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“Casinos and prostitutes have the same thing in common; they are both trying to screw you out of your money and send you home with a smile on you face.” – -VP Pappy

Lets start off with a very simple example of a game of Blackjack using the Goldhill System. (Remember the main thrust of this method is to ignore early gains in order to progress through the down phases to the point at which the money really starts to roll in).

Tip: Whilst you do not have to take yourself through the difficult `desert-like’ region of the negative phase let me assure you that both financially and emotionally it is well worth the effort.

If the idea of surrendering early gains for greater long term advantage then just cash-in your winnings made during the sudden rise in the Serpent’s Tooth Cycle. They will still be worthwhile but not as great as they will be if you progress onwards to a condition that I call `Blackjack Nirvana’

The Game
I am going to explain the practical application of this system using single betting units. These will represent $1 in this example but you could choose to make it $5 or $10 if you wish though typically it works best with a casino that offers a betting range of $1 – $250 or even $1 – $500 as many now do.
I want to start with a $200 deposit. This is attained either by a straight deposit or in conjunction with a casino bonus. I prefer to avoid using the bonus because in most occasions the Serpent’s Tooth Cycle is played out before reaching the required play through conditions established by the casino in their Terms & Conditions. (This did not used to be the case but all casinos are increasing their play through requirements dramatically).
It is highly unlikely that you will need to use the whole of the $200 pot but starting off with a large amount increases your chances of getting through the negative phases that develop in the game. So then – with these parameters established you are ready to begin.

Stage One
The game begins and as it goes through the first couple of hundred hands early gains will be experienced. Play with 2 x base unit bets. If you lose a hand then increase the bet using the betting ratios of 1, 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48, 98, 196 for subsequent hands. Now I agree that placing down $196 might sound risky but at this initial level of play I rarely ever experience losing streaks of greater than six hands so you are only risking a small proportion of your pot at this stage. Remember also that if you are playing in conjunction with the casino bonus you are risking less of your own money anyway.
During this phase I always double on elevens and split all pairs – even pairs of tens sometimes. It is also a good opportunity to double up on the occasional 14, 15 or 16 if you feel confident.

Stage Two
If your play through permits it you could easily cash in during this phase but most of the time even a seasoned player will take the opportunity of what appears to be a winning streak to continue playing until suddenly a major losing streak hits you. When it does you will know that you have entered into Phase Two – The Fall.
As soon as you recognize this reduce your betting to the very minimum (i.e.’ 1 x base value). Avoid all doubling at this time and only split pairs of eights. There will be no option than to sit this period out with patience. Do not feel tempted to panic and try to re-cooperate your loses – this is not the time to do so and you will be risking crashing out completely.

Stage Three
After a while – and there is no knowing how long this will be (usually less than another fifty or so hands) you will notice that the proportion of lost hands to winning hands begins to change. Indeed if you have followed my earlier advice to color code your statistics you will see that the tide has started to turn in your favor.
This is not the correct time to return to your 1, 1, 2, 4, 6, 12 etc period of play – not so much because of any chance of experiencing another extended period of losing hands but merely because your severely depleted pot will not accommodate it. At this point sit and do the following calculation.
1) Find out how much the value of your pot was just before it crashed – your records will show this.
2) Then find out what the lowest value your pot was reduced to at the end of the Fall.
3) Subtract one from the other to calculate how much you lost in the collapse.
4) Divide this value by 3.
5) Now take the lowest amount figure and add to it one third of the total loss figure.
Once your pot has climbed up to this value again you will know that it is time to play with a renewed sense of optimism. Lets take the following as an example of what I mean. Imagine that you have started with a $200 pot.
After the first stage of the game this has increased to $320. Then comes the crash and it is reduced to $110. This means that you have lost $210.
Now divide this difference by three (i.e. $210/3=$70) and you will arrive at the value of $180 (i.e. $110+$70) as the point at which it is safe to restore the 1, 1, 2, 4, 6, 12 etc system along with doubling up. As you consider doing this keep a check on your coded-coded playing statistics and wait until they indicate a shift out of the negative phase and into a positive one.

Cashing In
Once your fortunes have changed you will find that the size of your pot grows consistently until eventually it soars well past the highest peak value (in this example $320) that it had attained before you crashed earlier. From here on you can keep on going until you decide is the correct time to cash in.
In the example of a $200 deposit I would install a stop-loss system at every $50 after reaching $400. During this phase you can even increase your base betting value from 1x to 2x or more – but this is down to personal preference.
Another method that I employ is this. If you have fulfilled any play through terms and conditions (and if you are not entirely sure what they are then telephone the casinos help line and they will give you an accurate figure of how much play you have left) then cash in your initial deposit ($200). Doing so means that whatever happens now you will incur no loses. Continue playing on through Phase Three and withdraw at every $50 or $100 stage. This creates an automatic stop-loss system and guarantees a profit from a game.

Summary
I have used this system time and again and have found it to give assured profits 90% of the time. The 1 in 10 game that I lose is usually where I have failed to follow my own rules (usually through greed, tiredness or euphoria) or where I have failed to start off with a decent sized deposit in the first instance. Thus I do recommend a minimum deposit of at least $200 (which of course may stand you at nothing because you developed it from the free no-obligation bonus as revealed way back in Chapter 4.) In this regard your $200 can be made to go a very long way indeed.

So that is the system. I now want to take you through 6 real-life casinos and show you how to make the whole system work for you

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“Son, we are sorry about the tuition funds…your mother and I did not know you are not supposed to split tens…” – Letters home from people visiting Reno.

In my introduction to this manual I referred to the part-time casino player who only plays for the thrill and excitement of the play. As daft as it might have sounded to you there are players who have little or no concept of the idea of playing Blackjack at online casinos as a sound financial proposition.

Just for a laugh go along to Littlewoods Casino (http://www.littlewoodscasino.com/) and download their software. Later on I recommend this site as a good one to play at for a number of reasons however at the moment I would suggest that you join up in Guest Mode and go to one of their Public tables. Here you can play Blackjack against other players.

Now just by spend a few minutes watching the playing strategies of your fellow Blackjackers – if strategy is indeed the correct word, for doing so leads one to the inevitable conclusion that most people just do not have the slightest clue what they are doing. From both their play and betting decisions it is clear that they still regard Blackjack merely as a game of chance in the same mould as Roulette, Slots and Craps. All of their decisions are wild and clearly based upon hope that the flow of play will eventually go their way and land them a win – which it rarely ever does!
After a while you can see them log out and presumably wander off to slap down some more money at another game. This hit and miss approach characterizes the activities of 95% of all amateur casino gamblers and their foolish actions keep the casinos (and ourselves) in business.

Rookies vs. The Pros
I want to show you where they (and possibly also yourself) can go wrong. Imagine, if you will, the following scenario – a game played between an amateur and a professional.
Our game has started and the `fool’ or `Rookie’ has placed down his/her bet – probably at a value that reflects his level of personal optimism at the time. They then consider their cards for a moment.
Player one finds that he has been dealt a King and a 4. This will give him a pip value of 14, which of course is not a large total and a long way off his 21 target – so he selects to `Hit’. His third card is an eight and he has bust out causing him to lose his bet deposit. Undeterred by this he then selects a new deal and then goes on to repeat all of his subsequent playing hands using the same hit or bust strategy.
Now take a look at the same situation, as a professional would play it. Firstly he or she will place a bet at a value that is right for the present state of play. Once again the two cards dealt up are a King and a 4 but this time the player takes a quick glance at the dealer’s upturned card which is a 6 – so he/she decides to stick.
This forces the initiative onto the dealer so he then cuts a 10 giving 16 and being forced to hit (all dealers have to hit on total less than 17) he then reveals a 9 as his third card giving a total of 25. Player wins! I have lost count of the number of times that playing these sorts of hands have given me a playing edge in a game.

The Perfect Blackjack Strategy
So what’s the difference between the two styles of play? Why was a 16 total considered a poor total for the novice player but perfectly adequate for the professional? The answer lies in the laws of probability and in a remarkable system known as `Perfect Blackjack’.
Whilst it cannot predict the outcome of any initial card pairing with 100% accuracy, it does offer the player a remarkable way to dramatically increase the winning odds. This is how it looks in table form If you look at Table 1 you will see that the nearest left hand column is marked `Player’ and the values 5 to 21 beneath it are the only totals available with an initial two card deal. The top row is marked `Dealer’ with the numbers 2 through to 10 and the letter A (meaning Ace) on the line below it. These are the only values that the dealer can have with his/her first deal.
To find the most advantageous response to a deal you simply add up the pip total on your first two cards, locate the total under the `Player’ column and then follow it across until you reach the dealer column. The letter at this point reveals the most propitious action to take and the Key reveals the correct response to make.

Example 1
In the game that I gave as an example earlier the player had a King and a 4 creating a total of 14. Locate the row that extends out from the number 14 until it reaches the number 6, which if you recall was the value of the first dealer card. Where they meet you will encounter a letter S which with reference to the Key means `Stick’ or do nothing.
To many beginners the thought of sticking at 16 would seem a rather daft one. Indeed 9 times out of 10 a player will simply `Hit’ or `Twist’. This is wrong because the odds of the dealer busting with a 6 are extremely high in fact higher than they are of your reaching 21 safely.
Can you see how armed with this simple table you can radically revolutionize your winning strategy? It takes the guesswork out of your playing decisions.

Example 2
Let’s take another example of how we use the Strategy. Player has been dealt a 3 and a 4. This totals to 7. According to our Table 1 no matter what the pip value is of the dealers card you should always Hit here. Now the third card is a 5, which brings you to a total of 12. Take a look at the dealer card, in this case it is a 5 and a quick look at the chart reveals that your best option is to stick.

Example 3
When Aces appear in a hand they add considerably to the options available to you as a player. They also require a different table of actions.
Imagine that you have been dealt an Ace along with a 5. In this instance the dealer has a 6. To determine the correct play for this situation refer to Table 2 on the left this time.
Locate the A, 5 pairing then check across to the player’s 6 column and you will see that the best course of action in this example is to double.
Tip: It may be that in instances where you Hit a third card does not increase your playing edge sufficiently to Stand. If this is the case then total up your card pip values and refer back to Table 1 for the correct playing decisions.

Example 4
Pairs occur in perhaps one in every 25 hands of Blackjack that you play. When they do they certainly make life interesting!
In this game example you have been dealt a pair of 5s against a dealer’s 8. Take a look at the third table (left) and you will see that the recommendation is to Double.
You may also notice that whilst the recommendations for various Ace combinations varies according to the dealer card the optimum action for a pair of Aces is to always split them whilst the best approach for a pair of 10s is to stand. (Some players argue against this and insist that a pair of tens should always be split. Don’t believe them!)
Tip: It is always worth checking out what a particular casinos proceedure is on dealing with pairs. Whilst all games allow you to split your pair there are many differences in how you can progress from there on. Some casinos allow you to split any subsequent pairs again, some allow you just the standard set of options whilst some allow you no options at all. You are merely automatically dealt one more card for each of yoursplit pair and that is your lot!

A Summary
That, very simply, is the Perfect Blackjack System and how to apply it in the most common situations. As a professional player you will rely upon it time and again towards making the correct playing decisions.
Tip: If you want to test your knowledge of the strategy then visit Hit or Stand at http://www.hitorstand.net/ to practice your skills.

Now that we have revealed the best playing strategy let us now take a look at the different betting strategies on offer

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A blackjack dealer and a player with a thirteen count in his hand were arguing about whether or not it was appropriate to tip the dealer. The player said, “When I get bad cards, it’s not the dealer’s fault. Accordingly, when I get good cards, the dealer obviously had nothing to do with it so, why should I tip him?”
The dealer said, “When you eat out do you tip the waiter?” … “Yes.” “Well then, he serves you food; I’m serving you cards, so you should tip me.” “Okay, but, the waiter gives me what I ask for. I’ll take an eight!”

We shall take a look at the different playing skills that are needed later on but for the moment I want to concentrate upon setting up with the physical equipment to get started. To this end the following is a list of the practical tools that you will need. In most cases you should find that you already own, or have access to, most of the items so that little or no extra expense will be needed.

1) A Computer
First of all – and most obviously, you will need a computer. It does not have to be the latest state of the art PC – a normal Pentium PC will do with any average (color) monitor. The machine does not have to be fast as the casino server does most of the number-crunching work.
You will need a fairly decent sized hard disk in the machine though – one that has a useful amount of free space (30Gb+). This will be needed in order to install an average of about 20 different casinos software, which you will come to play on a regular basis in time. Even a small number of casinos take up a great amount of space – especially if you download versions of the casino’s software that has more than just the standard Blackjack options.

2) Internet Connection
It also stands to reason that you will also need an Internet connection. This is so that you are in continual connection with the casino’s server throughout a game. Your method of dial-up does not have to be a super fast Broadband/ADSL connection, as any normal 56K modem will suffice.
I do recommend that you sign up to an ISP that allows you prolonged periods of connection time for a small monthly payment. If you play the casinos regularly you are likely to spend extended periods on the Internet – you do not want your profits eaten up with large connection charges!

3) Credit Card or Debit Card
A Credit Card is also pretty indispensable – in fact in the early days it was the only way that you could be assured of getting a game. However today you can get by without one but as casinos utilize the services of credit card merchants (Visa/MasterCard etc.) to verify your age and later on your identity and personal details for payouts it will make your life much easier with one.
Don’t worry if you do not have a credit card – or are worried about using one on the Internet. In addition to accepting credit cards all casino sites accept direct payments via Debit Cards (UK and US), Bank Transfers and many other methods. Others even allow cash deposits via EvoCash or Western Union. There is a huge range of payment options on offer so there is no reason why you should be left out.
Most credit card companies are increasingly developing an anti-casino policy lately. Some will even refuse payments made through their credit system to any sort of betting sites. The reasons for this are obscure – though any credit card company if questioned about their policy will probably mumble something about security. I suspect that the real reason for their lack of support is due to the administration of charge backs as casinos return winnings to their players.
To get around all of these this problems all casinos use third-party payment gateways for both depositing and withdrawing cash from their casinos. There is no extra charge to you using their services – but there are a whole raft of advantages – which we will explore later on.

4) Decent Email Address
What on earth is a decent email address I hear you say! Well, all Internet casinos are very security conscious. Often their over-enthusiasm to protect themselves from fraud can be a little inconvenient at times. This is one of them for some casinos will object to members who sign up with them using email addresses such as Hotmail, MSN, Yahoo etc. due to their temporary and rather transitory nature. A primary problem presented to the casinos by such accounts is their extremely strict anti-spamming (unsolicited email) filters, which would easily remove any emails containing wording typically used by casino promotional material (e.g. free, casino etc.)
Therefore to avoid any problems later on it is worth starting off with a good address such as mail@properdomainname.com. If you intend upon becoming a serious or professional casino gambler then I recommend that you start out by purchasing your own domain name e.g. something like
www.yoursurname.com. These can be obtained in a variety of suffix types. Name and are very cheap just now. In addition the supplier of your domain name will offer you a control panel, which will enable you to set up multiple mailboxes without having to pay to have your domain hosted. I always use this method and have my emails diverted to my current ISP’s mail account. This way if I change ISPs I can still hold onto the mail original mail account.

5) Software
The casino will supply you with all the playing software that you need. This is easily downloaded from their website either as a total package (which tends to be a huge file) or in single game options. Thankfully Blackjack is generally included in the smaller versions which in most cases is around 5-6Mb and takes approximately 20-30 minutes to download depending upon your connection speed. Once it is installed on your computer you do not have to worry about having the latest release or version to play with as the software as this is updated automatically by the casino when you first log on.
The only other extra piece of software that I do recommend is a good program to keep track of the results of your games. I personally use Microsoft’s Excel and throughout this manual I will offer you the opportunity to download various Excel templates free of charge from my website to help you.
Why are spreadsheets necessary? Well, I want you to treat your casino playing exactly as you would if you were running any sort of business. You need to keep records in order to evaluate your progress and success over the coming weeks and months. In addition there are certain playing strategies that we will reveal later on that make keeping a record of your wins imperative. Failing to do this will cost you dearly in financial terms – and nobody wants their hard earned winnings returned to the house because they failed to keep adequate track of their play.

6) Personal Characteristics
Those are most of the practical requirements taken care of but there are a few essential personal criteria to be fulfilled.
Tip: Do not start playing the casinos if you are broke, of a nervous disposition or just plainly bored!
These are all recipies for automatic disaster. accepting credit cards all casino sites accept direct payments via Debit Cards (UK and US), Bank Transfers
and many other methods. Others even allow cash deposits via EvoCash or Western Union. There is a huge range of payment options on offer so there is no reason why you should be left out.
Most credit card companies are increasingly developing an anti-casino policy lately. Some will even refuse payments made through their credit system to any sort of betting sites. The reasons for this are obscure – though any credit card company if questioned about their policy will probably mumble something about security. I suspect that the real reason for their lack of support is due to the administration of charge backs as casinos return winnings to their players.
To get around all of these this problems all casinos use third-party payment gateways for both depositing and withdrawing cash from their casinos. There is no extra charge to you using their services – but there are a whole raft of advantages – which we will explore later on.

The Process of Playing
And there we are – that’s about all your basic needs catered for. To get an immediate idea of how the tools are used the following is a typical sequence of play from installation to winnings collection.
Stage 1) Select a suitable casino
Either choose one recommended by myself one or select one from a search engine or online directory.
Stage 2) Sign up at the Casino Web Site
Once you have visited the casino’s web site look for the `Download’ – it will be somewhere on the front page. Supply the casino with your email address (so they can email you later on with their promotions etc) and then follow the online instructions on how to download the casino software onto your PC.
Stage 3) Install software on your machine
Sometime the software that you have downloaded automatically installs itself for you. On other occasions you will be prompted to supply your choice of installation location and other user-friendly options.
Stage 4) Register your account
The next stage is to open your Internet connection and start up the Blackjack software on your PC. Once it loads you will be offered the option of signing up in either Guest Mode (where you play with casino credits) or in Real Mode (playing with your own Dollars/Pounds/Euros). I recommend that you select Guest Mode first of all in order to get an idea of their Blackjack game at no cost.
Stage 5) Sign up in Real Mode
Then when you feel confident with the casino sign up for a real account, deposit some money and play the game.
Stage 6) Withdraw winnings
When ever you feel that you have won enough money then cash in. Whilst crediting your account with money is immediate you will have to wait a few days before you receive your winnings.
And that is basically how it all works. Between stages there will be lots of fun, a little sweat and probably even a few cups of nerve-calming coffee but I leave the appropriate amounts up to your own personal preference!

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Becoming familiar with the basic online Blackjack strategy is simply a must if you seek to win the games you play. Success in Blackjack typically depends on a mysterious combination of luck and skill. If you manage to create that particular combination in just the right way, your Blackjack winnings are sure to skyrocket. It’s this exceptional possibility of making an incredible profit probably what attracts casino goers from all parts of planet Earth to this amazing game.

Basic online Blackjack strategy is not a random term. Being a mathematical system of charts, it is actually a well-defined strategy based on certain mathematical rules. Charts are available that help players predict (and ultimately follow) the correct mathematical play in any given game scenario. You need to learn the basic strategy charts well to become familiar with every proper play. Seasoned Blackjack players are well aware of the fact that playing optimally usually helps them to reduce casino advantage to less than 1%.

Card-Counting System

While a chart will help its users find the best possible solution in any game situation, there is another recommended online Blackjack strategy we advise players to take a look at. It’s the popular card-counting system. Although a bit controversial, card-counting is a completely legitimate technique. Players who manage to keep track of the cards that have already been used, can establish when the unused cards are advantageous for them.

In general terms, card counting provides players with two priceless opportunities. First, the player can make richer bets when gaining an advantage over the house. This ultimately translates into more profitable winnings. Second, the player can use whatever info regarding the unused cards to optimize his game. For example, with many tens still unused, the player may double down in more situations because the chance of making a powerful hand is quite higher.

When done correctly, card-counting can give players an advantage of 0-2% over the house. To thwart card-counting attempts, many casino facilities switched from single deck games to multiple decks, with the cards dealt out of a box called a ’shoe.’ Despite this, many experienced card-counters make very nice profits using this particular Blackjack strategy!

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