A dealer’s perspective on the continuous shuffler. By Al O’Grady
Blackjack continues to evolve. Sometimes it is out of necessity and sometimes it is out of greed. When the game first came to be, it was played with one deck and the dealer would hold that deck in his hand as he dealt the cards to the players.
As the game grew, unscrupulous dealers who were particularly good at sleight of hand made their mark and so the shoe was brought in to help ensure the integrity of the game. This put an end to dealing from the bottom of the deck.
As card counters got better and better, the number of decks increased to six or even eight decks, depending on the casino. Now there is a growing trend in the industry to get away from the eight-deck shoe and use a continuous shuffler. As a dealer, I would like to tell you about my thoughts on the matter.
Nobody Likes It
For those unaware of what a continuous shuffler is, it is an automatic machine where cards are shuffled constantly and cards that have been played are right back into the machine. It is like starting a hand with a brand-new deck every time.
The casino I work at transitioned from the eight-deck shoe to the continuous shuffler over a year ago and I can tell you unequivocally that no one likes it. Not the players and, believe it or not, not the dealers either. The only ones that like the continuous shuffler are senior management. So the 64-thousand-dollar question is simply this, why?
Time & Motion
From senior management’s perspective, it has two reasons for using the continuous shuffler. The first reason is this: Time is money. Let’s not forget this. Casinos are a multi-million-dollar business and they will do everything they can to squeeze out an extra percentage point to add to the profit margin. By using a continuous shuffler, the casino has eliminated the down time from the game where the dealer is replacing the discarded deck with a newly shuffled deck.
This may seem like a trivial matter, but it does add up. When you consider how many hands could have been dealt during that down time and multiply that 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, you are talking about a lot of hands. It is all about hands per hour and that translates into dollars per hour too.
The second reason is not quite as obvious but it is clear to the advanced player. Continuous shufflers have put an end to card counters. While most players are not card counters, the select few who can count cards and do it well are taking money from the casino. While casinos like to dangle the carrot in front of the public’s nose with the chance to win big money, the reality is that the casino always has an edge and it counts on that edge to generate profits. Blackjack is the only game in the casino where a card counter can generate an edge in favor of the player.
A False Solution?
In future articles I will explain how a card-counting system works, but for today’s purpose I will give you the Cole’s Notes version. There are several counting systems, but the most basic is to give the 2-3-4-5-6 a value of +1 and all the tens and aces a value of -1. The 7-8-9 count as zero. As each card is dealt a counter will either add or subtract 1. This is known as the running count.
After the hand, the running count is divided by the approximate number of decks remaining. This is known as the true count. As the true count rises, the amount wagered increases as well. With true counts at zero or in the negative, the minimum is bet. With continuous shufflers, both the running and true counts will always be at zero at the start of each hand so there is no advantage for the card counter. From the casino’s perspective, problem solved.
So why would a dealer not like a continuous shuffler? I have yet to meet a player that likes the new gadget. We are on the front lines, and we get to hear all the negative comments. Players of the world, give your collective heads a shake. Do you honestly think the dealers made this decision unilaterally to transition to this device?
This decision is four or five notches above our pay grade. Before we got to hear all the negativity, whining and complaining (not to mention profanity) when players lost money, and now management has poured more fuel onto the fire, giving the player something else to complain about. Just what the dealer wants, more negativity in the workplace.
Ministry of Silly Arguments
While players may not like the shuffler, some of their arguments are silly. Some honestly feel the game is rigged or the shuffler is the reason for losing. People want to blame someone or something, when in reality they need to look in the mirror. They fail to play perfect strategy, yet it is the machine’s fault. Really? Hey buddy, when you have a 15 with a dealer showing a 6, do not take a card. Hey buddy, do not split tens. Hey buddy, double down on 11.
I can go on and on, but you get the point. Is it still the machine’s fault? How does the machine know how many players are at the table? How does the machine know if someone comes or goes? Someone in early position could make a basic strategy mistake, changing the course of everyone’s hand including the dealer’s, yet it is the machine’s fault? You may not like something but please make an intelligent argument.
So, if you really do not like the continuous shuffler, what is your recourse? How can we get casinos to go back to the traditional shoe? There is only one way that I know of. Don’t play. It is as simple as that. There must be a massive boycott. There needs to be a social media blitz.
The only thing that casinos understand from the public is money. If enough people make their voices heard with their wallets and the casino is seeing a direct correlation that the machine is hurting its bottom line, the casinos will go back to the way it was faster than you can say double down. That is a sure bet.
In my next article I will tell you what changes I would make to blackjack appealing to card counters, the casino and to the dealers. Best of luck at the tables and do not forget to tip the dealer.
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*** This article was originally published in Casino Life Magazine Issue 169 September 2024***
