Doubling down A,8 vs. dealer 6

[socal_bj]

A player next to me showed me his strategy card and I compared it to mine and his indicated STAND when player has A,8 (soft 19) against dealer 6.

I told him that should be Double Down. So I asked him where he got the strategy card and he said it was from his mentor (an ex-player on the MIT blackjack team); someone with a greek name like "petropolous" or "petrolopous"

This man didn't seem to know that much and wasn't not jumping his bets according to the count so I doubt he was really able to count.

Any ideas why his strategy card or his mentor would have him STAND instead of double down on A,8 vs. dealer 6?

Anyway, I told him mine was correct and that I even had an argument with a dealer once who told me I was not suppose to double down A,8 against dealer 6. I told the dealer it was basic strategy, so the dealer asked the pit boss who was right. The pit boss did not know off hand, but had a strategy card in his pocket and looked at it and sure enough I was right. The pit boss "I better keep my eye on you, you know your basic strategy too well...wink, wink."

 

[tthree]

I don't know what game you were playing but BS doesn't double soft 19 in shoe games.

 

[Nynefingers]

Depends on the rules. If the dealer stands on soft 17 and it's not single deck, then you stand with A8 vs. 6. For single deck or any H17 game you double.

 

[socal_bj]

Depends on the rules. If the dealer stands on soft 17 and it's not single deck, then you stand with A8 vs. 6. For single deck or any H17 game you double.

I play double deck, H17, DAS

I get my strategy guide from this website's Basic Strategy Engine of course!

 

[Gamblor]

I guess he might have had the S17 rules.

However, I've seen enough wildly incorrect BS cards from the casino gift shops to be certain casinos sell the wrong BS cards intentionally.

 

[Shoofly]

I guess he might have had the S17 rules.

However, I've seen enough wildly incorrect BS cards from the casino gift shops to be certain casinos sell the wrong BS cards intentionally.

I really don't think they do that. Most casino employees don't know there is more than one BS. I saw a PC pull out a BS card that showed stand on 44 v 5 or 6. This casino only offered 6 deck, DAS.

 

[noblackjackhack]

6 Deck

According to Standford Wong's Professional Blackjack a 6 Deck game using Hi- Lo you would double A8 v 6 at TC >= 1 for S17. You would double A8 v 6 at TC >= 0 for H17

(page 61 of my version of the book)

 

[Solo player]

Basic

According to Standford Wong's Professional Blackjack a 6 Deck game using Hi- Lo you would double A8 v 6 at TC >= 1 for S17. You would double A8 v 6 at TC >= 0 for H17

(page 61 of my version of the book)

The OP is talking about bs. not counting.

 

[noblackjackhack]

The OP is talking about bs. not counting.

Im new here... should I not expand on the topic? My thoughts were if TC >=0 the BS decision would be a close call anyway. I always stand on soft 19, usually play S17 but sometimes H17...if I'm not counting. I'm not sure why Ive done this, I think Ill start double A8 v 6 on H17.

 

[SecurityRisk]

I don't know what game you were playing but BS doesn't double soft 19 in shoe games.

The strategy engine on this very web site says to double A,8 (soft 19) vs 6 on shoe games when dealer hits soft 17.

 

[blackjacktilt]

Im new here... should I not expand on the topic? My thoughts were if TC >=0 the BS decision would be a close call anyway. I always stand on soft 19, usually play S17 but sometimes H17...if I'm not counting. I'm not sure why Ive done this, I think Ill start double A8 v 6 on H17.

Good cover play. And yep, HS17 is correct to do so.

 

[Gamblor]

I really don't think they do that. Most casino employees don't know there is more than one BS. I saw a PC pull out a BS card that showed stand on 44 v 5 or 6. This casino only offered 6 deck, DAS.

Awesome, explains the advice the PC sometimes give to ploppies "Split 99 against a 4. No you don't want to do that, you have a good hand!"

Right, that could be an appropriate BS card for some games, but I've seen a few that aren't even close, e.g., stand 77 v 8, 9, 10, A. Also, try finding a BS card in AC that gives proper rules for H17

 

[Shoofly]

Awesome, explains the advice the PC sometimes give to ploppies "Split 99 against a 4. No you don't want to do that, you have a good hand!"

Right, that could be an appropriate BS card for some games, but I've seen a few that aren't even close, e.g., stand 77 v 8, 9, 10, A. Also, try finding a BS card in AC that gives proper rules for H17

Yeah, if you see a card suggesting that, there can be no other explanation. But as far as advice from PC & dealers, they simply don't understand the game. I am sure we have all been questioned by dealers when we hit 12 against 2 or 3, "But that's a bust card." Or when we hit A7 v 10, "Are you sure?" And forget about index plays. I had a dealer almost pass out when I hit 12 v 4.

 

[Gamblor]

Yeah, if you see a card suggesting that, there can be no other explanation. But as far as advice from PC & dealers, they simply don't understand the game. I am sure we have all been questioned by dealers when we hit 12 against 2 or 3, "But that's a bust card." Or when we hit A7 v 10, "Are you sure?" And forget about index plays. I had a dealer almost pass out when I hit 12 v 4.

Definitely, hardly any dealer I know knows BS. You would initially think the PC would be better trained, but alas they are probably not much better. Especially throw in the fact PC and dealers are trained to run many different types of games, I'm sure many would not bother learning the minor details of BJ.

 

[Friendo]

I have had this one called out

One H17 place I play will call "Doubling soft 19" out to the pit.

I don't have any evidence that the pit actually cares, but it's probably one way to get on their list of undesirable customers if done often enough.

This particular shop does not care about my habit of hitting A-7 vs. 9, 10, & A.

 

[Shoofly]

One H17 place I play will call "Doubling soft 19" out to the pit.

I don't have any evidence that the pit actually cares, but it's probably one way to get on their list of undesirable customers if done often enough.

This particular shop does not care about my habit of hitting A-7 vs. 9, 10, & A.

Maybe it's just their way of calling out what they consider to be dumb plays, the way they will call out "Doubling hard 12."

 

[tthree]

The strategy engine on this very web site says to double A,8 (soft 19) vs 6 on shoe games when dealer hits soft 17.

I avoid those H17 games like the plague. My ignorance about playing them is understandable. Sorry when it makes me say something that is incorrect concerning them.

 

[tthree]

One H17 place I play will call "Doubling soft 19" out to the pit.

I don't have any evidence that the pit actually cares, but it's probably one way to get on their list of undesirable customers if done often enough.

This particular shop does not care about my habit of hitting A-7 vs. 9, 10, & A.

They call out odd plays to prevent shot taking. That is where you say you didn't do such an such and your evidence is nobody would do that. The pit usually will give you one free shot per shift and allow you some reparation for the mistake. When they call out your bozo move you can't take your shot.

 

[Gamblor]

They call out odd plays to prevent shot taking. That is where you say you didn't do such an such and your evidence is nobody would do that. The pit usually will give you one free shot per shift and allow you some reparation for the mistake. When they call out your bozo move you can't take your shot.

Interesting, always thought it was the opposite, they were more concerned about AP moves (someone's somehow able to determine the next card) when they call out doubling hard 12 and so forth.

 

[Shoofly]

They call out odd plays to prevent shot taking. That is where you say you didn't do such an such and your evidence is nobody would do that. The pit usually will give you one free shot per shift and allow you some reparation for the mistake. When they call out your bozo move you can't take your shot.

Interesting concept. But I wonder how, if a player placed an identical bet next to his original bet, he could then claim he didn't do it.