Blackjack Attack is my favorite blackjack source. I consider it my bible and have learned more from that single source than all others combined.
However, :laugh: in this case, Don's finding are somewhat unrealistic. His findings are based on absolute "no lag" conditions, meaning at the optimal departure point (ODP) you are able to move to a new table already shuffled, ready to deal the first card in a matter of seconds. (absolutely no lag or down time) This second table would also have to have as good or better conditions than that of your current game. (penetration, number of players) Anything short of these "perfect conditions" would change the ODP considerably. If you are able to find this perfect situation, you would need to add in the extra heat generated from jumping to the table right next door. Yes, ploppies do it all the time, but it is an action that is noticed by the pit and I try to avoid things that will make me stand out in their minds. Lastly, If you look at the charts in the book, (which are in sleightofhand's post) you will see that Don's conclution is that unless the TC is +2 or greater on the last hand at the very end of the shoe, it would be better to depart.
Quite frankly I have never understood this concept. If I have a true count of 1.8 with one round remaining, why would I depart? Granted the advantage would only be roughly .4 of one percent for that hand, depending on the rules, but isn't that better than playing the next hand off the top at roughly .5 percent
disadvantage??
Adding on here as I realized I did not address your initial point of "would you play a 2 deck/1.25D game?" The answer is of course not. But that is monday morning quarterbacking. you don't know that until after the fact. Along those same lines you can ask wouldn't it be better to get out at anytime the count goes even slightly negative and be better off starting off the top of a new shoe? Mathematically you would. Yet most of us establish a wong out point and play some amount of negative count hands before leaving.