Do card delivery systems matter in blackjack?
When it comes to deciding if you’re going to take a seat at a blackjack table, there are a couple of things that you need to consider first. If you have no real issue with whether you win or lose, you can take a seat anywhere. However, when you’re seeking the best house edge there are things that you need to be looking at: the rules and where the dealer takes the cards from. This is where the concept of Blackjack card delivery system comes into play.
We’ve talked plenty about the various rules and how these can impact the game. There are some that make a game far more attractive whereas others are so bad that you should never even consider playing.
While the rules will always matter, here we want to shift the focus and explore if where the dealer takes cards from really matters. The truth is that not too many people put any level of focus on this. We’d suggest that perhaps they should as, in reality, it is just as important as the rules of the game themselves. Not convinced? Read on and let us explain.
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The different types of Blackjack card delivery systems
We strongly believe that this is something that you should be taking note of before you even glance at the rules. The method that is used to deliver cards is always obvious and so there is no reason that you can’t check this out extremely quickly. When it comes to the methods that can be used, there are three to consider. Two of these favors the player more than the other. Let’s take a look:
- Pitch – This is a traditional method of dealing cards and the games where it is used are restricted to one or two decks. For this method, the dealer holds the cards and then simply ‘pitches’ them to the players
- Shoe – No matter what casino you’ve played at, there’s a very good chance that you’ve seen a shoe. This is the most common card delivery method that there is. The shoe itself is a long device situated on the table. It holds up to eight decks at a time
- Continuous Shuffle Machines (CSM) – These first started to make an appearance in casinos around 10-15 years ago. Not just used for the game of blackjack, a CSM will continually shuffle the cards, just as the name suggests
You’ll find that there are blackjack players who have a delivery method that they prefer. The truth is that the delivery method doesn’t have a significant impact on the house edge so you may be wondering why it even matters.
Why the Blackjack card delivery system could matters
While the way in which cards are delivered has a small impact on the house edge, when it comes to recreational players, the difference is minimal. While many players know that a CSM affects the house edge, most believe that this is in favor of the casino. The reality is that it actually goes in the player’s favor. However, the impact is hardly significant.
For a recreational player, it’s understandable that they’ll be more concerned about the blackjack rules than they are about how the cards are delivered. Where rules are equal, it’s preferable to play a game that has fewer decks and that makes the pitch method highly attractive.
Pitch and shoe can sometimes cause frustration for players. With pitch, there is a pause as the dealer shuffles the cards. With the shoe, there’s a momentary break while the cards are loaded back in. For us, this is certainly not a negative: it gives a player a chance to regain their thoughts and composure rather than simply flying through hand after hand.
A further benefit of opting for pitch or shoe delivery methods is that they work for card counting. We’re often encouraging players to master this skill and these delivery methods are the ones that make this achievable. A CSM just gets in the way and means that you can’t realize the full advantages of counting.
Many players learned blackjack with cards being dealt by hand or a shoe. That gives these methods a kind of familiarity and that’s something that we like. Playing with a CSM just doesn’t feel natural and we think that it can hinder the game. Why the attack on CSMs? Well, we’ll explain that further now.
Continuous Shuffle Machines
When casinos use a CSM the reality is that they make more money. Why? Well, it increases the pace of the game and allows them to push out many more cards much faster. These machines are so fast that they actually allow casinos to deal 20% more hands every hour.
While there are those who would argue that the increased pace makes the game more exciting, it also makes it difficult for a recreational player to keep up. The thing is though that CSMs are becoming extremely commonplace now and you’ll find them in numerous Las Vegas casinos in games that exist for the low rollers out there.
Of course, it’s hard to criticize casinos for going the way that they have. The reality is that these are all businesses and that using a CSM helps them to boost their revenue. However, that doesn’t mean that any player should be forced to play a game where a CSM is in use: there will always be choices.
Blackjack with CSM increases the rate of losses for players. This means that if you choose to sit at a table where one is being used, you can expect to burn through your bankroll at a much faster rate. This may not be an issue for some players out there but, for us, we don’t like the thought of our night coming to an abrupt end because our bankroll has been obliterated.
Final thoughts
The card delivery system in blackjack does have an impact on the game. No, it may not have a hugely significant impact on the house edge, but it does affect the way in which the game plays out.
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