arkandor: Penetration vs. H17

[arkandor]

Hi all,

Going to Vegas in a few days, I got Wong's BJ News 07/05.
Unfortunately I see in this collection that 90% of all BJ games in Vegas right now are H17 rules.
Most of the better S17 games have minimum 100$, which is a little high for my bankroll.

I wonder if it is more important for a KO counter to look after better penetration or after a game with S17 rules (as it seems near to impossible to find one combining those :-).
Goal of course to get a better edge.

I know it can be calculated for each game rule set and penetration, but wonder if there is a more general answer, to make decisions easier without software or calculator...

[Parker]

There is a saying among counters that "good pen will overcome bad rules." Believe it. It is generally true, within reason (a game would have to be dealt to the last few cards, along with tolerating huge spreads, to make 6:5 playable).

Also, the table mins listed in Current Blackjack News are for a typical Saturday night. You may well find lower mins during off-peak hours. Another tactic is to find an empty table and ask the pit to "grandfather" you in at a lower minimum. Since low-stakes action is better than no action, they will often agree to this. It never hurts to ask.

BTW, questions of this nature will get a better response if they are posted to the Main or Las Vegas forums. This page is intended for computer-related discussions.