almost like european blackjack....but Ace card wont hurt you

[Scavenger Squirrel]

Under European blackjack rules (no peek), if the dealer gets a blackjack, you lose all of your bets, (i.e. original bet, and/or double downs/splits)
But this casino I'm at, if the dealer has an Ace as her top card and say you split your Ace's and then they allow you to double down on your Ace's too. So say I get stuck with a soft 15 and soft 18, and then she pulls a Ten out of the shoe, to give herself a blackjack, instead of losing all my plays, the original, splits and doubles, I would only lose my original bet.

I would like to know do I have an advantage with this Ace card showing?

I do realize that doubling and splitting with a 10 showing would not be a good move, cause if she slides an Ace from the shoe, I lose everything.

What I would like to find is a basic strategy guide for these half backwards european blackjack?

Its a 6 deck shoe, no peek, DAS, early surrender, resplits up to 4x, BJ 3-2, double down on splitting Ace's. Dealer penetration cut card is only 66% into the shoe.

[bjarg]

If you only lose your original bets against a dealers blackjack then you can consider the game to be the same as a standard hole card game. The fact that its ENHC has no effect on it under this conditions.

[DSchles]

What you are playing, in essence, is ENHC vs. the 10, but normal BJ vs. the ace. Very weird. So, you need no special changes for when the dealer shows an ace. Play the same way you'd always play. However, since you lose all splits and doubles to a ten that finds an ace later, do NOT double 11 vs. 10, and do NOT split 8s v. 10 (early surrender them, instead). Do, however, continue to split aces vs. 10.

Don

[Scavenger Squirrel]

Okay thanks for the feedback

[Scavenger Squirrel]

So do you know what the house edge is, under these rules and playing BS?
The book says vs 10 to surrender 14-16, 7/7 and 8/8.

[darco77]

What you are playing, in essence, is ENHC vs. the 10, but normal BJ vs. the ace. Very weird.

Tell that to Michael Gaughan

[Pacman]

66%pen!? Ugh

~Pac

[darco77]

66%pen!? Ugh

He also said early surrender.

[AussiePlayer]

The fact that its ENHC has no effect on it under this conditions.

To be pedantic, it will affect hands/hr, which ultimately affects $$$$/hr.

[bjarg]

I didnt realize you lost everything against a blackjack with a ten showing. I also know a casino that plays this rule.

[Scavenger Squirrel]

Okay so lets see if I understand this all correctly. I will react to dealer Ace card according to "american basic strategy" and react to Ten cards according to "european" basic strategy.
But since the Ace card wont hurt my double downs and splits, in the event she has a blackjack, should I then go against the norm and double down all 11's (i.e. 7/4, 8/3, etc.)???
Because only my original bet would lose, my double down bet would be refunded back to me?
I'm also curious to know if there are any other double down or split hands, I could do vs the Ace showing.
Again remember this is like a half american/european blackjack rules.
Another thing this casino will let you do is when you split your Aces you then can double down following the split.
So say she has an Ace showing, and I have a pair of Aces, I would split and then immediately double down my hands and then draw a card for each Ace. So I'm still not sure what the overall house edge is. I dont count cards, but play perfect strategy blackjack.
6 deck shoe, S17, early surrender, no peek (ENHC), DAS, etc.

[Three]

Yes you double against the ace when it is the right play. That means you have 11 most of the time. You can't double on a one card hand in any casino I have been to. I have seen people try but never seen them get to do it.