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2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 & PRIOR

2019

• Blackjack Player’s Guide to Idiot Camouflage - by Michael Dalton This article originally started out (in the 1990s) as an Internet discussion group topic called “What New (Blackjack) Players Do.”  I would like to thank Grimy Fellow for posting the topic and Max Von Count, JW, Curious Amateur, BJ, Grinder, Slick, and… … Continue reading Blackjack Player’s Guide to Idiot Camouflage →
• Top Tips For Blackjack Gamblers - By Mike Aponte. Mike Aponte is a former member of the MIT Blackjack Team and provides private blackjack training, coaching and card counting classes.  Visit MikeAponte.com for more information.  RETURN TO BLOG MENU … Continue reading Top Tips For Blackjack Gamblers →

2018

• Single Play Promo and Free Play Chips - Bill Zender Newsletter – December 20, 2018 ( Reprinted with permission ) Dear Friends and Business Associates, I just want to take the time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy and Joyous New Year.  I’m sorry that I have been unable… … Continue reading Single Play Promo and Free Play Chips →
• Bill Zender Newsletter – Down Under Blackjack and Emails - Bill Zender. ¹⁾EDITOR NOTE: Post below updated in 2023 to reflect Bill Zender’s email responses including Down Under Blackjack. Answers to Important Emails Correcting a loop-hole in their manual multiple deck shuffle Below is the follow up to an email I received two months ago.  The… … Continue reading Bill Zender Newsletter – Down Under Blackjack and Emails →
• What is correct basic strategy for blackjack? - By Michael Dalton There is only one correct basic strategy for blackjack given a set of established rules. However, since all casinos don’t offer the same rules the basic strategy can be slightly different from game to game. Also, the number of decks used affects… … Continue reading What is correct basic strategy for blackjack? →
• Words to Die By! - Words and phrases to avoid at the blackjack table by Michael Dalton  Words can indeed be our own worst enemy!  What we say and how we react to others can often mirror our intelligence, and reflect on our experience and knowledge.  At the blackjack table,… … Continue reading Words to Die By! →
• Bill Zender on the One2Six Shufflers - By Bill Zender. ²⁾EDITOR NOTE: Post below updated in 2023 to reflect Bill Zender’s email responses including the One2Six Shufflers. Emails I have received Following are several email questions I have received over the past month that I felt were important enough to pass along… … Continue reading Bill Zender on the One2Six Shufflers →

2017

• How to Deal with Issues at Online Gambling Sites - By Alice Mason. Online gambling has become a beloved way of gambling by players across the globe. The ease of betting from anywhere and anytime attracts a higher number of players. But once you start playing, it is not necessary that you would find the… … Continue reading How to Deal with Issues at Online Gambling Sites →
• How Casinos can be Sure a Person is Counting? - By Bill Zender October 2, 2017 Dear Friends and Business Associates, I will be attending this year’s G2E tomorrow, October 3rd, and Wednesday October 4th.  Since I am on the Board of Directors, I will be “hanging out” primarily at the Galaxy Gaming booth 4208. … … Continue reading How Casinos can be Sure a Person is Counting? →
• Game Protection and Card Counter Detection - From Bill Zender and Associates Bill Zender Newsletter September 6, 2017 I cannot believe the number of “winning” player evaluations I have conducted this summer.  Most of them concerned higher limit blackjack players, but I still had a couple higher limit baccarat players, and one… … Continue reading Game Protection and Card Counter Detection →
• Understanding Blackjack Bet Spread Requirements for a Card Counter in Blackjack - By Bill Zender. ³⁾EDITOR NOTE: Post below updated in 2023 to reflect Bill Zender’s interesting comments on the state of advantage play. When I ask table game executives what signs they use to detect that a person is on their tables counting cards, I get… … Continue reading Understanding Blackjack Bet Spread Requirements for a Card Counter in Blackjack →
• Blackjack Basic Strategy – Is It Important? - From Bill Zender's email discussing his upcoming activities and events. July 5, 2017 Dear Friends and Business Associates, I hope everyone is doing well.  First off, I want to give the University of Nevada Reno’s Extended Studies course in Casino Management a recommendation, especially the… … Continue reading Blackjack Basic Strategy – Is It Important? →
• New Blackjack History Database Tool - Just completed a new Blackjack History Database Tool on the BJRNET site. Did a blackjack, card counting or related gambling event happen in 1948, or in the month of January, or during April 1977?  Check the Blackjack History Database Tool. You can search by any combination… … Continue reading New Blackjack History Database Tool →
• Use of Rolling Chips in North America - By Bill Zender. ⁴⁾EDITOR NOTE: Post below updated in 2023 to reflect Bill Zender’s comments on the use of rolling chips in 2017.   Attached to June’s eBlast is a link to a report I just finished.  Over the past spring, it has come to… … Continue reading Use of Rolling Chips in North America →
• Everything you Need to Know About Bitcoin Gambling - By Paddypower.com. The bitcoin is currently the most popular cryptocurrency used around the world.  People are able to earn bitcoins in competitions where users offer their computing power to verify and record bitcoin transactions into the blockchain. This is also known as miners. Successful miners… … Continue reading Everything you Need to Know About Bitcoin Gambling →
• Sydney Australia’s Star City Casino - By Michael Dalton. I spent an afternoon at Sydney Australia's Star City Casino this week.  This is a huge casino with lots of blackjack tables.  However, they are not worth playing as they all use automatic shufflers.  Minimum bets that I saw started at $20… … Continue reading Sydney Australia’s Star City Casino →
• Blackjack in Montana ??? - Bill would legalize blackjack in Montana, tax tables FREDDY MONARES, University of Montana School of Journalism Published 4:33 p.m. MT March 15, 2017 HELENA — Rep. Wylie Galt, R-Martinsdale, said generating revenue for the state can be as simple as counting to 21, meaning, playing… … Continue reading Blackjack in Montana ??? →
• Ten Fun Ways to Look Like an Idiot - Or avoiding blackjack protocol at all costs! by Michael Dalton Before you sit down at any table be sure to introduce yourself and shake the dealer’s hand. If you need chips, always hand the dealer the money directly.  Never place money directly on the table...… … Continue reading Ten Fun Ways to Look Like an Idiot →
• Bill Zender on Table Game Advantage Play and Cheating Scams - By Bill Zender. ⁵⁾EDITOR NOTE: Post below updated in 2023 to reflect Bill Zender’s comments on advantage play in 2017. 2017 Table Game Advantage Play and Cheating Scams to Watch Out For Blackjack – Still the dominate table game on the casino floor, I believe… … Continue reading Bill Zender on Table Game Advantage Play and Cheating Scams →

2016 AND PRIOR

• Ed Thorp’s A Man for All Markets - On January 24th 2017, Random House Publishing will release Ed Thorp’s memoirs in his new book A Man for All Markets: From Las Vegas to Wall Street, How I Beat the Dealer and the Market. Nassim Taleb did the foreword for this book and if… … Continue reading Ed Thorp’s A Man for All Markets →
• Historical Events and Quotes - Announcing the Blackjack Review Network historical event and quotation database. Every day that you visit the Blackjack Review Network web site you are greeted with a historical event and/or quote of the day.  My goal is to have a relevant event and/or quote for each… … Continue reading Historical Events and Quotes →
• New Games Menu - Woo-hoo.... we have some games! The Blackjack Review Network has a new left side menu.  Click on GAMES to review some of the new fun games we've included.  … Continue reading New Games Menu →
• Casinos As Spies For The Federal Government - The following notice has not been approved by any government official. (In fact, some of them would probably be unhappy to see this warning published.) WARNING TO ALL CASINO PATRONS By  Professor I. Nelson Rose If you win big, are a high roller, or do… … Continue reading Casinos As Spies For The Federal Government →
• What are the top blackjack play variations… - ... that yield the greatest gain for card counters? By Michael Dalton The top play variations for blackjack card counters are knowing when to take insurance and stand on 16 versus a dealer’s 10. The top 18 plays, known as the Illustrious 18 are show… … Continue reading What are the top blackjack play variations… →
• What is the best card counting system? - By Michael Dalton There is no such thing as a "best" card counting system unless you are a robot, in which case you would be keeping track of each and every card. Humans, on the other hand, have limitations. For shoe dealt games, all card… … Continue reading What is the best card counting system? →
• Isn’t card counting illegal? - By Michael Dalton No! It’s no more illegal than using your brain to add up how much money you have in your wallet. But that doesn’t mean they won’t kick you out for trying! In most casinos in this country casino management has the right… … Continue reading Isn’t card counting illegal? →
• How much money can I expect to win if I count cards? - By Michael Dalton To be perfectly honest, you stand a fair chance of losing money in this game! It all depends on your skill level, bankroll, the level of risk you are willing to take, and the quality of games you play. Assuming you balance… … Continue reading How much money can I expect to win if I count cards? →
• If blackjack is really “beatable”…? - ... then why aren't you out there making millions of dollars instead of writing about it? By Michael Dalton The fact that a game is beatable does not imply that someone can get rich at it. If you look at blackjack as an investment opportunity… … Continue reading If blackjack is really “beatable”…? →
• Are single-deck games better than multi-deck games? - By Michael Dalton WARNING: This article assumes blackjacks pay 3 to 2.  Most, if not all, single deck blackjack games currently offered pay only 6 to 5 on a natural.  This makes the game unplayable.   For more information check the Numbers of 21 section.… … Continue reading Are single-deck games better than multi-deck games? →
• How fast can you count down a single deck of playing cards? - Several years ago on bjrnet.com a poll was conducted.  Several questions were asked.  Here is question 8 of the archived bjrnet.com poll:  If you are a card-counter... how fast can you count down a single deck of playing cards? World’s Fastest Card Counter … Continue reading How fast can you count down a single deck of playing cards? →
• Have you played blackjack for real money in an online Internet casino? - Several years ago on bjrnet.com a poll was conducted.  Several questions were asked.  Here is question 7 of the archived bjrnet.com poll:  Have you played blackjack for real money in an online Internet casino? … Continue reading Have you played blackjack for real money in an online Internet casino? →
• Where can the best money-making blackjack opportunities be found today? - Several years ago on bjrnet.com a poll was conducted.  Several questions were asked.  Here is question 5 of the archived bjrnet.com poll:  Where can the best money-making blackjack opportunities be found today?   … Continue reading Where can the best money-making blackjack opportunities be found today? →
• At the present time over your lifetime, are you ahead financially playing blackjack? - Several years ago on bjrnet.com a poll was conducted.  Several questions were asked.  Here is question 5 of the archived bjrnet.com poll:  At the present time over your lifetime, are you ahead financially playing blackjack? … Continue reading At the present time over your lifetime, are you ahead financially playing blackjack? →
• Should casinos be allowed to bar card counters? - Several years ago on bjrnet.com a blackjack poll was conducted.  Several questions were asked.  Here is question 4 of the archived bjrnet.com poll:  Should casinos be allowed to bar card counters? … Continue reading Should casinos be allowed to bar card counters? →
• Who has the biggest blackjack book collection? - By Michael Dalton I've been collecting blackjack books since the early 1980s.  It's pretty extensive but I am sure it is not the largest.  If your collection is larger I would love to hear your comments.  I recently did some organizing in my office and… … Continue reading Who has the biggest blackjack book collection? →
• What is the worst play in blackjack? - By Michael Dalton Ignoring abnormal plays such as hitting a 19 or 20 or standing on Ace-Ace, the worst play, expectation wise, is standing on 8,8 versus 7, rather than splitting them! You will lose about 70 cents on the dollar each time you make… … Continue reading What is the worst play in blackjack? →
• When would I ever want to take insurance (or even money)? - By Michael Dalton A basic strategy player should never take insurance. Only a card counter knows when this bet is profitable. If you are dealt a blackjack and the dealer shows an "Ace" simply reply "No, I’ll take my chances!", when you are asked if… … Continue reading When would I ever want to take insurance (or even money)? →
• Do other players affect your long term expectation? - By Michael Dalton No! You should ignore how other players play. Simply put, a bad player’s action will "help" you just as often as "hurt" you in this game. There is nothing mysterious about this at all! Every serious player will eventually come to this… … Continue reading Do other players affect your long term expectation? →
• What is meant by the term “Las Vegas rules”? - By Michael Dalton This term was often used as the standard to compare one blackjack game with another. Las Vegas rules used to refer to games that were typical of Downtown Las Vegas - double down allowed on any initial two cards, dealer hits soft-17,… … Continue reading What is meant by the term “Las Vegas rules”? →
• Does blackjack have the “best” odds for the player? - By Michael Dalton Yes! Actually, it depends on the rules of the game and the skill of the player. A single deck game with Las Vegas Strip (LVS) rules and double after splitting (DAS) allowed actually gives the player a 0.1% advantage. This assumes, of… … Continue reading Does blackjack have the “best” odds for the player? →
• Have you been restricted for card counting? - Have you ever had your blackjack play "restricted" by casino officials due to card counting? Several years ago on bjrnet.com a poll was conducted.  Several questions were asked.  Here is question 3 of the archived bjrnet.com poll:  Have you ever had your blackjack play "restricted"… … Continue reading Have you been restricted for card counting? →
• What has been your most profitable casino game? - Several years ago on bjrnet.com a poll was conducted.  Several questions were asked.  Here is question 2 of the archived bjrnet.com poll: What has been your most profitable casino game? Comments? … Continue reading What has been your most profitable casino game? →
• What counting system do you use? - Several years ago on bjrnet.com a poll was conducted.  Several questions were asked.  Here is question 1 of the archived bjrnet.com poll: What counting system do you use? Comments? … Continue reading What counting system do you use? →

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