The Biggest Question About Bj?

[BJLoser]

Ok....I'm a degenerate gambler and I'll make no arguments about that, back in the day I used to play black jack with a few monstrous wins over the course of a year. As my addiction grew I moved to poker and over the last 2 years have never been able to duplicate the wins I had at the blackjack table...and in less time I'll add.

But....heres my question since I'm getting back into blackjack. I lose alot more than I win at the casino which uses an 8 deck shoe, I mean I lose often and I play basic strategy flawlessly. It seems everytime I get that 12 and hit against a 2 you know what I always get...that's right a 10. So if the casino wins obviously more than the player than why doesn't the player play just like the dealer?

I mean the casino will win more than the player. It's a fact. Help me out here please but I imagine you'll say something like "you make all your money on double downs and splits." or "...well everyone in the casino doesn't play basic strategy."

What if every played just like the dealer? Everyone. Who wins?

Help.

Sean

[zengrifter]

Originally Posted by BJLoser

What if every played just like the dealer? Everyone. Who wins?

I see what you mean - even your question sounds degenerate! I mean REALLY - I suspect you ALREADY KNOW the answer to this stupid question. However, IF you do not, here is a comparison:

Basic Strategy = 0.40% House Edge
Mimick Dealer = 5.40% House Edge

Are we clear, soldier? zg

[mdlbj]

Originally Posted by BJLoser

Ok....I'm a degenerate gambler and I'll make no arguments about that, back in the day I used to play black jack with a few monstrous wins over the course of a year. As my addiction grew I moved to poker and over the last 2 years have never been able to duplicate the wins I had at the blackjack table...and in less time I'll add.

But....heres my question since I'm getting back into blackjack. I lose alot more than I win at the casino which uses an 8 deck shoe, I mean I lose often and I play basic strategy flawlessly. It seems everytime I get that 12 and hit against a 2 you know what I always get...that's right a 10. So if the casino wins obviously more than the player than why doesn't the player play just like the dealer?

I mean the casino will win more than the player. It's a fact. Help me out here please but I imagine you'll say something like "you make all your money on double downs and splits." or "...well everyone in the casino doesn't play basic strategy."

What if every played just like the dealer? Everyone. Who wins?

Help.

Sean

Get some help bro.
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

[ihate17]

You say you have played a bunch of blackjack yet you have failed to recognize the most important rule in blackjack while mentioning much less important things like doubling down and splitting and that is why playing like the dealer is financial disaster.

The rule: If both you and the dealer busts, YOU LOSE!

That's it, take that out and with 3/2 payoff, doubling, splitting etc, the player has a big edge. These rules are only part of the game to make it playable against the huge house edge of rule #1. So if you play like the dealer and hit a stiff every time as a dealer must, just save yourself the time and figure out your bankroll and write them a check for all of it.

ihate17

[EasyRhino]

They're right.

Also note that hitting a 12 vs anything (including a dealer 2) would be the same for mimic the dealer or basic strategy.

A more apt question would be, why don't you hit a 14 vs a dealer 2? And the answer would be: because that's stupid.

[Claza]

Originally Posted by BJLoser

...I lose often and I play basic strategy flawlessly. ... So if the casino wins obviously more than the player than why doesn't the player play just like the dealer?

...
What if every played just like the dealer? Everyone. Who wins?

Help.

Sean

"Mimic the dealer" strategy is not without some merit, but you MUST know when to apply it or you'll end up a 5.40% loser!

If your count tells you that (almost) only low cards are left in the deck, then both you and the dealer have a significantly reduced chance of busting.

Please understand that in the game of Blackjack the dealer's main advantage is that he wins when both the player and dealer bust. At a seriously negative count, the player will tend to not bust a lot, negating the dealer's main weapon. Remember, it's difficult to bust on low cards only.

I am in no way saying that one should bet big when using "Mimic the dealer"! This is strictly a defensive variation to Basic Strategy, to be used only as a means of survival during the negative counts, when you just don't feel like getting up and leaving the table.

"Mimic the dealer" is also useful when a "low card clumping" situation is recognized, if you are a believer in that kind of phenomenon. Either way, if you decided you are in a situation where "Mimic the dealer" makes sense, hit soft 17s even if playing at a S17 table.

[sagefr0g]

Originally Posted by Claza

"Mimic the dealer" strategy is not without some merit, but you MUST know when to apply it or you'll end up a 5.40% loser!

If your count tells you that (almost) only low cards are left in the deck, then both you and the dealer have a significantly reduced chance of busting.

Please understand that in the game of Blackjack the dealer's main advantage is that he wins when both the player and dealer bust. At a seriously negative count, the player will tend to not bust a lot, negating the dealer's main weapon. Remember, it's difficult to bust on low cards only.

I am in no way saying that one should bet big when using "Mimic the dealer"! This is strictly a defensive variation to Basic Strategy, to be used only as a means of survival during the negative counts, when you just don't feel like getting up and leaving the table.

"Mimic the dealer" is also useful when a "low card clumping" situation is recognized, if you are a believer in that kind of phenomenon. Either way, if you decided you are in a situation where "Mimic the dealer" makes sense, hit soft 17s even if playing at a S17 table.

correct me if i'm wrong but isn't basic strategy supposed to be the best action to take (over mimic the dealer) even in negative counts barring basic strategy departures?

[ihate17]

Originally Posted by sagefr0g

correct me if i'm wrong but isn't basic strategy supposed to be the best action to take (over mimic the dealer) even in negative counts barring basic strategy departures?

The more negative the count, the closer you get to the mimick the dealer stage. You never reach the point where you hit your 16 vs 2, but easily get to the point where you might find yourself taking a hit on your 12 vs 6. You never will get to the point where you are just mimicking, but negative indices trend that way.

ihate17

[jimpenn]

"...you might find yourself taking a hit on your 12 vs 16." (--shoe) I agree.

You don't read much in books concerning this type of play...why?

[ScottH]

Originally Posted by jimpenn

"...you might find yourself taking a hit on your 12 vs 16." (--shoe) I agree.

You don't read much in books concerning this type of play...why?

You shouldn't have to worry about negative indexes in multi-deck shoe games because you should be wonging out in negative counts! But if you play all, then by all means use them...