Gaming Guru

Continuous Shuffle Machines

Frank,

I only have the Indian casinos here in Florida and I don't like the card shuffle machines on all but the highest minimum blackjack games.

What are your thoughts on the machines, play or don't play?

Dale

Dear Dale:

Continuous shuffle machines that give the players no breaks whatsoever add about 16 to 20 percent more hands and that means you face even more of a chance that the house edge grinds you down. So those I would avoid like the plague.

The shuffle machines that switch from one set of cards to another will at least give you a moment to catch your breath. Those you might not mind playing.

I have a sense that when the casinos use machines in otherwise human games of chance, they make those games more like slot machines, the very thing table-game players dislike. So personally, I would look for hand-shuffled games.

Frank Scoblete

Get the Edge! Join Frank Scoblete in Las Vegas, October 21, 2011 for Advantage-Play Friday.