Aug 19 2026
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:
The Logic Behind Craps Hedge Bets
There are elements of craps that will fire up any player’s imagination in a casino.
Card Counting the Natural 9 and Natural 8 Baccarat Side Bets
The Natural 9 (NAT9) side bet is the wager that the Player hand or Banker hand will be a natural 9. NAT9 is actually two different side bets, as the wager can separately be made that the Banker hand will be a natural 9 and that the Player hand will be a natural 9. Similarly, the Natural 8 (NAT8) side bet is the wager that the Player hand or Banker hand will be a natural 8.
