Chicago Sun-Times: Best blackjack? Depends on what counts for you

Every year, the monthly Casino Player magazine carries a report by Arnold Snyder on the best blackjack in America. State by state, he runs down the games that will give players the best run for their money.

I admire Snyder's work. His Blackbelt in Blackjack has long been one of the best books on the game, and his quarterly Blackjack Forum is always full of useful insights.

That being said, his ratings of the games come from a card counter's point of view, a world in which the penetration--the percentage of cards that are dealt instead of being cut out of play-- is as important as basic game rules. Average players and basic- strategy players are better off at a game with a lower mathematical house edge than at one with good penetration. In fact, penetration that is regarded as poor by card counters brings more frequent shuffles and slows down the game--and that's a positive for non- counters.

So it was with a certain amount of curiosity that I paged through the February issue of Casino Player, looking for Snyder's report. I wanted to see which Chicago area casinos would be included among the best blackjack games in America.

Snyder didn't rate any games in Illinois. But in Indiana, both games mentioned are within hailing distance of Chicago. He liked the six-deck game at Trump in Gary, largely because it offers early surrender, something no other game in the area offers. A little farther afield, he liked the six-deck game at Blue Chip in Michigan City because of its deep penetration and $5,000 maximum bets--things that don't matter to average players.

That's one card counter's view of the best blackjack around these parts. But what about blackjack for the vast majority of players who don't count cards? Let's take a look at the rules and house edges at the eight casinos closest to Chicago:

TRUMP, Gary: The dealer stands on all 17s, double downs after splitting pairs is allowed and late surrender is offered, meaning the player can surrender half the bet in return for not having to play out a poor hand. The lowest house edge, 0.28 percent, is at four- deck tables, with 0.33 percent on six-deckers and 0.36 percent on eight-deckers. Unfortunately, the four-deckers use continuous shuffling machines. They speed up play, yielding more hands per hour for the house edge to work against the player.

MAJESTIC STAR, Gary: The same basic game as at Trump, except that surrender is not offered. That leaves house edges of 0.35 percent on four-deck games with continuous shufflers, 0.41 percent on six- deckers and 0.43 percent on eight-deckers.

HORSESHOE, Hammond: The dealer stands on all 17s, double downs are permitted after splits. Six-deck games have a house edge of 0.41 percent, eight-deckers are at 0.43 percent.

HARRAH'S, East Chicago: There's a choice between four-deck games with continuous shufflers and six-deck games. On all, the dealer stands on all 17s and players may double after splits, leaving house edges of 0.35 percent on the fast four-deckers and 0.41 percent on the six-deckers.

HARRAH'S, Joliet: The two Joliet casinos, Harrah's and Empress, have a big plus in that players are allowed to resplit Aces. At most casinos in the area, if you split Aces, you receive only one card on each Ace. If you get another Ace, you're stuck with a 12. Here, you can split them again. House edges at Harrah's are 0.29 percent on four-deck games with continuous shufflers and 0.34 percent on six- deck games.

EMPRESS, Joliet: Same good rules as at Harrah's, including resplitting Aces, but no continuous shufflers. (Hooray!) All tables use six-decks, leaving house edges of 0.34 percent against a basic strategy player.

HOLLYWOOD, Aurora: Only in Aurora and Elgin in these parts do the dealers hit soft 17, padding the house edge. At Hollywood, low-limit tables are eight-deck games with the doubles after splits permitted, but resplitting pairs limited to a total of three hands. The dealer hits soft 17, leaving a house edge of 0.67 percent--roughly double the house edges on six-deck games in Joliet or Gary. Players betting $25 and up can get better deals in six-deck games with the dealer standing on all 17s and doubles after splits permitted, for a house edge of 0.41 percent.

GRAND VICTORIA, Elgin: All games are six-deckers, with doubles after splits permitted and the dealer hitting soft 17. House edge against a basic strategy player is 0.63 percent.