Is AC still a candy store?

Ken Uston called "AC" a candy store on pg. 164 of "Million Dollar BJ". Is this still true today. If so, I have a large sweet tooth.....mmm mmm

ken uston's only been dead for like 20 years

Uston's Million Dollar Blackjack is still of value for a lot of things, but information about casino conditions isn't one of them. This book was published 20 years ago. The main thing that made Atlantic City a candy store was the early surrender rule, which was actually dropped about the time the book was published. My copy has a note, apparently added at the last minute, that the Atlantic City no longer has early surrender. The counting systems presented in the book are valid. The Uston Plus-minus is a level one, ace-reckoned count, similar to Hi-Lo except 3-7 are counted as low cards instead of 2-6 This give it slightly better playing efficiency and slightly lower betting correlation that Hi-Lo. The Uston APC is a very difficult system, because it is a level three count with an Ace side-count. However, it is one of the best counts available in terms of Playing Efficiency and Betting Correlation, assuming, of course, that you can play it error-free. You should also be aware that you should probably use bigger spreads and bankroll that Uston reccomends, because modern Blackjack games generally have poorer penetration than most played 20 years ago. Also you should be aware that four deck shoes are not too common anymore, having unfortunately been replaced with six and eight (yuck!) deck shoes.

imagine my delight when looking up the spelling of paradoxally, to find that it is actually paradoxically ...Ken destroyed the Olde Candy Shoppe with his lawsuit against the casinos of AC. Since they were no longer allowed to bar counters, they just made the game unbeatable.

Titaniumman,

I have a different opinion.

Don't forget the awful experiences of Kenny and his fellow team members as described by the man himself in his books. Backroomed, harrassed, barred, lowering of table limits in the heat of battle, preferential shuffling, jailed, and lots more. I believe he did the right thing suing Resorts Intl. We counters are not cheaters, but the casinos have a different take. Also, the info. on counters in the Griffin Mug Book are being put in the same section of cheaters, thieves & scam artists!?! What a joke!

Anyway, I'm afraid that if counters won the legal battle against casinos in Nevada, the conditions might be even worse than those in AC...

I don't know how I feel about Kenny and his law suits.
But it seems we have the best of both worlds between Vegas & AC...Good or Bad depend on you point of view.

His books read like a James Bond movie.>>>The undercover secret agent behind enemy lines with a license a to kill (the BJ tables) wearing disguises and always sleeping with the "hot" women.
LoneWolf

The first thing that grabbed me when I read M$BJ, was that Uston genuinely had the we (counters) versus them (casinos) attitude. I am positive that he had no intention of causing the screwing up of the game in AC. I like to think that one of his legacies that he left us was this: We need to be careful of how we deal with these cold hearted business people who offer a face to face challenge for money. The moment we try to make it a fair fight, all bets are off (pun intended.

I average several days a week in AC. They ain't unbeatable, but they sure don't be a candy store anymore.

Seriously, the AC games are a lot more work than they used to be and a lot more work than some in other parts of the country. But it's also a trade off. There are some things you can get away with in AC (if you don't mind putting in the extra work to be a bit clever) that you'd get nailed with fast in the one and two deckers elsewhere.

Just my opinion.

I have read that they do not bar counters. Is that true? Even if you use a huge bet spread or backcount?

Or they cut the shoe in the middle once they realize you are a counter?

I am really curious because if the casinos leave you alone to play the way you like it would be very interesting to me. Even if the rules are very bad the game can be beatable. You just need to dedicate a lot more time to earn the money you would if you were playing in Nevada. This is a personal matter of the individual.

The above are just my thoughts, I don't know the rules-conditions in A.C.

In Europe where I live the rules are bad: -0.47% top of the shoe 66% pen and also bar you.
I would really like to hear the rules in A.C.

for the best game?