I've run a few home games over the past few months (shuffling 6 decks is easy if you have a shuffler!) but I've always ended up being the dealer and miss out on the fun. Actually it's quite good fun being the dealer but I want to get into the action directly and wanted some tips on how to run a game with an "invisible" dealer, specificaly when dealing with dealer BJs. Cheers Reachy
Few options Reachy here are a few options for you to try. 1. Hire someone to deal. Everyone playing should chip in to pay for the dealer. 2. Just play out the hands and don't worry about a dealers blackjack until after the players have made their actions on their hands. Global Player ran their tournaments like that for years. 3. After insurance is offered to the table, the first player plays out their hand and then they check the dealers hole card. If the hands are being rotated then it will just be pot luck on who has to check. 4. Don't deal the dealers 2nd card until after players have all acted on their hands. 5. Play double exposure, that way the dealers cards are both dealt up. Draw back is the dealer takes pushes, but you can modify the rules and format for your game. Hope these suggestions help you out.
Reachy's Home Game: Why not just play" in between" or Acey-Duecy as some call it? Actually more aggrevating as a HOME game, than BJ. And results in substantially more money for the "luckey one."
One more suggestion for home games. Have a "Bounty Blackjack Tournament", & for those who are planning to go to OK in Feb can use it as practice for the first tourny on Feb 6th.
A great option for "home TBJ games" is using the European option. You can still be the dealer Everything is the same except the dealer only has an up card - no second card is given to the dealer until all the hands are played out. Of course this option reduces EV for the game but in a home version who is really concerned about EV?
Home dealer The Worlds Greatest Blackjack Book by Lance Humble and Carl Cooper has information on private and home games In terms of being the dealer the authors suggest that this is decided randomly by cutting for high or low card. Thereafter, the deal shifts on some regular fashion every certain number of hands or at every Blackjack. “The last method is the most common. A typical rule is that whoever gets a Blackjack becomes the dealer. If the dealer Blackjacks, he keeps the deal. If a player is dealt a Blackjack, then that player deals next. If both players and dealer Blackjack, then the dealer keeps the deal. If two players get Blackjack, then the player nearer to the left of the dealer gets the deal”. Andy
U I B T Reachy, don't let this one pass you by. They say opportunity only knocks once so you have to grab it. Instead of spending your time on TSS, work on a strategy for "in between". Invent some new rules that can be patented and start the "ULTIMATE IN BETWEEN TOUR". Just might work!!! :laugh: Just remember, keep this quite until you have everything in place or else noman will want a piece of the action.
What the hell... ...is "in between" or "acey duecy"? Sounds like it's one step up from "fish" or "charades" Cheers Reachy
Right you are Reachy. Every one puts X amount of money in the pot. Each player is dealt 2 cards up. Then in order of play, each player can "fold" or bet whatever he wants (up to the amount in the pot) that the next card will be "in between" his 2 cards (a push is a loss). If he wins he takes the amount of his bet out of the pot. If he loses, he puts his wager in the pot. All sorts of great strategy in this game hence UIBT becomes a really great idea. I can hear the wheels turning across the pond.
Online Acey-Duecy? Which websites will I be able to play this on? What's the EV for this game? Can a skilled player win consistently? Incidentally, I've been reading with interest about "Chinese Poker" which I hear a lot of the poker pros play for large amounts of money. Did read the rules but can't remember them off-hand and it seems that the luck element is massive but skilled players do have an advantage. This is apparently a game they play to relax and they do it just for fun but being the high rollers they are enormous amounts of money change hands. I also hear that the variance is incredibly high. Not for faint hearts or meager BRs... Cheers Reachy
Basic Acey Duecy by Stanford Wong Tell me he's written a book. I now long to play this game. Cheers Reachy
not happened yet It's tonight but I shall be naked before I start, that way I can't lose my shirt. Frightening thought eh? Cheers Reachy PS. Do you think I should play EBJ or TTBJ? My concern about EBJ is that it could be a little anti-social eliminating my freinds from the game early whereas TTBJ would be much more inclusive.
Hey Reachy, That first line brought back thoughts of your Borat avatar :yikes: Since it's YOUR house and YOUR game make it TTBJ so everyone stays around longer. Also make player BJ pay 5:1! Here's an interesting twist - it's a game I played in California called no bust 21 If a player busts the dealer doesn't take their money right away. If the dealer busts and the dealers total is greater than the player who busted (i.e. dealer pulls to 24 and you have 22 or 23) then you don't lose your money and it's a push! It's more fun and screws BS right out the window. But since you are there to have fun why not try it! Let us know how it went - have a blast! Just keep you shirt on please! :laugh:
ACEY-DUECEY--Loosey(lose) Goosey: Tool: You forgot that if your dealt card matches one of the up cards, you pay double the pot. Particularly interesting if you are counting or not counting the cards and at your turn are dealt A A, with house rules you designate first A, high or low, or second A, high or low, or have the option with A A to designate one High and one low. And bet pot and low and behold the one A you forgot about pops up. Dang gum it, there goes your milk money for the week. Reachy: Wongy, didn't get that far. But, if you want to back it, I could whip out a strategy book in a week. I'm sure AC would publish it. Then both you and I would never have to worry about trying to play again. Heck, when it becomes a best seller, I'll throw a week's worth of on the radiator, curdled milk money toolman's way. Bye the bye. You shouldn't worry about cutting "your" ""friends"" out of a game to early. If you've invited enough people, the side games become more profitable for the "eliminateeeeeesss." Just be sure to have sufficient fish and chips and cheese and you have to provide the liquid refreshment. But then you are allowed to charge an admission fee to cover refreshments. Gosh, the total, just happens to be what first place would be in the tournament. Imagine that!
Jeez noman, I had no idea you were such an authority on "in between". I suggest you set up your own web site before Ken Smith beats you to the punch. You can call it "inbetweennomanthenewgameofskill.haha". How's that for a catchy name? :laugh: Reachy, I'm still waiting for the results of your home game!
Victory!!! I won but it felt like a hollow victory since I was the only person playing who really understood the nuances of TBJ. I'm not saying that my opponents weren't competitive but it didn't feel difficult to beat them. Maybe I'm being a little too arrogant about it and I did lose one big bet and actually had to go all-in at one point. We played 15 hands, traditional format except I dealt the doubles face down for a little more excitement. It was all relatively close until the last few hands but my minimum bets minimized the effect of variance compared to the rather random betting strategies of the others. We only lost one player by the final hand but it was between me and my brother for 1st place. Both of us could have locked out BR3 but since Bro went all in he risked 2nd place. I matched his bet on the final hand for high low and locked at least 2nd place. We all won I claimed victory. Since this is technically the first "live" game I have played in it was an interesting experience. It wasn't helped by the fact that as dealer I had to focus on several things as well as my own play and of course the drink flowed freely!!! My biggest wake up call was the chip counting aspect. I didn't realise how difficult this would be and since having accurate information on your opponents BRs is the cornerstone of a successful betting strategy it's importance can't be overstated. It got me wondering; does chip counting act as an artificial barrier to entry into live TBJ? If this barrier were removed would TBJ grow more quickly? Are people put off playing TBJ because this skill is so difficult to master? Just some thoughts... Cheers Reachy
Interesting observation Reachy. I've never seen anyone put it (chip counting) that way. I think this deserves discussion on the "regular form" so I'm going to start a thread. I'll be using your quote from above, hope you don't mind.
