Settings – Play Variations
Click one of the ten tabs at the top of the screen to display folders containing sets of options. If you have difficulty finding an option, press the Locator button. This screen is entered from menu OPTIONS - SETTINGS and contains variations as follows:
Play
Ø Dealer doesn't wait for bet - With this option set, the dealer will start dealing after a period of time whether or not you have bet. Note: Whenever you click on any menu items, this option is temporarily turned off. Turn it back on by hitting DEAL, typing D, hitting Enter or right-clicking and selecting deal or a bet, or double-clicking the table.
Ø Player must bet - If this option is set, the dealer will not deal if you have no money in either of your bet boxes even if you click on the shoe.
Ø Dealer makes obvious plays - You will find that some dealers will not wait for you to signal a hit or stand if you are a good player and the play is obvious. This option will cause the dealer to play for you in these situations to speed the game.
Ø Dealer points out stupid plays - In most casinos, if you do something very odd (e.g. double down on a hard 18), the dealer will ask you if you really wanted to take this action. This option adds realism and can be used to avoid misplays with the mouse.
Ø Busted bets remain if no peek - If the peek options are turned off, then there is no way to know if there is a dealer Blackjack until after all hands have been played. This means that a player could split a hand into two hands and bust the second hand losing twice as much. If the dealer had peeked and seen the Blackjack, then the bust would never have occurred. This option keeps the busted hand and its bet on the table until all hands are played and the dealer hand is shown. If the dealer has a Blackjack, then the second player bet (on the busted split hand) is left on the table instead of taken by the dealer.
Ø Insure then Surrender allowed - In some situations, depending on the options set above, you may want to insure a hand and then Surrender the same hand. In a casino, this can cause some interesting conversations with the dealer or pit boss. Casinos will often argue that a hand that has been insured cannot be surrendered because it no longer exists. You might argue that Insurance is purely a side bet.
Ø Allow play correction - If this option is set and the 'Warning on Strategy Error' option is also set, you are given a chance to correct a bad play. When you make an incorrect play, a warning is displayed and the play is not made. You can then make the correct play, or if you wish, you can make the original play again.
Ø Allow bet change after shuffle - When set, after the cards are shuffled, the game pauses and allows you to change your bet. Click on the shoe or double-click the table to re-start.
Ø Player Card Handling
Ø First hand face up - This option is valid only for face down card dealing. Some players pick up their cards as they are dealt and card counters often count these cards before counting the cards dealt to other players. This option keeps your first hand visible. The second hand cannot be shown unless the dealer has an Ace showing, as this is the rule in virtually all casinos.
Ø Peak at DD Card - Many casinos deal the double down card face down. Many players peak at this card. Some card counters count this card immediately. This option gives you a peak at the card.
Ø Don't Toss Cards - When cards are dealt face down, players pick them up and toss them in front on them when they bust. If they do not bust, the dealer flips over the original two cards above the other cards that have been dealt. CV attempts to duplicate this process. If you find this confusing, this option will flip the cards in place.
Ø Toss BJ's early - In face down games, many people toss out hands immediately when they get a BJ. This feature simulates this action as it changes card counting.
Ø Randomize BJ toss - To further complicate counting, this option causes players to randomly toss or hold their BJ's in face down games.
Ø Cards dealt face down - Typically, the cards are dealt face up in five deck and larger games and face down in four deck and smaller games. Exceptions exist and the known exceptions are stored in the Casino File. You can override the casino rule here. This option substantially changes the way the game is displayed; but not the way in which you physically play the game. For card counters, the option substantially changes the way cards are counted by CV.
Ø Double Down dealt face up - More and more casinos are dealing the double down card face up as this can reduce cheating. This option always deals the double down card face up.
Ø Dealer shows burn cards - Some casinos discard (burn) one to five cards off the top of the deck after shuffling. With this option on, the cards are shown. Otherwise, the hands are discarded face down. This option is only of interest to card counters.
Ø Dealer peeks on 10 - With this option, the dealer will peek at the down card to check for Blackjack when the dealer up card is a ten. This option is becoming more common as newly developed optical devices for peeking at the down card are being installed on casino tables.
Ø Dealer peeks on Ace - Normally, the dealer will peek at the down card when an Ace is showing, as there is a good chance that a Blackjack exists. Some casinos do not check to prevent cheating.
Ø Burn card before each round - Some Asian casinos discard one card before each round begins. This is not a good rule for card counters.
Ø First dealer card up - This changes which of the cards the dealer exposes before play.
