Interesting Dealer Mistake

On my recent trip to Vegas, I encountered an interesting dealer mistake at the MGM.

I had a bet of $60 out at a moderately high count and was dealt a 15 versus a dealer ace. I put my insurance bet of $30 up according to the index play and prepared to surrender if she didn't have BJ.

She checked, didn't have it, and proceeded to collect the losing insurance bet as usual. However, she then took my cards, killing my hand and saving me the $30 I would have surrendered!

So effectively, she gave me insurance + surrender for the price of half my bet. A pretty good deal!

Has anyone else had this happen before?

Be careful taking insurance and surrendering the same hand. It's a move like splitting 10s - only done by counters or idiots.

Good point. Most players seem to view insurance as a sort of "hedge" bet that ought to result in one either winning the insurance bet or the regular bet - but certainly not losing both. (And I suppose even the name "insurance" would lead one to believe that.) I have met players who scold me for taking insurance on 17, but take even money and insure 20s religiously.

I just tell people I only insure my bad hands. Like life insurance for sick people.

:laugh: g1

I use this tactic sometimes:

"What are you doing insuring 15, boy?"

..... (Dead link: http://planetsmilies.net) _ _

insurance should be seen as a separate bet to your main bet. you're simply betting that the hole card will be a face card. if you count cards and there are proportionally more then 33% face cards remaining in the deck, then you should certainly insure against a dealer Ace. you should also surrender if that is the correct basic strategy, irrespective of whether you have insured or not.

We all know that, your average player doesn't.