Yesterdays post about OSN resulted in a communication from an old BJ friend I hadn't communicated with in many years. He was a BJ AP for many years (longer than myself), but like most BJ APs has moved on to other forms of AP in the last decade.
So after we exchanged some thoughts about OSN, the discussion moved to the ASM. He told me he felt he was cheated playing against a ASM last year in a jurisdiction in the US but not Vegas. I am not going to repeat the exact details but, this is a guy that knows blackjack and variance and has played against ASM for decades. If he feels something wasn't right, I would bet something wasn't right.
Now I personally am no longer or at least at this particular time all that concerned with the ASM situation. How I play now, I do not get enough rounds at one sitting that I would notice if something were wrong. So I just have to chance it like every other player. At some point if I go back to playing the local circuit, where I ran into what I suspect was cheating, I may once again be a little more concerned.
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But at the risk of torturing myself, I want to once again revisit and make a couple comments about the ASM situation, since it was in the news last month with the poker cheating scandal.
Several days ago I posted some comments that Dan Druff had made 7 years ago when this was discussed which I will repost now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dan Druff
From what I'm reading, and from my knowledge of embedded systems programming (which I worked in for several years prior to becoming a poker pro), I highly suspect that this particular "chip" can be removed and then one with more sinister programming could be inserted in its place.
So it appears that these Shufflemasters can indeed read cards AND sort them into sequential order. If Shufflemasters can see the cards they're shuffling and have the ability to arrange the cards in order, then they can very possibly be rogue-programmed to do other things, such as this "clumping" you mention.
It's not a stretch to believe that they could be modified to do more than that.
The only difference between a shuffle machine arranging cards in sequential order (apparently a feature on the newer Shufflemasters), and one arranging cards illegally, is the programming.
The same capability to arrange the cards sequentially could easily be used to arrange the cards other ways, such as the alleged high-card-clumping.
All a bad actor would need to do would be to access where the programming is stored, and change it to this slightly different functionality.
My concern is that someone could simply remove a flash device in the system containing the programming, and either modify it or replace it with an identical device with different programming.
I don't know the hardware of a Shufflemaster, so I can't comment further. But "seeing eye shufflers" should make the average gambler very nervous, as they're just begging to be abused.
Now here is some additional comments from Druff in a discussion at PFA just last month after the Poker scandal broke responding to a member there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dan Druff
I know you're very big on the Deckmate 2 shuffler issue. It also really bothers me, which is why I did a radio segment on it a few years ago.
However, I will say I doubt that huge casinos are using a modified version of it. I think the risk is too much. This would result in permanent loss of licensure.
Might such cheating be happening in Indian casinos, or small casinos? Yes -- especially the Indian ones, as they are not subject to "search warrant' type inspections, and can cover up the evidence before the announced inspection date.
So my own experiences at 2 different locations 7 years ago, were 2 relatively small casinos, East Cannery, and El Cortez. Just the kind of places that Dan Druff STILL thinks might go rouge.
So I am just wondering, if the guy here that calls me a liar for my views and experiences in this matter, would use that language to Dan Druff who apparently STILL shares similar concerns.
I am hoping to get a chance to hear Druffs radio show on the subject matter if I can get a link or list of show and how to listen. because this issue, while not a top concern of mine at the moment, is NOT going to go away. These machines have the ability to cheat with a relatively minor adjustment. And that should have never been the case.