zoomie: SP21 Trip Reports

[zoomie]

I purchased KW's book and started playing SP21 here and there quite a bit over the last few months. Every time I play there is a new episode worthy of a highlight tape . . .

Match the Dealer: Almost never play it. The woman who noticed that I had a perfect match twice in a row with no bet moved tables because, "You're messing me up" by not playing it . . .

Rules Discussion: Rules on the felt and rules card warn that bonuses do not apply after a double, but splits are not mentioned. Dispute developed for another player with 6-7-8 on a split. Huge confab with multiple levels of pit people. I argued to several that there is no rule barring bonuses on a split (or it would be on the felt or the rules card). Eventually senior pit boss agreed and ordered dealer to pay the bonus.

One More Ploppy: On the hand following the above I hit 13 v. 5 on a neutral count, bust, guy next to me, playing low black, jumps me, argues for standing and says I messed up the flow of cards. Pal, I know the rules better than (most) of the pit people . . . do you think maybe my play is also correct?

This One Was My Fault: Playing third base I split a pair of deuces against a 5 in a rising count, draw several small cards to 13, hit and bust. Draw another 2, split, draw more small cards to a five card 21. On the third 2, more small cards and this time stand on 13 against the 5 because the TC has crossed the index. Dealer flips a K and draws (what would have been my) 6 for 21. Ploppies boo and pretty much leave the table, one saying , "If you just play consistently every time, you'll win more than you lose."

Early Surrender: Playing heads up I have a 2 card 17 against A. I say surrender. Dealer hesitates, then calls pit guy over to ask if I can surrender before he peeks at the hole card. I hold my breath. Pit guy does not know the answer. "It should be OK without checking," I argue, "That's why it's called 'surrender.'" Pit guy drags out a sheet of instructions and finds the correct play. Too bad. Anyway, the same dealer later pays me a 9 unit bet on my 14 against his 20. I guess it worked out OK.

Playing Too Many Hands: The casinos seem to have made up a rule that you cannot play more than two hands. Crazy.

The BS Player: I have come across only one other player who knows BS. He is loudly trying to educate the whole table, telling the others that they just don't understand the math of the game. And he is flat betting . . .

There could be more but this post is too long as it is. And I didn't even touch the subject of certain ethnicities' playing quirks . . .

[Dog Hand]

zoomie,

Playing Too Many Hands: The casinos seem to have made up a rule that you cannot play more than two hands. Crazy.

I have recently encountered two casinos that restrict players to a single hand only. Strange but true.

Dog Hand

[AutomaticMonkey]

It's a BJ variant that is widespread enough and has been around enough to have it's own following. Kind of a nice break from the boredom of blackjack, and in the East it's superior to any other available game.

What still astounds me is how crowded the tables are! The ploppies just can't get enough of it, and the way they play, this can't possibly be a good experience for them. They're all just interested in that match bet. So I think of them as more like slot players than like BJ players.

[21forme]

Earlier this week, at Caesars AC, there were 6 SP21 tables open, and no crowd. Seems H17 BJ isn't as popular as they had hoped and there are now several more Sp21 tables in the pit nearest the Boardwalk.

I saw two Sp21 firsts (for me) this week:
1. The first 7 card 21 I've seen (not mine, but next player.)
2. A high roller at a Sp21 table - Betting multiple blacks and even an occasional purple on 2 hands, and betting black on Match the Dealer. I saw him hit an exact match paying $1200.

I've been playing more composition dependent plays the last couple of weeks. This week, I hit two 6-7-8 combos (6-8 v 4 and 7-8 suited v 3) where normally I would have stayed on the hands. Got mild grief from other players for hitting the 15 until they saw the payout.

A few weeks ago, I saw a guy arguing with the pit about players tying up the tables with 2 hands each and he not being able to play. PC made a player give up a hand for this guy to get into the game.

I have yet to see another Sp21 counter, or even anything close to correct BS, other than my simian friend, but that was a planned meeting.

[orster52]

> zoomie,

> Playing Too Many Hands: The casinos seem to have
> made up a rule that you cannot play more than two
> hands. Crazy. I have recently encountered two
> casinos that restrict players to a single hand only.
> Strange but true.

> Dog Hand

My local casino has dealers and pc that restrict to two hands and then 45 minutes later other dealers allow any number. The pit really doesn't have span21 down very well. lol.

[AutomaticMonkey]

But I can tell you with extreme certainty you have seen a 7-card 21 before! Those bonuses are fun aren't they? You really do need them to make the game better than BJ.

Maybe the casinos are catching on: the holds at those SP21 tables must be enormous, and they are always full so the market can support many more. And there are what, maybe a dozen or two players in the country willing and able to go there and take 1.5% off them? They shouldn't exactly be wringing their hands over that.

> Earlier this week, at Caesars AC, there were 6 SP21
> tables open, and no crowd. Seems H17 BJ isn't as
> popular as they had hoped and there are now several
> more Sp21 tables in the pit nearest the Boardwalk.

> I saw two Sp21 firsts (for me) this week:
> 1. The first 7 card 21 I've seen (not mine, but next
> player.)
> 2. A high roller at a Sp21 table - Betting multiple
> blacks and even an occasional purple on 2 hands, and
> betting black on Match the Dealer. I saw him hit an
> exact match paying $1200.

> I've been playing more composition dependent plays the
> last couple of weeks. This week, I hit two 6-7-8
> combos (6-8 v 4 and 7-8 suited v 3) where normally I
> would have stayed on the hands. Got mild grief from
> other players for hitting the 15 until they saw the
> payout.

> A few weeks ago, I saw a guy arguing with the pit
> about players tying up the tables with 2 hands each
> and he not being able to play. PC made a player give
> up a hand for this guy to get into the game.

> I have yet to see another Sp21 counter, or even
> anything close to correct BS, other than my simian
> friend, but that was a planned meeting.