Readers Q&A #31

Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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Can the delear count A as 1 or 11 in a soft 17 rule or it has be only 11.?
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

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Dear Pratdadi,

Yes, the dealer can count the ace as a 1 or 11. If the dealer is dealt an ace, 6, the dealer has soft 17. If the casinos rule states dealer’s must hit soft 17, then the dealer must hit that hand. Likewise the dealer must do the same for the following hand; 2, 4, ace.

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 normal or average table limits for blackjack in most vegas casinos? Do these limits vary by days of week, time of day or holidays?
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

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Dear Terry,

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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Please can you tell me what the advantages are if any to playing blackjack with the following rules.
Dealer has 2 cards face up.
Stand offs lose.
Even money blackjack.
No surrender.
Look forward to your answers.
Many thanks
Alison

Dear Alison,

The game you describe where the dealer’s cards are dealt face up and the dealer wins ties is known as Double Exposure Blackjack. Surrender is never offered in this game. According to Stanford Wong (Basic Blackjack) the casino’s edge for 4 or more decks with s17, no das, no resplits and blackjacks paying even money is 0.2% for the player who uses basic strategy (note: the basic strategy is much different then traditional basic strategy and should be learned if you want to play Double Exposure Blackjack). If the game has h17, the casino’s edge goes up to 0.7%. Allowing das will reduce the casino’s edge by 0.2% and allowing resplits will help the player by 0.3%. Other rule variations will increase or decrease the casino’s edge. Bottom line is like traditional blackjack, you need to check the rules of the games to determine the overall casino’s edge (Wong’s book will help you on this) and also learn the basic strategy that is specific for this game (again Wong’s book conatins the basic strategy for Double Exposure Blackjack).

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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Dear Henry,

Can you tell me where
the most favorable blackjack games can be found in Tahoe & Carson City? Also, are there any casinos in particular that are a tad more open to card counters' fluctuating bets?

Thanks a bunch!
George
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Dear George,

In Tahoe, Caesar’s has a good 6 deck game (s17, das, ls, rsa, CA=0.26%). Lakeside Inn has a good single deck game (h17, das, rsa, CA=0.03%) and Crystal Bay Club also has a good single deck game (h17, CA=0.18%). In Carson, the Carson Station and Pinion Plaza offer single deck games with h17 (CA+0.18% and the Carson Nugget has single deck game with h17 and the player’s unbusted 6 card hand winning automatically (CA=0.14%). The casinos which offer slightly better penetration are Caeasar’s (6 deck game) and Lakeside Inn (double deck game).

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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Dear Henry,

What is a good book (or books) on blackjack that contains lists of indices and strategy tables for a variety of rule variations? Specifically, is there a recent book (1999-2001) with indices from computer simulations?
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

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Dear Sam,

Blackjack Attack by Donald Schlesinger has strategy indices for the illustrious 18 plays and fab four plays (second edition 2000). Two other books that are circa 1998 that contain strategy indices are Knock Out Blackjack (Vencura and Fuchs) and Blackjack Bluebook(Renzy). Other classic books that contain strategy indices are Professional Blackjack by Wong, Blackjack for Blood by Carlson and Blackbelt in Blackjack by Snyder (these are ‘older" books but info is still valid today).

Regards,

Henry Tamburin
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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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Dealing from a multi deck shoe, what is the most amount of cards that a dealer can draw without busting? Standard BJ, with dealer standing on hard or soft 17. The best that I've been able to come up with is 12: A, A, A, A, A, A, 6, A, A, A, A.5.

Dear Erich,

I can’t get more than a 12 card hand either so 12 must be it (of course your last card could also be an ace through 6 card and still meet your requirement).

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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Hi
I've heard theories that casinos clump together low cards by collecting the break cards together.Whats your opinion?
Plus, i've got a pretty good memory and can memorise upto about 30 cards in a row. If I could improve the speed at which I can do this, what would be the best way to implement this to my advantage and how big an advantage could it be?

Regards

Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

Dear Richjames123,

I guess it’s possible that dealers could create clumps of low cards by selectively scooping up specific cards. However, the probability of doing this is small because casino’s have rules that require the

dealer’s to pick up the cards in the exact order as they hit the table (that’s so they can recreate the previous round in the event of a player dispute). Also if a dealer tried to selectively scoop up discards he’s be caught by the eye in the sky or an attentive floor person. If you can memorize 30 cards in a row you need to read John May’s book Get The Edge at Blackjack and learn the advanced technique of card steering.

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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Hi Henry,

what is the chance (%) for the player and banker to win the blackjack?


thanks
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

Dear Wilson,

You and the dealer will on average be dealt a blackjack hand once every 21 hands. You (the player) have the advantage because when you get a blackjack the casino pays you 50% more money then you pay the dealer when the he gets a blackjack (this assumes you both don’t get blackjack hands on the same round in which case it’s a push).

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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Which is the best counting system for betting purposes and which is the best for playing efficiency?
Do you know the Lima couting system that May refers to it's book: Get the Edge at Blackjack?
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

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Dear Alexander,

The counting system with the best playing efficiency is the Lima count (by May) and the Revere Point Count (by Revere). I only know about the Lima count from May’s book. I have no other information about it.

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 odds of useing 4-decks compared to using 6-decks when dealer stands on all 17's,doubling down on 1st 2 cards of any split hands except aces,insurance permitted,push on ties,even $ permitted. or is there a site to check out to find the odds?
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

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Dear Tim,

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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I am trying to calculate probability. I think I am making a mistake. I wonder what the probablity is of not just getting a Black Jack (6 deck equals 21.07). What is the probablity of pulling a Black Jack inluding an Ace of Hearts? What is the probablity of pulling of pulling a Black Jack with a comnination of an ace of hearts and Queen of hearts.

Keith

Dear Keith,

The probability of getting a blackjack (any suit) in a six deck game is 1/21.06. The probability of getting a blackjack that includes an ace of hearts is 1/842. And the probability of getting a blackjack consisting of an ace of hearts and queen of hearts is 1/1,348.

Regards,

Henry Tamburin
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