Playtech switch blackjack online game

#1
I find contradicting information as to what exactly is the house edge of the playtech blackjack switch game. Some sites I have consulted say the house edge is .16%, others say .17% and still again, others say .05%. Which is it?

Some strategy charts have you hit A-A vs A others split. Some double 11 vs 9 others hit. Not easy to get the correct info.
 
Last edited:

UK-21

Well-Known Member
#2
You're right - the game hasn't been analysed to death such as BJ has. But looking at the game (it's now available at some locations across the UK) it seems to me that one needs to know:

(1) Which are +EV hands and which -EV.

(2)The effect of the rules that clawback some edge for the house (push on 22, H17, switched BJ paying even money only).

(3) The effect of pos and neg counts on (2) above.

The grey area is the indices to apply as the count goes up, and in particular when to double and when not to. Even if you don't have a definitive computer analysis, I would think that some of the usual BJ borderline double opportunities (ie A4v4) won't be +EV, as the push on 22 will negate the advantage and it just becomes a case of risking more for no return. Even if that's not the case, frankly not playing it will cost very little in £/$s terms. The exact (mathematical) effect of a plus count on a dealer 12 will also determine whether there's any mileage in hitting or standing (I don't have a set of indices for BJ Switch but I'm pretty sure that in a plus count you wouldn't wait until TC+3 to stand on a 12v2, and would stand earlier on - TC+1?).

If you've studied the dynamics of normal BJ I think you'll be well armed to make the right decisions with this variant. I've only played it on a free game online and, although I haven't studied a BS table, most of the decisions were pretty obvious. Someone did say to me that if the answer wasn't obvious (should you hit 12v3 in a RC+1 count as you would in normal BJ hi-lo?) any error probably isn't that great (such as failing to switch as 10,5 and 6,10).

Definitely a game where it's players not understanding the probabilities and playing badly that will give the house a return.
 
#3
Thanks newb99! I've only started playing BJ switch online in practice mode, I'm not ready for a real money game yet. The pace of it all is SLOW; do I switch or not (?) and then learning BS for switch is much different from regular blackjack. Fortunately, playing at home in front of my computer, I can take my sweet time. If the house edge is really small, why not play it and learn to play it well! Viva la difference!
 

UK-21

Well-Known Member
#4
Thinking about it, if you count there will also be "new" doubling opportunities, possibly at TC+3 doubling a 10 against a 12? You have a greater chance of hitting a 20 or 21 although the dealer has a greater chance of catching a 22 and pushing (so no loss if you pull a low card and end up as favourite to lose).

I think it probably needs a revised counting system that takes into account the 7,8,9s (Zen?) and some serious simming at plus and minus counts to determine accurate indices. Perhaps a project for someone over the winter months?
 
#5
newb99 said:
Thinking about it, if you count there will also be "new" doubling opportunities, possibly at TC+3 doubling a 10 against a 12? You have a greater chance of hitting a 20 or 21 although the dealer has a greater chance of catching a 22 and pushing (so no loss if you pull a low card and end up as favourite to lose).

I think it probably needs a revised counting system that takes into account the 7,8,9s (Zen?) and some serious simming at plus and minus counts to determine accurate indices. Perhaps a project for someone over the winter months?
No you are going to limit your doubling in Switch. It's counterintuitive and it took me a while to grasp the idea, but just think that if the dealer is going to be able to weasel out of losing when he catches a 22, it makes putting extra money on the table less valuable.

It seems to me that by far the most powerful card for the player is going to be the 10, because of all the doubling you end up doing in Switch. The value of the ace is probably very dependent on which rule set you use, and if you get paid right away when you switch to a natural that makes the ace considerably more valuable. This is a project I've been meaning to undertake sometime but the absence of Switch opportunities in my part of the US has made it very low priority.
 

UK-21

Well-Known Member
#6
Yes, thinking about it you are right. It was an assumed 12 of course. You'd normally double a 10v2, but in switch perhaps the doubles against a 2, especially at high counts, becomes -EV due to the push 22 rule? Another conundrum is at what dealer card would you not switch to hit a BJ (leaving a 21 and lesser hand) and stay with two lesser hands - ie 8,A and 10,9 against a dealer 4, 5 or 6??
 

UK-21

Well-Known Member
#7
I've just seen Flash's post re intuition being a dangerous thing in switch.

Against a dealer 6, I would have thought that standing on two made hands of 18 and 19 would be the correct move. It is, but not by much though (according to the numbers provided by the beatingbonuses website). This is an interesting one though:

Dealer shows a 5
A, 8 / 2, 9
switching is right by 0.1289.

I would have though that standing on the 19, and doubling the 11 (especially if in a pos count if counting) would be correct. The addtional advantage that the house has of not busting on 22 is offset by the fact that if this happens it's pushes all round. Having said that, there's not a great deal in it as there is in not taking the option of making a 20 against a dealer 10.
 
#8
That is an eye opener newb99! Out of purely intellectual curiosity, any hand where the player should switch a Blackjack? (after all, it only pays 1-1)
 

UK-21

Well-Known Member
#9
At a guess an example would be where you have a 10,A and 9,10 against a dealer 6 - again especially when there's a high count and the odds of 10 cards and aces coming out are increased.
 
#10
I recently found this out; A-10, 10-6 against dealer 7-8-9 you should switch! Soft 17 and 20 has better odds than BJ and 16 vs dealer 7-8 or 9.
 

UK-21

Well-Known Member
#11
I would think so. If you were to stand you'd have one probable winning hand and one probable losing hand. If you switch you have one probable winning hand and one where there's a higher probability of not losing when taking the third card.
 

Geoff Hall

Well-Known Member
#13
ycming said:
In uk they don't let you switch a natural bj!!

Ming
They should do unless they are treating it as an automatic winner.

Incidentally, A,10 & 10,9 against a dealer 9 is the most obvious 'switch' away from a Blackjack that I know.
 
Top