Preferred Playing Conditions and Casino Rules 

Good blackjack games are getting harder to find. Changes in rules and deck penetration are the ways the casinos can increase their odds against skilled players.

Casinos no longer bend over backwards to attract customers with better odds. They have little need to do so. With the convenience of a casino in most states, the lure of making a quick buck has players beating a path to the casino’s front door. With a steady flow of customers, the casinos have little incentive to offer players a better blackjack game. The casinos squeeze the rules of blackjack in subtle ways because the can. They make the rules by which you must play.

• As a skilled blackjack player, you need to be particular about playing conditions. Knowing how to recognize optimum playing conditions improves your chances of winning. Instead of having all the blackjack tables open in the pit, casinos have fewer tables open, forcing players to gamble on full tables. Jammed up tables, coupled with inexperienced players, is a set up for poor playing conditions. Thus, the savvy player picks their battle time when the casino is the least busy. You must control your game as often as is possible. Avoid full tables there are too many players sharing the cards during a high plus count.
• Be aware of table hoppers, players who move from game to game. They play three or four hands hoping to hit it luckily, and then move on to another table. Typically seen during busy times like weekend evenings, table hoppers intrude on the energy of a game. Rudely, this type of player infringes energy like stirring up mud from the bottom of a still pond. They may be “spying card counters” waiting for a plus count to occur. Then, they place their bet behind your bet or that of another player; recognizing an opportunity and trying to take advantage of it.

• Sometimes casinos will not allow players to join a game until the next shuffle. This practice prohibits card counters from joining a game having a high plus count.

• Avoid the “no game” situation. Play smarter not harder by sizing up the situation before committing your “troops.” After careful observation, if there is not a suitable game to play, walking out of the casino will be your best move. It is better to have discipline, and walk away, than to accept less than you deserve.

• Casinos change the rules of the game to increase the odds against the player. A restriction or “take away” is a rule change that favors the casino. Always ask the dealer for the rules if you are not sure. Quick shuffles for the single and double deck games, and dealer hits soft seventeen, are two examples. Other restrictions limit the opportunity to win extra money by restrictions on splitting aces more than once, doubling on any two cards, doubling after pair splitting, doubling on soft totals, and a 6:5 blackjack bonus instead of 3:2. Instead of winning $75 on a $50 bet, you win $60. I you figure five blackjacks per hour played, that is a difference of $75. During a weekend junket, which could cost $1,125 with fifteen hours of play.

• The rules for blackjack will vary from casino to casino; find the best house rules along with the best deck penetration. There are still good games out there. It is your job to find them. A good yesterday may not be so good today. Always be on the lookout for the best playing conditions. Check out the action at each table. Give yourself the best edge. Play the most favorable games.

Scouting the Tables for a Game

Deck penetration, the number of cards dealt from a deck, is crucial for consideration when choosing your game. Not all dealers play with the same penetration. You must scout the pit to find the most generous dealer. Look at the cut card after the shuffle. Is it a thin cut or stingy? Do not stand at the table you are scouting. Be discrete and incognito. Stand at the roulette table pretending to be interested in that game while eyeing the blackjack tables. Once you spot what looks to be the best dealer and game, move in for a closer look. Stand at another blackjack table, across from the game you hope to play. Make it appear that you are scrutinizing the game that you are standing next to. However, shift your attention to the other table. Once you confirm you have picked the most favorable game, you can join the game.

Remember, you do not have to play just because you are at the casino. Casinos never close. Never be in a hurry to get into a game. Be a patient hunter. There is a game for you, and it is your job to find it; your time will come.

• Avoid full tables. Try to get a table with only a couple of other players.
• Pick your playmates. Be sure the other players at your table know how to play.
• Look for a game that is comfortable for your ability, not too fast, not too slow.
• Look for a game with the best penetration. It varies from dealer to dealer.
• Look for a game that feels inviting. Do not settle for any table, just because it is open. Never settle for less than you deserve.

I realize that I have created quite an extensive list of conditions for play. Putting them all together may appear to be daunting. Consider that you are a believer in synchronicity and that you believe in the right place, at the right time and with right action, you will make the best choice given the circumstances. You have the tools supporting your expert play and most importantly you possess the skill of applied metaphysics. Play blackjack from the heart with feelings, not from the head with thinking. As an expert player, you do not have to think about the plays, you know the plays. Allow your perception of metaphysical energy by your guide.

 Winning and Losing 

A student wrote to me thanking me for the blackjack lessons. They said, “Even though I only won $165, the weekend of Playing 4 Keeps®, it was so much fun.” I wrote back, “Thirty thousand people leave Las Vegas every day. The average gambler’s loss in Las Vegas is between $300 and $500 per day.

Now You are Playing 4 Keeps!

Reading the table energy and knowing how to recognize when the wind has gone out of the sail is what separates winners from all the other players. You can feel it in the energy when a game is breaking down. Sensing this hint can prevent you from losing money. You must be honest with yourself and have the self-discipline to get up from the table, winning or losing. It is a matter of emotional detachment from the outcome. You must come to accept that you can never force a hand. That does not mean that you do not affirm your intention to win. The message held within the energy is always true. Learn to trust what you feel and not what you think will happen or worse, what you hope will happen.

Avoid playing predetermined win goal. A reasonable profit is 8-12 units. Having a greater goal and ignoring a profit of 8-12 units can end as a loss when chasing an unobtainable goal. This happens when the player plays past the “peak in a game” and into the curve. Trying to recover the losses, stuck on a set goal, traps a player in an emotional downturn, chasing a loss. You cannot predict what you will win when you sit down at a blackjack table. A win is a win. The odds are against you. Always take the money. Never play as though there is no end to winning. (Do not be greedy) There is always another game. Be mentally prepared to accept any profit. When playing casino games, always be prepared to walk, and always be emotionally prepared to accept any win or loss. 

You the Player 

• Be honest with yourself. Know when you are ready to play.
• Be sharp and alert. Do not play if you are tired or unsure of yourself.
• Have a battle plan and stick to it. Never lose more than one bankroll per session.
• Limit your session to two hours of play. Fatigue can be a factor for losing.
• Never play for a pre-determined win. Any win is a good win.
• Be willing to accept profit no matter what. Be willing to accept a loss.
• Never be shy about leaving a game. Never be afraid to walk away.

Signposts for Blackjack

There are signposts providing information during a session of blackjack. The information can signal when to abort a game or when to lean into it. Your ability to recognize subtleties and translate the meaning will be effective to your profit or loss.

Your more successful blackjack sessions will be what I call “box to wire.” First out of the box and first to cross the wire, a running winner all the way. Keep track of the profit or loss at the end of each shuffle. When the game produces a profit of one to three units at the end of a shuffle it is a good sign. It is good to observe a small and steady profit as the game progresses. Staying even is also acceptable. Playing in a game when you are never behind is a particularly good signpost that you are at the right table at the right time. In a game like this, when the high plus count comes along, a card counter can poke’em in the eye. Then, the small profits combined with a nice boost from a plus count shuffle results in a nice rate of return.

Storm Clouds Warning

The other side to steady winning is the “dog fight,” playing back and forth in a game that chews away at your betting stake. A “dog fight” may start-off with you losing four or more hands in a row. Digging out of a hole is not the best way to begin a session. The average win is between eight and twelve units. A deficit of eight or more units makes getting a profit of twelve or more units tough. This is not to say that it is impossible to claw your way back and make a profit. However, like any competition, you would not want to spot the opponent eight to ten points and play catch-up. Games that begin ugly usually end ugly.

Playing perfect basic strategy reduces the house edge to less than one percent, depending on the house rules. Statically, this means after one hundred hands or about one hour of play, you should have your betting stake in place, plus or minus units. You are in a “dog fight,” if after an hour of play your game seems to stagnate, one step forward, one step back. You are not catching opportunity hands, or if you do, you are not winning double bets.

The first twenty minutes are the most critical for a blackjack player, breaking into the game. Losing several hands in the early going is a negative signpost. Losing two to four units after each shuffle is not going to get it for you. Recognize the cold game early and get yourself out.

You do not win every hand in Blackjack. However, you should be alert to the hands that you are losing and winning. When you lose the hands that you should lose and win the hands that you should win, not only is it a positive signpost, but it also usually results in stacks of checks. Pay special attention to the money-making hands versus the losing hands. Are you having the opportunities to make money? Are you receiving hands to double down on and blackjacks? (About five blackjacks per hour of play) Are you winning the doubled hands? Are you catching plus count wins? (Pressed bets) This is valuable information expressing how your game is shaping up.

Be Aware of Subtle Signals

• You double on eleven and draw and Ace. It is an insult drawing the power card here.
• You double on eleven and draw less than seventeen. This is a different insult with the low card indicating low energy.
• Your eleven, ten and nine doubles fall short of seventeen or they are not enough to win; just missed and not even a push.
• Your twenty pushes or loses to the dealer’s four-card twenty-one.
• If the dealer breaks on my double hand, I still like to see that I pulled the card making twenty-one. I like to see the “picture card” with my eleven. It is satisfying to know that I did not have to rely on the dealer busting. This is another indication the strength of metaphysical energy present in the game.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly 

• You average a minimum of five Blackjacks per hour. Good
• Your Blackjack pushes against the dealers Blackjack. Ugly
• You are getting less than 10% of your hands to double. Bad
• You are not winning the double down bets. Ugly
• You are not defending yourself with your splitting hands. Bad
• Most of your stiff hands bust. Ugly
• Your soft total double down is a stranded hand, (less than 17) and the dealer pulls a hand instead of breaking. Bad
• You rarely receive pat hands and when you do, you lose or push. Bad
• You repeat the same stiff hands to draw to, 10/2, 10/3, or 10/5. Ugly
• You keep drawing seventeen. An eighteen is a poor second place. Bad
• You draw a two-card total of ten to double down and the dealer has an Ace or a ten-count card up blocking the double play. Bad
• You have 18 and the dealer draws to 19. You have 19 and the dealer draws 20.
• You play like a pro and draw an 8 to go with your 6 and 7 and the dealer’s up-card is a ten. The dealer’s hole card is a five and hits a six to push your hand. Ugly
• You split Aces and lose both hands. Bad
• You split 8’s and lose both hands. Bad
• You split pairs up to four times, and double down on one or two of the hands, but all four hands get beat. Ugly
• The person next to you smokes and will not stop talking. Very Ugly

When you notice these types of events occurring in your game, it is not your night. Have the awareness and have the discipline to leave the game; it is better to leave sooner rather than later. Sure, you can play to the end, thinking that it is going to change with the next shuffle or next dealer. It rarely does. The energy statement is the clearer indicator of reality. Smart play is recognizing the signposts of an up-hill game and getting out early. When the cards are cold all night long, the writing is on the wall. Are you going to read it and heed the message? It makes more sense to cut and run with the remaining betting stake and add it to the next game’s bankroll. It is never wrong to walk. When you learn to recognize the prevailing metaphysical messages, you will experience a significant difference in your game, in any game, for that matter.

When you win the money-making hands and the stiff hands hold up, a positive feeling prevails with the game selected. When the cards are cold it is best to color-up and choose at another time to play. It is all about energy, read it and “reap.”

Detachment

Detachment is a self-imposed discipline. Playing detached keeps you from becoming emotionally involved and distracted. It means not being involved with those things that have nothing to do with you, those things you have no control of in the first place. An example is to play detached from the loss. You have no control over the outcome. You accept loss as part of the game, and you avoid the imbalance of reacting emotionally. Losing is part of the game you must accept.

You make the choice to play, you make the decisions, and you take the necessary actions that keep you out of the fray. In a blackjack game, this means that you play “your game.” You stick to your battle plan. You play emotionally detached, balanced and in the flow of the energy. You play alone, even in a crowd, indifferent to other’s concerns.

Detachment is maintaining your focus on the priorities. You are still subject to the conditions that cause other players to become imbalanced. However, you step aside from distractions, as in a Martial Arts maneuver. You do not take on the energy of the blow as it comes at you. You move out of the way, redirecting the punch, allowing the force to go on its merry way. You notice all things without emotional involvement in the inconsequential events. Nevertheless, you are alert and take notice of those things which have meaning to you.

Letting Go

Like walking away from a fight, detachment means never having to defend. Ignore distractions influencing your opinions. Allow the other person the evolutionary process of their opinion. If you really believe in your truth, it is never necessary to prove it through argument or to convince others you are right. You demonstrate your truth when you detach from the trap of argument to convince others. You cannot make something happen because you want it to happen. You cannot force a hand. You become emotionally imbalanced and out of the natural flow of energy.

Walking away from confrontation is your best answer. When you can separate from your emotions, you free up more of your personal energy. It is the difference between the draining effects of an argument and the joy of enlightenment. When you walk away from a confrontation, you consolidate your power. Playing detached, you focus your power on your game.

From the parables of Don Guangoche, there is a metaphor of natural detachment in his story of the coyote and the jackrabbit.

Every day, the jackrabbit wakes up and says to himself, “Jack, today you will have to outrun the fastest coyote if you are to survive.” Every day, the coyote wakes up and says to himself, “Wilie, you will have to outrun the slowest jackrabbit if you are to survive.” Both the rabbit and coyote naturally detach from being emotionally involved in the external influences as they face survival. Their innate focus, their one goal, is to survive by being the fastest. 

It does not matter if it is too hot or if it is too cold, both animals detach from the elements. There is no opinion or compromise. It may be sunny, or it may be blowing snow straight out of the west, yet both animals will run because their life depends on it. 

The coyote and the rabbit detach from the kinds of things that often distract or confuse humans from their course of action. All that either animal must do is to run faster than the other one, to stay alive. That is their game plan. If they tend to their business, they will satisfy their goal.

When playing blackjack, play detached like the jackrabbit and coyote. Your business is playing for the win. Playing detached means that you separate from the kinds of things that distract or confuse your attention. Playing detached enables you to focus on the priorities necessary to survive and win.

Priorities when Playing

• Exist in the present moment. Be aware of what is going on in the here and now.
• Notice all things.
• Align to a feeling that confirms when you have positioned yourself in a winning or losing situation.
• Recognize early in the game whether there is a threat to your survival.
• Sensing that things are not going your way, run for it, “Jackrabbit.” Leave the game. It is never wrong to hop away.
  

  Dealing Blackjack

At the gaming table, detach from emotion, ego, and distracting thoughts. You play the part of the hunter, focused on your goal, patiently waiting for your time to come. It is all about you and your ability to settle into the present moment of a game. This is not to say that you are not aware of things going on around you. You do notice everything. You do not let events affect you emotionally. Avoid peripheral influences, like intimidation or distraction. Maintain your priority of focusing on the game and perceiving metaphysical energy through detachment.

• Playing detached allows you to get into the flow of the game. You can perceive, feel, and identify the direction of the game. When detached, perception, freed of emotions, perceives the metaphysical energy with clarity as a subtle feeling that is recognizable as safe or as a warning.

• Playing detached means that your sensory perception is raw and alert. You are sharp. You focus your attention on the subtle messages of the game. You keep yourself out of the rapids yet engaged with the flow of metaphysical energy.

• Playing detached does not ensure you always win. Playing without detachment does not mean you will lose. Detachment is an added skill assisting you in the game and in life for that matter. As with any skill, it facilitates success, rather than guarantees it.

• Playing detached is an exercise in empowerment. It provides you with an additional edge. As you disengage from the “clutter,” you are better able to observe and perceive reality.

• Playing detached is minding your own business by keeping yourself centered on the intended purpose. You train yourself to step aside from the unnecessary “noise.”

During the space flight of Apollo13, the astronauts shut down unnecessary systems to conserve energy on the crippled spaceship. Playing detached is like shutting down an unnecessary waste of energy. Detachment is a way of consolidating your energy. You will have more energy to focus on perceiving metaphysical information. Through detachment, you can recognize the subtleties that reveal information about the game. This information supports your confidence creating a feeling of harmony, in flow, with the game. The metaphysical messages received support you to continue playing or provide an early warning to heed, with a warning that it is time to quit.

Blackjack Hand