IIAnnexII said:
I'm new to counting cards and I really want to learn this. Currently I'm working on the Hi-Lo system. I felt like I was wasting my time though since I don't even know basic strategy.
So I went online to get a basic strategy chart. Man was I overwhelmed! I have know idea how I'm going to remember all of this. Does anyone have any tips? All help would be appreciated.
-IIAnnexII
The best simplification of the chart I've ever seen is found in Ken Uston's book
Million Dollar Blackjack. He there supplies the following three "Golden Rules" of B/S:
1. If the dealer's upcard is 2 or 3, hit up to 13.
2. If the dealer's upcard is 4-6, hit up to 12.
3. If the dealer's upcard is 7-10, hit until your total is higher than the dealer's, assuming the dealer's hole card is worth 10 (e.g., if the dealer's upcard is a 9, hit until you have at least 19).
He then adds these four subsidiary (less important) rules:
4. Always split 8's.
5. Double-down on an 11 against a 10 (or lower) upcard.
6. Double-down on a 10 against a 9 (or lower) upcard.
7. NEVER TAKE INSURANCE!!!
My experience is that #7 is generally good advice for one playing strictly B/S. For the counter, however, insuring half your bet on a good hand is recommended in high counts. That is, if your bet is $20, take $10 worth of insurance if you have a strong hand (e.g., a 20) and the count is high. (My personal benchmark is a true count of >+3, but I can't vouch that that's the mathematically optimal cut-off. Works for me, though.) That way, if the dealer has blackjack, you've covered your bet, b/c insurance pays 2 to 1. On the other hand, if he doesn't, then you're likely to win your hand, in which case you'll still have won $10.
I'd also add these (I think equally important) rules:
8. If you can afford it, always split 8's.
9. NEVER SPLIT 10 (FACE) CARDS!!!
10. Split 2's, 3's, 6's, & 7's against all bust cards (3-6).*
11. If you can afford it, DD on a 9 against all bust cards (3-6). If you're not averse to substantial risk, you might also consider DD'ing on a 9 against any dealer upcard of 8 or lower. (I always do in a high count.)
* As with most rules in blackjack, whether this one applies to a given hand depends largely on the count, but should work fairly well as a general practice (i.e., in high to roughly neutral counts).
Hope this helps!
wvbjplayer