Readers Q&A # 24

Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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Dear Henry,

The Indian casinos here in Oklahoma have recently started offering blackjack games. Here is their catch - they have a charge of $.50 per hand that goes directly to the casino and is NOT part of the bet. It also costs another fifty cents to split a hand! The rules are s17, DAS allowed, only 1 card per split ace and 6 decks used. Using correct basic strategy and betting $5 per hand, what is the casino's advantage here? How about $10 per hand?? Another Indian casino has a progressive surcharge. If your bet is $5 to $10, then it costs $.25. $11 to $25 costs $.50, $26 to $50 costs $.75, and $51 on up costs $1. There is no extra charge to split a hand however. What would the CA be for these situations? Can it be calculated?? Thanks for your time - Manny
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

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Dear Manny,

(x *b+f)/b where x=normal house edge; b=bet size; and f=fee charged.

For example in your first game that you mention with a $10 bet the casino advantage is:

(.004)*$10+0.50)/$10 = .54/10 = 5.4% CA

Regards,

Henry Tamburin
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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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IS THERE ANY RELIABLE LIST OF ON LINE CASINOS WHICH ARE HONEST AT ALL?
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

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Dear Piloteddie2,

I would check the following two sites for honest advice about sites that offer gambling.

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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What are the rules and strategy for Let I t Ride?
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

Dear Dharral,

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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how often does a player receive blackjack? 1 in how many hands?

what % of the hands in the game does the dealer bust?

what is the name of the new game where people play the game without the 10's?

what does it mean by 'mimic the dealer'?

under what condition will card counting be effective?


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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

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Dear Michael,

A player can expect to receive a blackjack 1 in every 21.92 hands (6 deck game)

The dealer will bust about 28% of the time.

The name of the game where all the 10’s are removed is called Spanish 21.

Mimic the dealer is a playing strategy used by some players in which they mimic the dealer’s strategy namely hit on 16 or less and stand on 17 and more.

Card counting is effective when the casino deals about 75% of the cards before reshuffling and the casino pit boss will tolerate counters that use a reasonable betting spread.

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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What does :"a ten in a casino" mean??
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

Dear Nick,

I’m not sure what you mean. A ten in blackjack means any 10, jack, queen, or king. Can you be more specific?

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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Hi.

Am I allowed to hit or double on a BJ hand if I consider it as 11 instead of 21.

Thank you
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

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Dear Dinos,

Some casinos will allow you to hit or double down on a BJ hand and others will not. It’s bets to ask before you play although for normal play I would not suggest doubling down (it’s best to take the 1.5 to 1 payoff. In the foirst BJ tournament ever held in Atlantic City I lost a round to a player who doubled down on a BJ hand and beat me. It was the only way he could surpass me and he did just that. After that play, doubling on a BJ hand was not allowed in AC.

_

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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Should you hit a hard sixteen against the Dealer's 7 thru Ace, if the 16 consists of three or more cards? IF so, doesn't this increase your odds of busting?
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

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Dear Tim,

If you are playing in a single deck game and you have a 3 card 16, you should stand on the 16 only against a dealer ‘s 10. In multiple deck games, stand on multi-card 16’s against a dealer’s 10 only when your hand contains any 4’s or 5’s. You should not hit 3 card 16’s against any other dealer upcard.

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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CAN THE DEALER BE DEALING HIMSELF BOTH CARDS FACE UP IN ANY CASINO AROUND THE WORLD?
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

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Dear Santos,

Games in which the dealer deals himself both cards face up are known as Double Exposure Blackjack. Some casinos call it by a different name but the rules are altered because you see both cards( for example blackjack’s pay even money). You are generally better off playing the traditional game of blackjack.

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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how do you become a pro and what good does it do for you?
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

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Dear Peggy,

Becoming a pro at blackjack is not easy but the benefits are that you have the edge over the casino and over time you will win more money then lose. Comps can also be quite substantial. You become a pro by practicing, practicing and practicing until you learn the basic strategy, learn how to card count, and how to vary your bets and playing strategy based on the count.

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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how much money will a casino allow you to win per visit (before you get barred) if you win 80 to 90% of the time and visit them about twice a week?
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

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Dear Peggy,

Regards,

Henry Tamburin