COLORADO SWITCH
August 25th, 2011 at 6:12:16 PM
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Last weekend I traveled to Blackhawk/Central City on business and pleasure. My business was buying used books in Denver to sell on Amazon. My pleasure was checking out Blackjack Switch for SWITCH and STREAK for Stacy Perry. To do so I visited every casino in both towns and literally looked at the felts on all table games. SWITCH is currently only in 3 casinos
in Blackhawk. Teddy's EXCELLENT BLOG will tell you all you need to know about the towns and the casino's.
I was a slot tech, security, count team, dealer, and world's ugliest barmaid in 1991 when gambling was legalized in 1991.For the next 15 years I was back at AT&T and averaged 40-50 visits to Blackhawk each Year. I am very familiar with the 3 having SWITCH. My daughter and son-in-law worked at the Mardi Gras. I worked for 2 months after retiring at the Canyon.
It's adjacent to the Gilpin. I moved to Grand Junction 4 years ago to be near 3 daughters and 7 granddaughters. I make 4 trips a year to Blackhawk. The limits were raise to 100 max in 2010 but it is still a $5 and $10 market.
7 PM Friday. If you use the East entrance to Mardi Gras, halfway into the casino you will see a big square bar and a sign saying table games upstairs. There are 2 elevators available to you there. If you enter from the West you will arrive at the same bar, but adjacent to it are 4 shoe BJ tables. $5 minimum , 3 table open, all full. You will see an identical sign, but also a video display on the wall showing dice bouncing, spinning roulette wheel, etc. The stairs curve around, have 2 landings. So that on the second floor, only 2 ATM's separate you from the elevators. So whichever route you take, you view of the BJ pit is the same. It is towards the West and shaped like an elongated O. The dealer at that Bottom table is facing you and dealing DD $ 10 BJ. To that dealers left are a BJ $10 shoe game, then two $10 DD BJ, Then a roulette wheel. Those dealers face a wall about 6 feet away. To the first dealer's right is a $10 DD BJ, then a $5 6-5 BJ SD, then two $10 Dd BJ, and then a progressive 3CP table. And finally closing that O at the top was SWITCH.
Two young players were at that table. Neither player appeared to know BS at all, splitting 7's against a 10 and standing on 12 versus a 2. This was a $10 minimum and their $200 buy in, just a few hands was reduced to less than $50 and they departed. Most of the other tables averaged 2 or 3 players. But Switch remained vacant for the next hour. From the back of any Switch players to the shooters at the parallel crap tables was less than 6 feet. There is an opening between the Switch tables and the Baccarat and 3CP on each side to allow egress from the pit.
I stood in the aisle on the same plane as the dealer and to see a player at either game behind him is impossible without turning his head.
The only foot traffic was a prospect who asked how the game was played. The dealer took the
top 4 cards from the display rack and tried to make a switchable hand. When the prospect saw the purple 22 push button, he shrugged his shoulders and walked away. Before leaving at 8 PM
I approached the table and asked if they had a rule card. The dealer asked the pit boss, who make a great show of looking in his desk, then told me the rules were in a placard on the table.
And they were. Behind the placard advertising Nancy's restaurant on one side and a BJ Tournament on the other. It included Shufflemaster proprietary warning, the complete regulation from gaming, where to seek help if you have a gambling problem, etc. All in type 2 fonts smaller
that this. The dealer remarked to me , They could not have made it smaller. I decided I had enough for that night. My wife drops a $20 bill at the Mardi Gras occasionally, though the last time was 6 months ago. We try and hit most casinos and use the cash comps for gas money. She had a $8 for Saturday, another $8 if she played 10 points, plus a free Barbecue Meal coupon,
that included a spin on a food or money wheel. They stopped giving out beads like when my daughter worked as a greeter, but are otherwise generous. I usually check out low limit VP as a way of gauging looseness of real slots. Sat down at a 10 cent 10 play VP 9-6 Jacks . Put in $2
and played 10 cents on each of 10 hands. Caught back to back full houses, 2 over 5, and 5 over 2. Played off the odd 10 cents and cashed out for $27. Came Back Saturday. Will post that under this one.
in Blackhawk. Teddy's EXCELLENT BLOG will tell you all you need to know about the towns and the casino's.
I was a slot tech, security, count team, dealer, and world's ugliest barmaid in 1991 when gambling was legalized in 1991.For the next 15 years I was back at AT&T and averaged 40-50 visits to Blackhawk each Year. I am very familiar with the 3 having SWITCH. My daughter and son-in-law worked at the Mardi Gras. I worked for 2 months after retiring at the Canyon.
It's adjacent to the Gilpin. I moved to Grand Junction 4 years ago to be near 3 daughters and 7 granddaughters. I make 4 trips a year to Blackhawk. The limits were raise to 100 max in 2010 but it is still a $5 and $10 market.
7 PM Friday. If you use the East entrance to Mardi Gras, halfway into the casino you will see a big square bar and a sign saying table games upstairs. There are 2 elevators available to you there. If you enter from the West you will arrive at the same bar, but adjacent to it are 4 shoe BJ tables. $5 minimum , 3 table open, all full. You will see an identical sign, but also a video display on the wall showing dice bouncing, spinning roulette wheel, etc. The stairs curve around, have 2 landings. So that on the second floor, only 2 ATM's separate you from the elevators. So whichever route you take, you view of the BJ pit is the same. It is towards the West and shaped like an elongated O. The dealer at that Bottom table is facing you and dealing DD $ 10 BJ. To that dealers left are a BJ $10 shoe game, then two $10 DD BJ, Then a roulette wheel. Those dealers face a wall about 6 feet away. To the first dealer's right is a $10 DD BJ, then a $5 6-5 BJ SD, then two $10 Dd BJ, and then a progressive 3CP table. And finally closing that O at the top was SWITCH.
Two young players were at that table. Neither player appeared to know BS at all, splitting 7's against a 10 and standing on 12 versus a 2. This was a $10 minimum and their $200 buy in, just a few hands was reduced to less than $50 and they departed. Most of the other tables averaged 2 or 3 players. But Switch remained vacant for the next hour. From the back of any Switch players to the shooters at the parallel crap tables was less than 6 feet. There is an opening between the Switch tables and the Baccarat and 3CP on each side to allow egress from the pit.
I stood in the aisle on the same plane as the dealer and to see a player at either game behind him is impossible without turning his head.
The only foot traffic was a prospect who asked how the game was played. The dealer took the
top 4 cards from the display rack and tried to make a switchable hand. When the prospect saw the purple 22 push button, he shrugged his shoulders and walked away. Before leaving at 8 PM
I approached the table and asked if they had a rule card. The dealer asked the pit boss, who make a great show of looking in his desk, then told me the rules were in a placard on the table.
And they were. Behind the placard advertising Nancy's restaurant on one side and a BJ Tournament on the other. It included Shufflemaster proprietary warning, the complete regulation from gaming, where to seek help if you have a gambling problem, etc. All in type 2 fonts smaller
that this. The dealer remarked to me , They could not have made it smaller. I decided I had enough for that night. My wife drops a $20 bill at the Mardi Gras occasionally, though the last time was 6 months ago. We try and hit most casinos and use the cash comps for gas money. She had a $8 for Saturday, another $8 if she played 10 points, plus a free Barbecue Meal coupon,
that included a spin on a food or money wheel. They stopped giving out beads like when my daughter worked as a greeter, but are otherwise generous. I usually check out low limit VP as a way of gauging looseness of real slots. Sat down at a 10 cent 10 play VP 9-6 Jacks . Put in $2
and played 10 cents on each of 10 hands. Caught back to back full houses, 2 over 5, and 5 over 2. Played off the odd 10 cents and cashed out for $27. Came Back Saturday. Will post that under this one.
August 25th, 2011 at 6:14:53 PM
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8 pm Friday
Walked into Canyon 1 dice setter, 0 roulette, 1 closed BJ, 1 player $5 BJ. 4 Switch players. It is a small pit admittedly, but Switch had more bettors than the rest of the pit combined. And of course
there was a placard with Shufflemaster Switch rule card, one of which I took with me.
8: 30 Friday
Gilpin had same exact setup as to 1 Roulette, 1 Crap, 2 $5 BJ, and 1 $5 Switch. 1 Craps player,
1 BJ player, no Switch player. No placards whatever. So I asked for the rules, the pit boss came over and told me that had none, but he could explain the game to me and answer any questions.
He then proceeded to point to invisible card to tell me about it. I said No Thanks and walked away. Per Colorado Gaming you must provide the rules to any player who request them. The same anal Gaming who had the Isle tape a discard rack to the top of Digital 21 years ago. But
I was in a good mood so I called it a night.
7 PM Saturday
There were at least a 100 people under a canopy outside the West door enjoying their free barbecue. Mardi Gras was busy inside and all 3 open $5 shoe BJ tables were full. Upstairs the
BJ tables were mostly full, both crap tables were hopping. And of course the now $10 6-5 SD table was full. Oh, Switch had no players at all. Left at 8PM and this hour had not even a prospective questioner
8 PM Saturday
Canyon had a full BJ, full Switch and 4 craps players and remained so while I was there.
8: 30 Saturday
Gilpin had 1 full BJ, full Switch, and 2 crap shooters. I caught the shuttle to Central City
shortly before 9
10:45 Saturday.
Gilpin had 1 full bj, I full Switch with 1 standing female watching boyfriend play, 4 craps shooters and 1 Roulette player. Next door at the Canyon, 5 craps shooters, 2 Roulette players, 2 full BJ , a full Switch with 3 standees. Switch tables at both had all players in early twenties, except for a gray head at the Lodge.
11:00 PM Saturday
Mardi Gras is packed tight, had to bull my way thru a double ATM line of people across the main aisle. Only 3 tables open, all $5, all full, with 5 players waiting for an open spot. Went
upstairs and most tables full, including the $10 6-5 BJ. And Switch was empty. The dealer was bent slightly over with his palms on the table. His relief was a guy I went to dealers school with.
After he finished, he went on break , outside to smoke. I asked him about SWITCH. He said the
dealers refer to it as TIME OUT. No players no tips, and nosily craps. He told me another dealer
asked them to at least turn the crap tables around so he could at least see some cleavage from
buxom female shooters. LOL
I left shortly before midnight and did not see any switch customers in that hour.
SWITCH is at the beach wife 2 daughters so his computer time is very limited as the girls drag DADDY to the pool or beach. I emailed him a short version. Thought I would hare the longer one with any game inventors or BJ players here.
The Canyon has a mature customer base and really only added Roulette and Craps as self defense. Action was very slow for a weekend, Only 3 workers at craps table. Always outnumbered the players. Pretty Lady handling Roulette was definitely lonely. I worked as flagman 2 cold months at Canyon. Could almost set your clock by most customer's arrivals.
Was pleasantly surprised by young couples playing Switch.
Gilpin pit is laid out like the Lodge. Young player not that unusual there, as at front door of Gilpin
is the bus stop for Blackhawk and CC shuttles, plus Denver buses.
As Teddy stated, Ameristar is the 800 lb gorilla with 33 percent of the market. It is across the main road from the Mardi Gras. If you exit the West door from the Mardi Gras, you can walk in a straight line 100 feet and enter the Lodge. Combined with Ameristar, they have over 50% of the market. The Denver Post recently said Blackhawk's player average age was 60. I am sure that is
true in some small casinos.
If management at Mardi Gras is unchanged from the past,, the general manager makes all decisions. I wonder if the table manager might want to prove his boss wrong about SWITCH.
I can think of no other reason, except stupidity. Here you have a game your 2 main competitors do not have, it appeals to younger players. But a customer has to walk past $5 shoe games, go up to second floor and decide against playing
the only DD pitch games in Colorado ( and only $10 on weekends ) go to no man's land and try
a new game. One that requires a $20 bet and there are no rule cards available.
I can only imagine how successful SWITCH might be if it were placed at the bottom of that pit.
$5 minimum and the first game you would see whether you used the stairs or elevator. Or
just place it downstairs with the other $5 minimum tables.
Shufflemaster did a good job selling as SWITCH is the only BJ table paying a licensing fee in
those 3 casinos. But the rules card is very generic, does not even state " you control the order of your cards!" as the Harrah's Reno Rack card states. It also does not mention the Super Match as the 4. queens rack card does. Yet the game SWITCH itself is thriving as the Canyon, almost
as well as the Gilpin, but appears headed for an early grave at the Mardi Gras.
Walked into Canyon 1 dice setter, 0 roulette, 1 closed BJ, 1 player $5 BJ. 4 Switch players. It is a small pit admittedly, but Switch had more bettors than the rest of the pit combined. And of course
there was a placard with Shufflemaster Switch rule card, one of which I took with me.
8: 30 Friday
Gilpin had same exact setup as to 1 Roulette, 1 Crap, 2 $5 BJ, and 1 $5 Switch. 1 Craps player,
1 BJ player, no Switch player. No placards whatever. So I asked for the rules, the pit boss came over and told me that had none, but he could explain the game to me and answer any questions.
He then proceeded to point to invisible card to tell me about it. I said No Thanks and walked away. Per Colorado Gaming you must provide the rules to any player who request them. The same anal Gaming who had the Isle tape a discard rack to the top of Digital 21 years ago. But
I was in a good mood so I called it a night.
7 PM Saturday
There were at least a 100 people under a canopy outside the West door enjoying their free barbecue. Mardi Gras was busy inside and all 3 open $5 shoe BJ tables were full. Upstairs the
BJ tables were mostly full, both crap tables were hopping. And of course the now $10 6-5 SD table was full. Oh, Switch had no players at all. Left at 8PM and this hour had not even a prospective questioner
8 PM Saturday
Canyon had a full BJ, full Switch and 4 craps players and remained so while I was there.
8: 30 Saturday
Gilpin had 1 full BJ, full Switch, and 2 crap shooters. I caught the shuttle to Central City
shortly before 9
10:45 Saturday.
Gilpin had 1 full bj, I full Switch with 1 standing female watching boyfriend play, 4 craps shooters and 1 Roulette player. Next door at the Canyon, 5 craps shooters, 2 Roulette players, 2 full BJ , a full Switch with 3 standees. Switch tables at both had all players in early twenties, except for a gray head at the Lodge.
11:00 PM Saturday
Mardi Gras is packed tight, had to bull my way thru a double ATM line of people across the main aisle. Only 3 tables open, all $5, all full, with 5 players waiting for an open spot. Went
upstairs and most tables full, including the $10 6-5 BJ. And Switch was empty. The dealer was bent slightly over with his palms on the table. His relief was a guy I went to dealers school with.
After he finished, he went on break , outside to smoke. I asked him about SWITCH. He said the
dealers refer to it as TIME OUT. No players no tips, and nosily craps. He told me another dealer
asked them to at least turn the crap tables around so he could at least see some cleavage from
buxom female shooters. LOL
I left shortly before midnight and did not see any switch customers in that hour.
SWITCH is at the beach wife 2 daughters so his computer time is very limited as the girls drag DADDY to the pool or beach. I emailed him a short version. Thought I would hare the longer one with any game inventors or BJ players here.
The Canyon has a mature customer base and really only added Roulette and Craps as self defense. Action was very slow for a weekend, Only 3 workers at craps table. Always outnumbered the players. Pretty Lady handling Roulette was definitely lonely. I worked as flagman 2 cold months at Canyon. Could almost set your clock by most customer's arrivals.
Was pleasantly surprised by young couples playing Switch.
Gilpin pit is laid out like the Lodge. Young player not that unusual there, as at front door of Gilpin
is the bus stop for Blackhawk and CC shuttles, plus Denver buses.
As Teddy stated, Ameristar is the 800 lb gorilla with 33 percent of the market. It is across the main road from the Mardi Gras. If you exit the West door from the Mardi Gras, you can walk in a straight line 100 feet and enter the Lodge. Combined with Ameristar, they have over 50% of the market. The Denver Post recently said Blackhawk's player average age was 60. I am sure that is
true in some small casinos.
If management at Mardi Gras is unchanged from the past,, the general manager makes all decisions. I wonder if the table manager might want to prove his boss wrong about SWITCH.
I can think of no other reason, except stupidity. Here you have a game your 2 main competitors do not have, it appeals to younger players. But a customer has to walk past $5 shoe games, go up to second floor and decide against playing
the only DD pitch games in Colorado ( and only $10 on weekends ) go to no man's land and try
a new game. One that requires a $20 bet and there are no rule cards available.
I can only imagine how successful SWITCH might be if it were placed at the bottom of that pit.
$5 minimum and the first game you would see whether you used the stairs or elevator. Or
just place it downstairs with the other $5 minimum tables.
Shufflemaster did a good job selling as SWITCH is the only BJ table paying a licensing fee in
those 3 casinos. But the rules card is very generic, does not even state " you control the order of your cards!" as the Harrah's Reno Rack card states. It also does not mention the Super Match as the 4. queens rack card does. Yet the game SWITCH itself is thriving as the Canyon, almost
as well as the Gilpin, but appears headed for an early grave at the Mardi Gras.
August 25th, 2011 at 8:05:20 PM
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Here it is Dan. A game inventor's nightmare.
August 26th, 2011 at 12:37:29 AM
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Nice work, Good report too, Buzz Paff.
Stephen Au-Yeung (Legend of New Table Games®) NewTableGames.com
August 26th, 2011 at 6:41:30 AM
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Thanks Stephen. Between Amazon and taking 14 credits this semester, my free time is limited. Just fired this from the hip, no draft,
no revision. Don't envy SWITCH trying to save his game here in the USA, while residing in the UK. But if it becomes a success at the
Mardi Gras, it has a great chance of moving to the Lodge and Ameristar. Stacy Perry started Streak at the Isle in 2000 and it literally worked it's way up the hill, from casino to casino. All the way to Central City.
no revision. Don't envy SWITCH trying to save his game here in the USA, while residing in the UK. But if it becomes a success at the
Mardi Gras, it has a great chance of moving to the Lodge and Ameristar. Stacy Perry started Streak at the Isle in 2000 and it literally worked it's way up the hill, from casino to casino. All the way to Central City.
August 26th, 2011 at 9:44:19 AM
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This is it WIZ
August 26th, 2011 at 1:29:05 PM
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Nice report Buzz and, as you know, I am on limited time until Sunday.
I will repsond more fully when I get back to 'normality' :-)
I will repsond more fully when I get back to 'normality' :-)
August 26th, 2011 at 4:18:48 PM
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Good luck, the pit at Mardi Gras is, I agree, horribly placed on the second floor. They get no walk-in traffic. The Golden Gates advertises their "sexy" pit where none of the dealers are very sexy. Canyon is small. I liked the Gilpin, though what is with the NASCAR-like ads on dealers' uniforms? How cheesy.
Hopefully you will get moved to the Ameristar. I asked a dealer if it was the biggest pit in Blackhawk, and she said yes. The Lodge is nice too, with the fish pond.
Hopefully you will get moved to the Ameristar. I asked a dealer if it was the biggest pit in Blackhawk, and she said yes. The Lodge is nice too, with the fish pond.
"Dice, verily, are armed with goads and driving-hooks, deceiving and tormenting, causing grievous woe." -Rig Veda 10.34.4
August 26th, 2011 at 9:14:10 PM
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I agree teddys. When writing my review I had to bit my tongue as those young ladies are somebody's daughters. So I did not
refer to the sexy pit by it's nickname " the Dog Kennel"
refer to the sexy pit by it's nickname " the Dog Kennel"
August 27th, 2011 at 7:17:26 AM
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Does anyone else care to comment on placement of Switch at their local casino ??
August 27th, 2011 at 11:53:13 AM
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The placements at most Vegas places have been pretty good (Casino Royale, etc).
New Game Products HAVE to be supported heavily by the sponsoring casino/operator, in addition to being sound games technically: Good table placement, table always open, and dealers pitching and supporting the game to customers, etc.
One thing I am concerned about is "roll back" on new games that get out there: you get installs, and then you get removals after the public tires of the game for one reason or the other.
For Blackjack Switch, which is a concept I love, there are a couple of things I am concerned about:
1. Player ability: you have to go into a different "thinking" mode on this version of BJ. As a result, players don't approach the theoretical house edge of < 1%, but instead make mistakes, and get into a loss mode that burns them out a bit.
2. Dealer pushback. Some dealers say it requires greater concentration, and causes the game to be tiring to deal.
Blackjack Switch has a lot of installs, and a big company behind it, but continued player support is key.
New Game Products HAVE to be supported heavily by the sponsoring casino/operator, in addition to being sound games technically: Good table placement, table always open, and dealers pitching and supporting the game to customers, etc.
One thing I am concerned about is "roll back" on new games that get out there: you get installs, and then you get removals after the public tires of the game for one reason or the other.
For Blackjack Switch, which is a concept I love, there are a couple of things I am concerned about:
1. Player ability: you have to go into a different "thinking" mode on this version of BJ. As a result, players don't approach the theoretical house edge of < 1%, but instead make mistakes, and get into a loss mode that burns them out a bit.
2. Dealer pushback. Some dealers say it requires greater concentration, and causes the game to be tiring to deal.
Blackjack Switch has a lot of installs, and a big company behind it, but continued player support is key.
Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes - Henry David Thoreau. Like Dealers' uniforms - Dan.
August 27th, 2011 at 7:27:44 PM
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DAN : The tables I saw that had players had all young players. That's why I was pissed at the lack of rack cards and the only ones did not state " YOU control the order of cards " Nor a word about the Super Match. And even the 4 Queens rack card does not state those payoffs. My experience had been that at a bust new game, people will take a rack card and step away from the table to read it
or take it home to show to a friend or co-worker. Even allowing for the fact the payoffs are the felt, I feel the rack card sucked.
See my post later tomorrow on Baccarat when you get a chance. It will be under Roulette Revolution.
or take it home to show to a friend or co-worker. Even allowing for the fact the payoffs are the felt, I feel the rack card sucked.
See my post later tomorrow on Baccarat when you get a chance. It will be under Roulette Revolution.
