Two Questions

[Jeff Dubya]

Well, I had a couple of experiences shake my confidence, so I am here for a reality check.

First off, my memory when it comes to ace combinations is faulty. I know that A, 2-7 against a 5 or 6 is always a double down hand and that A,8-9 always stands.

I seem to have particular issues with A,7.

The good news about my ace combos is that when I screw up, it's that I usually hit instead of double. So, at least I am half correct.

Anyhow, I am anxious to start learning the knockout system, but I certianly don't want to be putting the cart before the horse. I have gone back to my BJ mentor program on my palm and I am averaging about 10% incorrect answers, but because it is an intuative application that focuses on my problem areas, that percentage will be skewed.

At what point do I learn counting? Should I be 100% correct 100% of the time? What would you recommend?

Second... I saw continuous shufflers for the first time while visiting a casino in Arizona. Wierd. I am shocked that they aren't in use at every BJ table on the planet. Seriously, don't these machines completely defeat any counting strategy? If I don't know where the shoe begins or ends, then how can I count? Does anyone know the % increase for dealer advantage with these machines or does it remain constant?

Thanks...

 

[Mikeaber]

Point by point....the way I play:

First, A/8 (soft 19) if I'm playing a game in which the dealer hits soft-17, I will double that one if the dealer is showing a 6 up. Otherwise, I stand.

Soft-18....I stand on 2, 7 and 8. If the dealer shows a 3-6 I double. I hit if the dealer shows a 9, ten or Ace.

Soft-17....I'm ALWAYS going to do SOMETHING! 2-6, I'll double. 7-Ace, I'll hit.

If you look at the strategy charts, the action sort of stairsteps on soft hands.

A-2 double 5-6 hit everything else
A-3 double 5-6 hit everything else
A-4 double 4-5-6 hit everything else
A-5 double 4-5-6 hit everything else
A-6 double 3-4-5-6 hit everything else
A-7 double 3-4-5-6 stand 2-7-8 hit 9-ten-ace
A-8 double 6 if H17 stand otherwise
A-9 always stand

While I certainly stand behind you learning a counting method immediately, I would probably not recommend you taking it to the casino until you have BS down. BS should just be something that you don't even have to think about. But if you are making BS mistakes at the table, you are likely to be counting incorrectly and putting too much on the table at the wrong time and then possibly playing the hand wrong. That's not an attractive scenario

Yes, CMS (Constant Shuffle Machines) do pretty much take "counting" out of the equation. However, it is stipulated that they should have no negative impact on a Basic Strategy player who is flat betting.

Note that in addition to Counting, CSMs also pretty much eliminate 'shuffle tracking' and other specific tracking (individual cards like Aces). However, I did read where someone was trying to get the "method" used by CSMs so that he might could devise a way to shuffle track with them. I never heard whether he had any success with it.

Other than negating counting which is the most commonly acknowledged method of decreasing dealer advantage, CSMs do not have much of any impact on the game. Well, they obviously speed up the game and that could be either good or bad depending on whether you are playing for comps (slow play desirable) or whether you are trying to get in as many hands as possible (no reason since you are not going to get an advantage with these devices.)

 

[Jeff Dubya]

Ya, got the strategy chart and I can draw it for you, but because of the variance, I just can't *remember* it at the table.

But then, like today - I went out and played $100 - played perfect strategy and got my ass ANNIHALATED! It wasn't pretty. My confidence is taking a real beating, and my stash is being rapidly depleted.

Yuck.

 

[E-town-guy]

Try making flashcards, even if you have to make a card for every hand eg. S17 vs 2; S17 vs. 3; S17 vs 4. Don't bother making ones for the hands you know well. If you focus on the areas you struggle with you should improve quite quickly. The problem with computer programs, including the one on this site, is you can't pick which hands you want to practice. And unfortunately the most common hands, eg. 15 vs 10, are probably the hands you already know well. Perhaps on some programs you can specify which hands to practice but I don't own any BJ computer programs, though I do know my basic strategy!