Basic Blackjack Strategy Made EASY!

[Norm]

IPs are not very useful these days. He is using an IP used by a respected member here. And no, they are not the same person. I have recently un-banned hundreds of thousands of IPs previously banned as we now have vastly better security. His was not one of them.

The rules here on ads from first time posters are actually much looser than most sites. If it's a bad ad or bad link, I figure the membership will make that clear and there is no reason for me to get involved. If it's totally off-topic (credit card crap), it is removed.

[bigplayer]

1. Learning basic strategy is already easy
2. The Speed Count is junk.

[mofungoo]

I found many years ago that learning Basic Strategy was the easiest part of becoming a counter. There is an early BJ book by Lawrence Revere called Playing Blackjack As A Business that provides color BS charts and mathematical data which make it easier to learn. Took me a couple of days, IIRC.

The Wizard of Odds site offers similar color charts for all rules combinations. For free.

[DSchles]

There are two problems with the OP's presentation. First, if there are "five easy rules" for learning BS, why is there a 122-page book?? Just doesn't equate. Second, as mentioned above, there are, of course, multiple basic strategies, based on rules combinations.

Finally, it also greatly depends on just how much you're permitted to cram into a "rule" or a rhyme. For example, how does this look for 6D, S17, DAS, BS:

1. Hit all 8s or below.
2. Stand on 12-16, vs. 2-6; otherwise hit (except hit 12 vs. 2 and 3).
3. Double 9 vs. 3-6 (hint: 3+6 = 9); otherwise hit; double 10 to the 9 and 11 to the 10; otherwise hit.
4. Soft double A,2 and A,3 vs. 5-6; A,4 and A,5 vs. 4-6; A,6 and A,7 vs. 3-6; otherwise hit. (Special case for A,7: stand vs. 2, 7, and 8; hit vs. 9, 10, and ace.)
5. Always split aces and eights; never split fives and tens; split 2, 3, 7 vs. 2-7 (get it?); split fours vs. 5-6 (4-5-6; get it?); split sixes to the 6 (2-6; get it?); split nines to the 9, except vs. 7; otherwise stand.

Five rules. Done. That'll be $20, please! :-) And, I didn't need 122 pages. :-)

Don

[Jabberwocky]

He thinks he has the golden goose but the rest of the gallery knows better.

[Norm]

why is there a 122-page book?

I was going to post the same this morning. But, some folk take a while to get to the point. I get some phone calls from complete strangers that go something like:

“Hi, I just had a question about blackjack. The little leady and I go to Vegas two or three times a year. Not in the summer; she can’t take the heat since she had her operation. We like to stay at xxx ‘cause of their shrimp buffet. Except when my brother comes along because he’s allergic. Almost died at a shrimp house in N’Orleans once. The place is right on the water, $4.99 all the shrimp you can eat. Use to go there with my father when he was alive. He was in the Navy in WWII. We’re all Navy men in the family. Except on my wife’s side.......……….”

[Jabberwocky]

The Speed Count? Perish the thought!

[Ryemo]

I want the book, just to see how many different flaws I can find, but I just can't bring myself to spend $20 on something that A) I don't need and B) something that is most likely flawed. If I had to guess the 5 rules, it would probably be something like this:

1) Hit anything from 8-16 and stand on 17+.
2) Always split 8s and Aces against everything and 9s against everything except 7,10,A.
3) Stand 12-16 vs busy cards and hit vs 7+.
4) Rule of F. Never split anything that starts with the letter F.
5) DD soft 13-18 vs all bust cards & hit vs 7+.

This would be a very watered down, incorrect basic strategy broken down into 5 very easy rules. Wouldn't be surprised if this is what you find in the book.

[Jabberwocky]

I was going to post the same this morning. But, some folk take a while to get to the point. I get some phone calls from complete strangers that go something like:

“Hi, I just had a question about blackjack. The little leady and I go to Vegas two or three times a year. Not in the summer; she can’t take the heat since she had her operation. We like to stay at xxx ‘cause of their shrimp buffet. Except when my brother comes along because he’s allergic. Almost died at a shrimp house in N’Orleans once. The place is right on the water, $4.99 all the shrimp you can eat. Use to go there with my father when he was alive. He was in the Navy in WWII. We’re all Navy men in the family. Except on my wife’s side.......……….”

Wow! No wonder you get cranky a lot.

[MJGolf]

Wow! No wonder you get cranky a lot.

They say music soothes the savage beast. That's why you find Norm spending his time in the section in the forum where we discuss and post music. It keeps him calmer and from taking out his frustrations on us most times Cheaper than alcohol.

[DSchles]

"They say music soothes the savage beast."

Er, can we make that BREAST, please?

Don

[Jabberwocky]

I was going to suggest there are bs charts everywhere. Many will allow you to view while playing at the table. In fact some encourage it. But Don just put you on your way to make $100k. When you arrive you really should send him a check.

Try this idea with Spanish 21. It's likely to gain more traction.

[Stealth]

So, hang on and I will let you know what I think of your breakthrough.

My curiosity allows me to piss away $20 to explore new ideas so I now own your book. Disappointingly, this will demand a need for me to select a much less quality wine at an upcoming dinner.

I applaud your intent but must tell you that taking 115 pages to tell me five memorization rules that are so convoluted that they make little logical sense did not reward my curiosity. My assessment is that it is way over engineered and way under designed.

As I indicated in my earlier post, there is already a known simple way to learn basic strategy that reduces the matrix to 26 simple, logical rules and has been tested and used by countless people. I believe (??) this method evolved from the MIT adventures when they needed to train lot's of people rapidly.

Here is a simple chart for S17 that allows the player to look at the dealers card and then recall the action rule indicated. Example: Player hand 9 / Action rule: double down 3-6, otherwise hit (DD 3-6, OW Hit from chart). As we all are aware, number of decks and various rules may change a few of the plays.

BS.S17.JPG

So, your book did not make my list for "Best Sellers" and even falls short of my "recommended to own" list (although I do own it, so you were successful selling it).

I would expect ZMF to respond to the book with something like, "obfuscation abounds in those purported pages of wisdom". (or maybe Don who already solved the riddle!)