Blackjack Trainer - Strategy Question

Fun little program. Although I must admit I am curious, it refers to a few "basic strategies" that don't show up on my card. Does it optimize the strategy to 1 deck, 2 deck, 4 deck shoes... etc?

The first screen that comes up on the strategy trainer asks you what rules to use. The basic strategy it uses is based on your choices on that screen. The default is single-deck, which is probably why you saw some unexpected advice.

The Blackjack Strategy Trainer remains the only free resource I know of that allows you to practice exactly the rules you would like, and coaches according to the basic strategy customized for that game.

Succumbed to the temptation again. Played 100 hands....dealer got 9 blackjacks and I got 1. Won 48% of the hands and broke even <LOL> Sounds about like what happens to me at the tables!

Curious about a couple of strange Strategy suggestions....Stand on 7/7 against a dealer face? Double on soft 14 against a dealer 4?

Playing Double Deck, Double after split, Double on Anything. Seems as though the trainer doesn't allow resplitting Aces.

Sounds like single deck strategy to me. Are you absolutely sure you chose 2D?

And, correct. No resplitting Aces.

Ken,

I am bringing up the six deck shoe tables from your site, and playing them to a T... and the quiz says I am wrong consistently. I'll probably play more later to give you a specific example, but something just isn't quite right.

Never mind... I was getting confused between the flash trainer program on your site and a quiz program on another site. Sorry...

I may have neglected to switch to DD Ken. But I did for sure this morning though I didn't hit that particular situation again. I did draw a pair of 7's against a dealer 8. Most strategy charts (I thought) tell you to hit in that situation, but the trainer told me the correct play was to split. I pulled up the charts for S17 and it did in fact say that split was correct. Got to looking, and sure enough, even the Wizard of Odds says to split that pair against an 8 if you are allowed to double after splitting. I've probalby lost a couple thousand by missing that play over the years <LOL>

Splitting 77v8 is definitely one of the strangest basic strategy plays around. It's only correct in 1 or 2 decks, when DAS is allowed. It seems so counter-intuitive that it's almost guaranteed to bring a puzzled look from the dealer if you're playing a live game.

Have you cost yourself much by not making this play? Probably not.
In 2 deck DAS, splitting a $10 initial bet loses $3.87. Hitting the single hand instead loses $3.90. So you're risking another $10 to save $0.03 on average.
If there is a candidate for a play to ignore (like in another recent thread here), this would be a good choice.

Still, it's fun to make such an odd-looking play knowing it's the right one.

I know Ken. And that is exactly why I love those uncommon plays! There have been times when a side bet ensued such a play. That happens when some genious proclaims what a stupid play it is! I've won a few chips on those side bets with other players....once on a soft-19 against a 6 and another on that soft-18 against a face. Can't wait to start an uproar over splitting 7's on the 8 <LOL> What the heck, it's only $5 when I do it.