Illustrious 18??
- Thread starter neemo6
- Start date
Card counting systems use what are called 'index numbers' to indicate when a particular play is mathematically correct.
For example, the most common correct deviation from basic strategy is how you play when you have a hard 16 against a dealer ten. Basic strategy says to hit this hand, but it's a very close call. In cases where you've seen more low cards than high cards, it's better to stand. The index number in this case is zero. When the count is zero or higher, you should stand with 16vT. When the count is less than zero, you should hit.
Another example: Basic strategy says to hit 12v3, but at counts of +2 or above you should stand.
(These examples assume you're using the Hi-Lo true count for making the decision.)
The Illustrious 18 is a group of 18 index numbers selected by Don Schlesinger as the most profitable ones that a player should know and utilize. While there is an index number for practically every play, most of them either never come into play, or they make little difference in your expectation on the hand.
He wrote an article in Blackjack Forum magazine that showed why these 18 were the most important. If you search the message board here, you'll find a link to the actual 18 plays at BJMath.com.
Lots of information about the I-18 appears in Schlesinger's book Blackjack Attack.
For example, the most common correct deviation from basic strategy is how you play when you have a hard 16 against a dealer ten. Basic strategy says to hit this hand, but it's a very close call. In cases where you've seen more low cards than high cards, it's better to stand. The index number in this case is zero. When the count is zero or higher, you should stand with 16vT. When the count is less than zero, you should hit.
Another example: Basic strategy says to hit 12v3, but at counts of +2 or above you should stand.
(These examples assume you're using the Hi-Lo true count for making the decision.)
The Illustrious 18 is a group of 18 index numbers selected by Don Schlesinger as the most profitable ones that a player should know and utilize. While there is an index number for practically every play, most of them either never come into play, or they make little difference in your expectation on the hand.
He wrote an article in Blackjack Forum magazine that showed why these 18 were the most important. If you search the message board here, you'll find a link to the actual 18 plays at BJMath.com.
Lots of information about the I-18 appears in Schlesinger's book Blackjack Attack.
Any change in the rules would slightly change the appropriate indexes, but you'll need to generate custom indexes to take perfect account of all the variables. I use Statistical Blackjack Analyzer for that purpose.
http://www.sba21.com
However, you can really safely ignore those types of changes, and you don't need more than the I-18 unless you're really adamant about getting every smidgen of edge available. The whole point of the I-18 is to show that most of the other indexes are worth very little.
The other indexes all generally meet one of the following conditions:
One exception where I believe other indexes are valuable is the very one you mention: Surrender. If you don't have software to generate indexes yourself, Wong's Professional Blackjack has surrender indexes in it. They are quite useful if much of your play allows surrender.
http://www.sba21.com
However, you can really safely ignore those types of changes, and you don't need more than the I-18 unless you're really adamant about getting every smidgen of edge available. The whole point of the I-18 is to show that most of the other indexes are worth very little.
The other indexes all generally meet one of the following conditions:
- They occur at negative counts, when you'll have minimal money bet anyway.
- They occur at very large positive counts, which aren't common enough to make them important.
- They are poorly determined by the Hi-Lo count anyway.
- They show little profit difference between the two choices.
One exception where I believe other indexes are valuable is the very one you mention: Surrender. If you don't have software to generate indexes yourself, Wong's Professional Blackjack has surrender indexes in it. They are quite useful if much of your play allows surrender.
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I wanted to see what the Ill-18 looked like when early surrender was allowed so I took a look at that website, http://www.sba21.com. Sadly though the software needed to generate those indices costs $150! I don't think I can justify that cost right now just to generate thousands of indices. Perhaps I'll get my hand on a copy of Professional Blackjack. Will Wong's book be thorough enough to answer my questions about the Ill-18 and surrender or would I need the book Blackjack Attack? The only reason I was interested in BJ Attack was for the indices and it was suggested that I read other books like Blackbelt in BJ first.
http://www.bjmath.com/bjmath/tcindex/i18index.htm (Archive copy)
http://www.gamemasteronline.com/Archive/BlackjackSchool/GameMasterClassics14.shtml (Archive copy)
(Dead link: http://www.thetruecount.com/Illustrious18_interactive_trainer.htm)
If you look on their, there is also the "fab 4 surrender's", which that might answer your question.
For basic stradegy alteration in regards to the house rules...here is a link to the Stradegy engine.
http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bjbse.php
(if no surrender............)
16 vs 10 is a hit at a nuetral count. That's why the index is 0.
If the count is Positive, then 16 vs 10 is a stay.
Since the index on this play is 0, it is very important, as you really don't even need a TC to make this call, you can go off the RC. (if RC is pos, its a stay, if RC is neg it's a stay).
Of course if surrender is an option, (the indexes i run w/ felt....surrender is ALWAYS the correct play on 16 vs 10, regardless of the count)
12 vs 4 is the another one that pivots alot (index of 0)
Keep in mind, as far as I am aware, I believe the Illustrious 18 was based soley off the HI-LOW system. So if one is using another counting system (such as unbalanced, or even a level 2 balanced....the index numbers will be TOTALLY different).
http://www.gamemasteronline.com/Archive/BlackjackSchool/GameMasterClassics14.shtml (Archive copy)
(Dead link: http://www.thetruecount.com/Illustrious18_interactive_trainer.htm)
If you look on their, there is also the "fab 4 surrender's", which that might answer your question.
For basic stradegy alteration in regards to the house rules...here is a link to the Stradegy engine.
http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bjbse.php
(if no surrender............)
16 vs 10 is a hit at a nuetral count. That's why the index is 0.
If the count is Positive, then 16 vs 10 is a stay.
Since the index on this play is 0, it is very important, as you really don't even need a TC to make this call, you can go off the RC. (if RC is pos, its a stay, if RC is neg it's a stay).
Of course if surrender is an option, (the indexes i run w/ felt....surrender is ALWAYS the correct play on 16 vs 10, regardless of the count)
12 vs 4 is the another one that pivots alot (index of 0)
Keep in mind, as far as I am aware, I believe the Illustrious 18 was based soley off the HI-LOW system. So if one is using another counting system (such as unbalanced, or even a level 2 balanced....the index numbers will be TOTALLY different).
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