Strategy error on KO drills I don't understand

[djcassil]

I keep getting an strategy error in drills -
When I get a pair of 8's against an A and I choose split I get an strategy error that says I should surrender against an A, because it is a hard 16, which would be true if it was any other combination but a pair of 8's. According to the split table 8's should be split on 2-A, which agrees with the KO book. I do not understand why it is not 'defaulting' to split the pair rather than surrendering the hand. I can't figure out either what I don't understand, as I am a beginner, or how to change this so I don't get the error on this choice. I just received the software a few days ago and I have searched the book trying to find an answer to this; however, much of the book is over my head because I am still very new at this.

Thank you.

[Norm]

Which software? Which KO strategy? Do you have splits selected as one of the allowed conditions?

[djcassil]

Oops - Casino Verite Blackjack V 5.6. Knock-Out Preferred. Drills - Flashcard drills. Default Hands. Situations (all). On the splits strategy tab on the 88 line it is green 2- A. On the surrender tab on the 88 line it has 10 with a -4 (but I am not counting yet - still trying to get the basics down) and the A is red - I have tried to change it - but if there is a way I can't find it.
My problem is that as I understand it - I should split 8's basically always (at least without counting and I haven't gotten that far in the book). My focus is basics first - then when I have them down pat move on to more advanced strategies, i.e. counting.

[Norm]

You can only change it by creating a user strategy based on the included strategy. If you don't want to use indices yet, when you select the strategy, click on the "no indices" option.

[bigplayer]

Surrender takes priority over splitting (and everything else) unless there is a specifically separate index for 88 vs Ace on the surrender table you would treat it like a Hard 16 for the purposes of surrender. Then only if you haven't surrender do you split if the Split Index calls for it.

[Three]

Splitting 88vA is a hand that doesn't correlate well to counting. The A and 6 are the only cards that are helpful in surplus. 4,5,9 and T all have large EOR's that help the player when the cards are removed but most are counted as important and opposite cards. I am not aware of separate index for 16 surrender for 8,8vA. My main count is HIOPT II in which I don't use one.

8,8vT is also very poorly correlated for splitting. The sum of the low cards weighted EOR's and the high cards weighted EOR's are both nearly neutral. The T's are not a strong card. The surrender index is about where advantage begins for betting for my count. I just surrender all of them but splitting my min bets would be optimal and it would eat more cards when you want to burn through cards as well but for cover reasons I choose to surrender.

Neither play are very common but 88vA is extremely low frequency hand. BJA has 88vA at .029% frequency and 88vT at 0.16% frequency. For perspective the most common matchups of 12-16vT have frequencies of 3.2%-3.5%. The middle of the road frequencies of getting 10-16 vs anything but T or A is .3%-.96%. Both the lack of correlation and the low frequency would make the gain from the index minimal. Not surrendering 88vT at min bet would have the value of the play very small because of the min bet but it would be worth eating the cards and getting a tiny boost in EV.

[seriousplayer]

Surrender takes priority over splitting (and everything else) unless there is a specifically separate index for 88 vs Ace on the surrender table you would treat it like a Hard 16 for the purposes of surrender. Then only if you haven't surrender do you split if the Split Index calls for it.

Following the EV for 8,8 v A for the game 6 deck S17, DAS, LS. Splitting 8s has an expectation to lose 36.48% of the original bet and surrender obviously costs 50%. It would be better to split. Unless early surrender is available I would not surrender the play 8,8 vs A.

For 8,8 vs T you don't surrender until the TC => +2.

[Zach Black]

For 6 deck H17 LS, 8,8 v A is a basic strategy surrender.

[metronome]

What about a 6 deck S17 LS game?