By
Vin Narayanan
Table games at
casinos are supposed to be fun. But unfortunately, prickly dealers
and players can sully the experience -- especially if they violate
basic table etiquette. So to help ensure that your (and everyone
else's) next trip to the blackjack table is fun for everyone, here
are ten things you should never do while playing blackjack:
10. Touch your bet after the cards have been
dealt
This is a big no,
no. Even if it looks like that nice chip stack you bet is about to
collapse, to don't reach over and try to straighten it out. It will
look like you're trying to either increase your bet (if your cards
are good), or decrease your bet (if your cards stink). Either way,
it gives the impression that you're trying to cheat the casino, so
don't do it.
9. Forget to use hand symbols
In a noisy casino,
the dealer can't always hear what you want to do. Plus, the eye in
sky (yes, they're video taping everything you do) needs to be able
to clearly record your intent as well, in case there's a dispute.
So use hand signals at the table to signal your action. Scratch the
felt (lightly) by pulling your finger toward yourself if you want
another card. Wave your hand parallel to the table and over your
cards if you don't want any more cards. And if you want to double
down or split, slide your new bet next to your original bet.
8. Buy
insurance
This is the first of two tips that has nothing to do with
etiquette. Buying insurance (it's offered whenever the dealer has
an ace showing) is generally a really bad play, so don't do it.
7. Tell another player how to play
There are a few
things (well -- six to be exact) more annoying than telling another
player how to play blackjack. Unless you are specifically asked, do
not offer unsolicited advice. It slows the game down. It frustrates
the player who is trying to make his own decision. It's obnoxious.
And you never want to be the person who everyone else is talking
about after they leave the table.
6. Get drunk
Ordering drinks while the game is going on (rather than in
between games) is bad enough. But getting drunk at the table is
even worse. Mean or happy, drunks don't make good blackjack
players. They slow the game down, make incoherent conversation with
other players and generally kill the mood at the table. Don't be
that person.
5. Touch
the cards
At most blackjack
tables, players are not allowed to handle the cards. So don't do
it. Don't try and straighten them out to be even. Don't try to
nudge them so they're easier to read. Just don't touch them. If you
do, the assumption is you are trying to cheat. And casinos don't
like that.
4. Ignore Basic Strategy
Yes, this isn't an etiquette tip. But it's still a very
important tip. Basic Strategy is good blackjack strategy. So use
it. Either learn it on the flight/drive over to the casino or buy a
Basic Strategy card at the gift shop and familiarize yourself with
it (some casinos will even let you use that card at the table).
Either way, by using Basic Strategy, you can reduce the house edge
in blackjack to less than 1%. Plus, watching other people play
blackjack poorly just isn't fun. So for the sake of your fellow
players, please use Basic Strategy.
3. Blame another player
Don't blame another
player's "bad decision" for ruining your hand. That's not the way
blackjack works. First of all, results -- good and bad -- wash out
over time regardless of what decisions are made. Secondly, the
actions of other players don't affect the chances for you to have a
winning hand. Those chances are the same regardless of how another
person plays their cards. So the next time the player next to you
draws a card that you believe should have been yours, take a deep
breath, relax and calm down. You might draw a card that works for
you. Or you might not. But that player hasn't affected your chance
to win.
2. Berate another player
Even worse than
blaming another player for a losing hand is yelling and screaming
at other players. Yes, it happens. Yes, it's ridiculous. And yes,
it really sucks when you double down with an 11 and draw a two. But
that's no reason to go Phil Hellmuth on another player. Stuff like
that happens in blackjack all the time. Just let it roll of your
back and concentrate on having a good time.
1. Ignore the dealer
Believe it or not,
the dealer is there to help you have fun and make sure you don't
break the rules, so pay attention to the dealer. If the dealer
pauses after you make a decision, it could be his way of telling
you to reconsider your decision. That's when you ask what the book
says -- almost every dealer knows basic strategy like the back of
their hand -- to get some more information before you make your
decision. If you have a good run of cards, tip the dealer. They'll
be appreciative and more likely to help you with tougher decisions.
If you include the dealer in table conversation, you'll find the
game moves faster and is a whole lot more enjoyable. Dealers who
are enjoying themselves will often help you with the finer points
of the game as well. In short, if you pay attention to the dealer,
good things will happen. And at a casino, that's all you can ask
for.