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Yes, basic strategy is the best way to play your hands, whether shuffled by hand or by machine, including continuous shuffle machines.
As for card counting, continuous shuffle machines eliminate the ability to count cards, but regular shuffle machines do not.
Was in Vegas May 20-23. Bally’s has 3-2, 8 deck shoe, DH soft 17 & surrender. Started at $10 and progressively increased to $25 before I left. No grandfathering of bets though.
Last time I played in Missouri may have been 15 years ago. At that time, they still had a $500/hour buyin limit (I think that was abolished long ago.)
The games were fine though. I can’t say about the current situation. Let us know what you find.
That’s correct, but only in single deck. In 1 deck, hit a hand of (7,8)vT, but surrender all the other 15vT hands.
Why? Well, your hand of (7,8) includes none of the cards you would like to receive as a hit card, while the other 15s do.
Again, this only matters in single deck, where the effect of a single card makes a bigger difference.
Forgive me as I’m a beginner. So when counting cards, the more negative the count, the more beneficial hitting the (7,8) would be since you seek the 5 and 6 from the other hard 15 combinations of the player.
Yes, negative counts would mean you are more likely to be able to improve the hand by hitting. This effect is however somewhat offset by the fact that the dealer is also less likely to bust if he has a small card under. But you’ve got the right idea.
In a 6D H17 game, you should hit 15vT in negative counts, but surrender at true counts of 0 or more.
Why would you take insurance with a count of 3? That would leave 16 opportunities for dealer BJ (10s) and 33 opportunities to lose the insurance bet (non-10s) per deck. You’ll only win the insurance bet 32.7% of the time. That leaves a overall payout of -2.0%. Or are you using a different counting method? A count of +4 would seem like the obvious breakeven point to me.
Ken, isn’t a 3+ card 16vT still count dependent when deciding to stand? I’m using full KO as a count. In poor shoes (6-deck), with a low count, isn’t hitting a 3+ card 16vT sometimes the correct play?
Hi thanks for the tips I have started practicing about 2 months ago and I am at 33 second’s a deck a long way to go yet but I love the challenge and and learning more each day thanks again
Hi, I have a question.
I memorized the ENTIRE TABLE of variations on Blackjackgeeks.com, but now I’m noticing his variations
are slightly different from the ones you list.
Will I be successful with those indexes, or are they going to screw me up?
Ahh, that makes sense. I was thinking there would be no harm in a hitting if the odds were high that you would receive a 10. However, I suppose is there is still a good chance of receiving a 7, 8, or 9, which would put you in a bad situation with a positive count. Thanks!
As the GameMaster writes, in the 6D S17 game, you should stand with A7vA at TC +1 or higher.
(Note that in H17 games, you should ALWAYS hit, no matter what the count.)
You ask what is the logic behind the index of +1 in S17 games?
Well, fewer small cards make standing better in two different ways. Fewer sixes mean less chance that the dealer has a six in the hole to give you an immediate win. And fewer 2s and 3s mean less chance of improving your A7 hand by hitting.
But generally, don’t worry too much about the “why” of index numbers or basic strategy. It just is what it is.
Thanks to this question, I also just discovered that my Advanced Strategy cards are missing this index! The next printing will correct that.
8 Decks Machine wash You can use it
Yes, basic strategy is the best way to play your hands, whether shuffled by hand or by machine, including continuous shuffle machines.
As for card counting, continuous shuffle machines eliminate the ability to count cards, but regular shuffle machines do not.
thanks
Was in Vegas May 20-23. Bally’s has 3-2, 8 deck shoe, DH soft 17 & surrender. Started at $10 and progressively increased to $25 before I left. No grandfathering of bets though.
I plan on going to the Missouri casinos for blackjack. Are they beatable in the long run?
Last time I played in Missouri may have been 15 years ago. At that time, they still had a $500/hour buyin limit (I think that was abolished long ago.)
The games were fine though. I can’t say about the current situation. Let us know what you find.
Just to be sure.. 15 vs 8 – Stand at 10 or higher, you mean the running count right? I’m confused ..
No, all strategy indexes use the true count not the running count. Stand with 15v8 at True count of 10 or higher (not common at all).
I’ve seen suggestions that one should surrender a hard 15 to dealer 10, except when player’s 15 is (7,8). Is this true? If so, why?
That’s correct, but only in single deck. In 1 deck, hit a hand of (7,8)vT, but surrender all the other 15vT hands.
Why? Well, your hand of (7,8) includes none of the cards you would like to receive as a hit card, while the other 15s do.
Again, this only matters in single deck, where the effect of a single card makes a bigger difference.
Forgive me as I’m a beginner. So when counting cards, the more negative the count, the more beneficial hitting the (7,8) would be since you seek the 5 and 6 from the other hard 15 combinations of the player.
Yes, negative counts would mean you are more likely to be able to improve the hand by hitting. This effect is however somewhat offset by the fact that the dealer is also less likely to bust if he has a small card under. But you’ve got the right idea.
In a 6D H17 game, you should hit 15vT in negative counts, but surrender at true counts of 0 or more.
Hi,
does anybody know in which casino in Europe the surrender option is available? I am planning a trip and I will opt for places which allow ES or LS.
Thanks for the help!
Why would you take insurance with a count of 3? That would leave 16 opportunities for dealer BJ (10s) and 33 opportunities to lose the insurance bet (non-10s) per deck. You’ll only win the insurance bet 32.7% of the time. That leaves a overall payout of -2.0%. Or are you using a different counting method? A count of +4 would seem like the obvious breakeven point to me.
*Payout of -3.125%
Ken, isn’t a 3+ card 16vT still count dependent when deciding to stand? I’m using full KO as a count. In poor shoes (6-deck), with a low count, isn’t hitting a 3+ card 16vT sometimes the correct play?
Hi thanks for the tips I have started practicing about 2 months ago and I am at 33 second’s a deck a long way to go yet but I love the challenge and and learning more each day thanks again
Hi, I have a question.
I memorized the ENTIRE TABLE of variations on Blackjackgeeks.com, but now I’m noticing his variations
are slightly different from the ones you list.
Will I be successful with those indexes, or are they going to screw me up?
Ahh, that makes sense. I was thinking there would be no harm in a hitting if the odds were high that you would receive a 10. However, I suppose is there is still a good chance of receiving a 7, 8, or 9, which would put you in a bad situation with a positive count. Thanks!
As the GameMaster writes, in the 6D S17 game, you should stand with A7vA at TC +1 or higher.
(Note that in H17 games, you should ALWAYS hit, no matter what the count.)
You ask what is the logic behind the index of +1 in S17 games?
Well, fewer small cards make standing better in two different ways. Fewer sixes mean less chance that the dealer has a six in the hole to give you an immediate win. And fewer 2s and 3s mean less chance of improving your A7 hand by hitting.
But generally, don’t worry too much about the “why” of index numbers or basic strategy. It just is what it is.
Thanks to this question, I also just discovered that my Advanced Strategy cards are missing this index! The next printing will correct that.