Insuring other players' hands....

[Mimosine]

I understand when it is and when it is not appropriate to play insurance.

In another thread http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bb/showthread.php?t=5392

the discussion of drawing heat playing insurance on hands like 14-16 (in particular) came up.

And in my first ever insurance play (that i won) i was in a similar situation, and i kind of had a sinking feeling when it worked out, realizing that it was a pretty blatent move.

but the whole point of insurance is that it is a side bet, one that pays 2:1 giving you an effective push if you win it. well what about this as a cover play (or maybe the worst play ever!), what if you insured someone else's hand!?! would the casino allow you to push chips in front of someone else's hand?

a few initial thoughts prompted me to ask someone who knows better than me:
1) you could technically put out more than half YOUR bet, as you could insure a higher-roller's hand.
2) you could "look" like a complete idiot to the casino i.e. this person really thinks they are insuring a hand (vs. the reality of it being a side bet), maybe this would require an act

or 3) you could look to the casino like an AP, the most obvious one on earth.

any comments/thoughts/or beratings!
thanks in advance.

 

[sabre]

It's a bit of an unusual move. I'm of the opinion that doing unusual things at the table is going to bring you some scrutiny, which you don't want as an AP.

However, I have had ploppies insure my hand before (after asking my permission). They've done it in situations where the dealer has been killing the table, drawing constant 20s and 21s. Rationalizing your play with a brief comment of "This is the only way for me to win some money, given how hot this dealer is right now" could give you the appearance of a run of the mill idiot.

I'd probably just try to insure one player sitting beside me though (the one with the biggest bet out). I think insuring the entire table is going a bit overboard, and might cause the dealer to get a clarification from the pit on whether that's allowed.

 

[Mimosine]

I think insuring the entire table is going a bit overboard, and might cause the dealer to get a clarification from the pit on whether that's allowed.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

i was thinking of insuring one of the bigger hands out there, maybe up to the size of the bet i have out.

 

[Preston]

I was at Blue Chip in Michigan City Indiana and made the following play:

I was playing at a $10 min table, getting ready to leave. there were two players min $75 a hand. Count goes up to +7 true before the hand. Four other players.

We all get dealt stiffs, except for one guy who had blackjack. Dealer flips over an A. and the ploppy asks for even money.

I then said "well, if he thinks he's got it, I do too!" And I insured the entire table. Dealer had blackjack and I ended up making $160 profit on the insurance bets.

The heat I drew from the ploppies was worse than the dealer/pit. They started bitching because I was rooting against the table... even though it didn't matter since the cards were already dealt. One of them even said "Why do the idiots always get lucky?" I found that to be funny

I wouldn't do this unless you are at a friendly table with a clueless pit.

Other than that it just screams AP.