Power Blackjack

[alwayssplitaces]

I used a match play coupon at Fitzgeralds in downtown Vegas. I saw they had a Power Blackjack game. H17, DA2, DAS, split pairs twice. 3 variations, if you double 9-11 and didn't like the double card (such as if you double down 11 and get an ace), you can burn the double card and get the next card (only once). You can split a hard 15 or 16 once for an additional bet (so you have one hand starting with 10 and another starting with 6). A dealer 22 is a push. I played it for a little while and found it interesting.

What's the house edge, and can it be beaten by counting?

 

[moo321]

Hmm, never heard of it. I'm sure wizardofodds.com has something.

 

[Mewtwo]

Hmm, never heard of it. I'm sure wizardofodds.com has something.

You are indeed correct!

http://wizardofodds.com/powerblackjack



The rules on WoO are slightly different than what you listed. They have S17, you're playing H17... You can split to 3 hands, the WoO variant can only split to 2.

However, there's one -MAJOR- difference. You said that if you Power Double, that you burn the unwanted card, correct? Under WoO rules, you EXCHANGE it for the next card in the shoe. This means that the card you didn't want will be the next card the dealer receives.
If the unwanted double card is burned outright, then almost all doubles should be power doubles, as you get two chances at a good card without detriment. But if the unwanted card is exchanged, you wouldn't want to give up a 4 when you doubled on, say, 9 vs. 6, as that 4 is waiting there for the dealer if they happen to have 16.

This might even have a lower house edge than conventional BJ depending on what happens with the power-doubled card. Can you clarify?

 

[alwayssplitaces]

I'm sure there will be a huge advantage if you exchange a ten as a double card for the next card in the shoe, then let the dealer get the ten to bust. It would make sense to play every hand on the table, power-double whenever possible, and steer a ten to the dealer.
But that's not how it worked when I saw it live. The WoO site about this game wasn't updated for years. I'm pretty sure it was H17 at Fitzgeralds and the unwanted card was burned because the dealer put it in the discards.

 

[moo321]

I'm sure there will be a huge advantage if you exchange a ten as a double card for the next card in the shoe, then let the dealer get the ten to bust. It would make sense to play every hand on the table, power-double whenever possible, and steer a ten to the dealer.
But that's not how it worked when I saw it live. The WoO site about this game wasn't updated for years. I'm pretty sure it was H17 at Fitzgeralds and the unwanted card was burned because the dealer put it in the discards.

Hmm, I don't know what the optimal play would be with a ten. If it was a bust card, and you double with 8 or nine, I think you would want to steer for the bust. But probably not with 11 v. 10 or something like that, where the 21 is so powerful.


As far as beating it with counting, my very cursory guess is that it would have an affect of removal somewhere in the range of regular blackjack, assuming they aren't shorting the 3:2 blackjack payout.