A tad confused...

#1
Hi, new to blackjack and was wondering if this situation I recently encountered in a casino is correct?

Cruising along with a great dealer, they swap, and we get speedy gonzales, hitting people when the want to stay and basically confusing the s**t out of everyone, and thus wiping us clean out.

On the one hand I split a pair of aces, to get 21 (A,10), and 19(A,8), so after staying and everyone finished their hand, dealer turns a 21 also. Now everyones bust, the dealer takes my stake from my 21 split. I made a fuss about this, thinking that if you draw with the dealer, your neither win or lose. After CCTV footage to prove I did get 21, the manageress kindly explained, that the dealer had a legitimate 21, and mine was a split 21, therefore I dont get my money back he took? There was no reasoning with her AT ALL, everything I said she just fobbed off with stupid jargon I think she got from 'Casino for dummies'.

Is this right because after this I just went all in and left. Real f**ked off :whip:
 

BAMA21

Well-Known Member
#3
A "blackjack" (also called a "natural") beats a 21. You have a natural or a blackjack whenever your first two cards are an ace and a ten-value card. If you get this hand, and the dealer gets a three-card total of 21, you win. If the dealer gets the natural, he beats your three-card 21.

So, in your case, if the dealer had a two-card 21, he would indeed beat your 21 that resulted from a split. If, however, the dealer's 21 was more than 2 cards, you had a legitimate complaint, as that would have been a "push" or tie.

I normally refuse to play with one of those overly-swift dealers. If a dealer comes in who is playing faster than I am comfortable with, I'll find another table, go to another casino, or call it a night.
 
#4
Playing with Speedy

Hello stuartrhunter! Don't forget you are the customer. If Speedy starts whipping cards out faster then you are comfortable with you can leave the table. OR you can do what I like to do. I will play slow, then slower and slower until Speedy gets the hint that he/she is going too fast. I will also ask Speedy if he/she will count the cards out loud for me, because "I can't add as fast as you (you refering to the dealer)." I never like to feel pressured into making a choice, right now! This is even more so when I have my hard earned money on the BJ table.

Don't forget most of the dealers want you to have a good time. If you just ask, you might get what you want. Good luck at the tables and don't let your chips move across the felt faster then the speed of fun.
 

cyclinggimpe

Well-Known Member
#5
I've had some dealers like this. The one that started when I sat down would be great and then when the break replacement came along, he would whip out the cards and when I got a 17 or higher he would automatically go to the next guy. From my understanding (from other dealers), they need to see our hand movements for the cameras upstairs. I haven't complained to the fast dealer (or pit boss) yet, I just stay for a bit and then leave and go to another table if he keeps this up. I don't sit at their table ever again. I probably will start complaining about it though because it takes the enjoyment out of playing. After all, it's my money and he shouldn't be playing my hand for me.
 
#6
Excuse me, I hit that 17

The same situation described happened to me while I was playing at a table with a grumpy fast dealer. Once I had a hard total above 17, he wouldn't even wait for my hand signal before he went to the next player. So I decided to have a little fun while the pit boss was overlooking the table... I hit to a 17 and motioned for a hit while he passed me up to the next player (because I knew he wasn't going to wait for my hand signal). Since the next card out of the deck was a 3, I decided to let the dealer know that I motioned for a hit. He told me that I motioned to stand and the pit boss luckily saw the entire situation and let me take the 3. Even though I pushed the dealer's 20, it was better than losing.

If you don't like something the dealer is doing let them know or find a way to put it in your favor.
 

E-town-guy

Well-Known Member
#7
Another annoying thing is when a dealer tries to tell you he knows how you should be playing your hand and therefore you don't. A dealer over the weekend told me that splitting against a dealer's 5 is one of the worst decisions you could make. (I can't remember exactly what I had but I'm pretty sure it was a pair of 9s). He went on to tell how he carefully monitors how players do against 5s and said that next to a 10 or ace a dealer's 5 is the most dangerous card. He went further and said that every book/website he's looked at confirms this. Not only that but he said the "professionals" agree with him.

It doesn't matter what actually happened in the hand but people like him are really annoying, though it was nice that I did win the end.
 
#9
dealer 5's

Unplayed 5's are in fact dangerous cards for the dealer since they will make any hand. However a 5 staring you in the face is usually a greater advantage to the player. This dealer obviously did not read far enough.
 
#10
I know what you all mean, I get in arguements with dealers all the time about hitting a soft 18 versus 9-ace. I've tried to explain to them that not hitting that soft 18 is like just giving your money away. But somehow in thier twisted little minds soft 18 is a good hand, but versus 9-ace it is an 8.
 

BAMA21

Well-Known Member
#11
On my last trip, I was already getting flack from a player sitting next to me about the way I was playing; and when I got a soft 18 against a face card, I had to ask for the hit and confirm twice to the dealer that this was what I really wanted to do before he'd give me the card. By that time, the guy next to me was having a caniption fit. They all pretty much left me alone after that though. I drew a three to beat the dealer's pat twenty. If I'd have bustyed that hand, I'd probably have had to leave the table or start a fight.
 
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