Shoe
A device holding multiple decks of cards used in table games like blackjack and baccarat.
A shoe is a plastic or wooden box that holds multiple shuffled decks (typically 6 or 8) and allows the dealer to slide out one card at a time. Shoes are standard in blackjack, baccarat, and some other table games.
The number of decks in the shoe affects the house edge. In blackjack, fewer decks slightly favor the player. A single-deck game has a lower house edge than an 8-deck shoe, all else being equal.
For card counters, shoe games (6-8 decks) offer more opportunities because the count develops over more hands before the shoe is reshuffled. However, the larger number of decks also dilutes the effect of the count.
Related Terms
Card Counting
A strategy for tracking the ratio of high to low cards remaining in the deck to gain an edge.
House Edge
The mathematical advantage the casino has over players, expressed as a percentage of each bet.
Basic Strategy (Blackjack)
The mathematically optimal play for every possible hand in blackjack.
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