SWITCH IN BLACHAWK PART 2

I was in Blackhawk on a Friday and Saturday last August to check out BJ SWITCH
At that time there were 3 Switch tables , One at Mardi Gras, 1 at the Canyon, I at Gilpin.
Went to Mardi Gras first as I thought this was the location least likely to have Switch still.

Saw an immediate change from last time. Gone were the 4 low limit tables next to the bar.
Teddy's remarked on his blog that table games were hard to find upstairs. Now those 4 were
gone along with the sign saying more table games upstairs.

I went up the stairs and where a few slots were before in front of the elevators were those
same 4 tables. When they had been downstairs, they were $5 3/2 shoe games. On Friday
night 2 tables were open in August. On Saturday night all 4 were open. full with people leaning against
wall, waiting to play. 2 rows of each, with room to walk between each row,

Now they were in a tight circle, and I do mean tight. None were open. The layout of the other tables were
as before.
Elongated 0 shape, 6/5 BJ at the bottom. closed to the stairs. 4 bj and one poker table on one side, and
3 BJ tables and Roulette on the other side. Switch at the top, with crap shooter directly behind Switch
player's back.

Surprisingly, even for a Wednesday. the table next to Roulette table was $3 minimum table.
The $3 was written in magic marker on while paper and taped to the sign LOL
Switch was finally $5 instead of $10 as in the past, no longer requiring $20 to play.

One couple played for about a half an hour. They were the only players I saw during 4 hours.
That was 2 more players than played Roulette during that time. LOL Dealer told me they had just
lowered to $5 during the week, but still $10 and mostly dead on weekends.

Last time they had no rule cards from SMI and rules were in tiny print under plastic holder. And looked like the entire
gaming regs, not just switch BJ. Since this was gone this visit, I asked the dealer if they had a copy of the rules.
The pit boss make a phony motion, like looking in the podium drawer for them, and said " Sorry " and went
back to reading his book.

Later the dealer told me he thought they kept a copy in the safe for Gaming. I was thinking about calling gaming as if you
ask for a game's rules, they MUST provide it. I was playing Buffalo Bonus BJ those 4 hours. Amazed at people betting lucky 21 and bust bonus. Game was just introduced in November. Later I heard table games manager remark half his tables were now
Buffalo Bonus. I think he was not counting the ring of 4 BJ tables or switch. Dealer said only had one Buffalo Blackjack
table yesterday. I look and 3 table had brand new felts.

I then headed to the Canyon, Last year 3 tables and Switch was one in the middle. No rules on table or in the pit.
You guessed it. Switch gone Buffalo Bonus replaced it.

Went next door to the Gilpin. Last year they had rules on the table, rule cards in plastic holder . other 2 table standard BJ.
SWITCH was gone replaced by DOUBLE UP BLACKJACK. I was checking to see if the others were Buffalo, they were not.
Attractive young lady working the pit saw me, apologized for only having one BJ table open. and handed me a rack card for
DOUBLE UP. The inventor of that game owes her a big kiss . LOL

No report would be complete with Ameristar and The Lodge. Between them , they have over 50% of the Blackjhawk market.
Ameristar had 6 poker variants and 10 BJ tables open. No BUFFALOS , but 6 Streak BJ, with great signage at 1st base, table level.
Different collor illumination, gold, purple etc. Wish I had taken pix GREAT SIGNS !

Went to Lodge, 8 tables near fish tank, 2 poker variants 6 BJ, 2 Streak tables, one at each entrance into pit. Damn , that Stacey perry must be doing something right. LOL
Decided to check on Harley Davidson party pit at Fitzgeralds. 8 6/5 BJ table, 6 of them BUFFALOS, 2 full pay BJ tables, both Buffalos.

Summary : Buffalo spreading like the wildfires in Colorado. Local scribe for Denver Post says HE is 30% on side bets, I doubt that.
Switch on last legs but everybody I talked to loved the idea of Free Bet !
Decided not to call gaming, just in case Switch survives at Mardi Gras.
Notified my personal assistant at SMI about the lack of rack cards.

Thanks for the update Buzz.

It underlines the fact that any carnival game will stuggle to make it if there is no support or promotion on the game.

I better start working on a 30% side-bet :-)

I am haleway there with my 16% BJ game/side bet. Still having a little trouble with the name. SWITCH says it all, so does FREE BET.
Mine might be a tad too long now.
ACES WILD DOUBLE DOUBLE BONUS MEGA JACKPOT ACTION BLACKJACK. LOL

Bust Bonus

The chart I listed above for the house advantage on each card is for somewhere where the Dealer stands on S17. If the Dealer hits on S17 the hold is this:

A- 9.0451%
2- 7.6716%
3- 8.4546%
4- 7.1714%
5- 8.9163%
6- 7.9676%
7- 6.2131%
8- 4.9112%
9- 10.3338%
10 - 8.8372%

Fitzgeralds table games used to be on the 2nd floor, and had 2 or 3 tables open on weekdays. There was a penny loft still there on my last visit in August. It was gone and so were the free hot dogs. Those penny machines were always busy. There was only one BJ table
in action in the new party pit on Wednesday night last week.

Sure enough, management change last year. Bought out by Saratoga Harness last year. An other racino operation. Bullwhackers has gone steadily downhill since Penn national, ala Ladbrooke, bought it years ago.

Considering my terrible experience at the ISLE this visit, I can only see the Lodge and Ameristar's domination getting bigger.

if i want to go to blackhawk about midnite on late wed evening of this week flying in from reno, and i want to play $3-100 6 deck shoe bj with 75 percent or better penetration, where should i go? id like to earn comp hotel rooms too if possible. and i hate single or double deck games i dont like being shuffled up on when i raise the bet like reno does if u dont play a shoe.

The game you described is probably the most common one in town, except for the $3 minimum. Most games are $5 or $10 minimum. If you’re gonna go anyway just walk through the different places and find a game you like.

Quote: sevencard2003

if i want to go to blackhawk about midnite on late wed evening of this week flying in from reno, and i want to play $3-100 6 deck shoe bj with 75 percent or better penetration, where should i go? id like to earn comp hotel rooms too if possible. and i hate single or double deck games i dont like being shuffled up on when i raise the bet like reno does if u dont play a shoe.

There aren’t many hotels and I’ve never tried to get a comp, since I live an hour away. I’d guess the best bet is the Grand Z in Central City (less than a mile from Blackhawk), assuming they have Switch.

Sorry, I am puzzled. What was the payout table for Bust Bonus that makes the return so different than that listed on the Bust Bonus WOO page?

edit: just realized I am commenting on posts from 2012. My bad. Sorry.

Quote: buzzpaff

Considering my terrible experience at the ISLE this visit, I can only see the Lodge and Ameristar's domination getting bigger.

I live an hour from Blackhawk myself. I used to play at the Lodge and Aneristar at the same stakes and to this day I've never gotten an offer from Ameristar while I get free play, buffets, and free rooms from the Lodge. The only thing I don't like there is that they took away their Poker 6 months ago but there are plenty of other casinos up there with it.

The poker games, for what it's worth, are pretty easy to crack. At any given time half the table are old crocks who don't even know what they''re doing.