Casino Enterprise Management

So you know everything there is to know about live table gaming. You know why every step of your shuffle process or “recipe” is necessary. You totally understand the issues behind time and motion, shuffle randomness, and maximizing revenues. If the boss comes to you with an important table games question such as why the casino is utilizing a “stripping” action in its blackjack shuffle, you can answer. Don’t put down this magazine article just yet. Maybe you need to take time to review this table game challenge and double check your knowledge… just in case your boss reads this article!

I’ve decided to have some fun and offer casino executives a challenge. What do you know about different aspects of blackjack, baccarat and the purpose behind the creation of a casino shuffle? This is an eight-question challenge, or should I say, gaming knowledge quiz that won’t take very long to complete. Anyone can take the quiz and accept the challenge, and I think many of you will be surprised by the outcome. I also think many of you will find the answers to these questions a little different than you first believed. Some of you will even challenge some of the answers, because some of them are totally contrary to standard industry beliefs. As you should know by now, I enjoy comments from readers and many past questions have actually inspired material for future CEM articles.

Grab some paper, sharpen up a pencil, and see how well you will do in this test of your blackjack, baccarat and deck shuffling knowledge. See you at the other end!

QUESTION 1
It took several years before casinos and their customers became comfortable with mechanical shuffling machines. Sometimes casinos deem it necessary to increase game randomness and add additional procedures to the machine’s shuffle process. When removing the unused portion of cards from the dealing shoe, is it best to “plug” these unused cards into the used cards held in the discard rack prior to placing the cards into the “batch” shuffling machine?

A Yes, plugging the discards increases the randomness of the “batch” shuffling machine.
B No, all it does is waste time.
C Plugging should only be used if the dealer busted on more dealer hands than normal.

QUESTION 2
The increased usage of alternative games like Three Card Poker, Let It Ride, Pai Gow Poker, Texas Hold’em Bonus, etc., has increased the demand for single-deck shuffling machines. When using a single-deck shuffling machine, especially in conjunction with alternative games, the mixture of cards will become most random when:

A The used deck is riffled once before placing it into the shuffling machine.
B The used deck is stripped once using a five- to six-part stripping action.
C The used deck is both riffled and stripped before placing it into the shuffling machine.
D The used deck is placed directly into the shuffling machine.
E There is no difference in the randomness of the cards regardless of the procedure used before placing the deck into the shuffling machine.

QUESTION 3
Using different shuffling processes together is known as a “shuffle recipe.” When using a “stripping” process in a manual shuffle recipe, this function accomplishes what random element needed to provide a safe and random shuffle?

A It helps interlace the cards.
B It prevents cards of similar values from staying together through the shuffle.
C It is used to break up card sequences.
D The strip is a wasted motion that accomplishes nothing.

QUESTION 4
Even though executives’ fear of shuffle tracking is exaggerated, most operators still try different shuffling procedures to ensure their shuffle is “untrackable.” The shuffling process known as “washing” or “scrambling” the cards is accomplished by placing cards face down and then moving them about in a stirring motion. This washing procedure is effective only:

A When mixing several new decks of cards together before conducting the standard shuffle procedure.
B When using the washing procedure on a group of cards for no less than two minutes.
C Always before placing the used cards of an alternative game into a single deck shuffler.
D Always before any shuffle process.

QUESTION 5
Many casino operators are divided about what is the best shuffle combination or recipe to provide the best revenue return and the safest game. In a game of blackjack using a standard six-deck shuffle, how much time should it take from when the shoe is broken at the end of the deck and when the first card of the new shoe is placed into the discard holder?

A Three minutes
B Two minutes
C The longer the better
D The shorter the better

QUESTION 6
Games of blackjack and baccarat are both subject to deck depletion because the cards are not reshuffled after every hand. We know blackjack is vulnerable to advantage play because of this depletion situation, which creates a composition dependence that can be exploited through card counting. Why isn’t baccarat being exploited for the same reason? (Or is it being exploited?)

A Because the 10-value cards, which are very valuable in blackjack, represent zero in baccarat.
B Because the players in baccarat are not allowed to double down and split as they are allowed in blackjack.
C Because the dealer has no hand and, subsequently, cannot bust out.
D Because there is no “blackjack” bonus for two select cards, like a two-card combination of a 10-value and an ace.
E All of the above.

QUESTION 7
In baccarat the customers are allowed to wager on the outcome of either the “player” or the “banker” hand. It is also common to find players who track the results and place wagers based on the outcome patterns of the shoe being dealt. Based on your knowledge of both baccarat and blackjack, which game type requires the least complex shuffle recipe?

A Blackjack
B Baccarat
C Both games need a complex shuffle recipe

QUESTION 8
Player reinvestment (formally known as comps) is becoming an important element in marketing to casino players. The variables for determining the amount of reinvestment received by live game players are hands played, average wager and game house advantage. The first two variables are difficult to calculate precisely and are based on subjective observations. The third variable also is also affected by subjectivity. Based on your knowledge of blackjack, in a six-deck game where the house allows doubling after splitting, surrender, and hits soft 17 (blackjacks pay 3:2), what is the casino’s mathematical advantage when dealing to the average blackjack player?

A 0.5%
B 1.0%
C 1.5%
D 2.0%
E 3.0%

That wasn’t so tough, was it? Now let’s look at the answers and see how you really did. I must remind you that many of these answers are based on factual, but contrarian, information that might seem odd or unusual. However, in today’s competitive gaming industry, many old beliefs need to be left behind and the ability to think “outside the box” needs to be embraced. Let’s see what you think.

The ANSWERS
1) b. Plugging usually is a waste of time, but using it in conjunction with a batch shuffling machine is really over the top. All it does is waste time and decrease gaming results. In most cases this procedure adds 15–20 seconds to the deck “shoe to machine” transfer time. This transfer needs to be accomplished in less than 30 seconds. The batch machine does a superb job on its own without any additional help.

2) e. In reality, randomness is not an issue; time and motion are primary concerns. Casino executive have a great concern that the single-deck machines aren’t necessarily random. This concern is usually based on limited observation of table play (“Gee, there’s a lot of pairs being dealt.”) and not on the reliability of the mechanics of the machine doing the shuffling. Please buy into this idea: The machines are doing just fine shuffling the cards and don’t need help. The desire for additional and unnecessary randomness costs the casino money by slowing the game down and decreasing table decisions. From my observations, almost every casino uses some form of pre-shuffling. Why? I don’t know, as it costs them money in time and motion lost to do so.

3) c. Utilizing at least one “stripping” process will prevent advantage players from sequentially shuffle tracking the deck. The strip chops up the sequence of cards created through the riffle shuffle interlacing effect. One form of shuffle tracking is “key card tracking of aces.” Using a strip later in the shuffle will reduce this attack possibility because it will destroy most three- or four-card combinations needed to successfully track the target ace.

4) a. Washing cards is the most ineffective procedure for shuffling cards, as the wash usually leaves several groups of cards in suit and rank sequence. But washing the cards can be used effectively when shuffling several new decks together. This process helps combine the different decks more completely than using a standard shuffle. However, forget about using the wash when shuffling cards already in use on the table. I’ve actually seen casinos that utilize a wash lasting several minutes before each and every shoe in both blackjack and baccarat. It’s amazing how much time (and lost revenue) they are costing the casino.

5) d. Of course, the people who marked off “two minutes” should get partial credit. Industry wide, many shuffles take about two minutes from the time the shoe breaks to when the first card is burnt. The problem with the two-minute shuffle is it’s about 30 seconds too long as compared to quicker six-deck shuffles. Faster is better. Faster means we spend less time shuffling and more time dealing cards. This will result in a higher win rate, but we still need to place importance in the randomness of the shuffle. Finding and instituting a quick and random shuffle will result in a win-win situation for your organization. 

6) e. These are the reasons why a deck depletion game like baccarat isn’t being successfully attacked by the advantage players. Don’t worry about card counters. Instead worry about different forms of cheating such as past posting, marking cards, card switching and false shuffling. The game of baccarat, especially midi and full table baccarat where the players touch the cards, offer more avenues of attack than any other casino game.

7) b. Keep the shuffle recipe for baccarat quick and simple. Since baccarat isn’t subject to attack from card counting, zone shuffle tracking is impractical as well. Using a complex and multi-pass shuffle for baccarat will cost your organization money from wasted time. There’s enough wasted time in the game of baccarat already, it doesn’t need any more.

8) c. I threw everyone a little twist with this question. The information used as the basis for this answer comes from a research project I have been conducting, with several others, on the real effect realized by the casino from the blackjack player’s strategy errors. The total results of this project will be released sometime in late fall to early winter. So far the error effect isn’t surprising, but other issues surrounding our findings are.

Please send any questions or comments regarding this challenge to wzender@lastresortconsutling.com.

Bill Zender is a former Nevada Gaming Control agent, casino operator, professional card counter and present gaming consultant. He has been involved in various areas of gaming and hospitality since 1976.  He can be reached at wzender@lastresortconsulting.com.