Blackjack Shuffle Tracking Explained

shuffle tracking in blackjack is a new technique that has not received much attention yet. It is a method of tracking certain cards as they are being shuffled. The aim of casino shuffle tracking is to either retain the cards or completely eliminate them from the picture.

Shuffling cards does not make them random. Some authors believe that in order to come up with a random deck of cards, it needs to be shuffled 20 to 30 times. So if a casino uses six decks of cards, 120 to 180 shuffles will produce a completely random shoe. To make a single deck advantageous to the player, it should be equally divided into 26 cards each and shuffled at least three times. This would ensure that the cards are random.

Let's use the Unbalanced Shuffle as an example. From the name itself, the deck is broken down into two uneven stacks. Let's say that you had an unfavorable result in your previous hands because there were more low valued cards in the deck. If you used card counting, then you would decrease your bet because the stack was not favorable to you.

Using the Unbalanced Shuffle, the dealer divides the deck into 31 cards on one stack and 21 in the second stack. The two stacks are then shuffled. If it was done from bottom to the top, the first ten cards of the larger pile would still be bunched together. These cards will not change their position if the manner shuffling is not changed. You are then made to cut the deck. By not cutting the deck, you will stand to lose the hand because you will receive the ten cards dealt to you in the previous hands. However, if you cut the deck at the exact end of the ten cards, you will most likely change the outcome as they will be placed at the bottom portion of the deck.

In some casinos, live dealers will unknowingly divide the deck into unequal piles. However, in most cases, they are required to cut the deck in this manner. This method is known as the House Shuffle. Most casinos intentionally train their dealers to shuffle in a certain manner. The reason for this is that in the long run, the casino will get some advantage because most players will not eliminate any bad clumps.

Have you ever tried using casino shuffle tracking in an online casino? Then most probably you would not be aware of the way they shuffled the cards.

 
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