I`ve Been Playing BJ
Longer than most of you have been alive, over 40 yrs, not bragging just stating a fact. You can play one of 3 ways, hunch or "gut", count, or perfect Basic Strategy. Counting in a casino atmosphere is very difficult if not impossible to do for a profit. It used to be they paid little attention
to wager fluctuations. Not now, they`ll be on you like white on rice if you suddenly go from a $10 player to a 3 dollar player! Most people don`t have the patience or the ability for the intense concentration required. If you want to disregard time honored rules & math and go by instinct be my guest, hope your roll is a large one. For the average player i.e. 95% of those playing BS is the only way to go. Anyone w/a brain can learn to do it. It has to be followed perfectly and w/o exception. Having said all this in the end it`s money management and discipline that will separate the winners from losers. One last word of advice NO DEALER IS YOUR FRIEND!! So when he or she tells you take "insurance" this advice is coming from an employee of the HOUSE!! And yes you must ht S18 against a 9 or 10. Also split nines against 8`s or 9`s. One of the keys to winning is to have as much $$ as possible on the table when the up card is 4.5. or6. Never pass up a chance to dbl or split. Have fun bet ONLY what you can afford and remember "21" is not the goal. It`s to BEAT THE DEALER!! Luck to all.
Longer than most of you have been alive, over 40 yrs, not bragging just stating a fact. You can play one of 3 ways, hunch or "gut", count, or perfect Basic Strategy. Counting in a casino atmosphere is very difficult if not impossible to do for a profit. It used to be they paid little attention
to wager fluctuations. Not now, they`ll be on you like white on rice if you suddenly go from a $10 player to a 3 dollar player! Most people don`t have the patience or the ability for the intense concentration required. If you want to disregard time honored rules & math and go by instinct be my guest, hope your roll is a large one. For the average player i.e. 95% of those playing BS is the only way to go. Anyone w/a brain can learn to do it. It has to be followed perfectly and w/o exception. Having said all this in the end it`s money management and discipline that will separate the winners from losers. One last word of advice NO DEALER IS YOUR FRIEND!! So when he or she tells you take "insurance" this advice is coming from an employee of the HOUSE!! And yes you must ht S18 against a 9 or 10. Also split nines against 8`s or 9`s. One of the keys to winning is to have as much $$ as possible on the table when the up card is 4.5. or6. Never pass up a chance to dbl or split. Have fun bet ONLY what you can afford and remember "21" is not the goal. It`s to BEAT THE DEALER!! Luck to all.
silver7 said:
I have also believe in the strategy of having as much money as possible on the table when the dealer is showing 4, 5, or 6. Does this mean split face cards if you got em? I have done this a few times at casino's and gotten some dirty looks and comments my way. Seems to me that the dealer will bust a higher percentage of the time with those up cards, and I want to have as much money as possible out there for those busts. Even if it means splitting face cards. Is this correct?
No, that would be wrong, simply because a 20 is too good of a hand to give up, and the fact that you won't be able to double down the split hands. Basic Strategy is really simple, just memorize the chart. After studying it and practicing for an hour or two, everything will make sense and you'll be able to follow it, even if you're drunk.
I also have been playing BJ over 40 years. When counting could be done without any casino heat and against 1 or 2 decks where they dealt to the bottom of the deck, I was in heaven. I was a steady winner. The advent of 6 or 8 decks plus only dealing 2/3 of the cards effectively killed counting for me. It's to much of effort to bother with for very little return. I play perfect basic strategy except for 1 thing. I don't pull against the dealer's 10 with a 15 or 16. The reason for this is that you will win only 1.5 hands more out of every 100 hands by pulling on 15 or 16.
I know I am doing the wrong thing but I rather give up the 1.5 hands, stay in the game and wait for the dealer to bust. I will hit with the dealer showing a 7 or 8 like Parsons said, because you can pull a 1, 2 or 3 and win or tie. Against a 20 these cards don't help.
As far as the other people at the table, anyone who knows BJ will not be annoyed if you play wrong. They have a 50-50 chance of being helped or hurt by your incorrect play. Only the uneducated will be annoyed so the hell with them. Do what you want with your own money.
ESQAJM
I know I am doing the wrong thing but I rather give up the 1.5 hands, stay in the game and wait for the dealer to bust. I will hit with the dealer showing a 7 or 8 like Parsons said, because you can pull a 1, 2 or 3 and win or tie. Against a 20 these cards don't help.
As far as the other people at the table, anyone who knows BJ will not be annoyed if you play wrong. They have a 50-50 chance of being helped or hurt by your incorrect play. Only the uneducated will be annoyed so the hell with them. Do what you want with your own money.
ESQAJM
Illini You`re Right On
Bad move just as hitting S19, it`s too strong a hand. Funny you should mention the drunk part. Was @ Harrah`s in Laughlin, 3 A.M., girlfriend long gone to bed. Me and a guy sooo shitfaced he could hardly sit on the stool, doing everything contrary to basic BJ laws of chance, and winning his ass off. He was up around 10 G`s when I left in disgust w/my perfect playing strategy in tatters. **** happens. Not a sprint, a marathon.
Bad move just as hitting S19, it`s too strong a hand. Funny you should mention the drunk part. Was @ Harrah`s in Laughlin, 3 A.M., girlfriend long gone to bed. Me and a guy sooo shitfaced he could hardly sit on the stool, doing everything contrary to basic BJ laws of chance, and winning his ass off. He was up around 10 G`s when I left in disgust w/my perfect playing strategy in tatters. **** happens. Not a sprint, a marathon.
esqajm- if you used to count you clearly understand the math why sat on 15 or 16 when you know its wrong?
I also dont understand why you knowingly play at a disadvantage- Im honestly just curious. I can out an 8 deck shoe with no problem so I just don't understand the logic of knowing you will lose- is it the comps?
Granted I missed out on the glory years of counting- Im only 22 - but it can be done
I also dont understand why you knowingly play at a disadvantage- Im honestly just curious. I can out an 8 deck shoe with no problem so I just don't understand the logic of knowing you will lose- is it the comps?
Granted I missed out on the glory years of counting- Im only 22 - but it can be done
tkf and Noreaga: I got out my old copy of Lawrence Revere's book and came up with these answers.
When a dealer has a 2 showing - busts 35%
3 showing - busts 38%
4 showing - busts 40%
5 showing - busts 43%
6 showing - busts 42% (don't know why it's less than 5)
I didn't say I'm doing the right thing by standing on 15 and 16 against the dealer's 9 and 10. But the stats are:
on 16 I lose an extra 3 hands out of 100 hands
on 15 I lose an extra 4 hands out of 100 hands
I don't know how many hours you would have to play to get 100 15 or 16's against the dealer's 9 or 10. But it is a lot of hours. I feel that if I play 50-60 hands in an hour and a half. it might happen 10 times. I have more fun playing if I could stand with my 15 or 16 and be in at the end of the hand rather than bust before the dealer turns his card. For that privilege I am giving up about a 1/2 hand every 1 1/2 hour session or a full hand every 3 hours.I feel it is small enough to absorb so that I can enjoy my playing more.
ESQAJM
When a dealer has a 2 showing - busts 35%
3 showing - busts 38%
4 showing - busts 40%
5 showing - busts 43%
6 showing - busts 42% (don't know why it's less than 5)
I didn't say I'm doing the right thing by standing on 15 and 16 against the dealer's 9 and 10. But the stats are:
on 16 I lose an extra 3 hands out of 100 hands
on 15 I lose an extra 4 hands out of 100 hands
I don't know how many hours you would have to play to get 100 15 or 16's against the dealer's 9 or 10. But it is a lot of hours. I feel that if I play 50-60 hands in an hour and a half. it might happen 10 times. I have more fun playing if I could stand with my 15 or 16 and be in at the end of the hand rather than bust before the dealer turns his card. For that privilege I am giving up about a 1/2 hand every 1 1/2 hour session or a full hand every 3 hours.I feel it is small enough to absorb so that I can enjoy my playing more.
ESQAJM
