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M

MA. Acronym for Multiple Action blackjack.

Macau surrender. See five card surrender.

Maddog. Known to millions for his keen insight, casino smarts and incredibly good looks... the Maddog, also known as Michael Dalton, is the publisher and editor of the Blackjack Review Network, an online community for blackjack players and the author of this incredible living document!
[ http://www.BJRnet.com ]
[Summer 92 Dalton Blackjack Review 6]

Frequently Asked Question
If blackjack is really "beatable" then why aren't you
out there making millions of dollars instead of writing about it?

Magic Wheel of Blackjack. {BS}. (Lane Publications, Miami Beach, FL) A 6 inch diameter basic strategy slide-rule type wheel.
[88 Watson Beating Casino's Blackjack 103]

Mann, Paul.   See Lawrence Revere.

marked cards. {CHS}. A cheating technique that can be used by the dealer or player. If the player knows what the dealer's hole-card is, he can obtain a major advantage over the dealer. If the dealer knows the value of the top card of the deck and is able to deal seconds, he can obtain a major advantage over the player by electing to deal this card or some other card in the deck. See daub.
[66 Thorp Beat the Dealer 146]

marker. A short-term loan extended to a credit player. This is typically in the form of a casino check or draft and allows the player to draw chips against his credit line or money on deposit with the casino. See front money.
[9/85 Master Markers: Tickets to Royal Treatment BJF 5]
[1/91 Sprinkle The Magic of Markers WIN 48]

marker button. A plastic button, usually in view on the table, at the side of the dealer's tray indicating a marker or credit player. (e.g., a "1000" button would indicate a player in the game has a $1000 marker.)

marker player. A player not playing with pocket cash. Many marker players sit at either first or third base to make it easier to sign markers from the pit.

Martingale. {PBS}. The historic name for the progressive betting system of doubling up after a loss. Possibly named after Henry Martindale, an Englishman who ran several casinos in London's West End during the late 1700s. From a mathematical point of view this system seems attractive if the player had an infinitely large bankroll. However, since all casinos have a maximum bet and rules regarding bet spreads, this system will always fail. All other progressive betting schemes fall into this same category. A variation of this betting system is the Great Martingale where the player doubles his stake and adds one unit after every loss. Systems of this type tend to produce many small wins and relatively few large losses. However, the losses are both inevitable and devastating.
[78 Casino & Sports Vol.4, 6]
[79 Ainslie How to Gamble in a Casino 63]
[84 Barstow Beat the Casino 54,79]

Mastering the Flow. {BS}. (c1990s) (Bobby Singer) Course consists of basic strategy and an introduction to the Hi-Lo count with some strategy variations.   Includes audio cassettes and video tape.  Recommendation TBD.

matchplay. As in matchplay chips. A casino promotion where players can bet with a special token or coupon that must be matched with an equivalent real chip. (e.g., a $5 matchplay chip must be played with a real $5 chip or cash). These types of promotions can create a positive expectation out of a usually negative expectation game. Matchplay chips are usually kept by the dealer after each play - win or lose. If the dealer does not keep the matchplay chip after a win then its value to the player is considerably higher. See funbook.

Mayer Count. {PCS/L1}. (G. Mayer). ???

maximum. The largest bet allowed at a blackjack table. See table limit. See minimum.

MaxTime Card Scanner. An electronic device designed to be mounted on a blackjack table. This device will show when a dealer has an ace under his ten or ace without revealing any other hole-card information. Specially designed cards must be used.
[11/15/91 Snyder Here come the machines CP]

McGhee Plus-Minus. {PCS/L1}. (W. B. McGhee).

mechanic. As in a card mechanic. A skilled cheat or individual who is an expert at sleight of hand and card manipulation. Usually one who can deal seconds. See peeking and anchorman.
[66 Thorp Beat the Dealer 161]

mechanic's grip. A method of holding a deck of cards such that it allows that person to peek, deal seconds, or perform other slight of hand feats.
[89 Premier Beat a Cheat VIDEO]
[XX Forte Gambling Protection Series VIDEO]

merge. A shuffle tracking definition referring to when a dealer picks a set of cards with each hand and then does 2 or 3 riffles (sometimes with stripping). The following definitions were obtained from Jake Smallwood:

• center merge. Cards from discard tray are divided into stacks A and B. Successive merges are placed in pile C.
• split merge. Picks from A and B are riffled then split and placed in 2 piles C and D.
• right left merge. Same as above.
• center stutter merge. The first merge is placed in pile C. The next picks are from A-C then B-C until end.
• right left stutter merge. Two target piles are used: C-left and D-right. A-B ----> D, next merge is A-D ----> C, next C-B ----> D, next A-D ----> C until end.
• zone merge. The cards are partitioned into usually 6 or 8 equal stacks. Label left to right from dealer's perspective. (e.g., A B C D E F G H merge units go to one pile.) Merge unit sequence then defines shuffle. AE, BF, CG, DH, until end.

Method for Blackjack. {PBS}. Professional Systems. TBD

Michigan. At time of writing, there were seven or eight Indian reservation casinos in this state. You will find 4-, 6- and 8-deck games here with typical Las Vegas Strip rules. See Indian blackjack.
[1/12/90 Snyder Blackjack in Michigan CCP 40]
[Sum 93, Win 93 Dalton Blackjack Review]

Michigan Rules. TBD

Millman, M. H. See Ultimate Blackjack System.

mimic the dealer. {BS}. This is the playing strategy of following the exact same strategy that the house uses. The player will mimic the dealer, hitting all 16's and standing on all 17's, unable to split or double down. The house advantage for such a strategy is about 5.5%.
[90 Zender Card Counting for the Casino Exec. 8]
[90 Chambliss Fundamentals of Blackjack 21]

MindPlay. A product of Bally Gaming.  According to their advertising, "MindPlay is an advanced blackjack table that contains an extraordinary array of state-of-the-art optical and electronic sensors. MP21 constantly captures real-time data to instantly track and record every card dealt and every wager made for the ultimate in total, accurate reporting of table game results. With a click of the mouse, you can now obtain instant, real-time data for such key decisions as comp awards, dealer accuracy, table utilization, surveillance and security, and individual game performance with a seamless technology that is totally invisible and unobtrusive to both dealer and player. This remarkable advance in table game accounting can be installed into existing blackjack tables resulting in reduced labor costs, increased productivity, more effective marketing, and greater safeguarding of your casino's bottom line."  Of course, that is the casino point-of-view. The reality is that MindPlay can be used to cheat players and reduce comps at the table.   If casinos can use this technology against players why is it illegal for players to use the same technology against the casino?
[ http://www.ballysystems.com/sds/mindPlay_products1.asp ]

mini-bank. See bank.

Mini Blackjack. {PBS}. (F. Circuit). TBD

minimum. The smallest bet required at a blackjack table. It is rare to find minimum table bets lower that $1.00. See table limit.  See maximum.

Minnesota. At time of writing there were over a dozen Indian reservation casinos in this state offering blackjack.

Minnesota Rules. TBD

minus count. See negative count.

mirror. Cigarette lighters, rings, pens, and an assortment of other common devices have been used at blackjack tables to peek at the dealer's hole-card. Anything that has a mirror finish or is very reflective could be used by a bold player. See first basing. See front loading.

misdeal. Any departure from the rules of correct procedure in dealing cards.

Mississippi. Riverboat gambling has been legal in this state since 1992. The law states that these riverboats or barges need only be navigable but they may be permanently moored. At time of writing, the greatest concentration of casinos was on the Gulf Coast region between Bay St. Louis, Gulfport and Biloxi.
[Win 93, Sum 93 Dalton Blackjack Review]

Mississippi rules. Typical casino rules in this area are the same as the Las Vegas Strip with the following:

Missouri. See riverboats.

Missouri Rules. TBD

MIT Blackjack Team. A reference to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology blackjack team, who reportedly won millions throughout the mid-1990s.  Author Ben Mezrich wrote about the team in the book Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions.   Also, in 2004, the Travel Channel produced a 2 hour semi-documentary on the team exploits called Breaking Vegas.  In 2008, Kevin Spacey produced and starred in the movie 21 enspired by the MIT team exploits and based on the book mentioned above.
[ http://blackjackscience.com/ ]
[ http://www.21-movie.com/ ]

Mitchell, D. Howard. See DHM.

MKE Blackjack Practice Deck. A unique deck of cards used to practice basic strategy and card counting.  Each "face" of a card shows an overlapping 2-card decision combo: pairs, soft totals, and the decision hand totals -- 50 cards in all. Basic strategy beginners use just 26 of them!  To practice card counting, all cards are used.   The faces are printed in such a way that they make up a two-card combination (and one 3-card soft hand). These “faces” represent every possible blackjack hand you could get in two cards and they’re meant for practicing strategy and count.

MM. Acronym for money management.

Money-Making Blackjack. {PBS}. M. Gainey. TBD

money management. (MM) Techniques and methods players use to control their gambling bankrolls. Money management is more important in blackjack tournament strategy than it is in your long-term expectation from regular blackjack play. However, all players are recommended to stick to some personal money management plan. See Kelly criterion.
[90 Malmuth Gambling Theory 29]
[ http://www.bjrnet.com/GameMasters/GameMasterClassics7.html ]

Frequently Asked Question
How much money can I expect to win if I count cards?

money plays. As in "Money plays, $100". A spoken phrase the dealer often makes and directed to the floorman. This phrase means that currency laid on the table will be played and not exchanged for chips prior to the hand. Many casinos require this said as policy.

monkey. An Asian expression refering to a face card.  Possibly a corruption of the word monarchy.  Often shouted by some Asian players when asking for a good hit when doubling down.
[99 The Blackjack Glossary bj21.com]

Morgan Method. {BS} (Tim Morgan). Four Star Enterprises, Farmingville, NY.
[XX Casino & Sports Vol.2, 18]
[8/90 Morgan The Morgan Progressions WIN 45]

MPBE. See Real World Casino: Multi-parameter Blackjack Engine in software section.

MP21. See MindPlay

muck.  1) {CHS} To remove and replace small and/or large cards from a pack of cards. 2) A poker term refering to the stack of discarded and used cards.

multi-deck. See multiple-deck.

multi-parameter count. {CS}. An advanced card counting system that keeps a separate track of cards that normally count as zero. The multi-parameter method was developed in 1975 by Peter Griffin. This method entails keeping a separate track of the cards that count zero in your card counting system. A table of multi-parameters tells the player how to modify the running count based on the number of zero-value cards left in the deck(s). The multi-parameter method is most useful for players using systems that assign the ace a value of zero.
[88 Griffin The Theory of Blackjack 56]

Multiple-Action. (MA) Also called Multi-Action Blackjack. Also called Triple Action Blackjack. Developed by Dick LeVasseur and offered by the Four Queens casino in Las Vegas in late 1991. Each player has three betting squares in which he is required to bet in at least two of them. Some casinos require the player to play all three squares. The player receives one hand and plays it out normally. The dealer's hand is then played out three times to settle each bet.

multiple-deck. The use of two (2) or more decks in a game. The most typical arrangements found in blackjack are 2, 4, 6 or 8 decks. Two (2) decks are typically dealt from the hand while 4, 6 and 8 decks are dealt from a shoe.
[12/90 Snyder Probing the Multi-Deck Mysteries BJF]

multiple hands. To play more than one hand of blackjack. To place more than one bet thus using more than one spot at the table.
[80 Wong Opt. Number of Sim. Hands C&S Vol.11,62]

my. As in my 2. A non-verbal abbreviation for minus used by counters to speed up their counting skills.

Last Update 04/09/08

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