Could anyone explain to me why casinos don't always use CSMs? Surely by doing so they would (almost) completely remove the threat of counters?
..and even some ploppies. Strictly a business decision.
Cobbson
Why would someone who doesn't count care whether it was a CSM or a shoe? Surely the only 'local business' the casino will lose will be the counters?
Many people don't trust machines at all, and even regular players don't like CSM's. They would lose plenty of business.
There is a stupid urban legend in the bridge world that the tournament oragnizer rig the dealing machines to throw out "easy" deals in favor of more complex for the benefit of the expert players.
The pure logic that a CSM makes no difference to a non counter means as much as most logic when it comes to these gamblers.
In areas where casinos compete, especially when the CSM was something new, "revolutionary" and sold by the hustling shufflemaster salesman as something that will increase hands per hour and defeat counting, absolutely stupid casino execs signed expensive lease contracts for these gizmos. The smart casino execs, both of them, realized that it can not do what the salesman promises if the average player will not play on it.
Non counters, especially those ploppys who bet big and believe in the Flow refused to play and their business went elsewhere. That is why today, lessons learned, you find the CSM only on the lowest of bet level tables in places like Vegas and absolutely none in any high limit room or area.
As far as the speeding up of the game goes, I have doubts they get even much of that. Since the CSM is on $5 and $10 tables only (except on especially crowded times), you tend to have no one but pure novices who often take a ton of time to make up their minds on how to play their hands, defeating the saving of shuffle time.
The answer for many casinos as they learned their lesson but still wanted more hands per hour is the ASM. Here you still play a whole shoe and those believers in the "Flow" would play but the casino does get their additional hands.
Now if you have a casino in a remote area and enough addicted gamblers going there, you might be able to install all CSM's and be effective, but most casinos have competition.
...but they are pretty decent basic strategy players and know when something isn't quite right. For this reason, 6:5 BJ and superfun 21 games are usually limited to one or two tables at most local casinos whereas they flourish on the strip. Visit Caesars on a weekend evening and look at all those folks betting $100, $200, $500 and even $1000 a hand in 6:5 games.
6 to 5, what a way to earn a living,
Cobbson
Logic, reason and math are not in the 2-page blackjack bible that many BJ casino-goers subscribe to. Page one is headed 'Bonehead Plays', and they are all on the same page there:
split 88 V AT9, hit 12/13 V 2/3 Double or hit s17 or s18 V anything.
split 44, split 10's!! etc. etc.
On page two are the very-wise, appropriate verbal responses they all learned long ago, which is considered 101 Blackjack: Don't take the dealer-bust card! Don't mess up THE FLOW! You took my 10! You took the dealer-bust card! The deuce is the dealer Ace! Never double against a 10. The dealer Ace ALWAYS gets a blackjack... the list goes on and on.
We just have to accept the fact that we are boneheads and will always be in dire need of wise instruction from The 101 BJ Folk Bible. NB
The dealer never breaks for a shuffle, the players never get to cut the cards, the cards are continuously shuffled out of sight of the players, players are superstitious.
Need I go further.
Besides bonus hustling, my opinion is that most people who will play blackjack online are people who just must gamble and would also play a CSM, but when given a choice would still play the ASM or hand shuffled game over either the online casino or the CSM.
are asm's automatic shuffle machines? that might be a stupid question but i want to clarify. Are ASM's ok with you or do you prefer hand shuffled?
Yes, ASM is automatic shuffle machine.
As for preference, I like a hand shuffled game. The down time of the shuffle may cut your profit some but it has helped me much with cover that does not cost. If you shuffle track the answer is obvious. Also I think overall pen is better on hand shuffled games because the house may have someone smart enough to know that less pen means more shuffles and less profit. Also a lazy dealer might give better pen because he hates to shuffle. On ASM games they can stiff you on pen and still get in nearly the same number of hands.
"...the house may have someone smart enough to know that less pen means more shuffles and less profit".
I speak to shift managers, assistant shift managers, floor people all the time. Most fly by the seat of their pants and have little or no knowledge of the finer points of making a profit for their bosses.
As an example, if I were to mention Bill Zender's name in this forum, I am sure at least 75% of you would have an idea of who he is and his philosophy on casino management. I doubt if even 10% of those previously mentioned would recognize the name.
I once observed a player spreading $25 on two spots to $300 on each of the spots. The shift manager and a floorperson were observing his play for at least 20 minutes. After he creamed the place, both wished him continued luck. I was following the count, but even if I wasn't he was obviously one of us. :)
Cobbson
My local casino has used ASM's almost exclusively for about six years. Not being a shuffle tracker, I prefer them. You get more hands per hour, and I don't notice any difference in pen, or the frequency of high count shoes. That last part is a subjective observation with no hard evidence.
A friend of mine called me the other day and told me of a new blackjack game in our local casino. Since he knows that I do not go to that casino because their games are bad he, knowing really nothing about blackjack, thought I might have interest in their "new" variation.
So I go up there to check since new games sometimes yield nice surprises.
Someone is now dealing a six deck shoe face down from a shoe but kind of like a pitch game??? The rules are the same as their regular shoe game so there is no difference except for one big exception that makes me know that their casino manager is a MORON in caps.
Because it is dealt face down and their dealers are not used to it, their players are not used to it since they have no pitch games, the players must scratch for hits, tuck their cards and be constantly reminded "one hand, one hand only touches the cards, the game plays at half the speed or slower than their regular shoe game. So instead of trying to get more hands per hour, this casino has decided to dedicate a few of their tables to less hands per hour.
Off course when you are the only casino in about a 5 hr radius and are located in one of the richest places in the U.S., even a moron can continue to screw up and make money.
Someone is now dealing a six deck shoe face down from a shoe but kind of like a pitch game???
Less chance of quick discovery of an extra Ace or ten introduced at an opportune moment in six decks than a single or double deck pitch game.
