Perhaps the worst casino game one can play is “Blackjack.” The reason is the odds are so heavily weighted in favor of the house that your chances of winning begin to resemble the chance that Democrats will act like grown ups or that liberals will develop some common sense.
Most problems in trying to win in Blackjack come from getting into a game with idiots who don’t know how to play. These are the people who believe the object of the game is to hit “21.” Hence, they will ask for a card when sitting on 16 or even 17. The problem isn’t just that they lose. The problem is that they screw up the game for the rest of the players.
Be that as it may, I love Blackjack because like roulette (a game with equally excreable odds) you can usually play a while with very little money. Get on a $5 Blackjack table and you can play most of the night with $50 bucks.
Some casinos in Vegas still play by the rule that if you get a true Blackjack – A Jack of Spades and an Ace – your payout is 10:1 instead of the normal 2.5:1. But it is the “One Eyed Jack” – the Jack of Spades – that has a history that fascinates.
The Jack of Spades and Jack of Diamonds are the only face cards drawn in profile, hence the “one eyed” appellation. The Jack of Spades is a favorite wild card in many games including several varieties of poker. It is still considered one of the luckiest of cards with perhaps only the Ace of Spades having more superstition attatched to it.
All this being said, I think that the Jack of Spades is the most attractive card in the deck being much prettier than the King and as pretty as any Queen. While some may see the Jack as effeminate, they are mistaken. All the Jack of Spades needs is a decent hair stylist. Get rid of those curls and he’s the bomb.
Why all this about the Jack of Spades?
I WANT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO CLICK THIS LINK - THAT’S RIGHT, THIS ONE – AND VOTE FOR ME FOR THE JACK OF SPADES IN AARON’S DECK O’ BLOGGERS.
You will have my eternal gratitude and undying affection if you cast your vote to make me the Jack of Spades of the blogosphere.
11:23 pm
Rick Moron: Professional gamblers recommend blackjack as providing some of the best odds against the house. I believe it is second only to craps in how close you can get to an even chance, one to one odds.
1:00 am
I must be going blind, because I could not find your blog on the list.
10:28 am
Good article – unfortunately you continue with the myth that what the player does before you by hitting or not adversely affects you if the player does not “play by the rules”. Totally wrong – the odds of you or the dealer improving your hand remain unchanged (except by the neglible amount of having one less card in the deck). I am always amazed by how many people memorize the little Blackjack card and think that if they play this way probability doesn’t matter.
3:14 pm
Wednesday Frivol #2
It’s Wednesday, and that means another installment of Wednesday frivol news. As always, we determine what is "news" based on Rather’s First Rule
9:21 pm
[...] der. When voting opens up for this suit, I’ll make certain to notify you. Unlike Rick Moran, I don’t want to be the Jack of Spades. I’d be [...]