Dealer hits up to 16

[NotEnoughHeat]

I have come across a strange blackjack game that doesn't exist in a real casino (it exists in one of the many fictional casinos in this computer game) but as a fun exercise I would like to discuss how this changes things.
I haven't actually played any hands so the only rules that I am aware of are 6:5 blackjack (yikes!) and dealer hits to 16. Quite a bizarre rule.

The 6:5 is enough to make me stay away, even if it just is in-game money for a non-multiplayer game. My first impression was that the hit to 16 was a bad thing (being put next to 6:5 didn't help) since the dealer would bust less often and that would hurt your hands against a small card. However, the rule also makes it easier to beat or tie the dealer. On another note, it completely changes the strategy for the game. I would presume that a dealers 6 would be the new 7 and you would stay on 16 in more if not most of the cases you used to stay on 17.

This is a real head scratcher for me but I don't think I can be bothered to figure out how to sim it (if it can even be simmed w/ CV). However if someone can conclusively answer whether it ultimately helps or hurts the player I would be very interested. Otherwise, I would like to hear everyone's thoughts on how it affects the game.

[Three]

I am not going to give you anything conclusive. My thoughts:
1) You would double less due to lower bust percentage for the dealer especially soft doubles.
2) It would change the betting EoR's of every card rendering any existing counting system somewhat useless for bet sizing.
3) All the playing decisions would be different along with the hand matchup EoR's.
4) 6 is no longer the lowest bust card. 7 would be the lowest bust card. The 6 would likely increase in betting EoR to close to the 5. The entire EoR array for low cards would shift upward.
5) While you could generate indices for these rules with any count I would want to use a count that is designed for this game. You would need to:

1) Generate betting EoR's for all the cards.
2) Make a betting count based on these EoR's.
3) Generate indices for the playing count which may be different than the betting count if you chose to side count aces etc in your betting count.

The casinos would kill with a game like this as nobody would play it right.

[Jabberwocky]

What about if they allowed you to split any 16 hand with these same rules?

[NotEnoughHeat]

4) 6 is no longer the lowest bust card. 7 would be the lowest bust card.

This seems counterintuitive to me. Wouldn't it go the other way, with 6 being the new 7 and 5 being the next 'lowest' bust card. I'm still a little unsure about what you mean by lowest but I don't see how hitting to 16 would make 7 a bust card.

[Three]

This seems counterintuitive to me. Wouldn't it go the other way, with 6 being the new 7 and 5 being the next 'lowest' bust card. I'm still a little unsure about what you mean by lowest but I don't see how hitting to 16 would make 7 a bust card.

Bust card being a card that would bust the dealers total of 15 rather than 16.

[NotEnoughHeat]

Bust card being a card that would bust the dealers total of 15 rather than 16.

Ah, that completely clears things up.

[Romes]

Dealer stand 16 would help the player. Look at S17 vs H17. The dealer will bust less, but you can adjust your strategy for this. Essentially 6 up is like a 7 up... hit your hands until you make a hand.

[Three]

I agree this rule would be a boon for both the casinos due to errors made by the masses and the counter or casual player that analyzed it and adjusted their play. In my experience the vast majority of players will just use BJ strategy and play with a huge increase in HE. Through in an interesting side bet and the casino would have the suckers lining up to play it.

[WABJ11]

There is an actual game like this somewhere in Europe without give too much information away: You are dealt 2 cards and get to then double your bet after you have seen those cards. But if the dealer gets 16 they stop, and you lose both your original wager and your double wager.