Not Busting Out in BlackJack

Hi All,

I was wondering if anyone could help.

I have been brought up on the logic of playing basic strategy and have recently learned to count cards the hi/lo way.

But what my question is, if the only advantage the house has at blackjack is going second why not just not bust out and try your luck like that. It sounded ridiculous to me at first but i started to think well you can't even have a chance if your not in the game. I can understand this not being used when you play a shoe game, like in many vegas joints. But in the UK most casino's use those Random CArd Shuffling Machines where by you can't ever get a count up and running. Would it not be in this type of situation to just sit and hope that the cards are in your favour and not bust out.

Thanks to all that reply to this because it has been bugging me for a while, to whether it is worth a go when playing against a six / eight deck shuffling machine.

Simply wishing for the cards to come out in your favor does not work. It’s what 99% of BJ players do, and look how much money the casinos are making.

If you use the “never bust” strategy then you will increase the house edge to about 4%. You are always “in the game” but you will have a terrible hand most of the time so the dealer will easily beat you every time they don’t bust (which is most of the time).

You’re in a tough position. The casinos are using CSMs so you can’t count or track the shuffle, and they’re probably not giving you any decent comps so you can’t milk them for free stuff. It would be pretty darn tough to get an advantage at that game.

-Sonny-

Look at is this way, if you play BS, you take a "no-bust" strategy every time the dealer is showing a 6 or lower. Isn't that good enough?

Actually, I've lately begun to dread standing with a low hand vs a dealer 2, 3, or 4, since it so often turns out badly. I also dread splitting aces vs a good dealer card, because that rarely works out. But I still do it, because that's what the damn book tells me to do, and I don't want to be a damn ploppy.

Just wait till you split 8's 3 or 4 times against the dealers 10 or A with your max bet out. That can get a bit scary.

yep, I think my max has been 5x my big bet, but my max bet was only $25 at the time

Disadvantage if you never bust is...

The disadvantage if you never bust is round 5-6%. Even though the basic stragedy play bust far less than the dealer does he is still at a disadvantage. Think of it like this if you have 16 and the dealer is showing a 7 he will flip over a 10 or an ace enough to justify hitting. Sure I know if you hit you will bust around 60% of the time but a lot of the time you would of lossed if you would of stayed to because the dealer will turn over 17 or better a hole lot of the time any way. On the 40% of the time that you do make your 16 in to a pat hand you will likely turn losers into winners!!!