basic strategy ingrained...now, where to play?

[spazzy]

I decided to at least give myself the best odds of losing and i memorized basic strategy. Using a couple of software programs i downloaded free, i played 6000 or so hands. Also took a deck to work with me and practiced playing three cards of the deck per round.

Anyway, I have basic strategy down COLD baby, feels good too.

Now, been planning this trip to Vegas for 6 months, staying at Venetian.

It seems like the strategy I memorized was for a 6 decker where I can double down after the split and umm.........dealer stands on soft 17.

Is it true dealers wont peak at their hole card even if they are showing an ace? will those pricks take more money from me if they dont?

Anyway, for the basic strategy i memorized, what is a good game for me to play at?

 

[SammyBoy]

If you do not plan to count you will want to always use a players card while playing so that you will get comps. Also try to play at very full tables with slow dealers. The idea is to play as few hands per hour to cut the loss rate while trying to maximize comps.

It is great that you have memorized basic strategy, you should take the next step and learn a count. The truth is, the casinos will allow you to carry a basic strategy card with you while you play. Go to wizardofodds.com and print out the strategy cards he has online for the different playing conditions you may encounter.

Be sure to stay away from any 6:5 single deck BJ tables and Super Fun 21. Oh, if the dealer does not peek at his hole card, you will not lose double downs or splits when he has BJ. Only bet lost is the original wager. Now some clubs overseas that have ENHC (European No Hole Card) will take all bets if the dealer has BJ, but I don't know of any in the states that use this rule.

Good luck!

 

[learning to count]

The las Vegas Club in the morning from 6 am until 11 am. Play for the benifit of seeing how fast your ability to make the correct decision is. Try and get heads up and play fast very fast. All the while keeping track of your win/loss. Watch out for the Pit critters and see how they do business. This is agreat game. One of the best in vegas. They are sweaty and pounce on cardc counters quickly. Its a great place to learn about casino caportment. If you can play and have a good time talking and joking then you need to perfect your counting abilities. Have fun!

 

[MrPill]

Spazzy,

If your going to Vegas you don't want to pass up any good SD games you may see downtown so learn the BS changes. The changes in BS with these games in which you cannot double after splits is in some of the splits that you learned.

If no DAS then BS changes would be:
- Don't split 4's
- Split 6's with dealer 3 thru 6 up.
- Split 2's & 3's with dealer 4 thru 7 up.

Other than that your BS will be the same.

And as Sammy sayz above, stay away from those games with the 6:5 payout and Superfun 21. And stay to playing with as many other people that you can find at the table. This will cut your hands per hour down while optimizing your comp calculation time.

Pill

 

[Automatic Monkey]

The game at the Venetian is decent, but not the best on the Strip. That was the first place I ever counted! Caesar's has better rules for a BS player, as do a few other houses.

I noticed you didn't mention counting, so you're just interested in playing BS for comps? Well then you might as well play at the place you are staying. They have great hamburgers at the little resturant that's adjacent to the casino floor at the Venetian, worth getting comped for sure.

 

[spazzy]

gee, thanx a lot. Since our last post, I got bored of basic strategy and moved on to Hi/Lo counting techniques.

I still haven't found the matrix yet to layer on top of my basic strategy for when i get low counts (i switched hi to low and low to hi, seems more intuitive for me that way)......

Now I guess im on the lookout for good 6 deck games with low minimums and good penetration....any suggestions?

Oh yeah, had my wife and father in law dealing out hands to me while i played one and counted the rest (that wife played) father in law was dealer. I was basically missing the running count by +/- one through 2-3 decks average. But if I was ever in doubt I erred on the dealers advantage side.

Anyway...what now?

 

[Automatic Monkey]

Go to http://blackjack.skister.com/ for a list of playing conditions around the country. Pick a town, run some sims using the games and rules they have available, and jump right in. It's that simple.

I do the same thing as you do with the count. It's easier for me to remember that seeing a high card makes the count higher and a low card makes it lower so I reverse it too. Just don't forget this if you are reading or writing any BJ commentary.

Also, the most dangerous thing you can do is reverse the sign of the count! You are tired and thinking... "+6, +7, -8, -7, -6, -7" see what can happen?

I use an ace sidecount with letters for the aces, so I am thinking "-1a, 0a, +1a, +1b, +2b" and I picture the "text" of the count rather than the sound, in my head. This makes it easier for me to talk and count at the same time, very important in the real world. You have to look and act like everyone else at the table or you will be discovered and ejected from the game.