Illustrious 18 Table Confusion

[GuyIncognito]

I'm a little confused by the Illustrious 18 table on Wizard of Odds

https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/card-counting/high-low/

The instructions state:
"The player should stand/double/split if the True Count equals or exceeds the Index Number, otherwise hit. The player should take insurance if the True Count is +3 or greater."

What jumps out at me though are the last few indices

13 v 2 -1
12 v 4 0,
12 v 5 -2,
12 v 6 -1,
13 v 3 -2,

According to the instructions as I interpret them I should be making some risky doubles on 12's and 13's since the standard play is to stay. I started looking around more to understand why and then started noticing different instructions elsewhere like a thread on this forum that lists them as a hit not a double which makes more sense to me and I'm thinking may be the right play.

https://www.blackjacktheforum.com/showthread.php?20616-Illustrious-18-Plays-Below-and-Above-Index


So who is right? What am I getting wrong here? Am I not reading the Wizard of Odds instructions properly or have they made a mistake?

 

[LC Larry]

You hit below those numbers, not double. Hence the "otherwise hit."

 

[GuyIncognito]

You hit below those numbers, not double.

Thank you for confirming my suspicion. That makes far more sense to me.

Is it just me or do those instructions make it seem like they are telling people to double? I realize it ends with "otherwise hit" but say you have a neutral count at 12 v 4 then the true count equals the index which meets one of the conditions.

 

[DSchles]

Thank you for confirming my suspicion. That makes far more sense to me.

Is it just me or do those instructions make it seem like they are telling people to double? I realize it ends with "otherwise hit" but say you have a neutral count at 12 v 4 then the true count equals the index which meets one of the conditions.

You never double 12. EVER. The instructions say to stand, double, or split at the index or above. It's up to you to understand which of those options makes sense for the holding you have. If you have 11, the index is for doubling. If you have 12, the index is for standing. If you have T,T, the index is for splitting.

Don

 

[xengrifter]

According to the instructions as I interpret them I should be making some risky doubles on 12's and 13's since the standard play is to stay.

This is EXACTLY why I said to learn BS cold perfect first!
Also, why did you place ('s) after 12 and 13? Did you mean 12s and 13s?

 

[London Colin]

Also, why did you place ('s) after 12 and 13? Did you mean 12s and 13s?

Both of those are valid, as I understand it. Maybe we should concentrate on discussing blackjack.

 

[DSchles]

Both of those are valid, as I understand it. Maybe we should concentrate on discussing blackjack.

There are dozens of articles on the internet that discuss how to write the plural of numerals. Almost all will advise not to use an apostrophe, which serves no real purpose. Here's just one of many: https://www.grammarbook.com/newsletters/110910.htm

Don

 

[London Colin]

There are dozens of articles on the internet that discuss how to write the plural of numerals. Almost all will advise not to use an apostrophe, which serves no real purpose. Here's just one of many: https://www.grammarbook.com/newsletters/110910.htm

Don

My research only went as far as discovering that it is a matter of style rather than a rigid rule. For what it's worth, I read the discussion here - https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/55970/plurals-of-acronyms-letters-numbers-use-an-apostrophe-or-not

The point I was seeking to make is that it was hardly a glaring error requiring someone to step forward and slap the offender's wrist.

 

[GuyIncognito]

This is EXACTLY why I said to learn BS cold perfect first!
Also, why did you place ('s) after 12 and 13? Did you mean 12s and 13s?

Ugh this again. I already know and understand basic strategy. You are taking my admission of making a mistake during play and then asking others what kind of memorization techniques they use in another thread and construing it to a misplaced belief that I don't know or understand basic strategy. I experienced a memory failure during play and sought advice, flashcards is the answer I came away with and have started using.

The question I asked in this thread demonstrates that I already know and understand BS otherwise I wouldn't have even questioned doubling a 12. Because I already knew BS doubling a 12 jumped out at me and made me further investigate.

I still think those instructions are poorly worded and could lead someone to interpreting that you double a 12.

 

[DSchles]

My research only went as far as discovering that it is a matter of style rather than a rigid rule. For what it's worth, I read the discussion here - https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/55970/plurals-of-acronyms-letters-numbers-use-an-apostrophe-or-not

The point I was seeking to make is that it was hardly a glaring error requiring someone to step forward and slap the offender's wrist.

I certainly agree with that. Every day of my life I pass up writing about at least a dozen language atrocities more egregious than that. The internet is a cesspool of functional illiterates.

Don

 

[xengrifter]

The question I asked in this thread demonstrates that I already know and understand BS otherwise I wouldn't have even questioned doubling a 12. Because I already knew BS doubling a 12 jumped out at me and made me further investigate.

I still think those instructions are poorly worded and could lead someone to interpreting that you double a 12.

Still, I am shocked that you didn't immediately figure this out for yourself.
In any event, now that this has been cleared you may now proceed to learn HO2 from Zen Master Flash.

 

[Hell'nBack]

In any event, now that this has been cleared you may now proceed to learn HO2 from Zen Master Flash.

Surely, you can't be serious!

 

[GuyIncognito]

Surely, you can't be serious!

I'm going to continue on my journey of hi-low with illustrious 18 and fab 4.

 

[Tater]

Atta boy Guy. It would be false to call Xen Shirley. Yes, he probably is serious.

 

[Dummy]

What they indicate is they list indices as hit/stand, hit/double, hit/split, stand/double, and stand/split decisions rather than when to deviate from BS. So to use the indices you don't need to know BS. You just need enough common sense to know what type of decision the index is for. The way indices are more commonly expressed requires you to think about BS before using the index which is just one extra and unnecessary step. Using decision barriers instead of deviation from BS is just more efficient.

That said I don't know if this was a misprint and these were intended to be used as deviations for BS stand decisions or hit/stand barriers. Sorry I don't use Hilo and don't care to look it up.