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Thread: Basic Strategy Questions

  1. #1


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    Basic Strategy Questions

    So this question isn't actually about basic strategy itself, but related to the idea of it.

    1) Casinos allow you to have a BS card at the table. I've already memorized BS for the games I play, but would having it out or pretending to look at the card help reduce heat?

    2) Recently when I was playing, there was another guy there who had no clue how to play. At all. He asked me for advice all the time, and I was telling him the BS plays. Of course he didn't believe me, went with his gut, moaned to the dealer that I was wrong, how could that play possibly make sense, (Why should I hit my soft 18 vs dealer 10!?), etc. He blew through his $300 in under 30 minutes, flat betting, and was gone. In those situations, do you even bother explaining basic strategy to people like that?

    3) Also was playing, brand new shoe starts. A new guy sits next to me, gets dealt A3, vs a dealer 6. Asks what he should do. I say, "at a minimum, hit that. You should double though." Instead, he decides to stand...

    I guess that last part was just a story and not a question, just thought I'd share that fun interaction.

  2. #2


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    Basic strategy card on a table is a poor idea. Say you have 10,2 with a TC-5 with a dealer up card of 6 and one deck to go. You hit and they know you are not following that Basic Strategy card, using it as a prop. Last round of shoe, TC +8 and you have a pair of 9's against a 7, the BS card shows to stand. You have a max bet of $500 out, do you follow the card or?

  3. #3


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    Quote Originally Posted by ZeeBabar View Post
    Basic strategy card on a table is a poor idea. Say you have 10,2 with a TC-5 with a dealer up card of 6 and one deck to go. You hit and they know you are not following that Basic Strategy card, using it as a prop. Last round of shoe, TC +8 and you have a pair of 9's against a 7, the BS card shows to stand. You have a max bet of $500 out, do you follow the card or?
    Zee
    You would have 175 out and stand.

  4. #4


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    Quote Originally Posted by dalmatian View Post
    Yes to your first question. In a very sweaty store I once pondered out loud what I should do on a 12 vs 2 (as a form of cover). Out of nowhere a pit boss tosses a BS card to me. So yes, BS cards can be used to trick them.

    IMHO, the longer you play blackjack the more likely helping people is bad. The problem with helping anyone is that ultimately they will get wiped out no matter what, they're ploppies!! Very few people are gonna leave if they win a few hands. They will just stay until they lose it all. Also, nothing is guaranteed; you will run into situations where people that need help lose their hands because they listened to you and did the right thing. Then you will feel bad or they will blame you. Don't help anyone unless they directly ask you what the right play is. Then say "the book says the right move is so and so, but you can do whatever you want". Whatever they do can't affect you long term so don't feel like you have to stop an idiot who is hitting their 13 vs dealer 5 while you have 2 max bets out. It doesn't matter.
    Dalmation nailed it. Most ploppies don't understand sample sizes and variance. They don't believe in right decision/wrong outcome. If they lose, it was the wrong decision to them. The only person I help out at the table is my wife. It really is a no win situation helping them, and its also an unnecessary distraction. If they need to ask advice on a game, they shouldn't be gambling on it.

  5. #5


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    Save yourself from the hassle. Defer to the dealer or PC.

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    I've never understood why they let you have a BS card at the table anyway. Why take away from the house edge by encouraging BS?

  7. #7


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    Quote Originally Posted by Optimus Prime View Post
    I've never understood why they let you have a BS card at the table anyway. Why take away from the house edge by encouraging BS?
    If the ploppy plays correct basic strategy, it will take them longer to lose their money, giving the illusion that they may beat the game. If you play a game and get your butt beat every time, it doesn't take long to give up or stop.

  8. #8


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    Quote Originally Posted by Optimus Prime View Post
    I've never understood why they let you have a BS card at the table anyway. Why take away from the house edge by encouraging BS?
    Becasue the casinos know that they do have the edge over the the player who play with BS, they even put it out on their site to attract new customer. see https://viejas.com/blackjack/san-diego/

  9. #9


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    Quote Originally Posted by ellenc View Post
    Becasue the casinos know that they do have the edge over the the player who play with BS, they even put it out on their site to attract new customer. see https://viejas.com/blackjack/san-diego/
    Wow! That's impressive. Have never seen that before on a casino site.

    Don

  10. #10


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    Quote Originally Posted by ellenc View Post
    Becasue the casinos know that they do have the edge over the the player who play with BS, they even put it out on their site to attract new customer. see https://viejas.com/blackjack/san-diego/
    Naturally, it's the INCORRECT one for their H17 game. It should be the second one down here.

    https://wizardofodds.com/games/black...ategy/4-decks/

  11. #11


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    Quote Originally Posted by ZeeBabar View Post
    Basic strategy card on a table is a poor idea. Say you have 10,2 with a TC-5 with a dealer up card of 6 and one deck to go. You hit and they know you are not following that Basic Strategy card, using it as a prop. Last round of shoe, TC +8 and you have a pair of 9's against a 7, the BS card shows to stand. You have a max bet of $500 out, do you follow the card or?
    In that case you don't even look at the card, and right away go "ooh I want to split!"

    because the ploppy's I've seen like to split everything possible, even something stupid like 6,6 v 10. If they question you just say you're gut is telling you what to do on this one, or you love splitting when you can because its so exciting, or something stupid like that.

  12. #12


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    Quote Originally Posted by ShipTheCookies View Post
    Naturally, it's the INCORRECT one for their H17 game. It should be the second one down here.

    https://wizardofodds.com/games/black...ategy/4-decks/
    The difference of S17 and H17 is only on soft 17 against the dealer's up card of 3, stop or double down. The real intend of the casino is that, when using the BS, the player would win some and lose some(ultmately lose everything). When winning, it cutlvates an euphoria. Using the BS, it would make the game last longer, makes the players engaged in an activity that keep them alive, it creates a reward system in their brain and gives them the feeling of satifaction. So if the players become additive to the game, it guarantees a returned customer.

  13. #13


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    Quote Originally Posted by ellenc View Post
    The difference of S17 and H17 is only on soft 17 against the dealer's up card of 3, stop or double down. The real intend of the casino is that, when using the BS, the player would win some and lose some(ultmately lose everything). When winning, it cutlvates an euphoria. Using the BS, it would make the game last longer, makes the players engaged in an activity that keep them alive, it creates a reward system in their brain and gives them the feeling of satifaction. So if the players become additive to the game, it guarantees a returned customer.
    Actually, A,7 vs 2, A,8 vs 6, and 11 vs A become doubles instead of stand or hit(11). 8,8 and hard 15 &17 vs A become surrenders if allowed, instead of split(8,8) or hit(15 & 17).
    Last edited by ShipTheCookies; 08-14-2018 at 07:57 PM.

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