Recent content by neversplit5s

If you look at the EVs for Spanish 21 vs. regular Blackjack, you'll see the effect that the lack of tens have on this hand. In fact in SP21 17 vs. A is the worst possible hand. With most of the non-dealer-Ace surrenders you're more likely to do them at higher counts since the dealer has a...

Here's an even simpler "perfect insurance count": Tens are -2; everything else is +1. IRC = -4 multiplied by the number of decks Insure when the count is positive; don't when it's negative (at zero it's break-even)

A few weeks ago someone posted about indices for splitting non-ten pairs, and it was brought up that one reason they're not widely used is the low frequency of the hands. After thinking some more on the issue, I see three factors in determining how valuable a particular index is: 1. The TC...

Only the first ace would count as 11 (as with any hand that is only if it does not put the total over 21). Any additional aces would count as 1. Although you wouldn't usually (playing American BS) have a hand consisting exclusively of 3+ Aces (like AJL said, since you'd normally split them)...

In the case of 22, 33, and 66, provided that it's a DAS game there isn't much room for improvement via the dealer bust rate since you're already splitting those pairs against all the bust cards. In a nDAS game some of the applicable pairs that aren't split (22 and 33 vs. a 2 or 3, 66 vs. 2)...

I agree what PPs have said...a combination of the infrequency of non-10 pairs and the weak correlation with some pairs and typical counting systems. With 22 and 33, it would be a deck/shoe rich in "neutral" cards (with typical counting systems) rather than high or low cards that would have...

If you decide to double for less as cover, you probably want to do it only on hands where you'd take one card only anyway if you were to hit (e.g. 12 vs. 2 or 3). Doubling for less on the small soft hands is probably not the best time to do it, since you prevent yourself from hitting again if...

I know many of us don't like it when ploppies make a move that causes you to lose a hand that you would've won otherwise, but in the long run bad plays are as likely to help you as to hurt you. Since we don't hear many of the positive stories, I started this thread where you can post stories of...

The former, hence the "ploppy-types" in the last sentence of the OP. With the latter even with other factors like risk aversion taken into account it's still mathematically (and not "hunches") based, am I right?

The reason why 16 vs. 10 has a lower index than 16 vs. 9 (which is lower than 16 vs. 8, and lower than 16 vs. 7) is because as the upcards go up the most likely dealer's hand goes up (from 17 with a 7 to 20 with a 10, which the effect becomes more magnified when the deck or shoe is 10-heavy). As...

Why do some people like to debate Blackjack strategy like they would religion or politics? The best way to play each hand (whether it be BS, counting indices, etc.) is mathematically based by determining the most optimal move, not what feels like "the best way" to go. I hear statements like "I...

I was about to post a similar post on this subject - why if S17 has better odds are there more doubles with H17. A friend asked me about that, and the reasoning I gave was that it's because of one of the properties of doubling down - you only get one more card. Since after doubling you may end...

OK, since everyone thinks my joke flopped feel free to delete/lock/whatever to this thread if you want to. This joke was one I cooked up at the last minute when I read an article on vacation time and people willing to take a slight pay cut for more leave. I thought I'd give it a twist for BJ...

So here's the premise for the joke: If you're not aware the U.S. is one of the very few (if not the only) industrialized country/ies that the government does not require employers to give you a certain amount of vacation time each year. The premise of this joke is that if you're willing to play...

For you Americans, don't you wish you could take weeks of vacation off at a time from work like many Europeans do? Well, a few companies have come up with an idea to let you do so: Agree one day while at work to bet a certain amount (over a few hours) playing 6:5 Blackjack and they'll grant you...