6:5 isn't so bad
6:5 isn't going away, in south FL there is a very popular $25 min table on one of the casino cruises and in vegas they have plenty of customers (even at high minimums).
Most BJ players suck, at the good games I played and the 6:5 games most players bet big in negative counts and bet small in positive counts. Many don't know the basic rules and turned down my offer to give them a basic strategy card so they wouldnt lose so much.
I prefer single deck to 6 deck, thats a given. If all I can get is double deck, thats okay as long as I get DAS and normal rules (50% Pen is bad, but still playable on a 1-2 player table).
Here are the results from my games on 6:5 tables in vegas:
Tropicana
+15 (DD)
+35 (DD)
MGM
+100 sd
+115 sd
-570 sd
+100 sd
+120 sd
+100 sd
+100 sd
+175 sd
Paris
+35 sd
As you can see, I only had one losing session but it was a big one. The reasons it was such a big loss were that I kept waiting for a big count, and the table was crowded. I learned to never play a 6:5 game if i'm not the only player at the table. If private tables are empty they may let you use them at $25 minimum. I would rather a D10,11 single deck game if thats the minimum. But, the heat is minimal (even if you make wierd plays like doubling soft 20 against a ten predicting the next card is a ten and the dealer has a low hole card like I did which confused the hell out of the dealer.)
To beat 6:5 single deck, I think it should have LS since I got most of my big bets right but a few I would rather surrender. It has to be a heads up game (more rounds, 50% chance of a high card going to you instead of 1 in 3 or 1 in 6, no ploppies screwing up the bust card or taking a card you need. I know they can help you by accident, but the fewer variables the better.) You have to count and vary your bets widely.
Order of value:
1 single deck good rules
2 single deck D 10,11
3 double deck good rules
4 low minimum LS DAS single deck 6:5 with no heat heads up
5 Perfect rules single deck dealt to the last card even money blackjack heads up.
6 six deck shoe good rules 5 deck pen
7 six deck shoe good rules 4.5 deck pen.
I know what I have said will be met with controversy, and many will not agree. If you add really good shuffle tracking or wonging to the 6 deck games then they can be better than usual, but I stopped to look at a game and everyone stared at me like "are you going to play or not" so wonging doesnt work for me.
The benefits of counting to the player that cannot memorize an entire deck and know how to use that info are as follows:
1. know what to bet
2. know if the dealer may bust
3. know the correct play for that count
4. blackjack bonus payout
5. know when to take insurance.
One is decreased the others are either the same or you might even be able to surrender a 16 to a 10 in a positive count.
The benefits of 6:5 are
1 no heat
2 DAS on single deck
3 possible LS
Again, I only played it if single deck games were crowded. I believe 1 player per deck is ideal, in a 6 deck game you want more players so a negative count doesnt last forever.:cool2: