• Players are not supposed to handle the dice with more than one hand, pass them directly from hand to hand, nor take the dice past the edge of the table. The only way to change hands when throwing dice, if permitted at all, is to set the dice on the table, let go, then take them with the other hand.
• When throwing the dice, the player is expected to hit the farthest wall at the opposite end of the table. The dice may not be slid across the table and must be tossed. They may not be thrown higher than the eye level of the dealers.
• The dice must not land in the boxman’s bank or on any of the dealers’ working stacks of money.
• When either of the dice land on chips or markers not in the boxman’s bank or the dealers’ working stacks, the number that would be on top if the object the die is leaning on were removed, is the number that is used to make the call.
• If a die hits a player or dealer and rolls back onto the table, the roll counts as long as the person being hit did not interfere with the die.
• In most cases the shooter may “set” the dice to a particular configuration, but if they do, they must be quick about it so as not to delay the game. Some casinos have “no setting” rules, and the player must throw the dice as given to him.
• Do not try to place money in the dealer’s hand or expect the dealers to hand you chips. Dealers are not allowed to touch the players at any time. Players are expected to place cash on the layout and announce “change only” or a specific bet and amount. The dealer will then place chips on the layout or in front of the players.
• Many crap table layouts state “NO CALL BETS”. This means a player is not allowed to call out a bet without having at least the bet amount of chips on the table. If the chips exceed the bet, for example a $100 chip is placed and bets called out of “$25 on five and nine”, the dealer will say “it’s a bet” and return $50 change to the player. The dealer doesn’t have to actually place the bet in the proper place on the table to constitute a valid bet. This method is consistent with the fast action of the game, allowing a player to make a last-second bet while the dice are about to be thrown. The NO CALL BET rule may exist to prevent confusion on the amount bet, possibly going back to the days of 25 cent tables. For example “three fifty” could mean $3.50 or $350. If the dealer is not clear about the intention of the player he may state “no bet” and push the chips back to the player.

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

• There are 12,994,800 scoring hands in Cribbage (52c5 x 5, 5 cards then any of those 5 as the turn up card).
• Approximately 8.5% of randomly drawn four-card hands will score 0 (not including pegging).
• The highest score is 29 (555J in hand with the turn-up 5 of the same suit as the Jack).
• The second highest score is 28 (any 10/J/Q/K+5555 in hand and turn-up excepting the above 29 hand) and the third highest is 24 (A7777, 33339, 36666, 44447, 44556, 44566, 45566, 67788, 77889).
• All scores between 0 and 29 are possible, with the exception of 19, 25, 26 and 27. Players will sometimes refer to a 0-scoring hand as having a score of 19, which can confuse new players.
• The odds of getting a 28 hand in a 2 player game are 1 in 15,028.
• The odds of getting a perfect 29 hand in a 2 player game are 1 in 216,580.
• The odds of getting a perfect 29 hand in a 3 or 4 player game are 1 in 649,740.
• The dealer will always peg at least one point in 2 player, 6 card cribbage (unless opponent pegs out before all the cards are played).
• The most points that can be pegged by playing one card are 15. This is accomplished by completing a double pair royale, while making the count 15 on the last card (12 for Double Pair Royale, 2 for 15, 1 for last card). Although this is rare, players declare it as “15 for 15.”
• The highest score as a dealer is 53. The turn-up must be a 5, and one hand must have J555 while the other has 4466. The first being a 29 (With the right Jack) and the second being 24.

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

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Each player in turn (in the order of play), ending with the dealer, totals up the points in his hand, including the turn-up card, and pegs the amount. The order in which this is done is important as a player who tallies his score first may peg out and thus win the game even though another player’s tally would take him to an even greater score. In a standard, two-handed game, the hands are scored in the following order:

1. Non-dealer’s hand
2. Dealer’s hand
3. Dealer’s crib

In general, hands are scored starting with the player to the dealer’s left, then rotating round to finish with the dealer’s hand, then the dealer’s crib.

Points are scored for:

points for having a group of cards that total 15 (again, face cards count 10, aces 1), points for having a pair (notice that three of a kind forms three pairs, hence scores 6 points, and four of a kind scores 12; three of a kind is sometimes called a “pair royal” or “proil”, with 4 of a kind being a “double royal” or “double proil”),
points for a run of three, 4 for a run of four, etc.
The number of cards in the hand (3 in five card, 4 in six card, 5 in seven card) points for a flush (that is cards of the same suit) not including the turn-up card, one more if the turn-up card is included. If you have a Jack in your hand when you score a flush, you still get to count one point for the “right Jack” assuming it is of the same suit as the turned up card (this is often overlooked by beginners). Also, the crib must be all the same suit (including turned up card) to score any flush points,
point “for his nob” or “nibs” for having a Jack of the same suit as the turn-up card (also known as the “right Jack”).

For example, if a player has the Ace, 6, 7 and 8 of Spades in his hand and the turn up card is the 6 of Hearts, he would score:

“Fifteen six” – for three ways to form 15, that is 7 and 8, and Ace, 6 and 8 twice,

“and two” – for a pair of sixes,

“and six” – for two runs of three (6, 7, 8),

“and four” – for the flush,

“makes eighteen” – the total.

The score is traditionally read as shown, though players may simply declare the score, particularly with low-scoring hands. The highest possible score in six card cribbage is 29, for a holding of 5, 5, 5, J with a turn-up of a 5 of the same suit as the Jack. This scores:

“fifteen sixteen” – for J-5 four times and 5-5-5 four times,

“and twelve” – for four 5s,

“and one for his nob makes twenty-nine.”

(Don’t be too concerned about how to score this particular hand, as acquiring this hand is extremely rare).

In the seven-card game it is a whopping 46, scored by 4,4,5,5,6,6 (including turn-up), that is fifteen 16, 24 in runs and 6 in pairs.

Not every score below these can actually be made and the lowest of those that can’t is 19 (except in seven-card). Because of this, a player with a hand scoring 0 will often declare “nineteen”. Another name for a hand scoring zero points is “Ukrainian Straight”. Other common calls are “Fifteen two and the rest won’t do”, and “Fifteen four and the rest don’t score” or “Fifteen four and there ain’t no more.”

In a variation called “Muggins”, if a player does not claim points either in the play or in the show, their opponent may announce “Muggins” and claim those points for themselves. Whether or not to play Muggins is determined before the start of the game.

The crib

Finally the dealer tallies the points in the crib. This works precisely the same as tallying the other hands, except that a flush scores only if its suit matches that of the turn-up card.

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Cho-Han Bakuchi (or Cho Ka Han Ka, or simply Cho-Han) is a traditional Japanese gambling game using dice.The game uses two standard six-sided dice, which are shaken in a bamboo cup or bowl by a dealer. The cup is then overturned onto the floor. Players then place their wagers on whether the sum total of numbers showing on the two dice will be “Cho” (even) or “Han” (odd). The dealer then removes the cup, displaying the dice. The winners collect their money.

Depending on the situation, the dealer will sometimes act as the house, collecting all losing bets. But more often, the players will bet against each other (this requires an equal number of players betting on odd and even) and the house will collect a set percentage off winning bets.

The game was a mainstay of the bakuto, itinerant gamblers in old Japan, and is still played by the modern yakuza. In a traditional Cho-Han setting, players sit on a tatami floor. The dealer sits in the formal seiza position and is often shirtless (to prevent accusations of cheating), exposing his elaborate tattoos.

Many Japanese films, especially chambara and yakuza movies, have Cho-Han scenes. The character Zatoichi is a noted fan of the game.

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

The dealer rotates with each hand, and this is important because of the advantage the crib gives to the dealer (especially in five-card). If at any point in a hand a player pegs out (reaches the winning score), then the game ends and he wins. A notable feature of cribbage is that as soon as a player pegs out, the game is over; this can happen during the play of cards or while the hands are being scored. Some cribbage boards are marked with an ‘S’ in place of 90 because a player is said to be ‘skunked’ if, when the game ends, the player has fewer than 91 points. A player who finishes with fewer than 61 points is said to be ‘double skunked’ or ‘lurched.’

The deal and the formation of the crib

The dealer shuffles the pack and deals the required number of cards. The non-dealer has the right to cut the deck before the deal, though this can be ignored to save time. The players then discard cards face-down to form the crib, which will be by the dealer.

In one (unfriendly, but nevertheless common) variation, the non-dealer does not have the right to cut the deck before the deal. In this variation, the dealer may choose to offer the cut; a naive or inattentive opponent will cut the deck and hand it back, whereupon the dealer immediately pegs one point; a knowledgeable opponent, though, will simply accept the deck, whereupon he becomes dealer for that hand.

The turn-up

The player to the dealer’s left cuts the pack and the dealer turns up the top card (sometimes called the Starter). If the card is a Jack, the dealer scores two points “for his heels” or “knobs.”

Card values

Aces always count as 1, and face cards always have a counting value of 10, but their customary rank for runs (i.e., 9,10,J,Q,K is a valid run of 5, but A,10,J,Q,K is only a run of 4, since the Ace is always 1).

The play

Each player in turn plays a card, with the non-dealer playing first, stating the total as he goes (face cards count as 10, aces as 1). When the first player leads with a card which is the same as the turned up card, they will often exclaim “See one, play one”. The total must not pass 31.

If a player cannot play a card without bringing the total over 31, the player says “Go” and the other player must then play any cards that keep the total at 31 or less, he then pegs 1 point for the go (or 2 points—but no point for the go—if he hits 31 exactly). The count then resets to 0, and the player who said “go” leads the next card (unless he has no cards, in which case the other player plays his remaining cards).

The cards should be played face up in front of the player. Players peg points as follows:

• 2 points for bringing the total to 15,
• 2 points if the card is of the same value as the previous card (i.e. completing a pair),
• 6 points for playing a third consecutive card of the same value,
• 12 points for playing a fourth consecutive card of the same value,
• Three points for completing a run of three cards, four for completing a run of four cards, etc. This is regardless of the order of play, as long as no non-run making card stands in the way, so if the cards played are 6,6,4,2,3, then the player who plays the 3 will score three.
• 1 point for playing a card such that none of the other players can go—because either everyone else is out of cards, or no one else can play without exceeding 31—in either case this is a ‘point for go.’
• 2 points for bringing the total to 31.
• 1 point for playing the last card—except when the last card counts to 31 in which case 2 points are scored (see above).

In all games except five card, when no other player can play, you play your remaining cards. In this situation, it is possible for you to inflict a “go” on yourself! For instance, if (in a two-player game) your opponent runs out of cards when the count is at 22 and you’re holding a 5 and a queen, you play the 5 (bringing the count to 27), peg a point for your own “go” and then begin a new count, playing the queen (and scoring 1 point for last card).

An example from a two player game:

Player 1 plays a 10, saying “Ten”,

Player 2 plays a 5, saying “Fifteen for two” and pegging two points,

Player 1 plays a 5, saying “Twenty for two” and pegging two points,

Player 2 plays a 5, saying “Twenty-five for six” and pegging six points,

Player 1 plays a 6, saying “Thirty-one for two” and pegging two points.

The count resets and play continues until all eight cards are played.

Another example:

Player 1 plays a 9, saying “Nine”,

Player 2 plays a 7, saying, “Sixteen”,

Player 1 plays an 8, saying, “Twenty-four for three” and pegging three points (run of 7,8,9),

Player 2 plays a 5, saying, “Twenty-nine”,

Player 1 having no cards which would keep the total at 31 or less, says “Go”,

Player 2 plays an Ace, saying “Thirty” and pegging one point (for the “go”),

Player 1 plays a 9, saying “Nine” (the count has been reset after the “go”),

Player 2 plays a 3, saying “Twelve”,

Player 1 plays a 4, saying “Sixteen and one for last” and pegs one point (for the last card of the hand)

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Fuck the Dealer is a simple drinking game popular in the Midwest. It is best played by three to six players, although it can be played with more. It is similar to the game Hi-Lo, except that all cards are laid out face up on the table once they’ve been played.

The rules

Play starts with one person, the ‘Dealer’, shuffling the cards and placing them face down in front of him.

The person to the dealer’s left becomes the first ‘Player’. The Player tries to guess what the top card on the deck is. The dealer then looks at the top card and tells him whether or not his guess was right. If the player guesses correctly, the dealer takes five drinks. Otherwise, the dealer tells the player whether the top card is ‘Higher’ or ‘Lower’ than his guess. The player then gets one more chance to guess correctly. If he guesses correctly on the second attempt, the dealer takes three drinks. If the player guesses incorrectly, the player drinks the difference between his guess and the card. (i.e. if he guesses a ’5′ and the card was a really ’3′, the player must take 2 drinks.)

In either case, the dealer now places the card face up in front of him. Arrange the cards in an organized fashion, so everyone can see which cards have already been drawn(see image right). When all four of a particular card have been drawn, it is considered to be “closed out”. Cards which have been closed out are flipped over to help everyone see that no more of those cards are available.

Now, play continues and the dealer looks at the next person and asks him to pick a card. This continues until two players in a row guess incorrectly. When that happens, the player to the dealer’s left becomes the new ‘Dealer’.

It is important to note that there are two ‘circles’ going on – the dealer circle, and the player circle. The next ‘Dealer’ is always the person to the current dealer’s left. Likewise, the next ‘player’ is always the person to the left of the last player — The next player does not change just because a new person is made dealer. The next player is NOT automatically the person to the new dealer’s left… unless of course the player to the Dealer’s left is the next person in line. And of course, the player and the dealer cannot be the same person. But if that situation should ever occur, the ‘dealer’ circle takes priority over the ‘player’ circle.

Play continues until the dealer is left with three cards. At that point, the dealer is considered to be ‘Fucked’ and must do a shot. (Since there are only three cards, the player is guaranteed to guess correctly on the second attempt. Therefore, the dealer is figuratively ‘Fucked’! Hence, the title of the game)

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

A croupier (in European usage) or dealer (in American usage) is a person who takes and pays out bets or otherwise assists at a gambling table, often in a casino. In American usage, dealer may imply a card game, but this is not always the case. For example it is common to refer to a craps dealer[1].In general, the croupier works only for their salary (and tips) and does not have a personal interest in the outcome of the game.

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Video: Croupier – Jack Manfred show his skills (Scene from the movie “Croupier”: Jack Manfred)

MindPlay is a technology designed to monitor blackjack players’ actions while playing in a casino.Monitoring a person’s play traditionally is done visually, by the dealer, floorperson, pitboss, and the eye in the sky (video surveillance). If one of these observers notices something unusual in a person’s play, they will do what they can to either

1. determine if the person is a cheat or a card-counter, or
2. change the game to turn the odds back in favor of the casino, through more frequent card-shuffling or other methods, or
3. casino personnel may bar a player they think is a card counter, even though the practice is legal.

(Cheating by various means is illegal, though, and may result in arrest.)

MindPlay utilizes a specially-designed blackjack tabletop that incorporates many features to monitor players’ actions:

• Specially encoded playing cards, using invisible ink and barcodes.
• 14 tiny cameras built into the dealer’s chip tray (which is now slightly elevated to account for the cameras). These cameras can read every card in play by reading the invisible ink printed on them.
• Special chips, so that sensors embedded in the table can automatically calculate each player’s bet more accurately than a dealer or pitboss could visually.

As MindPlay monitors every card that has been played along with players’ betting habits, it is also counting cards just as a card counter would do while sitting at the table. If MindPlay notices that bets are changing dramatically at the same time that a card counter would typically make those bets, MindPlay will notify casino officials that they may want to investigate further.

MindPlay tables cost around 20,000 USD.

Because MindPlay tends to thwart their efforts to beat a blackjack game, card counters generally avoid casinos which use the system and its competitiors, and often circulate news of such installations on various Internet sites. Some card counters have tried to make the general public aware of the use of these systems, in an effort to convince others not to patronize the games. Indeed, MindPlay has been somewhat slow to spread among American casinos, partly because of the cost (which may be more than what might be lost to a card-counter) and partly because of negative reaction by players.

MindPlay was first released in 2003. Since then, several newer-generation systems have been developed for chip tracking and card tracking.

For instance, RFID for chip tracking is gaining ground with casinos. The advantage of RFID seems to be that it can be used for games other than blackjack and also for more comprehensive tracking of chips throughout the casino. In other games, such technology would normally be used to track a player’s action for rating purposes, to more accurately determine the comps a player may be given.

Two other companies offer automated card recognition capability. Tangam Gaming’s solution tracks cards as well as player decisions using hidden overhead cameras, while ShuffleMaster only tracks cards, using a special electronic shoe.

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Two partnerships of two players each are needed to play bridge. The four players sit around a table with partners opposite one another. The compass directions are often used to refer to the four players, aligned with their seating pattern. Thus, South and North form one partnership and East and West form the other.

A session of bridge consists of many deals (also called hands or boards); the game play of each deal consists of four phases: the deal, the bidding (or auction), the play of the cards, and scoring.

The goal is to achieve as high a numerical score as possible with the dealt cards. The score is affected by two principal factors: the number of tricks bid in the auction, and the number of tricks taken during play. Broadly said, there is incentive to the players to accurately bid the number of tricks that their hands are capable of delivering, as the bonuses for bid tricks increase with the bid level (number of tricks). Thus, in the bidding stage, the pairs compete to see who proposes the highest number of tricks, and the side who wins the bidding must then fulfill that bargain by taking at least the contracted quantity of tricks in play to obtain a score. The number of tricks bid and the trump suit (or lack thereof) are referred to as a contract. The trump suit, or its absence (no trumps) is referred to as denomination or strain. If the side who wins the auction then takes the contracted number of tricks (or more), it is said to have fulfilled the contract and is awarded a score; otherwise, the contract is said to be defeated and points are awarded to the defenders.

Dealing

The game is played with a complete deck of 52 cards. One of the players is the dealer. In rubber bridge (or other “friendly” games), the cards are shuffled and the dealer distributes all the cards clockwise one at a time, starting with his left-hand opponent and ending with himself, so each player receives a hand of thirteen cards. At the same time, for convenience, the dealer’s partner usually shuffles a second deck, to be ready for use on the following deal. The deal rotates clockwise, so the dealer’s left-hand opponent will deal next.

In duplicate bridge, the hands are shuffled only once, at the beginning of the tournament, and dealt clockwise one at a time (there are also special machines for pre-dealing on large tournaments), and placed into bridge boards. At each subsequent table, each player pulls his cards from the board and counts them to ensure that the deal has not been corrupted. Unlike in other trick-taking games, the players do not throw their cards to the middle of the table in each trick; instead, each player keeps his played cards before him, to allow the completed deal to be returned to the board unaltered.

Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge

Rules of contract bridge are standardized by World Bridge Federation and published in the book “Laws of Duplicate Contract Bridge”. The last edition is issued in 1997 and consists of 93 laws (articles). All duplicate bridge sponsoring organizations on lower levels must apply those rules. A large portion of the laws, though, is devoted to dealing with various irregular situations, and as such it is mostly used by tournament directors (referees) as the reference book. They are, of course, not binding for rubber and other “friendly game” players, and, instead, simpler rules for dealing with irregularities are often applied by the players themselves.

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Double Exposure Blackjack is a variant of blackjack in which both the dealer’s cards are revealed to players at the start of the hand. Knowing the dealer’s hand provides significant information, and without rules modifications would be advantageous to the player.The main rules changes to provide the casino with the advantage are even money payouts on blackjack (compared to 3:2 at normal tables) and ties losing (compared to pushing in standard blackjack).

Other rules changes also exist to the detriment of players. Certain tables restrict doubling down and splitting, and do not allow doubles after splits.

The game was invented by Bob Stupak, former owner of Vegas World and Stratosphere casinos.

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Video: 21 PRO – iPhone BlackJack

Boxcars is the outcome of rolling the dice in a game of craps and getting a 6 on each die. The pair of 6 pips resembles a pair of box cars on a freight train. In modern parlance, it refers to such a roll in any game involving 6 sided dice which are marked with pips. The probability of this roll is 1 in 36, or about 2.8%. One of the 4 bets on any common craps table. It is on the ‘high side’ of the horn bet in which the player can either bet on the 2,3,11, or 12. When the player throws in money and calls out “midnight” or “Boxcars”, the dealer will usually ‘book’ the bet as a bet on the 12, so as to not create confusion.Also called Midnight.

Related terminology

In some role-playing games, especially ones where a roll of 3 six-sided dice is a standard action-resolution mechanism, a roll of three “six”s is often referred to as a freight train. In roll-low systems (such as GURPS), where a roll of 18 represents a critical failure, or in In Nomine, where a roll of 6 6 6 represents infernal influence on events, it is referred to as a “Freight Train from Hell.”

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Video: Craps (Craps (previously known as crabs) is a casino dice game. Craps is a simplification of the Old English game hazard. The game involves predicting what numbers will be rolled on a pair of dice. The objective is to bet whether the Shooter will roll a winning combination. The Shooter is a person who throws the dice. The first roll of the dice in a craps round is called the “come out roll”. The opening bet in craps, which is placed just before the come out roll, is called the “pass line bet.” Pass line bets win if the shooter’s come out roll is 7 or 11, and lose when the come out roll is 2 (snake eyes), 3 (cross eyes), or 12 (box cars). If 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 are rolled on the come out roll then that number becomes “the point”. Once the point has been established a plastic disc (the puck) is placed on the table over the box for the number rolled as the point is “4, 5, six, 8, nine, or 10″. )

Chinese Blackjack is also known as

One dollar chips from various Las Vegas casinos.

Casino tokens are small colored metal or plastic discs used in gambling establishments.

There are two main types of tokens used in casinos: multicolor tokens of various denominations called chips, used primarily in table games; and metal token coins, used primarily in slot machines. Some casinos also use gaming plaques for high stakes table games ($25,000 and above). Plaques differ from chips in that they are larger, usually rectangular in shape and contain serial numbers.

Money is exchanged for the token coins or chips in a casino at a cashier station (the cage), at the gaming tables, or at a slot machine. The tokens are interchangeable with money at the casino, but have no value outside of the establishment.

These tokens are employed for several reasons. They are more convenient to use than currency, and also make theft and counterfeiting more difficult. Because of the uniform size and regularity of stacks of chips, they are easier to count compared to paper currency when used on a table. This attribute also enables the pit boss or security to quickly verify the amount being paid, reducing the chance that a dealer might be overpaying a customer.

Furthermore, it is observed that consumers gamble more freely with replacement currencies than with cash.

Finally, the chips are considered to be an integral part of the casino environment, and replacing them with some alternate currency would be unpopular. However, many casinos are moving to paper receipts.

Casino tokens are collected as a part of numismatics, more specifically as specialized exonumia collecting.

A set of injection molded ABS poker chips “hot-stamped” with denominations 100, 50, 25 & 10

Chip Denominations

Chips of the same denomination from different casinos tend to have similar colors. This increases familiarity with denominations.

The most common color scheme used in US casinos:

• $1.00: White (uncommon: blue, grey)
• $2.50: Pink
• $5.00: Red
• $25.00: Green
• $100.00: Black
• $500.00: Purple
• $1000.00: Orange (often oversized)

A standard 300 piece set of ABS plastic chips

History

After the increase in the value of silver stopped the circulation of silver dollar coins around 1964, casinos rushed to find a substitute, as most slot machines at that time used that particular coin. The Nevada Gaming Control Board consulted with the US Treasury, and casinos were soon allowed to start using their own tokens to operate their slot machines. The Franklin Mint was the main minter of tokens at that time.

In many jurisdictions, casinos are not permitted to use currency in slot machines, necessitating tokens for smaller denominations.

Tokens are being phased out of many casinos in favor of coinless machines which accept banknotes and print receipts for payout. (These receipts can also be inserted into the machines.)

Future

In certain casinos, such as the new Wynn Casino in Las Vegas, chips are embedded with RFID tags to help casinos keep better track of them, determine gamblers’ average bet sizes, and to make them harder for counterfeiters to reproduce. However, this technique is costly and considered by many to be unnecessary. Also, this technology provides minimal benefits in games with layouts that do not provide gamblers with their own designated betting areas, such as craps.

Links

• Casino Chip and Gaming Tokens Collectors Club
• ChipGuide

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Video: RFID in Casinos, Abbiati

The blinds is a term used to describe the two forced bets posted by players to the left of the dealer in flop-style poker games.

The blinds exist because Omaha and Texas hold ‘em are generally played without antes, allowing a player to fold his hand without placing a bet. The blind bets introduce a regular cost to partake in the game, thus inducing a player enter pots in an attempt to compensate for the expense.

Generally, the “big blind” is equal to the minimum bet, and is twice as much as the “small blind”. The small blind is posted by the player to the left of the dealer button while the big blind is posted by the player two to the left of the dealer button. After the cards are dealt, the player to the left of the big blind is the first to act during the first betting round.

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Six full packs of cards of the same pattern are used, shuffled together. The players seat themselves round the table. In the centre is a basket for the reception of the used cards. If there is any question as to the relative positions of the players, it is decided by lot. The person who draws the first place seats himself next on the right hand of the croupier, and the rest follow in succession.

The croupier shuffles the cards, and then passes them on, each player having the right to shuffle in turn. When they have made the circuit of the table, the croupier again shuffles, and, having done so, offers the cards to the player on his left, who cuts. The croupier places the cards before him, and, taking a manageable quantity from the top, hands it to the player on his right, who for the time being is dealer, or “banker.” The other players are punters.

The dealer places before him the amount he is disposed to risk, and the players “make their stakes.” Any punter, beginning with the player on the immediate right of the dealer, is entitled to say “Banco”, meaning to “go bank,” to play against the whole of the banker’s stake. If no one does so, each player places his stake before him. If the total so staked by the seated players is not equal to the amount for the time being in the bank, other persons standing round may stake in addition. If it is more than equal to the amount in the bank, the punters nearest in order to the banker have the preference up to such amount, the banker having the right to decline any stake in excess of that limit.

The banker proceeds to deal four cards face downwards: the first, for the punters, to the right; the second to himself; the third for the punters, the fourth to himself. The player who has the highest stake represents the punters. If two punters are equal in this respect, the player first in rotation has the preference. Each then looks at his cards. If he finds that they make either nine, the highest point at Baccarat, or eight, the next highest, he turns them up, announcing the number aloud, and the hand is at an end. If the banker’s point is the better, the stakes of the punter become the property of the bank. If the punters’ point is the better, the banker (or the croupier for him) pays each punter the amount of his stake.

The stakes are made afresh, and the game proceeds. If the banker has been the winner, he deals again. If otherwise, the cards are passed to the player next in order, who thereupon becomes banker in his turn.

If neither party turns up his cards, this is an admission that neither has eight or nine. In this case the banker is bound to offer a third card. If the point of the punter is baccarat (i.e. cards together amounting to ten or twenty, = 0), one, two, three, or four, he accepts as a matter of course, replying, “Yes,” or “Card.” A third card is then given to him, face upwards. If his point if already six or seven, he will, equally as a matter of course, REFUSE the offered card. To accept a card with six or seven, or refuse with baccarat, one, two, three, or four (known in either case as a “false draw”), is a breach of the established procedure of the game, and brings down upon the head of the offender the wrath of his fellow-punters; indeed, in some circles he is made liable for any loss they may incur thereby, and in others is punishable by a fine. At the point of five, and no other, is it optional to the punter whether to take a card or not; nobody has the right to advise him, or to remark upon his decision.

The banker has now to decide whether he himself will draw a card, being guided in his decision partly by the cards he already holds, partly by the card (if any) drawn by the punter, and partly by what he may know or guess of the latter’s mode of play. If he has hesitated over his decision, the banker may be pretty certain (unless such hesitation was an intentional blind) that his original point was five, and as the third card (if any) is exposed, his present point becomes equally a matter of certainty. The banker, having drawn or not drawn, as he may elect, exposes his cards, and receives or pays as the case may be. Ties neither win nor lose, but the stakes remain for the next hand.

The banker is not permitted to withdraw any part of his winnings, which go to increase the amount in the bank. Should he at any given moment, desire to retire, he says, “I pass the deal.” In such case each of the other players, in rotation, has the option of taking it, but he must start the bank with the same amount at which it stood when the last banker retired. Should no one present care to risk that high a figure, the deal passes to the player next on the right hand of the retiring banker, who is in such case at liberty to start the bank with such amount as he thinks fit, the late banker now being regarded as last in order of rotation, though the respective priorities are not otherwise affected.

A player who has “gone bank,” and lost, is entitled to do so again on the next hand, notwithstanding that the deal may have “passed” to another player.

When the first supply of cards is exhausted, the croupier takes a fresh handful from the heap before him, has them cut by the player on his left, and hands them to the banker. To constitute a valid deal, there must be not less than seven cards left in the dealer’s hand. Should the cards in hand fall below this number, they are thrown into the wastebasket, and the banker takes a fresh supply as above mentioned.

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Basic strategy

As in all casino games, the house has a statistical advantage over the players that will play itself out in the long run. But because blackjack, unlike other games, has an element of player choice, players can actually reduce the casino advantage to a small percentage by playing what is known as basic strategy. This strategy determines when to hit and when to stand, and also determines when doubling down or splitting is the correct action. Basic strategy is based on the player’s point total and the dealer’s visible card. There are slight variations in basic strategy depending on the exact house rules and the number of decks used. Under the most favorable conditions (single deck, downtown Las Vegas rules), the house advantage over a basic strategy player can be as low as 0.16%. Indeed, casinos offering special rules like surrender and double-after-split may actually be offering a positive expectation to basic strategy players; they are counting on players making mistakes to make money.

The following rules are beneficial to the player:

1. Doubles are permitted on any two-card hand except a blackjack.
2. Doubles are permitted after splitting.
3. Early surrender; the ability to forfeit half your wager against a face or ace before the dealer checks for blackjack.
4. Normal (aka “late”) surrender.
5. Resplitting Aces.
6. Drawing more than one card against a split Ace.
7. Five or more cards with the total still no more than 21 as an automatic win (a “Charlie”)

The following rules are detrimental to the player:

1. Less than 3:2 payout on blackjacks (6:5 and even 1:1 payouts have become common, especially in single-deck games, in Las Vegas since about 2003)
2. Dealer hits on soft seventeen (ace, six)
3. Splitting a maximum of once (to two hands)
4. Double down restricted to certain totals, such as 9-11 or 10,11
5. Aces may not be resplit
6. No-Peek (European) blackjack—player loses splits and doubles to a dealer blackjack
7. Player losing ties

Basic strategy tables

The above is a basic strategy table for the most common 6- to 8-deck, Las Vegas Strip rules. Specifically: dealer hits on soft 17, double after split allowed, multiple split aces, one card to split aces, blackjack pays 3:2, and (optionally) late surrender. Key:

S = Stand

H = Hit

D = Double

SP = SPlit

Rh = suRrender if allowed, otherwise Hit

Rs = suRrender if allowed, otherwise Stand

Rsp = suRrender if allowed, otherwise SPlit

In some LV Strip casinos you may still be able to find the older version of the multi-deck shoe game, where dealer stands on soft 17; those are usually high minimum ($50 or more) tables. This version is much more advantageous to the player, but requires a slightly modified basic strategy table. Basic strategy for other decks. Interactive strategy tables for each possible card-distribution in the shoe can be generated using a JavaScript based blackjack calculator.

Shuffle tracking

There are well-established techniques other than card counting that can swing the advantage of casino 21 towards the player. All such techniques are based on the value of the cards to the player and the casino, as originally conceived by Edward O. Thorp. One such technique, mainly applicable in multi-deck games (aka shoes), involves tracking groups of cards (aka slugs, clumps, packs) during the play of the shoe, following them through the shuffle and then playing and betting accordingly when those cards come into play from the new shoe. This technique, which is admittedly much more difficult than straight card counting and requires excellent eyesight and powers of visual estimation, has the additional benefit of fooling the casino people who are monitoring the player’s actions and the count, since the shuffle tracker could be, at times, betting and/or playing opposite to how a straightforward card counter would.

Arnold Snyder’s articles in Blackjack Forum magazine were the first to bring shuffle tracking to the general public. His book, The Shuffle Tracker’s Cookbook, was the first to mathematically analyze the player edge available from shuffle tracking based on the actual size of the tracked slug.

Other legal methods of gaining a player advantage at blackjack include a wide variety of techniques for gaining information about the dealer hole-card or the next card to be dealt.

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

dark

Describing an action taken before receiving information to which the player would normally be entitled. I’m drawing three, and I check in the dark. Compare to “blind”.

dead blind

A blind that is not “live”, in that the player posting it does not have the option to raise if other players just call. Usually refers to a small blind posted by a player entering, or returning to, a game (in a position other than the big blind) that is posted in addition to a live blind equal to the big blind.

dead hand

A player’s hand that is not entitled to participate in the deal for some reason, such as having been fouled by touching another player’s cards, being found to contain the wrong number of cards, being dealt to a player who did not make the appropriate forced bets, etc.

deadwood

The muck.

deal

1. To distribute cards to players in accordance with the rules of the game being played.
2. A single instance of a game of poker, begun by shuffling the cards and ending with the award of a pot. Also called a “hand” (though both terms are ambiguous).
3. An agreement to split tournament prize money differently from the announced payouts.

deal twice

In a cash game, when two players are involved in a large pot and one is all-in, they might agree to deal the remaining cards twice. If one player wins both times he wins the whole pot, but if both players win one hand they split the pot.

dealer

1. The person dealing the cards. Give Alice the cards, she’s dealing.
2. The person who assumes that role for the purposes of betting order in a game, even though someone else might be physically dealing.

dealer’s choice

A version of poker in which the deal passes each game and each dealer can choose, or invent, a new poker game each hand.

declare

To verbally indicate an action or intention.

decloak

To raise after having slow playing for a time (making it clear that you were, in fact, slow playing).

deep

Describing a large amount of money, either in play or having been lost. How deep are you? (meaning “How much money do you have”, in anticipation of making a very large bet). I won that large pot, but I’m in much deeper than that.

deuce

1. A 2-spot card.
2. Any of various related uses of the number two, such as a $2 limit game, a $2 chip, etc.

deuce-to-seven

A method of evaluating low hands.

discard

To take a previously dealt card out of play. The set of all discards for a deal is called the “muck” or the “deadwood”.

dog

Underdog; that is, a player with a smaller chance to win than another specified player. Frequently used when the exact odds are expressed. Harry might have been bluffing, but if he really had the king, my hand was a 4-to-1 dog, so I folded.

dominated hand

A hand that is extremely unlikely to win against another specific hand, even though it may not be a poor hand in its own right. Most commonly used in Texas hold ‘em. A hand like A-Q, for example, is a good hand in general but is dominated by A-K, because whenever the former makes a good hand, the latter is likely to make a better one. A hand like 7-8 is a poor hand in general, but is not dominated by A-K because it makes different kinds of hands.

donation

A call made by a player who fully expects to lose; made either out of boredom or irrational optimism.

donk, donkey

Epithet for an inexperienced, unskilled, or foolish poker player. I played that hand like a donkey.

donk (verb)

To play a hand poorly. I donked off 15 bucks on that last hand.

door card

In a stud game, a player’s first face-up card. Patty paired her door card on fifth street and raised, so I put her on trips.

double-ace flush

Under unconventional rules, a flush with one or more wild cards in which they play as aces, even if an ace is already present.

double-board, double-flop

Any of several community card game variants (usually Texas hold ‘em) in which two separate boards of community cards are dealt simultaneously, with the pot split between the winning hands using each board.

double-draw

Any of several Draw poker games in which the draw phase and subsequent betting round are repeated twice.

double through, double up

In a big bet game, to bet all of one’s chips on one hand against a single opponent (who has an equal or larger stack) and win, thereby doubling your stack. I was losing a bit, but then I doubled through Sarah to put me in good shape.

downcard

A card that is dealt facedown.

down to the felt

All in, or having lost all of one’s money. Refers to the green felt surface of a poker table no longer obscured by chips.

drag light

To pull chips away from the pot to indicate that you don’t have enough money to cover the bet. If you win, the amount is ignored. If you lose, you must cover the amount from your pocket.

drawing dead

Playing a drawing hand that will lose even if successful (a state of affairs usually only discovered after the fact or in a tounament when two or more players are “all in” and they show their cards). I caught the jack to make my straight, but Rob had a full house all along, so I was drawing dead.

drawing live

Not drawing dead; that is, drawing to a hand that will win if successful.

drawing thin

Not drawing completely dead, but chasing a draw in the face of poor odds. Example: a player who will only win by catching 1 or 2 specific cards is said to be drawing thin.

drop

1. To fold.
2. Money charged by the casino for providing its services, often dropped through a slot in the table into a strong box.
3. To drop ones cards to the felt to indicate that one is in or out of a game.

dry pot

A side pot with no money. Created when a player goes all in and is called by more than one opponent, but not raised. Bluffing into a dry pot is a play that cannot possibly earn a profit, so doing so is considered foolish. It may also be unethical, because it serves to protect the all-in player at the expense of the bettor and the other players, and so is a form of collusion.

dump, dumped

To lose a large quantity of ones stack to another player on a particular hand or set of hands in short succession. I dumped half my stack to John after he cracked my Kings.

duplicate

To counterfeit, especially when the counterfeiting card matches one already present in the one’s hand.

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.

Basic equipment: chips, tiles and dice.

Mahjong houses provide a convenient venue for Mahjong old hands. This is a typical scene of Mahjong house in Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

Mahjong, can be played either with a set of Mahjong tiles, or less commonly, a set of Mahjong playing cards (sometimes spelled ‘kards’ to distinguish them from the list of standard hands used in American mahjong); one brand of Mahjong cards calls these Mhing). Playing cards are often used when travelling as it reduces space and is lighter than their tile counterparts, but are of a lower quality in return. In this article, “tile” will be used to denote both playing cards and tiles.

Many Mahjong sets will also include a set of chips or bone tiles for scoring, as well as indicators denoting the dealer and the wind of the round. Some sets may also include racks to hold tiles or chips (although in many sets the tiles are generally sufficiently thick so that they can stand on their own), with one of them being different to denote the dealer’s rack.

Computer implementations of Mahjong are also available: these allow you to play against computer opponents, or against human opponents on the Internet.

A set of Mahjong tiles will usually differ from place to place. It usually has at least 136 tiles, most commonly 144, although sets originating from America or Japan will have more. Mahjong tiles include:

• Circle suit: named as each tile consists of a number of circles. Each circle is said to represent copper (tong) coins with a square hole in the middle.

• Bamboo suit: named as each tile (except the 1 Bamboo) consists of a number of bamboo sticks. Each stick is said to represent a string (suo) that holds a hundred coins.

• Character suit: named as each tile represents ten thousand (wan) coins, or one hundred strings of one hundred coins.

• Wind tiles: East, South, West, and North.

• Dragon tiles: red, green, and white. The term dragon tile is a western convention introduced by Joseph Park Babcock in his 1920 book introducing Mahjong to America. Originally, these tiles are said to have something to do with the Chinese Imperial Examination. The red tile (“中”榜) means you pass the examination and thus will be appointed a government official. The green tile (“發”財) means, consequently you will become financially well off. The white tile (a clean board) means since you are now doing well you should act like a good, incorrupt official.

• Flower tiles: typically optional components to a set of mahjong tiles, often contain artwork on their tiles.

Setting up the board

Shuffling of the Mahjong tiles is needed before piling around the table.

All players throw three dice and the one with the highest total would be the dealer.

Players picking up their own tiles after rolling the dice.

The Charleston.

The following sequence is for setting up a standard Hong Kong (or Singapore) game. Casual or beginning players may wish to proceed directly to gameplay. Shuffling the tiles is needed before piling up.

Prevailing Wind and Game Wind

To determine the Player Game Wind (門風 or 自風), each player throws three dice (two in some variants) and the player with the highest total is chosen as the dealer or the banker (莊家). The dealer’s Wind is now East, the player to the right of the dealer has South wind, the next player to the right has West and the fourth player has North. Game Wind changes after every round, unless the dealer wins. In some variations, the longer the dealer remains as the dealer, the higher the value of each hand.

The Prevailing Wind (場風) is always set to East when starting. It changes after the Game Wind has rotated around the board, that is, after each player has lost as the dealer.

A Mahjong set with Winds in play will usually include a separate Prevailing Wind marker (typically a die marked with the Wind characters in a holder) and a pointer that can be oriented towards the dealer to show Player Game Wind. In sets with racks, a rack may be marked differently to denote the dealer.

These winds are also significant as winds are often associated with a member of a Flower tile group, typically 1 with East, 2 with South, 3 with West, and 4 with North.

Dealing tiles

All tiles are placed face down and shuffled. Each player then stacks a row of tiles two deep in front of him, the length of the row depending on the number of tiles in use:

• 136 tiles: 17 tiles for all players
• 144 tiles: 18 tiles for all players
• 148 tiles: 19 tiles for dealer and player opposite, 18 for rest
• 152 tiles: 19 tiles for all players

The dealer throws three dice and sums up the total. Counting counterclockwise so that the dealer is ’1′, a player’s row is chosen. Starting at the right edge, ‘sum’ tiles are counted and shifted to the right.

The dealer now takes a block of 4 tiles to the left of the divide.

The player to the dealer’s right takes 4 tiles to the left, and players (counterclockwise) take blocks of 4 tiles (clockwise) until all players have 12 tiles for 13-tile variations and 16 for 16-tile variations. In 13-tile variations, each player then takes one more tile to make a 13-tile hand. In practice, in order to speed up the dealing procedure, the dealer often takes one extra tile during the dealing procedure to start their turn.

The board is now ready and new tiles will be taken from the wall where the dealing left off, proceeding clockwise. In some special cases discussed later, tiles are taken from the other end of the wall, commonly referred to as the back end of the wall. In some variations, a group of tiles at the back end, known as the dead wall, is reserved for this purpose instead. In such variations, the dead wall may be visually separated from the main wall, but it is not required.

Unless the dealer has already won (see below), the dealer then discards a tile. The dealing process with tiles is ritualized and complex to prevent cheating. Casual players, or players with Mahjong playing cards, may wish to simply shuffle well and deal out the tiles with fewer ceremonial procedures.

Charleston

In the American variations, it is required that before each hand begins, a Charleston is enacted. This consists of a procedure where three tiles are passed to the player on one’s right, followed by three tiles passed to the player opposite, followed by three tiles passed to the left. The dealer can demand for a second Charleston, followed by an optional pass to the player across of one, two or three tiles. This is a distinctive feature of American-style Mahjong that may have been borrowed from card games.

This guide is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.