally" spill a drink on the cards to get off the table.

I wouldn't place a bet if they come to the tables with the shoes preloaded for the day. There's no way to know if all 52 cards from each deck is in there, or if an ace from each deck has been replaced with a 5.

Casino cheating is uncommon these days but I am sure it still exists somewhere. Casino's have too much to lose if caught cheating.

"Also, my friend told me that at this casino that they start with 8 decks in the backroom, shuffle it, take out 3 decks' worth of cards and physically shred them, and then bring the rest out to the table in the shoe. Does this actually happen and how would it affect the expectation and play style, if at all?"

It's still an 8 deck game, unless they strategically knew what to take out. And, this practice what your friend states is BS, but you could get a law suit happening otherwise.