Question regarding P 8-8 v D 9

[Traveler]

All BS strategy charts I've seen indicate splitting when we players have been
presented with a pair of eights against the dealers 9 spot.
Would those with knowledge provide the reasoning behind this directive?
It seems illogical to knowingly place twice as much money on the table while being in ( by all appearances ) a defensive position.

 

[Xenophon]

This is a defensive play, as you correctly surmised. You have a losing hand with 8,8 vs. dlr. 9. If you stand, hit, or double!, you will lose more money in the long run than if you split. You will still lose money splitting with this hand, but you will lose less if you split, and we all want to lose less money when we are dealt a bad hand.

It is very difficult to develop an intuitive sense for every single hand of blackjack, read Theory of Black Jack by Peter griffin and then study some EV tables in Blackjack Attack by Don Schlesinger. This may help you, and may also help many of the players who have been asking for an "intuitive sense" as for why we play certain hands in certain ways.

 

[xxrenegadexx]

All BS strategy charts I've seen indicate splitting when we players have been
presented with a pair of eights against the dealers 9 spot.
Would those with knowledge provide the reasoning behind this directive?
It seems illogical to knowingly place twice as much money on the table while being in ( by all appearances ) a defensive position.

who are you to question basic strategy????? who do you think you are???? YOU ALWAYS SPLIT EIGHTS

 

[Xenophon]

Easy Renegade...



These questions come up quite often when people are just starting to look at basic strategy.. It's OK to think about it and ask why..

 

[Xenophon]

Addendum-

I had to look this indice up because I don't have it memorized, but there is a time where the correct play is to NOT split 8,8. but this is ONLY vs. dlr. 10.

Stand- don't split 8,8 vs dlr. ten when Hi-Lo TC is 6 or >.

Don't worry about memorizing this one too much, it doesn't come up that often.

 

[Traveler]

Intelligence Prevails

This is a defensive play, as you correctly surmised. You have a losing hand with 8,8 vs. dlr. 9. If you stand, hit, or double!, you will lose more money in the long run than if you split. You will still lose money splitting with this hand, but you will lose less if you split, and we all want to lose less money when we are dealt a bad hand.

It is very difficult to develop an intuitive sense for every single hand of blackjack, read Theory of Black Jack by Peter griffin and then study some EV tables in Blackjack Attack by Don Schlesinger. This may help you, and may also help many of the players who have been asking for an "intuitive sense" as for why we play certain hands in certain ways.

Thank you for your most informative answer.Rest assured your suggestions will be researched at earliest opportunity. I'm encouraged to find so many kind and willing people who are willing to share their hard won knowledge with neophytes like myself.Thank you once more.Traveler

 

[shadroch]

In a game that allows you to double down after splits,you'll get a 2 or a 3 about 2 out of every 13 times,changing your bad 16 into at least one hand of 10 or 11 vs the 9,but with a doubled bet out.When this occurs,you have transformed a very shitty hand into a very strong hand with a higher bet.

 

[jack.jackson]

I had to look this indice up because I don't have it memorized, but there is a time where the correct play is to NOT split 8,8. but this is ONLY vs. dlr. 10.

Stand- don't split 8,8 vs dlr. ten when Hi-Lo TC is 6 or >.

Don't worry about memorizing this one too much, it doesn't come up that often.

note:NDAS: 88vsX hi-lo is TC 4 or > opposed to DAS @ 6 or >

 

[zengrifter]

Thank you for your most informative answer.Rest assured your suggestions will be researched at earliest opportunity. I'm encouraged to find so many kind and willing people who are willing to share their hard won knowledge with neophytes like myself.Thank you once more.Traveler

This isn't hard-won knowledge. Its simply based on statistical logic and simulation. zg

 

[EasyRhino]

The only way I can intuitively explain splitting 8s vs 8, 10, 11, is "at least you don't have a 16".

Also note that in a H17 game, basic strategy is to surrender 8,8 vs A. And surrendering 8,8 vs 10 is a fairly low index.

 

[waveslider]

I have been wondering

I had to look this indice up because I don't have it memorized, but there is a time where the correct play is to NOT split 8,8. but this is ONLY vs. dlr. 10.

Stand- don't split 8,8 vs dlr. ten when Hi-Lo TC is 6 or >.

Don't worry about memorizing this one too much, it doesn't come up that often.

Are there other BS that go out the window with high + or - counts?

 

[shadroch]

Yes. There are hundreds.But you can get by with the top 18.Look up the Illustrius 18 on any BJ site.
Sounds to me like you need to read a few books on BJ.While these boards are great places to learn from,they aren't really designed to teach a total newcomer.You and biggamejames need to unlearn much of what you know about the game.

 

[Kasi]

All BS strategy charts I've seen indicate splitting when we players have been
presented with a pair of eights against the dealers 9 spot.
Would those with knowledge provide the reasoning behind this directive?
It seems illogical to knowingly place twice as much money on the table while being in ( by all appearances ) a defensive position.

As others have pointed out it's the correct play.

But don't feel bad that u wondered about it because if u bet $10/hd at 100 hds/hr for 25 hours, it might cost u an extra $1.

It's always good to know the close plays that don't cost you much money but still make u look like an idiot.

 

[Mimosine]

I had to look this indice up because I don't have it memorized, but there is a time where the correct play is to NOT split 8,8. but this is ONLY vs. dlr. 10.

Stand- don't split 8,8 vs dlr. ten when Hi-Lo TC is 6 or >.

Don't worry about memorizing this one too much, it doesn't come up that often.

there are index plays for lots more hands than that. for 8,8 vs A there is an index play, but it is very high from what i remember, maybe +8.

 

[Xenophon]

there are index plays for lots more hands than that. for 8,8 vs A there is an index play, but it is very high from what i remember, maybe +8.

You're right, although they are lower indexes, not higher. I haven't looked at the 8,8 indices much. Professional Blackjack shows the following:

Hi Lo count

4 deck, H17.

8,8 vs. A- split if TC -1 or >.

4 deck, S17.

8,8 vs. A- split if TC -11 or >.

I guess that H17 indice could just be rounded to 0.

PBJ has indices for 8,8 vs. 9,10,A.

 

[jack.jackson]

You're right, although they are lower indexes, not higher. I haven't looked at the 8,8 indices much. Professional Blackjack shows the following:

Hi Lo count

4 deck, H17.

8,8 vs. A- split if TC -1 or >.

4 deck, S17.

8,8 vs. A- split if TC -11 or >.

I guess that H17 indice could just be rounded to 0.

PBJ has indices for 8,8 vs. 9,10,A.

I definitely nominate this being the most shcizo hand in blackjack, because its contingent whether or not the dealer hits S17, how many decks are in play,wether or not DAS is allowed, or even if LS is allowed.

Im scratching my head on this one!

 

[bj bob]

I definitely nominate this being the most shcizo hand in blackjack, because its contingent whether or not the dealer hits S17, how many decks are in play,wether or not DAS is allowed, or even if LS is allowed.

Im scratching my head on this one!

If you think that one's nuts, try the A-7 vs. A with various decks and H17 vs.S17. That index goes from almost 0 to +17~.