What is the House Edge for this game ?

[ZenMaster_Flash]

6 deck S17 ES (vs. A and 10) DAS

A Joker - becomes the player's choice of cards.

Discarded if the dealer draws it.

I suspect 67% (or worse) penetration.

I am certain that this is "positive off the top."

Please reply if you have an accurate answer.

[Dieter]

How many jokers?

When does the player have to declare the joker's value - before, or after any action?

Yeah, I'd agree it's positive off the top with common strategy, but if you can declare the value of the joker after you double it's pretty good indeed - any time you have a joker, you either have a natural, or you doubled to 21.

[ZenMaster_Flash]

The player declares the value upon being dealt the Joker.

One Joker of course, and no, it is not an automatic winner.

Think about it Dieter:

What happens when you are dealt two low cards, e.g. 3-2?

The best you can do is make it a 6.

[Dieter]

Think about it Dieter:

I did, carefully.

Getting dealt 2 low cards (like 3-2) doesn't mean you were dealt a joker, it means you drew a joker.

And yes, they've set up the rules to preclude doubling and getting a sure thing.

One joker out of 313 cards is a pretty slim edge.

[Gronbog]

ES10 + ESA, S17 and DAS alone make this a positive game off the top. +0.19% according to ken Smith's basic strategy engine.

[DSchles]

On p. 116 of Basic BJ, Wong estimates the value of the joker at 0.7%, but it wasn't necessarily for the exact rules you mention. Take it with a grain of salt. As for 6 decks,, S17, ES, and DAS (assuming you may split to four hands), PLAYER edge is 0.225. Total edge for the game: 0.925.

Hope you're feeling better.

Don

[ZenMaster_Flash]

" ... you have a joker, you either have a natural, or you doubled to 21."

Not correct as stated.