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November 9, 2009

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The best and worst blackjack games

Thursday, Nov. 13, 2003 | 8:28 a.m.

Don't hit that

Following are the worst blackjack games in Las Vegas:

Looks like a winner

There are no hard-and-fast rules for determining the best blackjack games in Las Vegas. A skilled card counter with a big bankroll will prefer one game; a recreational gambler who bets red chips while drinking as many free Becks as possible will prefer another. But these are some of the best games in the city:

Single-deckers: El Cortez, Horseshoe, Fiesta Rancho, Las Vegas Club

Two-deckers: Bellagio, Mirage, Stardust, Texas Station, Treasure Island

Six-deckers: Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, Mirage, Palms, Treasure Island

Honorable mention, or, requiem for a dream game: Until recently, the unassuming Barcelona casino at Craig Road and Nellis Boulevard was dealing the best blackjack game in the world -- a single-decker with favorable rules, including bonus payouts for certain hands. Just by using basic strategy, a player actually had a small advantage over the house.

This game was not, however, dealt by women in bikinis.

--By Jeff Haney

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