Blackjack : As unpredictable as blackjack

Some enter casinos and choose to sit at an empty blackjack table. They begin by betting the table minimum. When playing alone with the dealer, you get around 40 hands per shoe.

For instance, you can stick to the table minimum bets, for 26 bets by the time the yellow cut-card pops out. That means you have to go something around 7-33 on that shoe. Not bad!

This is what the game turned out for a regular player: After the first shoe, the next two ones weren't so great. He was down about 40 times the table minimum then. When the fourth shoe began, the dealer started winning by getting three, four and five card 20's and 21's. Most people would be revolted and would leave the table. Professionals wouldn't do such a thing.

Then he multiplied by two, four and next my bet and things only worsened! He received good hands so he could double down with them, but could only catch a ridiculous deuce or a 4 to create stiffs. In no time he got down about 60 times the table minimum.

He raised the bet to eight units per hand, desperately searching for the 120 tens and Aces that had to be in the deck somewhere, he received a pair of 8's and the dealer 5. Unexpectedly, he caught an Ace on his first 8 to make a 19.

He doubled down and caught the first picture card in some time, providing him with another 19. Things went well for some time. A few hands later, the dealer turned over a paint card in the hole and promptly busted!

All of a sudden he had drawn within huge distance. Only a tad more shoe was left with a considerable number of 10s and Aces still remaining, so he decides to play two hands for six units each. He receives an Ace and 8 and a 5 and 3 against the dealer's 6 as the cut-card showed up announcing the last round. If he would win the last two hands, he would be even. What to do?

Most players would securely stand on the soft 19 and hit the hard 8. Only a small number of people would risk doubling both hands with this "heavy" shoe. Our player did and caught an Ace and a 10 while the dealer kept getting: 6-16-26!

The last two rounds of the shoe caught him gone from 60 units down to 12 units ahead. He cheered up and tipped the dealer. After four turbulent shoes he hit the door.

This is a true story and you should see it as an example of the thrill you can experience when you play blackjack at a high level. This story had a happy ending but there are many situations when players go home empty handed and humiliated.

This is considered a gambling advantage: you know it's not about winning anymore. It's all about taking your edges when you find them, and living with on ups and downs on the way to the top.

There are no hidden catches to blackjack. All you have to do is play a slow, even, consistent game and never be hasty.

There's no chance you will win more hands than you lose. But in some cases the shoe will favor you. If you can find a time like that be offensive there and then. If you lose do not be sad. It is like losing a battle in a big war.