BJ table is a snake pit, you'll get bitten

[Mr. T]

Playing perfect BS is not doable to me. Try hitting or doubling the soft 18 and before long you will get very upset fellow players. Worst thing have happened to me. It is usually not the heat from the knowledgeabe players or the novice. It is these know-something players. They think their play is the only right one and anybody who does not play exactly like them are not only stupid ( yes I heard this word mentioned this last session ) but is upsetting the right flow of cards.
I am scared of getting bitten here.

 

[ihate17]

If you go their route

Mr T.

You know what the original Mr T. would have thought about loudmouths on the blackjack table.
If you are scared for your safety, or if you just want to be liked by everyone, the result will be that you will play exactly the same way these losers play. You know it is a trap, you know the right way to play your hand and it is your money you are betting and not their's.

It is your decision.

ihate17

 

[ScottH]

Playing perfect BS is not doable to me. Try hitting or doubling the soft 18 and before long you will get very upset fellow players. Worst thing have happened to me. It is usually not the heat from the knowledgeabe players or the novice. It is these know-something players. They think their play is the only right one and anybody who does not play exactly like them are not only stupid ( yes I heard this word mentioned this last session ) but is upsetting the right flow of cards.
I am scared of getting bitten here.

Tell them you're going to make the move you are making. If they don't like it, make them pay you to do what they want you to...

 

[Mr. T]

If someone says you have made a stupid play, sure you can just ignore him or defend yourself. But why put yourself in such a situation.

 

[ScottH]

If someone says you have made a stupid play, sure you can just ignore him or defend yourself. But why put yourself in such a situation.

Because it costs you money to avoid it...

Hey, I don't care, play badly and make everyone at your table happy.

 

[Mr. T]

Because it costs you money to avoid it...

Hey, I don't care, play badly and make everyone at your table happy.

Hey how about not playing BJ.

 

[BFC]

um, bait arguments much?

for the same reason that you post that suggestion on a BlackJack message board filled with people who spend hours practising/perfecting their BlackJack strategies: because you can.

 

[NDN21]

BJ table

Well you say you don't want to upset the other players at your table yet you come onto a blackjack message board asking for advice, knowing full well that you are going to get advice that does not agree with yours. You seem to not want to upset the players at the table yet have absolutely no problem getting talked down to here. What gives?

How about this. You say that they are getting upset with you because you aren't playing their way? Well why don't you get upset with them because they aren't playing your way? They think they have a right to get upset with you because you don't agree with them. Well they are just as guilty of not agreeing...........with you.

It's your money and you can play as you want to. If you can't handle that then play something else, simple as that and there really is no other solution.

 

[EasyRhino]

Try hitting or doubling the soft 18 and before long you will get very upset fellow players.

You know, just this weekend, I had one of those hands that I was SURE I was going to get some heat from the ploppies. Had A,7 vs dealer 9, hit, got a stiff, hit again, and got a lucky draw to 21. But the dealer ended up drawing to 21 as well. I was prepared to verbally defend myself, but it turns out it was a really mellow group of ploppies at the table. Pretty cool guys, even if they did keep standing on their twelves.

 

[MEDITANK]

Just had an incident happen this past weekend. One ploppy was complaining about the ploppy playing 3rd at how he costed the table money by playing the way he did. The ploppy at 3rd was very upset and the two got out of their chairs yelling at the top of their lungs within inches of each other. luckily, no punches were thrown, but the heated exchange continued for hours until one of them finally left.

 

[GeorgeD]

Playing perfect BS is not doable to me. Try hitting or doubling the soft 18 and before long you will get very upset fellow players. Worst thing have happened to me. It is usually not the heat from the knowledgeabe players or the novice. It is these know-something players. They think their play is the only right one and anybody who does not play exactly like them are not only stupid ( yes I heard this word mentioned this last session ) but is upsetting the right flow of cards.
I am scared of getting bitten here.

I don't know where you play, but every table is different. Few weeks ago a lady got nasty with me and left the table in a huff after I hit a soft 18 and then doubled 9's VS 9. Good riddance .. I was ignoring her anyway.

OOTH, I've had players back bet my game, I assume because they realized my BS was on target, and WIN! Makes you feel good.

Yesterday a guy DOUBLED a soft 18 vs A, caught a 3. He just said "I knew he didn't have 21 but would probably have a good hand, so went for it". All the ploppys at the table patted him on the back. I just quietly shook my head.

Yea, people will sometimes comment on your play or give you "advice" but if you can't politely ignore them, don't play. After all, it is YOUR MONEY, so you get to play however you like.

I suppose you could carry a BS card for the game and point out when you're right, but you may just get "sure they're done by the casino so you'll lose more".

 

[Automatic Monkey]

Oh yes, I've gotten my share of insults and threats at the table. The worst is a drunken male who is losing money and wants to take it out on someone other than the person who is to blame, which is of course himself.

It is something we want to avoid because we don't want altercations which will draw attention to ourselves and our play at the table. It's also good to make friends with your tablemates for some very profitable hand interaction plays. Neither is a good reason to depart from strategy but it could be helpful to be able to explain what you did and why, to keep on the good side of people and keep your stress level down.

The plays I get the most ploppy heat on (other than splitting 10's) are hitting 12 vs. 3, 4 and 6. When they ask why, I tell them "I figure, there are only 4 cards that can hurt me but 5 cards that can help me, so the odds should be a little bit in my favor to do it, right?" It's a true statement that is at least understandable to an unskilled player and doesn't give away that I'm a skilled player.

 

[Sonny]

You know what the original Mr T. would have thought about loudmouths on the blackjack table.

That's right. Mr. T got no time for that jibba-jabba!

-Sonny-

 

[zengrifter]

Yes, it is a snake-pit. So I make sure that i'm the BLACK MAMBA at the table. Anyone who has played with me will tell you that I become the KING SNAKE! Barfy and others have wondered why I am so hard on ploppies - blowing smoke in their faces and insulting them - this is why! zg

​

 

[FGK42]

It is usually not the heat from the knowledgeabe players or the novice. It is these know-something players. They think their play is the only right one and anybody who does not play exactly like them are not only stupid ( yes I heard this word mentioned this last session ) but is upsetting the right flow of cards.

I am scared of getting bitten here.

This happens to all players at one time or another. You simply need to decide BEFORE you sit down how you will handle it.

This weekend the player to my right was upset that I hit my 12 vs. dealer 2. I busted and the dealer draws to a 21 causing the table to lose. He made a big deal of it and I simply ignored him.

Two shoes later same scenario. I hit my 12 vs dealer 2. I bust and the dealer drew to 20 causing the table to lose.

He leaned over to me and said, "Why you hit 12? You cause table to lose. Why you play that way?"

I was calm and collected because I had anticipated this. I turned to him and said simply, "I'm sorry you don't like that but BJ isn't a team sport. It's my money and I'll hit my 12 when I want to. If you don't like the way I play there's a spot at that table over there," as I pointed across the isle.

I wasn't rude upset or angy, just the facts. He actually apologized to me at that point and sat down. Three hands later here comes the 12 again, this time versus a dealer 3. I hit and get the 8. The dealer flips a ten for 13, 3 and Jack - busting.

I turned to my right and asked him, well aren't you glad I hit THAT time? He smiled and the dealer proceeded to dump several hands after that. As the table started making money the incident was soon forgotten.

If you are afraid of confrontation then try to sit at a table by yourself. If you can't do that when you sit down announce to the ploppies, "I want you to know that I hit 12 versus a dealer 12", or something along those lines.

However, when all else fails and you run into that dumb brute and you get scared, walk away, there are more tables and in the long run it isn't worth getting into a fight.

If you can afford it play at higher limit tables. The loud mouth, know it all drunk ploppies don't usually swim in the deeper waters. :devil:

 

[BJDave]

The plays I get the most ploppy heat on (other than splitting 10's) are hitting 12 vs. 3, 4 and 6. When they ask why, I tell them "I figure, there are only 4 cards that can hurt me but 5 cards that can help me, so the odds should be a little bit in my favor to do it, right?" It's a true statement that is at least understandable to an unskilled player and doesn't give away that I'm a skilled player.

If you're splitting 10's and hitting 12 vs. 3, 4 and 6, you deserve all the heat you can get. It's not about the cards YOU can get on the hit, it's about blowing up a table win. That kind of play is selfish and stupid. There is no way you can do that crap and call yourself a "skilled player" to any extent.

 

[Mimosine]

If you're splitting 10's and hitting 12 vs. 3, 4 and 6, you deserve all the heat you can get. It's not about the cards YOU can get on the hit, it's about blowing up a table win. That kind of play is selfish and stupid. There is no way you can do that crap and call yourself a "skilled player" to any extent.

OMG LOL!

no, really BJDave, it is about the cards YOU can get on the hit, that is all that matters in playing BJ BS, or index plays.

 

[BJDave]

OMG LOL!

no, really BJDave, it is about the cards YOU can get on the hit, that is all that matters in playing BJ BS, or index plays.

You've GOT to be joking. First of all, it's a bad play for yourself. Secondly, it's a bad play for the table. There is no benefit in those moves and they violate the most basic, simple rules of playing blackjack. Hitting 12 vs. 3 is fine (that's basic stratgey) but splitting 10's or hitting 12 vs. 4, 5 or 6 is insane.

Now, TOURNAMENT blackjack is whole other issue. If you're arguing on those grounds, fine.

 

[Sonny]

It's not about the cards YOU can get on the hit, it's about blowing up a table win.

If the rest of the table wants to win then they should learn how to play properly! I’m not going to give up a good hit just because the jerk next to me stands on his soft 17 and doesn’t know when to hit his 16 vs. 10.

Hitting 12 vs. 3 is fine (that's basic stratgey) but splitting 10's or hitting 12 vs. 4, 5 or 6 is insane.

Actually, those ARE the correct plays in certain cases. Any good player knows that.

-Sonny-

 

[Mimosine]

You've GOT to be joking. First of all, it's a bad play for yourself. Secondly, it's a bad play for the table. There is no benefit in those moves and they violate the most basic, simple rules of playing blackjack. Hitting 12 vs. 3 is fine (that's basic stratgey) but splitting 10's or hitting 12 vs. 4, 5 or 6 is insane.

Now, TOURNAMENT blackjack is whole other issue. If you're arguing on those grounds, fine.

i guess since we are in the "BJ general" section this is true.

but hitting 12 v 4,5,6 are three VERY COMMON negative index plays. they are in the top 20 of MOST PROFITABLE index plays to know. oh, and BTW splitting 10s v 5,6 is on that same short list of 20 plays....

there really is no such thing as "bad play for the table" other than taking my 10s in high counts.