Blackjack Shuffle Tracking: Its Basics and Components

Blackjack, the famous and the premier among the card games, has a great influence and dragging capacity on the casino goers. The game in all its variations offers good fame over the players. When it comes to the point of a dealer, it is very important to track the deck of cards while it is out of the shoe. Blackjack shuffle is done by the dealer with great care and observation. It is very common that a dealer spends much time in Blackjack shuffle and every casino will have a different shuffle.

The basics of Blackjack shuffle or its tracking is to track the two prime cards which are most favourable to the players. These particular cards are the ten-value cards and ace cards. The dealer does Blackjack shuffle not only by rifling but also by striping, boxing and cutting the deck of cards. As a player, there are many ways to hack this Blackjack shuffle. It requires nothing but a keen observation. Well, Blackjack shuffle tracking is actually exploitation of the basic non-randomness that the casino shuffles has. Despite observation, the hacking of Blackjack shuffle is done by tracking the discarded cards along with keeping the count in different positions.

Basics notes of Blackjack shuffle tracking

• Keenly observe the card as they are dealt from the shoe placed on the desired Blackjack table.
• Watch out all the cards, including the dealer’s card. This will give you extra information while choosing your cut.
• Inspect the discard rack on which the dealer places the cards. This will help you to get a visual edge on the process of Blackjack shuffle tracking.
• Spot your playing zone in the upcoming shoe by locating some key cards just before the beginning of your current zone.
• Normally shuffling process involves the change of card positions but not the play zones. It is mandatory that the dealer follows this rule.
• Check the deal while he continues with the Blackjack shuffle. This keen observation is a way of hunting for the way he changes the card positions. Complete focus and observation power are what comes into play here.
• If a dealer is equipped with an automatic shuffling machine, the only way is to avoid the table because tracking won’t be effective when Blackjack shuffle is done in machines.
• Observe the player who cuts a card and remember the exact position in which the cards land up in the new shoe.
• If you are to do the cutting, do it in a manner that the zone will get positioned above the new shoe. This helps you to make larger bets right from the top of the new shoe.
• Observe and detect every movement of the dealer’s hands and register it in your mind. This will make you handy in the art of shuffle tracking.

Even though shuffle tracking and card counting are not the same, it is advised to have some knowledge on card counting to master the art of Blackjack shuffle tracking. This is because card counting proceeds with remembering the count and inducing it into one’s memory. So while in shuffle tracking, keeping the count and that particular memory registration helps in a great way. Thus to be a master of Blackjack shuffle tracking, it is good to learn something on card counting technique before stepping into the Blackjack shuffle tracking.

Deciding on which tracking unit to take with you to do the job of tracking is important. It is just like choosing the mode of payment. Because if you go with very small units, you won’t be able to accurately track what is left there in the discard tray, when the dealer is about to stop the process of Blackjack shuffle.

Everyone is aware that the theory of shuffle tracking is less effective as there is no proven advantage by using these particular tactics. But the casinos are pretty much alert on this as they have many other polite ways of telling “no shuffle trackers allowed” by investing in multiple dealers or automatic shuffling machines.

Limitations of Blackjack shuffle tracking

• Shuffle tracking is of no use in online casinos or online Blackjack games as shuffling is done by the computer randomly.
• Sense of worthlessness on the theory.
• Indulging in a comparison between card counting and shuffle tracking, card counting has an edge as it has emerged as a trusted strategy because of its proven effectiveness. But shuffle tracking depends widely on the intelligence quotient of the player.