Random Poster: Single Deck "Rule of..."

[Random Poster]

I was playing at some SD games this weekend and noticed the Rule of 6 in effect and it started to get me thinking... Assuming that we use up 2.4 cards per person per round on average, with 1 person, dealer deals out 14.4 cards (28% of the deck), but with 3 people, dealer deals out 24 cards (46% of the deck).

Intuitively, wouldn't it be smarter to bet 3 hands to get deeper penetration? 2.4 cards is just a constant: it looks like with any constant number of cards dealt, 3 hands is always better than 1, from a penetration point of view.

As you move to Rule of 7, that optimal # of hands shifts up to between 3 and 4 hands.

Has anybody done any research on this?

[Don Schlesinger]

> I was playing at some SD games this weekend

You're forgiven! :-)

> and noticed the Rule of 6 in effect and it started to get
> me thinking...

Not sure you know what the Rule of 6 is, from the below discussion. "Number of spots being played at the table + number of rounds dealt to those spots = 6."

> Assuming that we use up 2.4 cards per
> person per round on average,

Bad assumption; it's 2.7.

> with 1 person, dealer
> deals out 14.4 cards (28% of the deck),

Not sure how you got that (even with your low 2.4 number). With RoS, dealer will deal five rounds to one player, and each round uses, on average, 5.4 cards. That makes 27 cards dealt. Actually, it's a little less than that, with a lone player, because, when the player breaks, the dealer doesn't finish his hand, whereas, with more players, unless they all break, the dealer is usually forced to play out his hand. The difference is slight, but just wanted to point it out.

> but with 3
> people, dealer deals out 24 cards (46% of the deck).

No, not at all. He deals three rounds of 10.8 cards each, for 32.4 cards.

> Intuitively, wouldn't it be smarter to bet 3 hands to
> get deeper penetration?

Yes.

> 2.4 cards is just a constant:
> it looks like with any constant number of cards dealt,
> 3 hands is always better than 1, from a penetration
> point of view.

Correct.

> As you move to Rule of 7, that optimal # of hands
> shifts up to between 3 and 4 hands.

> Has anybody done any research on this?

Yes, of course. It's just common sense. But few players play three hands heads-up with the dealer. It isn't very natural looking.

Don

[Parker]

Okay, Don got you straightened out on the numbers. Note that the average number of cards dealt is the same for two players and 3 players (32.4).

And indeed, if a dealer is dealing strict rule of 6, it is common practice (at least among those of us who frequently play single deck games) to spread to 2 hands when heads-up. There is no additional advantage, at least penetration-wise, to be gained by going to 3 hands.

However, many dealers do not deal a strict rule of 6 when heads-up (with the player playing one hand), often dealing an extra round or two before shuffling. So, it depends on the situation.

[Random Poster]

Thanks for correcting my misconceptions. So, the point is, there is a optimal # of spots played to maximize penetration, and that optimal # of spots actually changes with different "Rule of __".

Certainly, Parker, if the rounds rule changes for playing heads-up, then the above-statement goes out the window. The reason why I thought of this whole thing was because I noticed the dealer dealing less than 50% penetration to me heads-up, and over 65% to 4 people.

Do you know if the advantages of playing 2 hands ($ per hour-wise) with another player at the table outweigh the advantages of playing heads-up at 1 spot? You get deeper penetration, but you also play slower.

I need to pick your brains a little more. When you're table-hopping 6-decks, do you and at what point would you abandon backcounting a certain shoe and go onto backcounting another shoe?

> You're forgiven! :-)

> Not sure you know what the Rule of 6 is, from the
> below discussion. "Number of spots being played
> at the table + number of rounds dealt to those spots =
> 6."

> Bad assumption; it's 2.7.

> Not sure how you got that (even with your low 2.4
> number). With RoS, dealer will deal five rounds to one
> player, and each round uses, on average, 5.4 cards.
> That makes 27 cards dealt. Actually, it's a little
> less than that, with a lone player, because, when the
> player breaks, the dealer doesn't finish his hand,
> whereas, with more players, unless they all break, the
> dealer is usually forced to play out his hand. The
> difference is slight, but just wanted to point it out.

> No, not at all. He deals three rounds of 10.8 cards
> each, for 32.4 cards.

> Yes.

> Correct.

> Yes, of course. It's just common sense. But few
> players play three hands heads-up with the dealer. It
> isn't very natural looking.

> Don