Ten_Seven(R)
New Member
Hi. I live in Northern CA and the cardrooms here offer a game called no-bust blackjack. From what I know it is very hard to beat the game due to the commission on every hand. However, I was wondering if anyone knows the basic strategy for the game and the ev?
Here's my limited understanding of the game based on observation and brochure:
Player vs Agent (assume the agent is the dealer)
8 deck shoe with 8 jokers.
Player recieves 2 cards face up and Agent receives 1 card and doesn't receive the 2nd card until all the players have played their hands
H17
DOA except no soft doubling; no doubling on joker hands
No DAS
Split any pair or ten-value cards once to form 2 hands; can't split hands with Joker
Split Aces receive 1 card
2 Jokers or Joker and Ace (called natural) pays 2 to 1
Joker with non-Joker(s) or non-Ace card(s) is consider 21
All other wins (including splits or double downs) pays even money or 1 to 1
there are no blackjacks in the game
Early surrender since dealer has no hole card; player can't surrender with a joker in his hand and player can't surrender when Agent is showing a Joker
Player must stand on 20 or more
Player must Hit or Surrender on 11 or less
Player has option on 12-19
Agent must stand on Hard 17 or more
Agent must hit Soft 17 or less
Now, the tough part:
Player wins if player doesn't go over 21 and the Agent busts by going over 21
Agent wins if player busts and agent doesn't bust
If both player and agent doesn't bust, the hand closest to 21 wins
If both player and agent have the same value, then it's a push
Agent with Jokers wins all (against player with Joker hand)
When both parties bust, i.e. go over 21:
(a) agent wins if closer to 21
(b) player has a push rather than a loss if player is closer to 21\
(c) agent wins all ties
Translation:
Negatives: 8D with 8 jokers, H17, DOA (no soft doubling), no DAS, No re-splits, Split Aces receive 1 card only. There is no 3:2 blackjack.
Positives: 8 jokers because all wins pay even money unless Player has 2 Jokers or Joker + Ace., which pays 2 to 1 so long as dealer doesn't have a joker (my understanding). Player has option of early surrender. If player busts and dealer busts, player has a push so long as player's value is closest to 21 and doesn't push with agent.
What a F*CKED UP BJ game! I'm interested because they have tournaments and I can invite my friends. I suspect an Joker / Ace side-count should help and the proper (ES) strategy.
Here's my limited understanding of the game based on observation and brochure:
Player vs Agent (assume the agent is the dealer)
8 deck shoe with 8 jokers.
Player recieves 2 cards face up and Agent receives 1 card and doesn't receive the 2nd card until all the players have played their hands
H17
DOA except no soft doubling; no doubling on joker hands
No DAS
Split any pair or ten-value cards once to form 2 hands; can't split hands with Joker
Split Aces receive 1 card
2 Jokers or Joker and Ace (called natural) pays 2 to 1
Joker with non-Joker(s) or non-Ace card(s) is consider 21
All other wins (including splits or double downs) pays even money or 1 to 1
there are no blackjacks in the game
Early surrender since dealer has no hole card; player can't surrender with a joker in his hand and player can't surrender when Agent is showing a Joker
Player must stand on 20 or more
Player must Hit or Surrender on 11 or less
Player has option on 12-19
Agent must stand on Hard 17 or more
Agent must hit Soft 17 or less
Now, the tough part:
Player wins if player doesn't go over 21 and the Agent busts by going over 21
Agent wins if player busts and agent doesn't bust
If both player and agent doesn't bust, the hand closest to 21 wins
If both player and agent have the same value, then it's a push
Agent with Jokers wins all (against player with Joker hand)
When both parties bust, i.e. go over 21:
(a) agent wins if closer to 21
(b) player has a push rather than a loss if player is closer to 21\
(c) agent wins all ties
Translation:
Negatives: 8D with 8 jokers, H17, DOA (no soft doubling), no DAS, No re-splits, Split Aces receive 1 card only. There is no 3:2 blackjack.
Positives: 8 jokers because all wins pay even money unless Player has 2 Jokers or Joker + Ace., which pays 2 to 1 so long as dealer doesn't have a joker (my understanding). Player has option of early surrender. If player busts and dealer busts, player has a push so long as player's value is closest to 21 and doesn't push with agent.
What a F*CKED UP BJ game! I'm interested because they have tournaments and I can invite my friends. I suspect an Joker / Ace side-count should help and the proper (ES) strategy.