Non-random shuffling strategies in blackjack

Abstract

Numerous playing and betting strategies for the game of twenty-one have been computed assuming the deck or decks are randomly shuffled. In practice, dealers do not spend the time necessary (it takes too long) to completely randomly shuffle the decks used. Hence, there is information not only from the current round of play, but potentially from the previous round of play. We present a model for a non-random shuffle and assert ways in which this information can be used. Rules are derived using a normal approximation which updates the current strategies utilizing information from a non-random shuffle.