Most misplayed hand?

[Split8s]

A,7 has got to be one of the most misplayed hands at the table. Last Thursday I was at Kewadin casino in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. They had the whole back section of tables closed and the front section was packed so I could only partake of the happy hour beer prices and watch.

I was standing by a table where third base was playing two hands for $25 each. He had 10,10 and A,7 while the dealer had a 5 up. All the other players stayed or hit as applicable so everyone was in the hand. He stands on both hands, the dealer flips over another 5 for ten and pulls a face card for 20 beating everyone at the table.....giving him a loss and a push. I stuck around to see the next two cards......sure enough....a 6 and a 10 were next two cards meaning the dealer would have busted if third base doubled down ...... and everyone would have won. I'm sure he was thinking he had two winners with the dealer sitting on a five up.

I couldn't tell for sure but no one at the table rasied an eybrow. I know I've had people look at me funny when I've doubled that hand

 

[KenSmith]

There's no question that A7 is the most commonly misplayed hand. The vast majority of players misplay it unless the dealer happens to turn up a 7 or 8.

 

[Preston]

I'd give the runners-up to 99 vs 9 or 12 against a 3. I think one out of every 100 players I see actually plays these two right according to BS.

 

[21forme]

I can understand reluctance on A7 vs 9, for example. It seems like a no win situation.

 

[zengrifter]

I'd say 9-9 vs. any upcard is at least tied with A7 for most misplayed. zg

 

[hotroddy]

Actually I don't see A-7 misplayed much, but I can probably count on my hands how often I've seen 12 against a 2 or a 3 played correctly. When I actually hit them, people tell me I'm messing up the shoe and that I shouldn't have hit.

 

[ihate17]

If it were the other way around

If third base would have played it correctly and had the dealer busted, still no one would have raised an eyebrow except perhaps the guy who would have been upset if it worked the other way.
If third based played it correctly and the dealer drew out and killed the board, loads of eyebrows would have gone up and perhaps a few words spoken.

I agree that less than 1 in 100 play basic strategy perfectly and A,7 and 9,9 are two very good examples. They are both 18 and players wrongly think that 18 is a winning hand. If the dealer does not bust, then the only made dealer hand that 18 will beat is 17. But 18 can be a money maker when it is A,7 or 9,9 depending upon the dealers cards and often these people still win, are satisfied but have thrown money away on the hand.
Now splitting 9,9 vs a 9 is not really a money maker but a defensive move similar to splitting 8,8 vs a high card but with better odds, just like hitting A,7 vs a 10, but the splits and doubles against dealer stiffs that players never take do have a huge effect on their lifetime results over time.

If less than 1 in 100 know BS, would you guess that the number who not only can count but be proficient at it is less than 1 in 1,000?

ihate17

 

[ScottH]

I'm surprised that 99 vs 9 was mentioned as a very common misplay. The "Assume the dealer has a ten" strategy would say the dealer has 19 vs your 18, so you want to split those nines to hopefully turn them into two 19's which would at least save you by pushing. So using a standard ploppy strategy, splitting 99 vs 9 seems to be the correct move.

 

[Split8s]

Good point, ihate17.....whether 3rd base plays BS correctly or not doesn't always matter. It's more a case of....did you make the dealer bust or win? It's not always a fair conclusion but I guess it comes with the turf when you play third base.

 

[ThunderWalk]

I Think I Know Why!

A,7 has got to be one of the most misplayed hands at the table.

I used to play on a company softball team, and during warm-up before a game, one member would always refuse to participate in batting practice. He said it led to taking a swing at a bad pitch during a game because you'd now swing at any pitch trying to hit the ball.

In the same way, when leading up to a visit to a casino, I've started to avoid practicing BJ online at places like Yahoo and training simulators or strategy trainers where the program counts the card amounts for you rather than having to do it for yourself. I began to notice I was doing things like seeing a pair of 8s as 16 rather than a pair of 8s, and I was standing against a dealers 5 instead of splitting -- or I'd occasionally missed soft hand double-down opportunities. This happened a lot, especially if I was later practicing at the kitchen table with friends and drinking.

So, I now avoid playing on the computer when I tune-up before a casino visit, and I avoid drinking alcohol at the tables.

 

[GeorgeD]

I've probably misplayed A-7 hand most often. For some reason it's confusing to recognize and keep in my head. It seems easy to remember when to split 9-9, but A-7 is to me the most complicated of the soft hands.

Re how third base plays any hand, I hate it when people say "shoulda, coulda, wish he woulda". I'm most comfortable at 3rd base and sit there when I can. Never had words with people, but sometimes felt they were ticked off and left the table after seeing me do things they don't .... like hit 12 vs 2-3 or even hit a 16. Whoever said it is right, though ...... people REALLY seem to think you're crazy to split 9-9 vs 9. I don't get why

I recently hit an A-7 vs 10 to a 5 card 21 where dealer had 20 ..... guy next to me wasn't mad, but said something like "I can't believe you did that and made the hand". I just said "Thanks"

On practice I often turn off the sound on CV BJ for exactly what Thunderwalk described.

 

[tribute]

A/7 Misplays

Another play that gets jeers is doubling A7 vs. 3. Also, it's fun to watch the dealer give me "that look" when I motion for a hit on my A7. I can hear it now: "Are you sure? You've got 18, a good hand. Why mess it up?"

 

[rogue1]

I've had it happen several times...

I've got A/7 vs a dealers' 10-I take a hit and get a 3, the dealers turns over a 10-people at the table take you for some kind of genius. Great fun!

 

[tribute]

Misplays

My favorite is splitting 9's. The arrogant player next to me: "You should never split a winning hand"!

 

[Automatic Monkey]

My favorite is splitting 9's. The arrogant player next to me: "You should never split a winning hand"!

Yes, split 9's, hit A7 vs. 9-A, hit 12 vs. 3, DD 11 vs. A, all soft DD.

Then there are the surrender plays which are in a class by themselves. Even counters who don't play with the surrender rule all the time don't always get them right.

 

[Preston]

Yes, split 9's, hit A7 vs. 9-A, hit 12 vs. 3, DD 11 vs. A, all soft DD.

Then there are the surrender plays which are in a class by themselves. Even counters who don't play with the surrender rule all the time don't always get them right.

Yeah. But I so rarely see surrender I haven't really bothered with indexes. The only time I remember having seen surrender available was in Las Vegas.

One of my favorite index plays is double down on A8 vs 5 or 6. Drives Ploppies crazy!

 

[Cardcounter]

I agree that A-7 is the most misplayed hand.

One reason why A-7 is so misplayed that A-2-5 or any other 3 card combo will usually be played differently. As far as a soft double down hand it is the best hand for the player but the hand that is least taken advantage of. People fall too hit it against a 9 or 10 up all the time too.

12 against a 3 is such a small mistake that it really doesn't matter all that much how the play the hand.

 

[EasyRhino]

Does "playing like a pussy" count as one mistake?

It incorporates some sort of weird reverse-profit logic to it. Maybe hitting 16 vs 10, but not hitting 16 vs 8,9 etc. Not hitting 15 vs 7. Not surrendering 16 vs 10, but surrendering 12 vs 10. And of course, failing to double down or split anything except 10, 11, or 8s.

Pretty good feeling that lack of aggression costs the average ploppy way more than overly-aggressive play.

 

[GeorgeD]

One reason why A-7 is so misplayed that A-2-5 or any other 3 card combo will usually be played differently. As far as a soft double down hand it is the best hand for the player but the hand that is least taken advantage of. People fall too hit it against a 9 or 10 up all the time too.

12 against a 3 is such a small mistake that it really doesn't matter all that much how the play the hand.

Does this sounds right for 3 card soft hands? The only diff is hit where you would double and stand on soft 17. Seems easy if you know the two card A-7 BS. KInd of like stand on a multi card 16 Vs 10

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From to: http://www.casino.com/blackjack/article.asp?id=2633 (Archive copy)

If you have a three-card soft hand and can’t double down, here’s how to play it. If you have anywhere between a soft 13 and a soft 17 hand, always hit no matter what the dealer shows. If you stand on these soft hands, you will be making a big mistake that will cost you money. If you hold a soft 18 and you can’t double down, then you should stand if the dealer’s face card is 8 or lower, and hit if it’s 9, 10, or an Ace. Always stand on soft 19 and soft 20, no matter what the dealer shows.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

Yeah. But I so rarely see surrender I haven't really bothered with indexes. The only time I remember having seen surrender available was in Las Vegas.

One of my favorite index plays is double down on A8 vs 5 or 6. Drives Ploppies crazy!

Vegas has it, and so does Connecticut. I don't play a shoe game without surrender unless I have a really good reason, and it pays to learn all the surrender indices, because they allow you to make the same win rate while risking less money.

A8 vs 5 or 6 is good, but nothing gets the ploppies going like splitting 10's! This week in Vegas, dealer has a 6 showing and blows past my 20 without getting a signal. He starts to flip his hole card and I see the corner of a 10 in the hole, and I yell "hey wait I wanted to split!" Ended up splitting and resplitting to 4 hands and the dealer busted, but you should have heard the ploppies howl. Good thing nobody realized I saw the hole card.