Basic Strategy

[NoobAtCardCounting]

Hi,
First I would like to start off by saying I am an extreme noob at card counting. I just started yesterday, and I know jack except how to get the count/true count (46 seconds on single deck so far). At moments time, I am memorizing Basic Strategy, and during this time I have stumbled upon a confusing yet probably noob problem.

Say your dealt A3 and you hit and a 4 comes now which one do you take either a 8? or 17?.

I know this may be a noob question, but before I go onto more advanced techniques I want the basics down solid.

Also, did anyone have any creative ways of memorizing basic strategy? Or was it just out of practice.

Thanks in advance.

 

[nightspirit]

Say your dealt A3 and you hit and a 4 comes now which one do you take either a 8? or 17?.

8 or 18 should be the right question! But the soft hands are the most confusing, especially if you hold more than 2 cards, practice this too. Ok, back to your original question, as long as your hand (with an Ace) can't bust with the next hit card, you call it a soft hand. So you would play your hand as soft 18.

Also, did anyone have any creative ways of memorizing basic strategy? Or was it just out of practice.

You can use flash cards, or make a blank spreadsheet to fill out, or simple with a deck of cards...
There are a lot of good tips on the gamemasters (Archive copy) webpage.

Thanks in advance.

Your welcome.

 

[ihate17]

What to do with a 3 or more card 18 (basic strategy)

If the dealer has a 2-8 you stand on your soft 18
If the dealer has a 9,10, or Ace, you hi your soft 18.

ihate17

 

[GeorgeD]

A soft 18 .. especially a multi card is toughest for me to remember, but soft doubles are even harder. This is a little off topic, but someone told me about the "rule of nines" for soft doubles.

Never double A-2
Always double a soft hand vs 5 or 6
Othewise double if your non ace plus the dealer up card total nine or more
Only Exception: Double A-4 vs 4

... of course stand on A-8 or 9 and hit A-7 vs 9 or 10

Think I got that right!

 

[Rspeirsmlb]

...

Basic strategy says to hit 12 vs. 2 and 3....this probablt ounds stupid..but let's say you have a 5,2 then draw a 2 and 3 for instance and end up with twelve, dealers showing a deuce...do you hit? Or is basic strategy only used for your FIRST two cards? Someone told me otherwise the other day and I thought it was for your first 2 cards only.

 

[ihate17]

Just basic strategy and also counting

Basic strategy says to hit 12 vs. 2 and 3....this probablt ounds stupid..but let's say you have a 5,2 then draw a 2 and 3 for instance and end up with twelve, dealers showing a deuce...do you hit? Or is basic strategy only used for your FIRST two cards? Someone told me otherwise the other day and I thought it was for your first 2 cards only.

In basic strategy you would still hit the multi-card 12 vs 2 or 3 especially in the shoe game. Composition dependency becomes important in a single deck game and in your example of 5,3,2,2, you should stand.
Now if you are counting, you would stand on 12 vs 2 if the count is over +3 and stand on 12 vs 3 if the count is over +1. Your example of 5,3,2,2, would increase the count in a single deck game by +4 over whatever it was before, but for instance, in a 6 deck shoe at the begginning of the shoe, these same four cards do not even bring you to a TC of +1 by themselves.

ihate17

 

[Rspeirsmlb]

...

Thank you. So you I'm playing in a 6 deck shoe and counting...so I should hit only if true count says?

 

[Bashful C. Stupid-Butt]

As a beginner, your basic hit/stand strategy should have nothing to do with the count 99% of the time.

 

[aslan]

Never double A-2
Always double a soft hand vs 5 or 6

Contradictory. The BS engine on this site would double A-2 vs. 5 or 6.

 

[aslan]

Hi,

Also, did anyone have any creative ways of memorizing basic strategy? Or was it just out of practice.

Thanks in advance.

I use the interactive point and click BS trainer at (Dead link: http://www.blackjack-bst.com).

It times you through nearly 300 situations and tells you "Excellent" (whoop-dee-doo!) if you make it through without a single error.

 

[Rspeirsmlb]

..

So let's say you aren't counting..just using plain ol' basic strategy...you take a couple hits and recieve low cards to come up with a 12....dealer has a 2 or 3...do you still hit or stand? Or is basic strategy only meant for your first 2 cards dealt? I didn't get a definite answer that's why I repeated myself.

 

[ChefJJ]

So let's say you aren't counting..just using plain ol' basic strategy...you take a couple hits and recieve low cards to come up with a 12....dealer has a 2 or 3...do you still hit or stand? Or is basic strategy only meant for your first 2 cards dealt? I didn't get a definite answer that's why I repeated myself.

I thought you use BS relating to your hand total, regardless of how many cards you have. Granted, you can't double a soft 14 with more than 2 cards already, but the BS chart I use for reference at home says A,3 anyways.

But that's just my understanding. I guess that's why there's different BS for SD and shoe games, because the composition of the remaining deck(s) would be different after some cards are dealt in those situations.

good luck

 

[sagefr0g]

So let's say you aren't counting..just using plain ol' basic strategy...you take a couple hits and recieve low cards to come up with a 12....dealer has a 2 or 3...do you still hit or stand? Or is basic strategy only meant for your first 2 cards dealt? I didn't get a definite answer that's why I repeated myself.

playing basic strategy only or if the count was appropriate you would hit regardless of having multiple cards. you would only stand if the count met the proper index number for the 2 or 3 that the dealer holds.

 

[Canceler]

Hit it again!

So let's say you aren't counting..just using plain ol' basic strategy...you take a couple hits and recieve low cards to come up with a 12....dealer has a 2 or 3...do you still hit or stand? Or is basic strategy only meant for your first 2 cards dealt? I didn't get a definite answer that's why I repeated myself.

In basic strategy you would still hit the multi-card 12 vs 2 or 3 especially in the shoe game. Composition dependency becomes important in a single deck game and in your example of 5,3,2,2, you should stand.
Now if you are counting, you would stand on 12 vs 2 if the count is over +3 and stand on 12 vs 3 if the count is over +1. Your example of 5,3,2,2, would increase the count in a single deck game by +4 over whatever it was before, but for instance, in a 6 deck shoe at the begginning of the shoe, these same four cards do not even bring you to a TC of +1 by themselves.

ihate17

ihate17 gives great explanations, but this time he went a little beyond the scope of your question. The answer is there, though.

 

[Rspeirsmlb]

.

Thanks guys.