I doubled a hard 16 once against a high dealer card. It's been quite a while ago. The table was full of idiots and the dealer was extremely frustrated. Someone argued with her on almost every play, questioning her count of the hand, questioning her payoffs, complaining about the lousey luck of the table...you name it. One thing they did have right though was that players were losing their butts. Almost every hand had us going against a dealer 10. Anyway, after losing a ton, I made a huge deal about doubling. For about the nineteen-thousandth time in a row I had a hard 16. Dealer yells out "doubling hard 16" and the pit boss came over. I ask him if I could double for less and he said "yes" and the dealer was getting red in the face. When I shoved out a $.50 piece he cracked up. They wouldn't let me do it though. I tossed the coin to the dealer as a toke. I think $1 was the minimum you could wager there, but it got a good laugh. Guess you'd have had to have been there. :devil:
Splitting Tens.
- Thread starter ScottH
- Start date
To answer the original question on this thread. I haven't fully mastered the 10 splitting yet, but when I'm playing for real money my rule so far is:
Almost always split 10s on dealer's six - unless the true count shows a very good chance of low cards being due.
Splitting 10s on dealer's five when the true count is well due for high cards.
Works very well for me.
Basically, if you think about it, it makes sense to split tens any time it's good to double down on a ten.
Almost always split 10s on dealer's six - unless the true count shows a very good chance of low cards being due.
Splitting 10s on dealer's five when the true count is well due for high cards.
Works very well for me.
Basically, if you think about it, it makes sense to split tens any time it's good to double down on a ten.
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Doubling for less and Splitting 10's
In a few houses, although you can double for less, it must be for at least the table minimum. So if you're at a quarter table betting quarters, in effect you cannot double for less. In most places though, there is no problem with doubling a fifty dollar 12 vs. 3 for 5 bucks when it seems like a good idea. EV'wise, it's $1.25 out of the advertising budget.
My general criterion for splitting 10's is that the TC be high enough that if I immediately catch two more 10's, I can keep resplitting using an EV maximizing index number. So if we're four decks deep into a six deck shoe and I have 10/10 vs. 5, I need a +6 TC to split.
In a few houses, although you can double for less, it must be for at least the table minimum. So if you're at a quarter table betting quarters, in effect you cannot double for less. In most places though, there is no problem with doubling a fifty dollar 12 vs. 3 for 5 bucks when it seems like a good idea. EV'wise, it's $1.25 out of the advertising budget.
My general criterion for splitting 10's is that the TC be high enough that if I immediately catch two more 10's, I can keep resplitting using an EV maximizing index number. So if we're four decks deep into a six deck shoe and I have 10/10 vs. 5, I need a +6 TC to split.
20 double down
I was at Foxwoods one night watching others play. It was a busy concert night and the floor was full of players. I became interested in a table with players betting $100 a hand minimums. The dealer dealt out all the cards giving the player at third base a soft 20. The dealer played out everyone's hand then finally came to third base. He was about to pass him over since he had a 20 when the player called out, "WAIT!" He doubled his bet of $200 I think it was, and guess what came out of the shoe? An ACE! The floor rep was watching the play and jokingly called out, "SECURITY!" Everyone couldn't believe what he did!
The same night at another table, I watched a mix bag of players. One middle-aged man was playing $100+ a hand. He then nonchalantly put up two $500 chips. The dealer called out "table max!" He gets dealt a blackjack! I couldn't believe it! Something must have been going on that night....
I was at Foxwoods one night watching others play. It was a busy concert night and the floor was full of players. I became interested in a table with players betting $100 a hand minimums. The dealer dealt out all the cards giving the player at third base a soft 20. The dealer played out everyone's hand then finally came to third base. He was about to pass him over since he had a 20 when the player called out, "WAIT!" He doubled his bet of $200 I think it was, and guess what came out of the shoe? An ACE! The floor rep was watching the play and jokingly called out, "SECURITY!" Everyone couldn't believe what he did!
The same night at another table, I watched a mix bag of players. One middle-aged man was playing $100+ a hand. He then nonchalantly put up two $500 chips. The dealer called out "table max!" He gets dealt a blackjack! I couldn't believe it! Something must have been going on that night....
I have never split tens...until yesterday. Always when the situation arises there has been a reason not to do it. One reason not to do it is because it creates heat. Another reason is because you may create dissension and argumentation at the table among the other players, which is another kind of heat, by drawing attention to yourself in a negative manner.
But yesterday, I was playing at a table where everyone had gotten to know each other, and we had been talking and joking with each other for a long time. I was playing third base, the count was super high, the dealer had a five up, and I was dealt two tens. Most of the hands that went before me were made hands, with maybe one fellow hoping for a dealer bust. I split my tens. The other players were very supportive. One player, in fact, a dyed in the wool ploppy, had tried to promote ten-splitting earlier when it was a huge negative count. I had said it wasn't a good idea, he relented, and then out came two tens, him saying, "See, I would have made two twenties!" So when I split my tens, I turned to him and said, "I finally decided to take your advice and gamble!"
The dealer dealt me first a ten and then an ace. Everyone applauded my astuteness. The dealer finished the round by dealing himself a third ten to bust his hard fifteen, so even the player who stood on a stiff was happy. It was the first time I ever split tens, and I told everyone that--no act--it was the truth. And it had a happy ending. It was a mediocre game, up and down, and after three hours I was only one unit up when I quit. You might say, my split made a difference, although I'm sure I could have picked another time to quit when I was up even more.
But yesterday, I was playing at a table where everyone had gotten to know each other, and we had been talking and joking with each other for a long time. I was playing third base, the count was super high, the dealer had a five up, and I was dealt two tens. Most of the hands that went before me were made hands, with maybe one fellow hoping for a dealer bust. I split my tens. The other players were very supportive. One player, in fact, a dyed in the wool ploppy, had tried to promote ten-splitting earlier when it was a huge negative count. I had said it wasn't a good idea, he relented, and then out came two tens, him saying, "See, I would have made two twenties!" So when I split my tens, I turned to him and said, "I finally decided to take your advice and gamble!"
The dealer dealt me first a ten and then an ace. Everyone applauded my astuteness. The dealer finished the round by dealing himself a third ten to bust his hard fifteen, so even the player who stood on a stiff was happy. It was the first time I ever split tens, and I told everyone that--no act--it was the truth. And it had a happy ending. It was a mediocre game, up and down, and after three hours I was only one unit up when I quit. You might say, my split made a difference, although I'm sure I could have picked another time to quit when I was up even more.
paddywhack said:
Have split them exactly twice.
First time I pulled a 5 and a 6 and saved the table. Second time I resplit once and wound up with three lousy hands and the dealer DID NOT have a face card in the hole All I needed was a lousy 17 to push on those three hands, didn't have one. 4 max bet swing.
First time I pulled a 5 and a 6 and saved the table. Second time I resplit once and wound up with three lousy hands and the dealer DID NOT have a face card in the hole
All I needed was a lousy 17 to push on those three hands, didn't have one. 4 max bet swing.
Very often, that dissention you create by splitting 10's causes the players to leave your table, or sit out the rest of the shoe in a very positive count -- another reason to split'em. You should have however, a "gamble-it-up" image to go along with your 10's splitting.
I once heard a ploppy loudly boast at the table, "You know when's a good time to split 10's? When you're at a crowded table and your buddy needs a seat!"
I once heard a ploppy loudly boast at the table, "You know when's a good time to split 10's? When you're at a crowded table and your buddy needs a seat!"
You are probabaly overbetting
The problem is that I have my max bet out there when the proper opportunity comes. Yes, my EV is + by splitting, but I'd rather lower the variance when I get dealt 20 with a max bet out.
If you are concerned about variance on any individual bet or even a session, you are probably overbetting.
The problem is that I have my max bet out there when the proper opportunity comes. Yes, my EV is + by splitting, but I'd rather lower the variance when I get dealt 20 with a max bet out.
If you are concerned about variance on any individual bet or even a session, you are probably overbetting.
Anyone know where a 50 cent game can be found? j/k :joker: :whip:
Laying down large money with a mere 2% edge was the hardest thing for me to get used to. All I can say is that faith in the mathematics and keeping one's eyes fixed on the long run are like good scotch whiskey, it's an acquired taste.
Laying down large money with a mere 2% edge was the hardest thing for me to get used to. All I can say is that faith in the mathematics and keeping one's eyes fixed on the long run are like good scotch whiskey, it's an acquired taste.
Wow - this thread is so funny and some good stories
I love how when people who were watching /playing at the same table would comment about my max bets getting blackjack
"wow you really know what you are doing"...somehow the images of all the max bets i lost still scroll through my mind. But I guess that goes with the whiskey shot after lol
I love how when people who were watching /playing at the same table would comment about my max bets getting blackjack
"wow you really know what you are doing"...somehow the images of all the max bets i lost still scroll through my mind. But I guess that goes with the whiskey shot after lol
I had 4 opportunities to split tens here on my vegas trip, one time at a 25 dollar shoe, I pulled the trigger. Another time at a 50 dollar DD. I had just doubled soft 19 with a pc watching my game so I opted not to pull the trigger there.
Then it happened....I'm playing heads up staring at a 4 playing two hand of DD and I went ahead and pulled the trigger on hand one, caught a duece, then I got another ten...resplit...another duece...third ten comes out, resplit....pull an ace, and the last card on the 4th hand was another ten, but I couldn't split, at this point the dealer called the attention of the floor, fortunately the stupid one came over and I told her I didn't fly 3000 miles to pussyfoot and I am here to gamble, she wished me luck....and went on to say to talk about how rarely this works. I pulled up my second hand, and you know what I found? TWO MORE TENS! Now you guys can argue here the TC was still 9 and I could have split them also, but I didn't pull the trigger, I just tucked em so nobody could see. I won all 750 in bets.
Then it happened....I'm playing heads up staring at a 4 playing two hand of DD and I went ahead and pulled the trigger on hand one, caught a duece, then I got another ten...resplit...another duece...third ten comes out, resplit....pull an ace, and the last card on the 4th hand was another ten, but I couldn't split, at this point the dealer called the attention of the floor, fortunately the stupid one came over and I told her I didn't fly 3000 miles to pussyfoot and I am here to gamble, she wished me luck....and went on to say to talk about how rarely this works. I pulled up my second hand, and you know what I found? TWO MORE TENS! Now you guys can argue here the TC was still 9 and I could have split them also, but I didn't pull the trigger, I just tucked em so nobody could see. I won all 750 in bets.