The craps 5-Count and short decks at blackjack

24 February 2015

By Frank Scoblete

FROM JOHN: After reading your book “Beat Blackjack Now! The Easiest Way to Get the Edge” on the Speed Count for Blackjack, I drifted from the craps table to the blackjack table. There is something to be said about gambling while being seated (real craps players do not sit at the table taking up multiple spaces).

Anyhow I am coming back to craps (I have learned much from your numerous craps books and review them periodically). To the point, in your 8/26/2014 article in the Casino City Times, you recommended to a player that he should wait until the 5-Count and then place either a Come or Pass bet and go from there. In one of your books, it is my recollection that your recommendation for a Pass/Come player was to place a Come bet after the 3-Count (no odds), place a Come bet after the 4-Count (no odds), and after the 5-Count place another bet and apply odds to all of the bets.

Do I understand that you feel it preferable to start the first bet after the 5-Count with odds and continue from there until you have the amount of bets you want in action? Before, as a 5-Count player, I would wait until the 5-Count and then place the 6 and 8 along with a Come bet.

FRANK RESPONDS: I have changed my mind. Actually, the Captain did it. Why bet early on random rollers? If you wait for the entire 5-Count, you save more money than if you go up earlier, as I wrote in some of my earlier books.

So even after 25 years playing casino games, this old dog can learn some new tricks. I just can’t jump as high as I used to.

For your e-mail, I am sending you a copy of my book "The Virgin Kiss."


FROM MARTY: I am a subscriber to Blackjack Insider and always look forward to your column in that and in the Casino City Times.

I have been counting cards since Resorts opened and have done quite well over the years. While I mainly go to AC and one PA casino, I have had much better results during my few trips to Nevada.

I am doing very poorly in the particular Pennsylvania casino that I play. During a recent losing streak, I started keeping records of my play in each casino. During my last 12 trips to this casino, while my win rate is 50 percent, I have lost more than twice the amount that I have won at that casino. What is disturbing is that this casino has the best rules and penetration than any other casino in this area.

Like many other card counters, I have suffered from the depths of the large swings of the standard deviation. Nevertheless, I cannot help from wondering if that casino is doing something illegally, certainly unethically, such as removing some 10s from the deck.

I believe that it is very unlikely that they are doing this. Nevertheless, despite their great rules and penetration, I am considering not playing there. I would appreciate your thoughts on this matter.

You are welcome to use my information in any publication and may use my first name only.

Also, to increase my odds, I would like to become a member of a blackjack team. Do you know how would I go about doing this as I don't know any counters?

FRANK RESPONDS: Ask when the new decks will be brought in (that’s when you sit down at the table) and as they spread the cards out go over all the cards just as the dealer does. That will let you know if they are screwing around with the 10-valued cards. Watch closely as the dealer puts the cards in the shoe as well.

I will use this letter in a future column on the Web. It is an excellent one.

For your e-mail, I am sending you a free copy of my book “The Virgin Kiss.”