Now, the rules for double exposure are the same as blackjack except for a few minor changes such as the following:

- Both of the dealer’s cards are showing.
- All ties are won by the dealer unless there is a natural blackjack.
- Players may only split once.
- A player blackjack will payout even money.

Now, some of the rules for double exposure can vary depending upon the casino in which you are playing at as each casino – online or offline – will have their own set of rules. You may even find that one table allows one thing while the table next to it does not. Some of the variations in rules could include:

- Use of six or eight standard decks of cards.
- Dealer is required to hit/stand on soft 17.
- The player gets tied blackjacks or they are pushed.
- Doubling is/isn’t allowed after splitting.
- Players can/can’t split more than once.
- Players can/can’t double on any initial two dealt cards.
- Players can/can’t split 10 value cards that are not the same – such as Jack and Queen.

Double Exposure blackjack takes the guessing out the game, which is one of the reasons why some gamblers like it. They don’t have to put too much thought into what the dealer’s other card is and how they should go about their next play based on what that card might be. You’ll know if your hand beats the dealer or not so you’ll know whether you should hit or stand. No longer do you have to cross your fingers and toes hoping that the hole card of the dealer will be in favor of you rather than himself.

As a basic strategy for the game, players should draw if their hand is lower in value or ties with the dealer’s hand especially when the dealer has to stand on a soft 17. If you are in a game in which the dealer wins all ties then if your hand matches the dealer’s hand value – even if it’s two 10′s for a 20 value – go ahead and hit; otherwise, you are giving your bet over to the casino when there is that chance, even if it very slim, to obtain an Ace.

Double Exposure exposes the dealer’s cards so that you don’t have to assume that second hole card. It is an easy way to play blackjack and while it may not be popular in many casinos today, it is a very profitable and enjoyable blackjack game.

Usually, a blackjack tournament will consist of several rounds. There are usually about six players at each table per round. A blackjack tournament usually follows an elimination format meaning that only one or two players from each of the blackjack tables will advance forward in the tournament to the next playing round.

Regarding the rounds, somewhere between 15 and 30 hands will be played depending on the particular casino in which you are playing – online or offline. Each player will begin the round with the same number of chips and the player with the most chips at the end of the round will proceed to the next.

In blackjack tournaments, there is a button that will be placed in front of a player. This button indicates that this player will receive their hand first, will bet first and play first. The button will move around the table with each hand so that each player gets the opportunity to act first – although that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good thing.

Blackjack tournaments will normally consist of around three to five rounds of elimination. Most tournaments will take two players from each of the active tables in the first round and then one player from each table in subsequent rounds. The final round will consist of one table, usually of six players. Sometimes, tournaments will have more than one qualifying round in the first round so that if you don’t make it through to the next round the first time, you can re-enter the tournament for another chance to advance.

The entry fee for blackjack tournaments will vary and will likely depend on the size of the tournament. You can find tournaments for $10 entry while you can find larger ones for around $500. The payouts will obviously be larger for the bigger tournaments that cost more for entry. Sometimes, tournaments can feature more than $1 million in prize pool payouts. Typically, the tournaments will pay out at a minimum of six places.

As a general rule, online and offline casinos both hold blackjack tournaments daily and/or weekly. Tournaments that are held daily will have a low entry fee – you may even be able to find some daily tournaments that are free to enter.

Blackjack tournaments can definitely be a ton of fun and if you know how to play the game right then you can earn a large paycheck.

Watch the Draw

One of the most important things to know in blackjack is when you should and when you shouldn’t. There are a number of in-depth charts available online for players to memorize; however, memorization isn’t everyone’s strong suit. If you don’t have time to learn the strategy charts or have the capability of doing so then try to remember this one simple tip: don’t hit if there are a lot of dealt low cards when your total is above 11 but below 17. The reason for this is that you have a relatively high chance of busting if you hit so instead of taking the chance and busting yourself – let the dealer or one of the other players take that card just in case.

Double Down

While many would say otherwise, doubling down can be a great move for you as a blackjack player but only when used correctly. You should double down anytime you have a 10 or 11 and the dealer’s face up card is at six or below. Usually, this move will come out in your favor and it’s definitely worth the chance taken if you have a high chance of doubling your stake.

Split Sensibly

There is a simple rule that goes hand-in-hand with splitting at the table; however, most people still don’t abide by it and lose money because of it. Don’t ever split your 10’s but always splits your eights and your Aces. Two Aces equal 12 together but are potential blackjacks when separated. Two eights equal 16 together, which as you probably know is one of the worst numbers in blackjack, but can equal much better numbers when split. Further, with two 10’s, you have a total of 20, which aside from 21 is the best possible number to have in the game of blackjack so there is no reason to split them apart and risk it all when you most likely have the winning hand with two 10’s.

Never Purchase Insurance

For experienced gamblers, insurance is a sucker bet. Insurance is not something you should ever purchase when playing blackjack. It is simply a way for the casino to get some money back because so many gamblers fall into the trap of thinking that purchasing insurance is the way to go. Insurance makes you risk more money at a possible chance of making sure you end up with even money but more often than not, you will lose your original wager as well as your insurance bet. The risk isn’t worth it when it is very difficult to determine if the dealer has a blackjack.

Raise Your Wagers As Play Progresses

You should always start off small and work your way up. As you win, you should raise your wagers. On the same token, you should lower your wagers as you lose. This helps you maintain a positive cash flow and bankroll while ensuring you stay in the game as long as possible.

Give Your Full Attention to the Game

It is very common for gamblers to let their minds wonder when playing blackjack as well as any other casino game. When you lose your concentration, dumb moves come into play that cost money – money that the casino then receives. If you can see that your mind is away from the game then get up from the table and take a break – go grab a drink, a bite to eat or something to help gather your concentration and get your head back into the game. Your money is what is at stake when you lose your focus so you should do whatever it takes to win the game.

Set Logical Goals

When gambling, you should always set goals for yourself; however, don’t set goals that are completely out of reach. Instead, set rational goals that you will be able to achieve. When you reach that goal, stop playing – at least for a bit. Too many gamblers don’t know when to stop and that’s how they lose all the money they have won. If you set a goal of $1,000, when you reach it, stop. Quit while you are head as it’s the only way to minimize your losses while maximizing your gains and that is exactly what you want to do when playing in the casino.

Some cost more than others but some are much more affordable for the gambler that simply can’t pay thousands of dollars to enter into a tournament. Plus, if you know what you are doing, you may be able to enter for free – check out satellites and similar contests that may get you a free seat in a tournament.

Getting away from the cost of blackjack tournaments, let’s talk more about how one may progress. Typically, blackjack tournaments have time limits or some type of limit regarding the number of hands that are actually played. If there is a time constraint for the blackjack tournament, it is usually set at two hours. Because of the time limit, it’s hard to utilize certain strategies that you may be familiar with so you should enter with caution. Understand that some strategies you may not be able to put to use for your advantage as there may not be enough time for the strategy to be properly implemented. With that said, luck will need to come your way in addition to the use of short-term strategies.

Most tournaments will have a set limit on the amount of money that is permitted for use throughout the duration of the tournament. With only a certain amount of money allowed for a tournament, there are no re-buys usually. This means that once your original money has been lost, you can’t get back into the tournament. You are simply out of the tournament for good.

When you play regular blackjack, you are just going up against the dealer. In a blackjack tournament, you are going against the dealer AND other blackjack players seated around the blackjack table. Expect there to only be a single winner per table. Each of the winning players from the tables will progress to the second round of the blackjack tournament. Once the round has concluded, you can take the chips with you should you still have any left that you accumulated during the tournament. Therefore, you may not progress to the next round, but it may not be a total loss either.

If you win the final round, you’ll be rewarded with a prize. Prizes will vary depending upon the casino that you have entered the blackjack tournament at. Prizes can include prize pool, plaques, trophies, as well as other similar keepsake items.

Blackjack is an enticing game in itself, but when brought into a tournament, it’s an entirely different yet still very appealing environment.

This is very clever by the casinos you may say but the players have a counter strategy. Card counting is utilised by increasing the bets to large amounts when there are lots of high cards remaining in the shoe used by the dealer. The players keep a running count of how many low cards compared to high cards remaining in the deck and then when the count is in their favour they increase their bets. When done correctly, this puts the mathematical edge into the players favour. Casinos obviously hate this strategy because in the long term they are the losers.

In all blackjack games and indeed any casino games if you, the player, are deemed to be unprofitable for the casino (i.e. you win) you can be barred from the games. It is difficult to disguise the counting as it is obvious at what point your bet increases and a pit boss may be watching and keeping count also to spot any would be card counting players before they start to win. At any time you can be asked to leave or simply told you may no longer play blackjack. The casinos are under no obligation to allow you to continue playing; they are a business after all.

What is paradoxical about the casinos and their approach to card counting is that in America, and indeed some casinos in the UK, you can buy books teaching you how to card count from the casino merchandise shops. There was a high profile court case where a player was banned from playing at a casino and funds were seized because the casino said the card counting was cheating. The casino was forced to pay back the money taken from the player when it was discovered that he had bought the Blackjack strategy book from the casino shop!

There are instances when card counting helps the casinos win. In the short term, casinos can profit from a card counter because the actual edge for card counters is minimal, around 1%. Increasing the bets by a large amounts means real losses can be large if the dealer continues to hit nice cards. Any poker players reading this article knows that occasionally opponents hit the miracle one card to win. When the odds are only 1% in the players favour it is easy to see the casinos can still hurt you despite you playing a perfect Blackjack card counting strategy.

The casinos also profit from card counters making errors. Players must be able to play the standard optimal blackjack strategy, keep the count then utilise the right bets when conditions allow. They must maintain the count and be able to reduce their bets when conditions are no longer in their favour, when the count returns to normal levels. This requires discipline. If you add the emotional aspects of either winning or losing large amounts during this time card counting is not easy and not suited to everyone. This is why casinos watch a card counter and once it is decided that they are able to utilise the strategy correctly to win, only then do the casinos look to stop you playing.

If you do decide to count cards, follow the advice to the movie “21” and do plenty of practise sessions at home. Money can be made, but the casinos will probably ban you if you win too much.

By Malcolm Clarke

Professional Mickey Rosa (Kevin Spacey) is the leader of the team and uses his role as Professor of Mathematics to find students with the necessary skills to master and utilise his strategy. It turns out that Rosa is a former hustler of Blackjack, but we do not learn why he does not play until later in the movie. His excuse of “I used to play, now I’m retired” does not seem to ring true, and we learn why later.

The group are thwarted by Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne) who is a tough old-school security man for the casinos that uses violence to dissuade card counters from plying their trade in his casinos. The casinos, however, are using new technology to catch card counters and he faces a struggle to survive, making him ever more desperate to prove his worth before time runs out.

As the group implodes thanks to the other big player Fisher becoming jealous of Campbell’s natural ability and skill, Ben takes a loss and the more ruthless side of Mickey Rosa comes out. Campbell, aware that casino securities are catching up on his strategies asks for one last trip, with Rosa as the other big player. But all is not what it seems, for everyone. The ending is satisfactory and the film ending suggests there will not be a sequel. It is not a biopic of the MIT blackjack team, more of a drama based loosely on the documented live events.

The movie was critically slammed for not providing a true image of gambling using card counting techniques. It made the edge look a lot larger with the count showing the team winning and winning easily. There was no mention of the card count and the true count and casinos actually welcomed the movie as it gave a distorted view of card counting. However, with a budget of $35 million the film grossed $157,000,000 making it an extremely successful movie at the box office. One criticism of the characters were they were too egotistical and real gamblers would not behave the way they do. However, the film does play on the exuberance of the young players involved getting carried away so their behaviour, in my opinion, is realistic when placed into the context of the film.

Jim Sturgess acts the role of the vulnerable and starry eyed Campbell extremely well. It is no surprise he has gone on to further acting success. Spacey is accomplished and ruthless as Professor Rosa. Kate Bosworth plays the experienced worldly wise character of Jill who loves the game well and the supporting cast are all able to play their slightly caricature-esque roles very well indeed. Laurence Fishburne, famous for his role as Morpheus in the Matrix Trilogy, is a convincing villain, but it is a testament to his acting ability we still empathise with his reasons for his violence. Although not a true depiction of gambling in Las Vegas, this movie is entertaining and full of good acting.

Anyone who is a fan of poker, Las Vegas, gambling or Blackjack and casino games will enjoy this movie. In fact, anyone who enjoys an engaging film with a good ending will find this movie satisfying. I would give this movie a five star rating, if we gave ratings.

By Malcolm Clarke

Blackjack and other casino games have been present in these gaming consoles, which offer a new level of game play to both young and old. Now with the new programming changes and the release of innovative consoles that offer quality and sophisticated graphics, software developers can tap into these gaming genres (like blackjack) to actively create their own license and brand.

One relevant game that can suit the needs of consumers and gamers alike is Golden Royal Blackjack available in Xbox 360. Since its release last December of 2008, this game has received good ratings among gamers and has provided diversity in the gaming franchise by offering Blackjack into its myriad of titles. Looking at it, this game offers various modes of playing the game and offers rules that are easy to understand. With its casino-like feel, one can get the feel of playing the game for real. Another catch of this game is the ‘golden cards’ it provides as part of game play.

At the same time, this game takes advantage of online and network play with the use of the XBOX Live feature. With these one may not be bored of the overall features as it offers chances to improve via a leveling system and opportunities to unlock different decks and background. Such game is sure to make one playing for hours.

Another new game under the process of development is Las Vegas Casino Party, which shall be available in the Wii console. This game features a different popular casino games such as poker, blackjack and craps. The overall design is featured on playing interactively with two to four players with different areas. With the functions of Nintendo Wii, one can be sure that this game can be active and fun-filled experience. Since this game is set to be released in November of 2009, it is expected that Wii patrons and card fanatics can find this game entertaining.

Lastly, Nintendo DS shall be announcing the release of a new game entitled Intergalactic Casinos. In here, it shall present several popular casino games such as blackjack in a space-themed background. This can give DS players the ability to enjoy the game of blackjack and have a futuristic feel in the process. Likewise, this title can encourage the introduction of the game to new players. By doing this, they can enjoy the ability of blackjack with a touch of a button.

In the end, these titles are set to launch the popularity of blackjack into the next level by incorporating new variables and ideas to improve the game. Such actions can generate further appreciations of the game.

The side bet is actually in the game’s construction. It calculates the hand merit of the first two cards dispensing to the player sticking to the usual blackjack rules. The sole exclusion is that an ace always counts as 1, it can’t count as 11. There are three side wagers permitted in the game. The “Hi 13″ wins in case the hand merit is more than 13. The “Lo 13″ wins in case the hand merit is fewer than 13. The “13″ wins in case the hand value is equal to 13, consequently. These stakes pay out regardless of the base game. The “Hi 13″ and “Lo 13″ stakes are paying out at 1 to 1. The “13″ stake is paying out at 10 to 1. Once this wager is settled the base game goes on as usual.

The whole name of this new Microgaming creation is Hi Lo 13 European Blackjack Gold. Pretty long name, huh? Hence, the base game is played following the rules of European blackjack. It is played with two card decks, which gives the player an advantage. The less the decks’ number is the lower is the house border in blackjack. It’s a single hand game with a minimal stake of $1 and a maximal stake of $200. The dealer needs to stand on all 17. Players can double down just on sums of hard 9, 10 and 11 and can’t double down on split hands. Splitting is permitted just once and an ace and a 10 merit card after dividing does not add up to blackjack. Players might take insurance versus dealer receiving a blackjack. The pay-outs in the base game are as common with blackjack paying at 3 to 2, usual wins paying at 1 to 1 and then insurance paying at 2 to 1.

This game is a part of the Microgaming Gold series, the series of table games. This ensures that the game comes with perfect properties. There are four settings in animated dispensing card speeds. Players can add the Quick Spin feature to turn off animations and have the cards dispensed immediately. In addition, there are four different sound settings involving game sounds, win effects, background effects and advanced effects. All four of these may be turned on or turned off independently. Players can turn on an Auto Rebet option that will set the last stake without impulsion. There is a manual Rebet x2 option as well that doubles the last stake set. The Expert Mode is available as well. This mode proffers Auto Play with an improved strategy table.