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All set to play a game of Blackjack at a casino in Las Vegas? If yes, you have all your card counting skills and playing strategies mapped out based on the table minimum and game rules. But have you ever thought about the Deck Penetration in Blackjack?

Many people are guilty of ignoring this seemingly trivial and innocuous aspect of a Blackjack game without actually knowing that it is also an important part of the game. So, what is Deck Penetration in Blackjack anyway?

What Is Deck Penetration in Blackjack?

In ClosingDeck Penetration or simply put “penetration” is basically the number of playing cards which the Blackjack dealer divides and places on the table. This is in relation to the playing cards that the dealer actually deals with him or herself and also the players on the Blackjack table. When playing a game of Blackjack, you should consider playing at tables with decent or should I say much better Deck Penetration.

Why Is Deck Penetration in Blackjack Important in Card Counting?

There is a common misconception amongst Blackjack players. Many players are of the opinion that the best way to earn more cash is by engaging in card counting when they play Blackjack games that have very decent rules and also when they place more bets. However, these Blackjack players could not be any farther from the truth. 

More Cash Payouts with Deck Penetration

The truth of the matter is, players would be able to earn more cash payouts when they play Blackjack game with a very good deck penetration. As a matter of fact, playing a Blackjack game with a Deck penetration that is better by at least 10% when compared to other Blackjack games gives you better value for your money. Your payout would be significantly improved than when based on high counts, you increase your bets by about 10%.

Deck Penetration in Blackjack becomes important when you intend making use of a bet spread in the region of 1 to 10. Normally when you play Blackjack game, you are likely to boost your EV by between 10 to 15% when you increase your bets on every positive true count by a such as 10%. However, if the Deck Penetration is better by just 10%, your EV will be boosted by as much as 40 to 60%.

Guaranteed Winner

Deck Penetration in Blackjack can also improve your chances of winning the Blackjack game. The general rule is, the lesser the number of playing cards divided and placed on the Blackjack table, the better your chances of winning. 

You should avoid playing Blackjack games that offer poor Deck Penetration as it takes a longer time to cope with the variance and at the end of the day the risk of doing so is really not worth it. This is in stack contrast to Blackjack games with better Deck Penetration. In this case, you are more than likely to spend a lesser length of time than you would with a Blackjack game with poor Deck Penetration. 

Tip: Avoid playing a Blackjack game with a 6 deck shoe offering a Deck Penetration of over 2 decks. That is a couple of decks or more have been cut off and placed on the Blackjack ta​ble. 

Dealers are Different

Your understanding of Deck Penetration in Blackjack would help you to decide on which Blackjack table to play on. You should know that the number of playing cards that is divided or cut off by the dealer is never the same between dealers. However, there are those dealers with good muscle memory and consistently shell out a relatively better Deck Penetration with each game. Playing on such Blackjack tables will reduce the amount of time it should take to assure you of a cash payout.

In Closing

You should also know that Deck Penetration in Blackjack is only one out of a number of strategies that you would require to fully understand in order to be a successful Blackjack player. You would also need to improve your card counting skills which would put you in a better position to win on a consistent basis whenever you play Blackjack at a land-locked casino of your choice.