Going to Vegas next month.........

[rockyracoon]

and I need help!!! I have a couple of questions that you guys will probably laugh at, but I haven't played blackjack in over ten years, and not much then.
1. If you can only get a very small edge, at best, over the house even with counting, and if it is considered by most books almost necessary to tip the dealer from time to time, then how can anyone expect to win? How often and how much do most of you tip?

2. I have read about cards being dealt face up at some casinos, face down at others. Where cards are dealt face down, how can you effectively count cards when you may not get a good luck at everyone's cards? Is face down dealing a rarity?

I have been studying BS, and am trying to learn the HiOptI method. With only a month to study, should I try to find single and/or dbl deck games?

Any advise greatly appreciated.

[FunkyChicken]

If the cards are dealt face down its very difficult to count. Avoid those games.

You're right in that you should take into account tipping the dealer if you really are out to make a profit. It all depends on your bankroll. If you give an idea of what you will be betting, the wizards on this board can tell you how much you are expected to make in an hour, and then you can figure out how much to tip in an hour. I always tip myself -- I believe a bit in that karma thing.

Single deck games will be hard to find, I think. They can give you a better advantage, though, if the rules aren't changed against you. If you are looking to have fun, I'd go for the multi-deck games. Smaller edge, but easier to find and you can leisurely find a table that you like instead of being stuck at only a certain casino in only a certain area that has the single deck game.

[Skunk]

I disagree that face down is difficult to count. The dealer always flips all the cards over at some point and usually face down games move a bit slower. It just takes a bit of practice...

The only time I find it slightly difficult is when the dealer has blackjack and everyone just throws their cards in. You have to quickly count the entire table before the dealer scoops them all up.

[stainless steel rat]

I'll go with Skunk here for "difficulty". face-down is easier because the game is slower. On the payoffs, the dealer has to flip the two cards, and add up the hand, and I can certainly do the hilo computation faster than he can flip, count and payoff each player.

Downside is that your playing indices are less accurate.

If you find a good DD game dealt face-up, the game goes faster, so you have to count faster, but the hourly win rate is tied to hands per hour...