Apr 27 2026
Shuffle Procedure Demonstration Video
Shuffling cards is a challenging task. It is the one part of the game where we humans directly interact with the randomness of the hands that follow. A hand shuffle never fully randomizes the cards. However, if enough goes right with the shuffle, then it can be considered random enough to effectively defeat shuffle-based advantage play.
VIDEO: A Brief Tutorial on Combinatorial Analysis
It is easy to get the impression when writing articles for this blog that the average reader fully understands the mathematical ramblings I present. Then I am brought back to earth by E-mails and comments like this one I received a few weeks back:
Beating the House: From Affleck to Ivey
There were two articles in the news over the last week having to do with players getting the edge over the house. In one case, an article in the Baltimore Sun described the travails of professional poker player Joseph Stiers who was banned from all Caesars properties for card counting. In particular, Stiers will not be allowed to play in the World Series of Poker this year.
Safeguarding Baccarat Side Bets
Card counting baccarat side bets is one of the strongest ongoing opportunities for advantage players. These opportunities arise from the intersection of four game protection deficiencies, none of which has a good solution. Consider:
