Play only 1 spot heads up?

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ScottH

Well-Known Member
I have always heard that it is better to play only one spot heads up, when the count is positive. The reason being you make the positive conditions "last longer". I have never understood how they actually make it last longer, it seems to me you will be playing less hands in the positive counts.

Here is how I am thinking about this. Let's assume we are being dealt 1 round in a high plus count. If you bet one spot only you use up cards for your hand and the dealers. If you bet two spots you get 2 spots of cards for yourself, and the dealer still only gets 1 hands worth of cards in the plus count. It seems to me that you will actually get more hands in plus counts by going to more than one spot because the dealer will use less cards (compared to you), so you should be able to play more hands. In plus counts, if you only played 1 spot, you and the dealer would get about the same number of cards, but if you played 2 spots you would get more cards than the dealer in the plus counts.

So it seems like by only playing 1 betting spot you are letting the dealer take more of the cards. I know that I am missing something, but I want to understand why 1 spot is better than two (or more).
 
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Sonny

Sonny

Well-Known Member
ScottH said:
It seems to me that you will actually get more hands in plus counts by going to more than one spot because the dealer will use less cards (compared to you), so you should be able to play more hands. In plus counts, if you only played 1 spot, you and the dealer would get about the same number of cards, but if you played 2 spots you would get more cards than the dealer in the plus counts.
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That is true. However, the main factors here are 1) how many rounds you get and 2) how much money you bet. Obviously you want to get the most money on the table as possible, but playing multiple hands will reduce the number of high-count rounds you get.

Assume that the dealer has a 27-card “hot spot” they are about to deal. If you play 1 hand then you will be dealt 5 rounds, betting $100 per hand:

:) 27 cards / 5.4 cards per round (you and the dealer) * $100 bet = $500 total action

If you play 2 hands you will be dealt 3.3 rounds, betting $146 per round ($73 per hand):

:eek: 27 cards / 8.1 cards per round (your two and the dealer) * $146 bet per round = $487 total action

Expanding to 3 hands you get 2.5 rounds, betting $171 per round ($57 per hand):

:( 27 cards / 10.8 cards per round (your three and the dealer) * $171 bet per round = $428 total action

Even though you are betting more per round, you are getting less rounds so your overall action has been reduced.

These numbers will change as more players enter the game. Schlesinger gives more detail, as well as the optimal number of hands to play, on p. 27-30 (BJA 2nd ed.)

-Sonny-
 
S

ScottH

Well-Known Member
Sonny said:
That is true. However, the main factors here are 1) how many rounds you get and 2) how much money you bet. Obviously you want to get the most money on the table as possible, but playing multiple hands will reduce the number of high-count rounds you get.

Assume that the dealer has a 27-card “hot spot” they are about to deal. If you play 1 hand then you will be dealt 5 rounds, betting $100 per hand:

:) 27 cards / 5.4 cards per round (you and the dealer) * $100 bet = $500 total action

If you play 2 hands you will be dealt 3.3 rounds, betting $146 per round ($73 per hand):

:eek: 27 cards / 8.1 cards per round (your two and the dealer) * $146 bet per round = $487 total action

Expanding to 3 hands you get 2.5 rounds, betting $171 per round ($57 per hand):

:( 27 cards / 10.8 cards per round (your three and the dealer) * $171 bet per round = $428 total action

Even though you are betting more per round, you are getting less rounds so your overall action has been reduced.

These numbers will change as more players enter the game. Schlesinger gives more detail, as well as the optimal number of hands to play, on p. 27-30 (BJA 2nd ed.)

-Sonny-
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I understand. By going to multiple spots you get more hands but you have to lower the bet of each individual hand, and you get less rounds so you actually bet less. Thanks Sonny!

I know you should spread to more hands with other players at the table, but what about 1 other person at the table? Is it just play 1 spot in high counts heads up, and when there are any others at the table move to multiple spots? Or do you only go to multiple spots when there are, say, 2 or more players? EDIT: Maybe I should read BJA p.27-30 first!
 
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