Casino Minimums

[jiggs]

[quote name='sfagent']

But here, is the question. If you believe in asking the courtesy of the players currently in a shoe to let you in or wait until the shoe is over, how do you personally handle a continous shuffle machine? Since the tables I sit at are never full and usually only have one or at the most two people, during our last cruise I came to the table and just stated "let me know when you are comfortable for me to come in" Usually they said it was fine right then, however on a couple of occassions they waited maybe ten or so hands and then welcomed me in. I know not everyone adheres to this custom, and realize not everyone wants to do this, but I personally like it and just wondered if anyone else had a thought or idea on handle these situations.[/QUOTE]


I think this is where the psychology of the game comes in...I'm a poster that said that the cards didn't have a memory only 1 page ago, but for whatever reason, blackjack can be a game of streaks. The CSMs make it tough, but if I were playing alone and was on a streak of say 4 winning hands in a row and someone sat down, I'd love for them to wait before joining the game. Let me lose a hand and then you're welcome to jump in. On cruise ships, I've learned to ignor people coming in and out of the game. With the introduction of CSMs it makes it almost impossible to find a 'natural' time to break durring the game. At the casino near my home, they shuffel with a auto machine so there is a shoe ready for them as soon as they're done. You have a bit of a window to take a break that never exists with a CSM.

The casinos on the ships are much more social than any casino I've ever been to, and that is probably a good thing. Playing late night is a good way to get in some good play. Or, I gravitate more to the Craps table where its always more social than other games and people getting in and out of games makes no difference to me.

[smgardner]

[quote name='sfagent']
But here, is the question. If you believe in asking the courtesy of the players currently in a shoe to let you in or wait until the shoe is over, how do you personally handle a continous shuffle machine? Since the tables I sit at are never full and usually only have one or at the most two people, during our last cruise I came to the table and just stated "let me know when you are comfortable for me to come in" Usually they said it was fine right then, however on a couple of occassions they waited maybe ten or so hands and then welcomed me in. I know not everyone adheres to this custom, and realize not everyone wants to do this, but I personally like it and just wondered if anyone else had a thought or idea on handle these situations.[/quote]

This is a great question. I am always impressed when somebody asks , "mind if I sit in and play?" Some times guys do just wait until the shoe is done and do not even ask. It is very thoughtful! That said, if somebody asks me, I usually say , "jump in when ever you would like". I am not really very superstitous, but it is good etiquette and I practice the same.

[WorldCruzer]

Rumor has it that on the VERY short speciallty cruises, i.e. 2 day or so, the mins are slightly higher.

[Uncle Fester]

[quote name='sfagent']
Here's a question about etiquette. After playing blackjack a few years I started to make it a standard practice to ask if I can join in a game mid-shoe (during a six deck deal) or wait until the end of the shoe to join a table.
[/quote]


Interesting point. I've found when playing at higher limit games (+$100 per hand) that it appears to be the norm to ask if you can join, even during a shuffle. At lower limit games, I'll still ask.

Another factor is some casinos won't let you join mid-shoe or mid-deck. Entering mid-deck or shoe is called "Wonging," after Sanford Wong, one of the first well known advantage players. He would watch, or have a team mate watch, a game until there was a high positive count, then enter and bomb away. To cut down on this, casinos stopped allowing mid-game entry.

Even with a CSM, I'd still ask.