What Percentage of Blackjack Players Have Basic Strategy Memorized?

[Stealth]

I think most players have a good understanding of basic strategy.

We should not confuse the question. If the question is "what percentage of the hands played are at correct basic strategy", then I would refer you to one of Norm's charts illustrating the distribution of hands by hard hands, soft hands and pairs. Clearly my experience is that civilians have the hard hands reasonably mastered, with the exception of 12, and the soft hands and pairs, not so much. Their efficiency on those hands goes down considerably. Especially, the doubles that require more money for which they may know the correct strategy but the money scares the hell out of them.

So, my conclusion is that many know how to play most of the hard hands but give up large amounts by not knowing or using the "money" plays.

BJ Hand Freq.jpg

[Jabberwocky]

At least one of them is going up!

What was the question?

I feel like a target of unjust ridicule.

[seriousplayer]

Never played blackjack basic strategy. I knew full well that casino games were negative expectation and was never tempted to play, despite the fact that I was a Poker player, until reading Thorp decades ago. First time I entered a casino, I was a counter. A lousy, ignorant counter -- but a counter. Having said that, a prospective AP should know blackjack basic strategy. But, if it doesn't come easily, he/she is not likely to become an AP.

Question for Norm. Tthree, Flash or Tarzan or any other experts could answer this question as well. At the minimum what AP strategy would you recommend for a novice player to use to gain advantage when first time entering a casino?

[Phoebe]

I hope Norm will respond: REKO.

[Stealth]

At the minimum what AP strategy would you recommend for a novice player to use to gain advantage when first time entering a casino?

A novice player should employ basic strategy first to "reduce his exposure" and increase his chance of being a winner due to positive variance. He can not gain an true advantage without employing a count system or some other more advanced AP technique.

That being understood, then I believe KO is a great place to start.

[Dog Hand]

Question for Norm. Tthree, Flash or Tarzan or any other experts could answer this question as well. At the minimum what AP strategy would you recommend for a novice player to use to gain advantage when first time entering a casino?

seriousplayer,

Come to the casino with a fistful of matchplays.

Dog Hand

[Norm]

KO (or REKO) or HiLo. I don't really find KO much easier. But, it is certainly easier for a first timer.

[greg16394]

I hope Norm will respond: REKO.

I started to learn BS using CVBJ. (I purchased it right after finding it.)
Started counting with REKO.
I surprised it worked good, let me 'Notice' advantage, time to raise bet, time to win.
In early stage of 6 deck shoe, RC went so high, I put down max bet, lost it, repeatedly.
So, I thought, might need true counted REKO (??) like TKO.
Instead of doing that, I migrated to FELT.

[DatabaseGuy]

I used KO and found it to be quickly limited, especially since it uses RC. Based on my personal esperience, one should start learning and playing perfect BS while learning to observe. You don't need to count right away. I started making money by flat betting and staying when I was encouraged to stay due to an overabundance of low cards over tens and aces. And leaving when I saw more tens and figures. You don't need to count right away.

Game fundamentals and observation are the two first skills that you need to solidly establish and build on.

Then you can trial and error yourself into a good winning system. One of my personal errors was to trust that KO was a good count.

[MJGolf]

Question for Norm. Tthree, Flash or Tarzan or any other experts could answer this question as well. At the minimum what AP strategy would you recommend for a novice player to use to gain advantage when first time entering a casino?

Seemingly simple question. Complex answers possible. This thread has evolved into some interesting side threads. But I don't think this particular question can be answered that simply. There are many "novices" with many "purposes". Some want to evolve into true AP players. Some just want to try to play occasionally and hope for a slight advantage. Some may just be comp "whores" and are satisfied with that outcome. Don't you think your responses would differ based upon the true intention OF THAT PARTICULAR PLAYER/NOVICE? Does not your willingness to play, practice, buy software, and devote enough time to learning a particular method or count alter what answer you might give? Or what the correct answer is? I guess I'm just saying, philosophically, that this is almost like a "what count is best" thread. There is no one answer for every person or player.

[ZenMaster_Flash]

First time in in a casino ? No way to have an advantage that I can think of.

[pilotzone]

If basic is so hard for you, you better get into a different type of work!!


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[seriousplayer]

I wonder if most player's DO have it memorized?

Would love to hear everyone's thoughts!

It seems to me that many could use a easy way to "memorize" Basic Strategy ... hence my book.

Thanks!

Flip

If you don't know your basic strategy and insist on going to a casino than you are better off going to a gift shop and purchase a basic strategy card for the game rules you play. Don't deviate from it even when they say to surrender 10, 6 vs 10. I haven't try counting and referring to the basic strategy. The first thing I master in Blackjack was basic strategy.