Number of hands to play

[Nitram]

1. In Professional Blackjack and BJA3, playing heads up, we should play 1 hand until we're capped by table max, then we spread to 2. When I compare the sims in cvcx, playing one hand heads up doesn't seem to generate the same EV as playing 2 hands, heads up, at a true 2

I believe the spread at the time was:
1x75
2x75
2x150
2x225
2x300
2x375

Compared to
1x75
1x100
1x200
1x300
1x400
1x500

When playing 2 hands, each individual bet would be 75% of what the corresponding single-hand hand is below it.

So, for example, at a true six or higher, I should play 2 hands of 375 or 1 hand of 500.

The results are playing 200 rounds per hour, h17, das, rsa, sr, using hi low variant, I get:

170 an hour playing 2 hands at 1.8%RoR compared to

130 an hour playing 1 hand at 2.1% RoR


Both books claim more EV is to be made by playing 1 hand.

Even when I boost the 1-hand sim to 225 rph I get 145 an hour.


Any ideas on what option i could be forgetting about?

[BoSox]

1. In Professional Blackjack and BJA3, playing heads up, we should play 1 hand until we're capped by table max, then we spread to 2. When I compare the sims in cvcx, playing one hand heads up doesn't seem to generate the same EV as playing 2 hands, heads up, at a true 2

I believe the spread at the time was:
1x75
2x75
2x150
2x225
2x300
2x375

Compared to
1x75
1x100
1x200
1x300
1x400
1x500

When playing 2 hands, each individual bet would be 75% of what the corresponding single-hand hand is below it.

So, for example, at a true six or higher, I should play 2 hands of 375 or 1 hand of 500.

The results are playing 200 rounds per hour, h17, das, rsa, sr, using hi low variant, I get:

170 an hour playing 2 hands at 1.8%RoR compared to

130 an hour playing 1 hand at 2.1% RoR


Both books claim more EV is to be made by playing 1 hand.

Even when I boost the 1-hand sim to 225 rph I get 145 an hour.


Any ideas on what option i could be forgetting about?

I don't know what you think you would be gaining by playing two hands versus only playing one hand heads up. When playing two hands heads up you are getting 50% more money on the table at the expense of eating up 50% more cards resulting in fewer rounds per shuffle. The increased rounds played per shuffle by playing one hand will also include longer periods of time the good or bad true counts remain versus playing two hands.

[DSchles]

I don't know what you think you would be gaining by playing two hands versus only playing one hand heads up. When playing two hands heads up you are getting 50% more money on the table at the expense of eating up 50% more cards resulting in fewer rounds per shuffle. The increased rounds played per shuffle by playing one hand will also include longer periods of time the good or bad true counts remain versus playing two hands.

Yes, that's the point. CVCX won't do that thinking for you and will just play whatever number of rounds per hour you stipulate. So, if you don't make the adjustment for more cards eaten by playing two hands, and the slowing of the process, the comparison is no longer apples to apples.

Don

[Nitram]

Yes, that's the point. CVCX won't do that thinking for you and will just play whatever number of rounds per hour you stipulate. So, if you don't make the adjustment for more cards eaten by playing two hands, and the slowing of the process, the comparison is no longer apples to apples.

Don

Is it possible for me to enter these adjustments into CVCX? If so, where?

Thank you.

[DSchles]

Is it possible for me to enter these adjustments into CVCX? If so, where?

Thank you.

At the very top of the second column, just enter the rounds per hour.

Don

[mopucker69]

playing 2 hands might be an issue if they use the dividers to limit number of players

[ChobotsRobot]

I am very worried about not being able to play two hands because of the dividers. If I had to guess I'm going to think they will allow it if possible. From the perspective of the casino they will want to do something to get more action and what better way than to let ploppies play more spots. So, the casino will definitely want to. It's just a matter if they can with the new protocols.

Playing two spots helped reduce my variance I think (from what I could tell from CVCX). I have a very small bankroll so I would try to use anything to reduce my risk of ruin(etc).

[BoSox]

Playing two spots helped reduce my variance I think (from what I could tell from CVCX). I have a very small bankroll so I would try to use anything to reduce my risk of ruin(etc).

You have the wrong idea of playing two hands and thinking that you can reduce your risk of ruin. Done properly you can keep the same risk of ruin by playing two hands versus only playing one hand, but, you will not reduce your variance by playing two hands. You increase variance when you put more money at risk. If as you say that you have a very small bankroll I think you should stick to only playing one hand for the time being.

[ChobotsRobot]

You have the wrong idea of playing two hands and thinking that you can reduce your risk of ruin. Done properly you can keep the same risk of ruin by playing two hands versus only playing one hand, but, you will not reduce your variance by playing two hands. You increase variance when you put more money at risk. If as you say that you have a very small bankroll I think you should stick to only playing one hand for the time being.

Thanks for that. I'll have to look at it again for sure before I go back out again. I am really hoping the dividers make it less a social experience. Less ploppies trying to make conversation. Less dealers trying the same. Just boil it down to the game and nothing else.

It's weird how taking a month break from counting and now I'm looking back at what I was thinking and I must have been caught in some kind of mental loop. Because whatever I saw that made me think two hands was decreasing my variance I'm not seeing anymore. Could have been really bad and I got lucky.

[ZeeBabar]

Thanks for that. I'll have to look at it again for sure before I go back out again. I am really hoping the dividers make it less a social experience. Less ploppies trying to make conversation. Less dealers trying the same. Just boil it down to the game and nothing else.
.

You haven’t experienced the sensation of a women putting her hand on your thighs or leaning to whisper in your ears, the ploppies looking jealously or trying to get a peak down her dress...

[BoSox]

You haven’t experienced the sensation of a women putting her hand on your thighs or leaning to whisper in your ears, the ploppies looking jealously or trying to get a peak down her dress...

ZeeBabar, once in a while do you also keep track of the count?

[Norm]

You must enter the rounds per hour into CVCX because CVCX cannot possibly know how quick you or the dealer are. The variation can be enormous. A sharp player can play two hands nearly as quickly as one. But, the dealer has to deal with the payoffs, and some are super quick, and some.... And that's assuming no other players, and not counting the effect of shuffle time.

[Nitram]

So after playing around with CVCX I've found the EV to be the same when playing 1 hand vs 2 hand (where 1 hand will see an increase in rounds per hour). The one thing I've noticed is that RoR is greater when playing 1 hand. I remember reading that playing two hands brings covariance, which lowers risk. So wouldn't an AP be better off playing two hands at a true 2?

Or is there something I'm forgetting or overlooking?