Basic Strategy Question

[Doc]

I have 3 simple Basic Strategy questions, with no card counting. I realize this is all based on statistics from computer models, so my "gestalt" doesn't matter, but I still have to ask: (I live in Pgh., so our rules are late surrender, split twice, double on splits, dealer stands on soft 17)
8-8 v 9,10, A. Is this really a split? Surrender "seems" like a better option.
11 v A. BS says hit, not double. But since the dealer checks their hole card, so we know they don't have a 10, doesn't this make their A weaker than their 10, which we do double against?
7-8 v 10. Why are we told to surrender other 15s, but hit this one? In an 8 deck shoe, can this really matter that much?
I appreciate answers to these questions.

[Bodarc]

It all depends on probabilities. There may only be 1000th of a percent difference in 2 plays but basic strategy picks the best no matter how small the difference is. Accept it, memorize it as basic strategy and save yourself a lot of questions.

https://www.blackjackinfo.com/blackj...rategy-engine/

[NotEnoughHeat]

It's quite understandable why you ask, we generally prefer to understand a move and have it make sense to you rather than just blindly following the book (or computer). I can't really answer the 3rd one (someone who knows a bit of composition dependent strategy and surrender indexes could probably answer) but I'll take a shot at the first two.

I don't know the return for your specific game, but for S17 DAS split up to 3 hands, infinite deck, splitting 8s v 10 has a return of -0.480686. That return is per original bet. You only surrender when all the other moves have return of less than -0.5 (since you lose half your bet).

I think for the 11 v A you're underestimating how good an ace is. Even without the possibility of blackjack, the dealer has a soft 11. For any total (on a hand), a soft hand is obviously better than a hard one. Also, the dealer is much more likely to bust on a 10 than on an ace (37.8% difference on an 8D. 16% for an ace, 23% for a 10).

[DSchles]

"7-8 v 10. Why are we told to surrender other 15s, but hit this one? In an 8 deck shoe, can this really matter that much?"

No, it really matters VERY little! But, in fact, the play you quote is incorrect. We DO surrender 8-7 v. 10 in 8-deck (and 7-deck, too, if there were such a game). It's 6-deck in which hitting is ever-so-slighly better than surrendering (just over two-hundredths of one percent: -49.976% to -50.00%).

As you said: none of this matters a whit.

Don

[Doc]

thank you very much

[Doc]

Thank you very much.

[Doc]

Got it, thanks.