Best play 16 v. 10?

**ralphk** · 02-10-2017, 08:26 AM

I can't find a consensus best play for 16 v. 10 and am looking for input. Basic strategy (the MIT chart), shows surrender if allowed. The Illustrious 18 indicates that you should stand if the true count is positive at all. The information I've found indicates the dealer bust rate at 21% with a 10 up, player bust rate at 62% with a hit on 16 (no count indicated). It seems like my best play is to surrender and lost half of my bet all of the time versus hitting and likely busting or standing and hoping for a dealer bust. What if the count is -2 or -3 true, better play to hit?
Thanks

**Phoebe** · 02-10-2017, 08:35 AM

https://card-counting.com/cvcxonlineviewer3.htm

ScreenShot101.jpg

**Freightman** · 02-10-2017, 08:43 AM

Surrender, if available, takes precedence over hit or stand decisions. I18 is correct also. So, if surrender is available, this takes precedence over the otherwise correct play.

Now, if heat or camo are not factors, or you just simply don't care, and surrender is available, hit or split depending on what your tables advise you. Always surrender if your tables tell you to stand.

**Three** · 02-10-2017, 08:53 AM

Those graphs are for Hilo. It says to surrender at TC -3 or higher. I might surrender at -4 for risk aversion, but your bet should be minimum at that point so it probably isn't a true risk averse play. You are probably better off eating the card by taking a hit at TC -4 with min bet out. Indications are at TC -4 it really doesn't make enough difference to worry about.

**Phoebe** · 02-10-2017, 08:57 AM

Yes.
For REKO-F, 6 decks, S17, indice is -37

**ralphk** · 02-10-2017, 11:00 AM

Thanks guys, good info!

**ZenMaster_Flash** · 02-10-2017, 05:22 PM

If you are serious about playing BJ, you do NOT use the
Index of Zero True Count to decide whether to Hit or Stand.

You simply Stand, as hitting is NOT correct when you have
more than your minimum wager set.

**ZenMaster_Flash** · 02-10-2017, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by ralphk

What if the count is -2 or -3 true, better play to hit?

If Late Surrender is available, you Surrender.

**bigplayer** · 02-10-2017, 10:47 PM

If you're at a count where you should be hitting 16 vs 10 rather than surrendering you should be in the bathroom waiting for the shuffle. Since 16 vs 10 is one of the three or four primary plays casinos first look at when doing skills checks I recommend

1. If surrender is available always surrender no matter what the count is. If you play the hand the same way all the time the casino cannot use it to evaluate your skills.
2. If surrender is not available you should just always stand for the same reason as #1 above. As an alternative instead of using an index of 0 if you're on a game that requires you to substantially play-all (like a double deck game) use a lower more negative index number. For example, instead of hitting at worse than 0, hit at -3 or worse and stand at counts above -3. You will still be mostly standing (which isn't that wrong in mild negative counts) but when the EV is really against you you will be hitting and it won't be all that often. From the casino's standpoint you will still be making the "wrong" play a substantially large part of the time. If a pit person is doing a visual skills check of you and sees a bunch of big cards come out and you still stand on 16 he will be far more likely to just write you off then and there and you've given up virtually nothing.
3. On a multi-card hand you are mostly free to do whatever you want, If I have 12 and catch a 4 and the count is negative I will often just ask the pitboss what to do and do whatever they say.

**Three** · 02-11-2017, 06:01 AM

Originally Posted by bigplayer

You will still be mostly hitting (which isn't that wrong in mild negative counts) but

Typo alert, you mean standing rather than hitting.

**ZenMaster_Flash** · 02-11-2017, 06:17 AM

Do not "out yourself."

Try to "blend in."

Understand this ...

Ploppies will either hit or stand on 16 vs. 10

A.P. wannabees will do both almost equally.

Easy prey for the Pit and for the E I T S as well.

**blueman** · 02-11-2017, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by ZenMaster_Flash

If you are serious about playing BJ, you do NOT use the
Index of Zero True Count to decide whether to Hit or Stand.

You simply Stand, as hitting is NOT correct when you have
more than your minimum wager set.

Who says that you have your minimum bet out when you get 16 v 10 and need to hit? Maybe my max bet is out there.

Double deck true 4 with 1 deck left, max bet, you get 16 v 10 and you see the other 2 players at the table turn over blackjacks.

Wouldn't you want to do the best play possible?

**Three** · 02-11-2017, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by blueman

Who says that you have your minimum bet out when you get 16 v 10 and need to hit? Maybe my max bet is out there.

His point is they watch this play as a primary play to identify counters. The index is 0 and the hand is one of the most common matchups in BJ. In a short time they will see you play it in both hit and stand situations if you don't play the hand the same way all the time. There is a very slow change in EV on either side of the index. With an ace reckoned count will have min bet out for when the index says to hit. Before there is a bigger percentage difference on your min bet EV you will have wonged out. So almost all the time the correct decision is to stand. When you have your big bets out the correct decision is to stand. Only the times where you have a min bet out and haven't wonged out does hitting make sense. The difference in EV is a minimal percentage of a min bet. It hardly costs anything to play this as a stand every time and avoid the red flag of often playing it differently.