CVData/STis an add-in to the CVData Blackjack Simulator. That is, it requires CVDataand adds additional functionality. The primary reason for separating thefunction is to keep a reasonable price for CVData while adding the abilityto perform simulation functions required by few people.
Shuffle tracking is an advanced form of card counting, and there are numerous ways for players to shuffle track. The technique is most often used in games where casinos use multiple decks, and advanced casino players use it in six to eight shoe-dealt games, such as blackjack. Rippin Shuffle (Jam Track).
Philosophy
Over the years, many people have created Blackjack simulators to examinecomplex techniques. Generally, these sims can only be used by the developersthemselves as they have little or no user interface. The trick is to createa very generalized interface that can be used by non-programmers to specifycomplex conditions and techniques. Such is the attempt in this software.
Details
Shuffle-Tracking
ST consists of three parts: The shuffle, the method of attacking theshuffle and the data collected.
The Shuffle - Shuffle code already exists in CVData. It is highlyconfigurable allowing enormous variation in the skill of the dealer.You can describe levels of randomness in each step. 200 steps are allowedand an entire rifle & restack, strip or stepladder is one step.Two changes have been made in this release. When riffling two equalstacks, dealer right or left handedness is selected randomly. Also,the riffle itself is changed. Prior to this release, you specified thepercentage of card falls that are 1, 2, 3 or 4 cards. A perfect riffleis all one card falls. But, dealers are not perfect. In this release,the percentages can vary during the riffle. As the cards are riffled,the angle of the cards against the dealer's thumb changes. Cards nearthe end of the riffle are riffled less precisely. You can now specifythe card fall percentages at the start and end of the riffle and theygradually change as the riffle progresses.
The Attack - The focus is on detailed specification of manytechniques as opposed to handling every technique. At least at first.The more common techniques exist now and further techniques will beadded as requested. One or two track zones can be specified. The countsare merged. Independent zones will be examined later. One or two playzones can be specified depending on the 'richness' of cardsin the track zone(s). Each play zone has a cut point, start, lengthand optional pseudo-length. Two methods of play are allowed for eachplay zone. Either fixed betting through the zone (a poor method) dependingon the value of the TZ or betting by count. When betting by count, alarge amount of flexibility is provided in calculating the IRC. Also,different playing and betting strategies can be specified in each playzone. Errors can be inserted at every step. In fact, the main purposeof this function is to simulate the effect of player errors on ST. Errorscan be vastly more costly in ST than in straight card counting. An extendedNRS calculator is included to aid the user in setting the specifications.
The Data - The standard CVData 53 tables of data are createdduring ST simulation. Two additional columns have been added - the averagerunning and true counts by hand depth. This can be used to verify theeffect of the cuts. Also an additional three tables can be created fora total of 57. Three tables of statistics are normally kept by handdepth. Normally, there is one row per hand depth. If this new optionis selected, the data is displayed as one row per quarter deck of depth.This is not the same because hands have variable lengths. The optionis useful when examining shuffle tracking results.
And More Data - Normally all hands are displayed in the TrueCount, Running Count and Hand Depth tables. 54 tables of data is a goodstart. However, when looking at shuffle tracking results it is oftenfar more valuable to examine selected hands. Using a dropdown list youcan request that only hands in a specific play zone, both play zonesor no play zones be collected in the sixteen tables displayed by TrueCount, Running Count and Hand Depth. This provides the ability to runmillions of shuffles and focus purely on the activity within the playzones. The cost of errors becomes immediately visible with this data.Of course all the data is also available in the Report Generator andWeb table generator.
Added in the latest release -
- The shuffle has been doubled in speed.
- Shuffles can now have 200 steps. Note: A two pass riffle & restackand stepladder is only five steps. But in fact I did get a requestto increase the steps from 50.
- Multiple, independent track and play zones now supported for shuffle-tracking.In fact, you can have two pairs of married trackzones and the softwarewill pick the best and set up the playzones accordingly.
- Shuffle map feature added from CVShuffle to CVData/ST.
Note: CVData/ST does not support shuffle tracking practice, shuffleor cut analysis. For these functions, see CVShuffle.
![Shuffle Shuffle](/uploads/1/3/7/1/137104717/670140686.gif)
Coexistence
Most of the standard CVData functionality can be used in combinationwith the new functionality for absurdly complex Blackjack sims.
Pricing
CVData/ST costs $250 and requires CVData. I expect this to be a lowvolume product.
Shuffle Tracking
CVData/ST is free to users of CVData/HC.
CVData
For a description of the standard CVData Blackjack card counting simulationfunctionality, see the CVData page.
Futures
![Deck Deck](/uploads/1/3/7/1/137104717/744452082.jpg)
I don't make promises about future functionality. But I will say thatit is my aim to continue looking for new methods of specifying complexstrategies. Strategies like back-carding or other methods of card-steeringdon't lend themselves well to strict definitions since much thoughtis involved and it is difficult to specify how much thought the playerwill use for realistic results. The computer can play perfectly - buta player cannot. However, I would like to make such functionality availableto those that do not wish to create their own software for such methods.
Downloads
CVData/ST is included in the CVData demo. This can be found on theDownloads Page.
Shuffle Tracking: Eye the Aces and Earn Millions
Blackjack strategies have been developed by players to win high in the game. Card counting is the renowned of these. Casinos, however, have developed their own counteractions against card counting. These countermeasures include harassment and banning of suspected card counters.
These efforts against card counting have given rise to shuffle tracking. Shuffle tracking is more than just an alternative blackjack strategy to card counting. It might be more demanding and more difficult than the traditional forms of card counting which include Zen count and Hi-Lo. However, it offers the benefit of foiling casino surveillance of players using game strategies. Shuffle tracking gives a hard run detecting which player is using it, and when is it being used.
Shuffle Tracking Aces
The object of any blackjack strategy is to approximate the bias of a deck; at the same time, to tilt game advantage towards the player. The underlying principle of blackjack strategy is that the more Aces and ten-valued cards in a deck, the more favorable it is for the player and just exactly the opposite for the dealer.
Shuffle tracking aims to detect the bias of a deck with greater accuracy than card counting. Primarily, shuffle tracking also uses the techniques of card counting. In addition to the ability to keep a card count, however, a shuffle tracker must have keen eyesight and dexterity in visual approximations.
Foremost, shuffle tracking is about keeping an eye on the deck during shuffles to know just where possibly the valuable cards (Aces and tens) are. The player can then build playing and betting decisions around the knowledge of when favorable cards will turn up in a new shoe.
This blackjack strategy works especially in multi-deck games. When the player is able to sight and visually mark the clusters or clumps of valuable cards as the deck is being shuffled, the player then makes a cut to have these cards where the player wants them to be: into play.
As a blackjack strategy, shuffle tracking combines the skills and mathematical principles of card counting. On top of that, it requires visual acuity and sleight in visual estimation. It means keeping an eye on the deck as the deck and being shuffled and marking where the valuable cards are. If the player knows when the valuable cards will turn up, the more confidence and precision will the player have in making betting and playing moves. Best of all, the player can win his millions without being obvious to casino owners who do their own actions against players using a blackjack strategy--- notably, card counting.