Has anyone read the book "read the dealer" from Steve Forte? I can only find a used copy for $250, this seems a little ridiculous for a book, does any of the information apply to todays game?
...the dealer checks the hole card with a 10 up, manually, meaning he actually looks at the card. Otherwise, the dealer will not have any clue himself what the hole card is. The ace doesn't matter much since you are fighting an uphill battle the whole way.
I got it for $20, I think, 6 or 7 year ago, on sale from BJF.
The book is mostly common sense. It might be worth $250 to a full time black chip bettor who lacks basic grift sense. Or it might conceivably be worth it to a book collector.
I can summarize as follows. If the dealer doesn't like you, he'll be pleased when he looks under his 10 and sees something good, and he'll be disappointed if he's stiff. Vice versa if he likes you. If you think he's stiff, you can play basically as if he had a 6 up. Double down more often and stand on your own stiffs.
If he doesn't care about you, make him care one way or the other. If he's unreadable because he's very experienced, or very, very inexperienced, change dealers. If they use a machine to check under tens and aces, you're out of luck.
You don't have to send me a check for $250, but if you want to, I won't complain. ;)
ETF
Most of today casinos now have peeking devices, which tell the dealer whether she has a BJ, but do not give any clues as to what the card is otherwise. So this technique cannot be used in those casinos.
I have played in a few casinos (very few) with no such device.
Typically, the dealer doesn�t peek under the 10 until after the round is completed, and the bets are resolved �Jersey� style. These places do check under the Ace for insurance.
Regarding the Ace, I do need to clarify something that Richard said. There is some value in knowing what the dealers hole card when there is an Ace up. There is a different strategy in playing A-9 than in playing A-5. However, most of the value from hole-card play comes against 10 up-cards.
Sometimes a card reader is broken, and they often put tape over it, to remind the dealers to peek manually. In this situation, the dealer is unlikely to be experienced at covering up his reactions. On two occassions, I observed dealers consistently violating house policy by peeking, even though they knew they had a functional card reader.
ETF
