Readers Q&A #33

Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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what is the best blackjack computer teaching software to buy if you want to learn card counting? assuming 6 deck shoe good penetration.
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

Dear Sam,

Three computer software programs that I recommend to players who want to learn and practice card counting are:

Blackjack 6,7,8 by Stickysoft

Blackjack Trainer by Conjelco

Smart Cards by Extreme

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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Do you always split 8's???
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

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Dear Michael,

In single deck games you should split a pair of 2’s only when the dealer’s face card is a 3 through 7. If you can double after pair split (das) then you should also split against a dealer’s 2-7 face card.

In multiple deck games you should split 2’s when the dealer shows a 4 through 7. If das is allowed then split against 2 through 7.

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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Is there a separate basic strategy for BJ games that allow doubling down on any number of cards? If so, where can I find the strategy?
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

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Dear Kevin,

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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in an eight (8) deck shoe, if you are using "deck location" to wqager your bet, and you are in early, is that the equivelant of one (1) or two (2) decks or three (3) decks or if you are playing in "middle" of an eight deck shoe is the middle considered the total amount of three to four decks or do you also count the two decks that the dealer has cut off with the cut card. my own opinion is that if you are playing in an eight deck shoe that the two decks that are cut off with the cut card do not count. so simply my question is if you are playing blackjack do you count all the cards in this example eight decks and then say that in early is the euivelant to three dekc or is it just two decks leaving four decks left for the middle and late?
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Best regards,
The "Ask the Pro" Staff

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Dear Pete,

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear Aspen,

I’m not much of a history buff so the following info on the history of BJ was abstracted from Jerry Patterson’s Casino Gambling Book.

Blackjack is believed to have evolved from several early games (circa 1440) which involved drawing cards to reach a certain total. Baccarat (magic number 9) appeared in Italy in 1490 followed by the game "seven and a half" which seems to be the first game where the player automatically lost if he went over the desired number. The game "one and thirty" was first played before 1570 and the game of quince (15) flourished between 1827 and 1844. From France came trente at quarte (30 and 40) and finally vingt un or vingt et un (21 or 20 and 1) which crossed the Atlantic Ocean and was listed in the American Hoyle of 1875. Blackjack was first played in US in private games but by early 1900’s, tables for 21 were offered in gambling parlors of Evansville, Indiana. To stimulate interest operators offered to pay 3 to 2 for any count of 21 in the first two cards and 10 to 1 if the 21 consisted of the ace of spades and either the jack of spades or jack or clubs. The hand was called, of course, blackjack. The 10 to 1 payoff was eliminated but the term remained as the name of any two card 21 and subsequently as the name of the game itself. By 1919 tables with the (Blackjack Pays odds of 3 to 2) began to be manufactured in Chicago and appeared in illegal gambling halls throughout the country. In1931 when gambling became legalized in Nevada, the popularity of blackjack grew.

Regards,

Henry Tamburin

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Dear BJInsider.com Expert Guide,

The following question was asked by

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Hallo!

What is the basic strategy modulation (if there is any) when you play 6 decks, stand on soft 17, DAS, resplitting of aces is alowed, double after any first 2 cards, no surrender, with European No-Hole Card Rule?

Thanks,
Gasper
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Dear Gasper,

Regards,

Henry