Basic Strategy question

I downloaded the Casino Verite Lite demo and set the game up to how it will be at my casino (or close anyway). I thought I was understanding and remembering the basic strategy for the set up but a few times the software said I should have hit rather than doubled or hit rather than stand.

I got the strategy chart from this site and followed it. The games setup is: Dealer hits soft 17, no surrender (since I won't be using it), Insurance is allowed, Double down after split, double down hard and soft, resplit up to 4 hands (it may be less at the casino but I know it's at least 3).

I had drawn an 11 and the dealer had a 9 so I doubled and the software said I should have just hit. The True Count was -16 but I wasn't basing my play on the counts (I guess there might be a way to turn off true count within the software; I'll look later). According to the chart, you should always double an 11 even when the dealer has an Ace; although, I don't always do this since I usually get a very low card. I thought that even when you count you should stick with the Basic Strategy? I know there are some variations to the rule; but, I haven't gotten that far in my schooling yet.

Any pointers would be appreciated as I have a lot to learn still.

I think you hit the nail on the head. I have noticed that when counting, you do alter from bs in some cases. The proper bs would be to always double on an 11 except against a dealer ace. If the count was -16, I guess the software was expecting you to get a small card. If you are not counting, then play the basic strategy you have already learned. PS, I am no expert. Someone else can probably shed more light.

I played some more Blackjack with the Casino Verite Lite demo and again it's telling me I should have hit when I believe I should be standing. Would someone let me know if I am wrong? The dealer had a 3 and I had 15 and I was told that I should have hit! The True Count was -7.

I went to the local casino today with $200 and came out with $60. At one point I was down to just below $100 and brought it back up to $170. I should have left then but I wanted to still play. Oh well. It was the dealers night; he hardly busted. His 2's, 6's and 7's did well for him. He kept giving me a 10 on my 12.

Sorry I don't have an answer for you...I am waiting to see what other say since I don't use that program...yet.

I am curious though...what was your bet spread and how long were you at the casino today?

Yes, you're seeing Casino Verite's advice INCLUDING card counting indexes. If you want to practice basic strategy, turn off the card counting features.

I was just betting $5-$10 and then I would sometimes double down and split pairs. I should have known today wasn't my day as I wasn't doing very well on the computer at home either. I stayed there for about 4 hours; but some of that time was spent watching the craps table and I played one slot machine during a break from BJ.

I started trying card counting tonight and find it very hard to keep a running count. I practiced by playing 4 hands plus the dealers and count them all and then play the hands through and get the running count. I find I can do the count but then I mess up on my basic math to see if I should stand or hit. Or it's the other way around; play my cards right but get the wrong count. I haven't even tried getting the true count yet; that should be even worse for me. I'll keep at it though; maybe it'll come to me eventually.

It was the same way for me when I started to learn to count. Made me feel like an idiot. Just take it a step at a time and it will eventually come to you and you will get faster. At a certain point in your training counting will become so natural you wont even realize you are doing it. I have been working at it pretty hard since the begining of the year and have made some pretty good progress. Have not spent much time in the casinos yet though

I plan on working at it everyday if I can. I'll buy some more decks today and practice practice and more practice.

I went again to the casino with $100 and came out with $225. This made up for the loss yesterday. I don't think yesterday was anyones day. A guy at my table today was telling me how he lost $1000 yesterday because a lot of people were playing without any strategy (I don't know if that is the reason). But today he was doing well and so was I after I sat at his table. I actually do well or break even with the dealer we had today. He's slower than most which is what I like. It's probably great for card counters that he is slow. So when I get good at card counting, I'll start on his table first.

You should probably just ignore your actual results for quite some time after learning to play. Basically, on any given day, your results will be the result of luck, either good or bad. Even when you're playing with an advantage via card counting, you'll still have many losing days.

We humans always try to find the cause of every effect. At the blackjack table, there's rarely a legitimate cause to be found. For example, the guy who lost $1000 yesterday blamed it on others at the table playing badly. That's ridiculous. Other players can't affect your results at all. Their bad play will help you as often as it hurts you. Of course, 95% of all blackjack players would disagree with that statement. (The other 5% are the players who might be able to beat the game.)

Just get used to the fact that you'll have to look at hundreds of hours of your results before any meaningful pattern will develop. Ignore today's result, tomorrow's results and next week's results. Learn the game, play with discipline and the numbers will take care of themselves.

I agree with you about how some people blame others on their losses. Friday when I lost a lot, I had split my 4's when the dealer had a 6 since the strategy chart I have said you should split on a dealers 5 or 6. But I got a weird disgusted look from a lady a couple of seats away from me. I figured she felt that I probably will take the card that she needed. Oh well. She also told me to stand on my 16 once when the dealer had a face card. What's the difference if I stand or hit; the dealer would win with a 7 or higher anyway and I might have a chance of getting a 5 (which I have before). The dealer usually got another face card that day, making 20.

I'm not a higher roller. I just gamble for fun and I like it. I'll just take my losses as meaning it wasn't my day.

Why is that? The dealer will always check to see if the down card is a 10 after asking for insurance. If not, and you have an 11, why not double down?

You are correct about doubling against the ace. I was thinking more about the original post and his software question. I guess I lost that hand.

There is one situation in Basic Strategy (no counting indexes) where you HIT on an 11 with the dealer showing an Ace. That would be with a multi-deck shoe where the dealer stands on soft-17. In all other "configurations" of the game, you would double.

At the casino I play at, when the dealer has an Ace and it's not blackjack, close to 99% of the time he/she turns a face/10 card. So, I really don't like doubling when the dealer shows an Ace. I don't even like splitting my aces when the dealer has a ten or ace showing; but, I do anyway.

Isn't that a little contradictory - If the dealer has an Ace and it's not blackjack, he/she can't turn a face/10 card. That would've meant they had blackjack.

I meant of course, that you HIT (not stand) in that statement <sigh>

My bad. I meant that 99% of the time I turn a low card and the dealer gets a high card. But, they often turn low cards that add up to 20 or 21 along with their Ace. I don't think I have won yet against the dealer when they showed an Ace.

I also don't like to double my ace when they have a face/10 card because 99% of the time they turn a 10 or Ace and I turn a 2 or 3. Even though I don't like to, I end up doubling the ace just in case (I can dream).