Basic Strategy questions

[Kaiser]

I just have a couple of questions that have been bugging me today. Hope you guys don't mind the simple questions.

I was playing the strategy trainer that this site offers, and got a coaching suggestion that I hadn't heard of before.

I had Ace, 6 against a king and hit, pulling another Ace for a soft 18. It hit again and it told me that the recommendation was to stand. I thought that was odd, but then while cruising around later I came across an (Dead link: http://www.freeblackjacktips.com/articles/article_24.html) _article_ at freeblackjacktips.com that said:

When holding a hand containing three or more cards do not hit a soft 13 through 17.

I always just consider that hand to be an Ace, 7 (Ace plus the 6 and 1-valued Ace) and play according to the Ace, 7 strategy which is to hit. Is it correct that I should stand in this situation?

Also, how popular is the notion that you shouldn't hit 16 versus 10 when your hand has a 4 or 5 in it? It's called the Rule of 45 - something I've read in a few articles by Fred Renzey. I always think of this one as I'm using these online strategy trainers, which of course always chastise me for standing on a 4-5-5-2 hand of 16 against a dealer's 10. What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks.

 

[KenSmith]

Pretty worthless article you're citing there.
In particular, the line you quote is blatantly wrong.

If the strategy trainer here recommended standing with soft 18 vs ten, you were playing single deck S17. That's the only time that play is appropriate.

As for the Rule of 45 you mention, it's effective and accurate.

 

[Kaiser]

Hi Ken, thanks for the reply.

I didn't think the article was great, but it did go along with what I was seeing in the trainer here, so it got me thinking.

BTW, I was actually playing 6 deck, h17, DAC, DAS. I always play this because it mimics the local casino rules.

Bug perhaps?