MSC House Blackjack Rules?

[Skipper Tim]

I ventured briefly into the casino on my last MSC cruise and was somewhat overwhelmed by the protocols and speed of what was going on. Several of our party bamboozled me with some of the rules of what I thought previously was a relatively straightforward game.

 

There is currently a £45 UK cash back offer for playing £10 at Caesar's Bingo via TopCashBack (that's my referral link!) and so I signed up and ventured into the Blackjack game. It immediately involved research on strategy and rule variations and found an appropriate 'strategy card' which enabled me to play a very long time, albeit slowly referring to the card for every decision, on my £10.

 

If I am to be equipped, practised and prepared for the real casino on board an MSC ship, I need to know what their house blackjack rules are. Can anyone share them here? I did search but could only find them for other lines.

 

Many thanks in advance.

[All aboard??]

Never hand money to the dealer - always drop it on the table.

 

Six deck hand shuffled shoe (that's the wooden box the cards are stored in).

 

First card out of the shoe is burnt (not used).

 

Dealer must draw to 17 and stand on 17 (the dealer must keep on taking cards until they reach 17 or above)

 

If you open a second box (that is where you place you bet - so in essence you are playing as though there are two players) you need to double your bet on both boxes - this is however dependent on the Manager and on the Fantasia in March there was no requirement to double you bet.

 

There is no restriction as to the number of boxes an individual can open - I like playing with three.

 

You can double anytime on 12 and below.

 

You can also split anytime.

 

Even money is paid when you have a black jack and the dealer has an ace - even money should be offered to you but best to call it straight away.

 

Insurance can be taken when the dealer has an ace in hand.

 

Only take your winnings once the dealer has finished paying the box you are playing - this includes anyone playing behind you.

[All aboard??]

The most important thing is that if people are already playing and the shoe is not finished always ask first if it is ok to open and if they say no you need to respect this and just wait for the shoe to finish, which shouldn't be too long - people wrongly believe that Black Jack, like Roulette etc is a game of chance - IT IS NOT and opening a box on a table that is running can really make a mess of things and piss people off :mad:

 

Likewise always ask the table (if there are other players) everytime you want to open a new box.

 

Always remove your money from the table when the dealer is shuffling.

 

If things are going well don't forget to tip the dealer.

 

And last but not least if you don't know the game and the strategy of the game don't join a table with people who do know it if there are other spaces somewhere else, unless of course you know them - that's different.

[All aboard??]

If the dealer's first card is 6 or below

 

Never split pictures or tens - 20 is technically a winning hand.

 

This is a good time to double.

 

Never draw above 12.

 

The key to this is that if the dealer has 6 they need to pull two cards to get to the 17 that they have to draw to - so in essence they have a greater likelihood at busting. By not drawing cards out the shoe you are trying to ensure that the dealer gets the big cards and so busts.

 

If the dealer's first cad is a 7 and above

 

You have to draw cards to 17 and above - my late father and mother used to always say that a player who stands on 16 or 15 should rather give the rest of the players their money and go home.

 

Never surrender - once again my late father and mother used to always say that people who surrender should give the table half their money and go home.

 

I always double on an 11 - even against a picture.

 

Always split 7s, 8s and Aces

[Skipper Tim]

Duane, that is stupendous! Thank you so much. It will take me a while to understand everything you have written but it was pitched perfectly, just clipping the hair on my head.

 

I will research and practice.

 

I was struck by you saying this is not a game of chance. Are you saying that, perhaps short of counting, you try to remember certain cards that come from the 'shoe'?

 

One thing you didn't touch upon was if it is possible for two 'punters' to help each other. I know the game is always between the player and the house but is there a way for players to help each other?

 

The field of mathematics now known as statistics was founded and funded entirely by French gamblers. Once I have the hang of this game, specifically the MSC game, I will be writing my evolutionary algorithms to optimise strategies and possibly discover new ones. Everything into the melting pot and see what comes out!

 

In the meantime, I am fascinated by your strategy insights and by the fact that some were passed down to you by your parents. My grand parents taught me gambling. My grandfather taught me how to back horses - at the bookies and at the racetrack. My grandmother taught me every slot machine and bingo. My mother taught me how to gamble on property and that is the only one, bar the yacht, that I came unstuck with. You can't win them all. I had never even thought of the casino. I had seen them on ships as a waste of space unnecessarily extending the walk between dining room and theatre. Then you, a casino addict, came along. New worlds deserve new beginnings....

 

Tim.

[All aboard??]

I will research and practice.

 

We will have a few rounds in the hotel before we board ship.

 

I was struck by you saying this is not a game of chance. Are you saying that, perhaps short of counting, you try to remember certain cards that come from the 'shoe'?

 

I find that the small cards and clump together most of the time - if there is a hand where all the small cards have come out or for that fact all the pictures have come out the next one is bound to be the opposite.

 

One thing you didn't touch upon was if it is possible for two 'punters' to help each other. I know the game is always between the player and the house but is there a way for players to help each other?

 

Oh contraire, the players should never play as individuals - they need to play collectively against the dealer. If the strategy is applied by all the players then generally the table should do well - the end box (the last one) is the most important in that their action of not drawing a card when they should or drawing a card when they shouldn't can give the dealer the cards they need to beat the table.

 

It is important to follow the rules - that is why I like to play alone with often three boxes; this allows me to control the table.

 

Then you, a casino addict, came along. New worlds deserve new beginnings....

 

I wouldn't say I am an addict :eek: errrrr, wait - mea culpa :rolleyes:

[Skipper Tim]

OK, this is going to be a lengthy process but there is time. I appreciate your patience Duane, or anyone else who would like to jump in and patronise me.

 

Never hand money to the dealer - always drop it on the table.

 

What money is this? Is it tip money for the dealer or chips to gamble with?

[moomoocow]

Hi Tim

 

The first time I played Blackjack was last year in Vegas.

 

All Aboard speaks the truth. Played correctly it is very much a collaborative game with the other players wanting to see the dealer bust. It makes no difference to their potential winnings wether you win or lose but it does if you needlessly take a card that would have been destined for them!

 

Good players will offer advice and suggestions and even the dealer should tell you what the play would be on any given hand. Of course you are also able to have the advice card next to you to help you make the correct decision.

 

Finally card counting is nothing more than being aware of the odds of cards in the shoe. As simple as a count of all the pic cards vs non pic cards to see how the shoe stacks and therefore during play will slightly increase your odds of predicting if you will draw a picture card when needed.

[Skipper Tim]

If the dealer's first card is 6 or below

 

Never split pictures or tens - 20 is technically a winning hand.

 

This is a good time to double.

 

Never draw above 12.

 

The key to this is that if the dealer has 6 they need to pull two cards to get to the 17 that they have to draw to - so in essence they have a greater likelihood at busting. By not drawing cards out the shoe you are trying to ensure that the dealer gets the big cards and so busts.

 

If the dealer's first cad is a 7 and above

 

You have to draw cards to 17 and above - my late father and mother used to always say that a player who stands on 16 or 15 should rather give the rest of the players their money and go home.

 

Never surrender - once again my late father and mother used to always say that people who surrender should give the table half their money and go home.

 

I always double on an 11 - even against a picture.

 

Always split 7s, 8s and Aces

 

Yay! I had an email yesterday offering to double up any deposit I made at Caesar's online casino. I put in £10, followed your strategy and (eventually) withdrew a £100. Thanks Duane! I know following careful strategy should balance the odds so I knew to quit while I was ahead, at least until the next enticing email comes along.

[All aboard??]

Yay! I had an email yesterday offering to double up any deposit I made at Caesar's online casino. I put in £10, followed your strategy and (eventually) withdrew a £100. Thanks Duane! I know following careful strategy should balance the odds so I knew to quit while I was ahead, at least until the next enticing email comes along.

 

And that is how I only paid $450 for a $5100 shipboard account :D

[Skipper Tim]

I was bitten today. I do not trust Caesar's Casino. While not counting, I did notice a much higher proportion of Aces, 10s and picture cards going to the dealer than to me.

 

Duane, next time I meet you, I will have to be the Chancery Gardener character and watch (in the casino).

 

T.