'Splain something to me about Blackjack

[P&R Fan]

Oh and always split aces.
Next we will go into the double down hands.

I always split Aces, Caj. The other day I did and got FOUR Aces in a row, so I split four ways against a bust card.
Won big on that one.

I love to double down. I never double on my 11 if the dealer has a 9 or a 10. Other players do, but I don't have the guts. If he (or she, can't be a misogynist here) has 2-7 I will double down on my 8, 9, 10 or 11. Usually works for me, although some more experienced players think I'm crazy.
I am, but that's a story for another day.
Jim

 

[kpap]

well I'm a pit boss, Cajun is really close you split 4's against a5 and 6, if they allow double downs after splitting. The one misconception is 6 deck shoe, it's a card counter paradice. Here is why with a six deck shoe when the count is good you get more hands, and by playing perfect basic stradgy the house has .5% advantage that's it. so when the count is bad or neutral with a minium bet your only give up .5%. with single deck and double deck by the time the count is good the dealer shuffles, that's why pro counters love 6 and 8 deck shoes. Splitting 8's against 9 and face will give you a slight advantage not much over a course of thousands of hands. If every player played perfect stradegy you would see less tables on the floor. but deviating from basic stradegy the house gains upto a 50% advantage on certain hands and I watch it all night. I could go on but learn basic stradgey and you will win more. Side note if you tip the dealers your comps will go up a lot and if your a card counter and tip we usually let the counter play longer if the counter is a stiff with the staff they will be gone in less than 30 minutes. Most floor staff gets tipped out from the dealers, that is where tipping gets involved, also you may not qualify for a comp but the power of the pen goes a long way if u take care of the staff. Here is a great site wizardofodds.com it will give you all of the odds of every bet and the odds of every scenario of hands, good luck and have fun.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Interesting on the split 4's against 5 or 6's. I forget the book I read tears ago but the guy has a jewish last name and his strategy and card counting tips were simple to learn and made me some money. SInce the casino opened the poker room, I've not played the table games, preferring to make the money at the poker tables. After all, the casino was built off of blackjack tables and the slot machines
PS. When I roll craps , I like to bet wrong. It's fun screaming for a 7 with a full table

 

[feralmerril]

The guys name was goodman. First name might have been harry?

 

[P&R Fan]

So my question is this:
You have 8s, the dealer has a 10. Do you split the 8s?
I don't, I hit. Am I wrong?
Jim

 

[diamonback68]

So my question is this:
You have 8s, the dealer has a 10. Do you split the 8s?
I don't, I hit. Am I wrong?
Jim

88s are like AAs, they recommend you ALWAYS split no matter what the dealer has.

 

[feralmerril]

P&R fan, on that one I dont go entirely by the book. I belive the book will tell you to split. If possible I like sitting in the last spot next to the dealer. If I have just seen maybe 3 tens or so in the last 4 or 5 cards dealt it does affect my decision and I may break away from the odds book. I try to stay aware of 10s dealt out in the last few cards dealt out just before me, so I dont really follow the book strickly. In other words I might have a breaking hand 17 or 18 and if the dealer has a 10 showing and there has been say 3 10s dealt just now and its my play, I might well hit that 17 or 18! Most of the time I would hit the 16 and not split the 8`s. Might BE or win, but wont lose double. By the way I googeled "Goodman", it wasnt harry, it was mike. Here is a lead to that book, its a good one. How to win: Dice, roulette, poker, blackjack (21), horse racing, betting systems, money management, international gambling / by Mike Goodman (An original Holloway House edition): Mike Goodman: Amazon.com: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Ki%2B2651KL.@@AMEPARAM@@51Ki%2B2651KL
BJ is my favorite cassino game. If I was single I would probley die at the table wearing a barrel! Now that I have remarried I have backed way off. Know this if you are new. It`s addictive! Good luck

 

[REM 3200]

That is called GAMBLING. You don't think that they can keep the paint nice, the lights and A/C running 24/7 and the drinks coming in these massive buildings in Vegas by letting you win?

This is the correct answer. By the way, all of us poor tax payers that live in a casino town say thank you for your money.

 

[feralmerril]

The casinos havent been doing all that well for the last 6 years or so. I see they razzed down the nevada landing a couple years ago. It was my favorite. I was there when they built and opened it in the late 70s or so. Now its vacant dessert. They built a new casino in mesquie a couple years ago. It only stayed open a week or so! Now it just sits! The casino owner --Black built a mansion a few miles up the road from me at parawan utah. It looks done but inside never was finished and has been sitting vacant now for 4 or 5 years. Probley one of the most exspendsive house`s in southern utah and it looks eerie vacant.
They also closed up the "Oasis" in mesquite a number of years ago.
One reason I like BJ, unless they use a cheating dealer, the odds are the same wherever you go. I doubt they would cheat a person and take the risk of being shut down. However when things get tight I do belive they take a pipe wrench and tighten up the slots!
Speaking of slots, the deuces wild games are poison to me. I know the odds are bad but I always have to try them.
You see all of lifes wrinkles when you hang around gambling. I think I went a lot just to see the different behaviors of people and see life storys. From those standpoints I cant think of any other type places you see so much. I have won and lost uncountable money but overall I suppose I have lost so much I wouldnt want to really know. I think I have won $1,190 on royal flushs and 7 numbers on keno machines close to a 100 times through the years. ($1,200s and you were reported for tax purpose`s) so most machines have popular options to just miss that rule. Guns, Gambling, Girls are all costly and had I refrained I might be rich. I wouldnt have had the life I have led either.

 

[perrazi]

p&r- if you are going to play this game, get some books on the subject and read. playing with your gut will cost you in the end. it's all a matter of ratios. learn to count cards and you will have at least an even play against the house. with perfect counting of course.

 

[hannstv]

Sir I am sooo sorry that you won the first few times you went gambling.

 

[feralmerril]

There seems to be some truth to that. I once took a mentaly challanged nephew of mine on a trip to vegas. Now this guy doesnt work and is on the system. He put a quarter in a keno machine and instantly hit about $1,600s!
It ruined him. He go`s often, cant afford it and is broke all the time. He usualy go`s on one of those special bus tours. I guess I might have to answer for that one some day. But I have seen that a number of times. Its like a demon see`s that you win your first time to hook you for life.

 

[P&R Fan]

OK, another split question:
I had a pair of 10s, the dealer had a bust card. I split, and won. A guy at the table who was apparently a very experienced player said "if you're gonna split 10s you need to leave the table!"

Two questions: Why is it bad to split 10s against a bust card, and why would another player care?
Jim

 

[feralmerril]

Because you are highly risking throwing away a likely winning hand. On top of that many players believe you may be takeing their cards and if they lose they tend to blame what they consider a players bad decisons. The dealer might have a bust card but that sure dont mean he will bust!
While I dont nessasarly follow that thinking very many experianced players do feel that way. Heck, odds are just as good that you might be takeing bad cards saving their hands but if they lose they will be blaming you.
Every BJ book will advise you not to split 10s. Sure, you will win double sometimes but the mathmatical odds over a period of hands are against it. It might be done in one of those tourniments where you are competeing against other players for win over others, not just the dealer, where you need high risk and higher luck to beat the other players, but it isnt done by seasoned regular players against the house.
There are other unwritten ediquett rules too. Players dont like other players that cant make up their minds slowing the game down, usualy sober players dont like to be playing alongside drunks and vice versa. Some (me) hate to play alongside loud obnoxious people. If you dont know what to do usualy someone at the table will advise you and even the dealer might if you ask. Now days most casinos like full tables as they have to pay the dealers. Even so I would try to find a table that has no more than a couple people at. I would also play at a cheap table (low permitted bets) until I got some confidence. Dont stiff the cocktail girl and if you have a few good wins tip the dealer or make a bet along side yours for him. If you have to go to the can leave your chips on the table. It will be safer than in your pocket. If you know you went broke on a hand tip it face up immediately. Also turn up a BJ soon as you get it. Good luck, you will learn.

 

[carpriver]

MY father thought he was a gambler, he wasn't. He really did lose the farm, a 140 acres of prime farm land and 100 head of dairy cattle. he played poker badly. Our family never recovered from the loss of the farm. Never bet more then you can afford to lose. I don't go to casinos If I feel the need to loss $25 I just drive by a casino and throw the money out the window.

 

[feralmerril]

My dad told me a story. He gambled back in the 30s. He said he and his friend were gambling in some hotel. His partners wife came in with their two kids to get some money to go christmas shopping. He was flat broke and it caused a divorice.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

OK, another split question:
I had a pair of 10s, the dealer had a bust card. I split, and won. A guy at the table who was apparently a very experienced player said "if you're gonna split 10s you need to leave the table!"

Two questions: Why is it bad to split 10s against a bust card, and why would another player care?
Jim

Splitting 10's is perhaps the rankest rookie move in the game. I will leave a table if a player does that. Why in the world would you throw away an almost cinch winner (a 20) to take a chance and get two loosers (like a 6 and a 5 and the dealer turns up an ace to go along with that 6 that got you so greedy-you loose twice instead of winning once). The computers calculate cold hard odds, you ought to listen to them-the casino's do Greed makes people do dumb things.Why do I care-I'll tell you. I had 7-7, the dealer had a an 8 showing. Dufus in front of me split 10's instead of standing on a sure winner. His first card was a 7 which would have given me a 21 and a win. I busted. Dealer turned an Ace so if the player in front of me had stood, we both would have won. What makes it all the more galling is that the guy doing the dumb stuff isusually betting a nickle while the experienced players are betting quarters. That's why other players care. Plus I get so upset at stupid play I can't properly keep track if cards and play the game. And yes, stupid play occasiobally saves the day for other players, but the game is hard enough and stacked against the house enough that stupid play does in fact affect the table. Regarding 8-8 against a 10. Like I said before ALWAYS split 8's, unless you are an experienced card counter and the deck is SUPER favorable for such a play. Even then, it is risky because you will label yourself a counter. One of the reasons why I play poker, stupid play at the poker table by others puts money in my pocket.

 

[Badquaker]

Third base is always my favorite chair, because I hate when someone else takes the dealers bust card on a dumb play. I have not gone to the casino in quite some time, might be time to take a little trip.

 

[diamonback68]

One of the reasons why I play poker, stupid play at the poker table by others puts money in my pocket.

Caj, I like what you just said. Years ago at a measly $5 table in Atlantic City I sat behind a wannabe "high roller" absolutely stupid BJ player who should have never sat down in the first place. He was constantly yelling at me about what hits I took, or didn't take, remember I'm behind him in the last seat. I walked away with $4600 in chips and he was still moaning about being down $47,000 and was asking for another $5,000 marker.
Should have stayed a while longer, but I couldn't take him any more.

 

[Old TexMex]

Just hope the IRS isn't monitoring the Forum.
Jim

Don't worry Jim, the NSA is the only part of government that listens.