What worst mistakes do inexperienced players make?

[GeorgeD]

Watching other people who play an OK game (not outright ploppys) it seems there are many common BS errors. Most often I see:

1) Won't hit stiffs vs high card .... or play hunches when dealer will bust)
2) Either double 10 VS 10 or 11 VS A or won't double 10/11 ... these probably don't know right play)
3) Split most any pair any time .. again these just don't know.

It's been said here before that even good BS players often don't play soft 17 right or don't split 9's, so those go without saying.

What else do you think are the big mistakes and why.

 

[Mimosine]

Last week at the casino I saw at least 10 instances of people taking even money on a BJ vs. A and in every instance the dealer did not have a 10 "in the hole"

 

[shadroch]

Biggest mistakes I see are buying in severly underfunded. I'm amazed how many people I see buy in for $50 or less on a $5 game and then have no reserve.
Not doubling down on soft hands and playing hunches are towards the top.
Thinking that third base somehow controls the tables fate,and that the guy next to you is costing you money are real contenders as well.
Funny,I don't see all that many instances of people taking even money on BJs.

 

[RJT]

Last week i saw a player stand A5vs10
A few people tried to warn him, but he wasn't having any of it.

RJT.

 

[rogue1]

splitting and soft hands

It seems people will split any 2 cards that are the same regardless of the cards or the dealers' upcard-also most don't seem to have much of a clue about soft doubling.

 

[Mimosine]

Biggest mistakes I see are buying in severly underfunded. I'm amazed how many people I see buy in for $50 or less on a $5 game and then have no reserve.

Funny,I don't see all that many instances of people taking even money on BJs.

i've seen people buy in for $10-$20 at $5 tables!

and as per even money on BJ, we're a special breed out here on the left coast!

 

[Kasi]

It's been said here before that even good BS players often don't play soft 17 right or don't split 9's, so those go without saying.

Then they are BAD BS players! They are a ploppy and don't know it. Maybe they are worse than a ploppy because they know BS but don't apply it.

I can forgive ignorance - after all they just don't any better I guess. I'll never understand it but I can forgive it.

But, to know, and ignore, is unforgivable.

 

[Arctapodema]

Funny you talk about other players superstition about you taking their cards or affecting thier game. lots of people are very superstitious about the third base player, too. I once had a guy get so upset with me because i would "steal his card" or the dealers bust card. Ridiculous.

 

[Cardcounter]

Failing to mess with 18!

Not doubling down on soft 18 and not hitting soft 18 vs 9, 10 are really common mistakes. Failure to properly split 9's against a low card because they think they have a winner with 18 and don't want to break up a winning hand. Splitting 9's in the right situation is a big gain which is lost by most players.

 

[EasyRhino]

In a similar thread a while back, on most costly mistakes, I saw "playing like a pussy". Not hitting stiff when needed, not splitting or doubling when called for because of fear.

However, there's something new I've slowly been cementing in my mind. I don't know what to call it, so I'll call it the "siff-vs-low-pat-hand paradox". You can have a player who will reliably hit a 15 or 16 vs a 10. However, they will not hit that same 15 or 16 vs a 7, even though that's an even wronger mistake than standing vs the 10 would be. They'll also make this mistake vs. surrender. Not surrendering 16 v 10, but surrendering 16 v 7.

And to be honest, if I was just guessing at the best strategy myself, I would make the same mistake with the hit/stand decision (but not surrender).

 

[SecurityRisk]

How about double on any soft hand (except A7) against any "bust" card? How often have you seen people double down on A3 vs. 3? How often have people told you you were supposed to double when you simply hit your A3 vs. 3? They always stand on A7 though.

 

[ihate17]

All are good answers

About everything in this thread is typical of the player who makes blackjack into the game where the house expects and does get their 2-3% edge.
Because of that, because the house must get this amount or change the game, helping ploppies who do not ask for it (do not lie to them) is something we should never do. If one of them wants to improve, then help them. Most of them already think they know better than anyone else how to play and I say, let those guys be, the house needs that money so I can get my share.

Power and love to the ploppies. Without them, blackjack would not be a beatable game.

ihate17

 

[Kasi]

You can have a player who will reliably hit a 15 or 16 vs a 10. However, they will not hit that same 15 or 16 vs a 7, even though that's an even wronger mistake than standing vs the 10 would be.

Actually, misplaying a 15 vs 7 costs you less per dollar wagered than misplaying a 15 vs 10. Misplaying the 10 will cost almost 50% more than misplaying the 7.

But, you're right, not hitting a 16 vs 7 is ALOT more costly than not hitting a 16 vs 10.

 

[EasyRhino]

But, you're right, not hitting a 16 vs 7 is ALOT more costly than not hitting a 16 vs 10.

I didn't actually know, so I just checked:

http://wizardofodds.com/blackjack/appendix9-6dh17r4.html

Let's assume 10,5, vs dealer 10 or 7

Vs 10,
Stand: - .54
Hit: -.50
Delta: .04

Vs 7,
Stand: -.476
Hit: -.369
Delta: .114

So messing up vs 10 gives the house a 4% extra edge, but messing up vs a 7 gives it an extra 11%!!

And while I can see how this makes sense now, I can guarantee that it would have made no intuitive sense to me before I learned BS, or even shortly after.

 

[Kasi]

I didn't actually know, so I just checked:

http://wizardofodds.com/blackjack/appendix9-6dh17r4.html

Let's assume 10,5, vs dealer 10 or 7

Vs 10,
Stand: - .54
Hit: -.50
Delta: .04

Vs 7,
Stand: -.476
Hit: -.369
Delta: .114

So messing up vs 10 gives the house a 4% extra edge, but messing up vs a 7 gives it an extra 11%!!

And while I can see how this makes sense now, I can guarantee that it would have made no intuitive sense to me before I learned BS, or even shortly after.

Now you have me confused - doesn't your above post support your original position that standing on a 15 vs 7 is "even wronger" than standing on a 15 vs 10?

But yet it sounded like maybe you were agreeing with me.

Not counting your delta subtraction error, I agree with your data though. Can you guess why I still would rather consistently misplay a 15 vs 7 than a 15 vs 10 despite losing 7 more cents every time I do it?

 

[WumpieJr]

Can you guess why I still would rather consistently misplay a 15 vs 7 than a 15 vs 10 despite losing 7 more cents every time I do it?

# 10's in deck = 16
# 7's in deck = 4

Also, bigger bets at bigger counts, where 10s are most likely to fall.

 

[EasyRhino]

Oops, we were agreeing, I just had some words backwards in my mind. And the math too.

 

[Kaiser]

I just had my first casino session in 4 months this past weekend. A combination of things has conspired to deplete what little bankroll I had, and I didn't want to waste my time going there with a hundred bucks or something. It's been all kitchen table blackjack for me this year.

Anyway, the play at the $5 table just absolutely floored me. I was holding down the middle of the table. The guy on my right would split 2s against pretty much anything. He'd hit 12 against everything. The guy on my left would hit 12-14 against a 4-6 every time. I can't remember how many times the guy at third base hit a 12 or a 13 against a 6 and busted, helping the dealer make a hand and wipe the table. I know I'm not supposed to let other people's bad plays affect me, but ho-lee-crap.

There were a couple of guys who were pretty bad though, but ended up winning pretty big. There was the young guy who bought in with $20, got down to his last $5 several times, and ended up walking out with over $100 about 45 minutes later. He was so terrible, standing on A-6 against a 10, standing on 14 or 15 against a 10, hitting 14s against 5s and 6s. A couple times he'd get up to $40 and then tell his buddies "I'm going all-in", put the $40 down, and win the sucker. I just had to shake my head.

Then there's the older guy at first base who tells everyone that the only way to make money is to play the Lucky Lucky sidebet. Everyone kind of ignores him, and 5 hands later the guy gets a suited 6-7-8 on a $7 bet. We're all drooling as he plays with his nice little stack of 7 blacks after that 100-1 payoff. Unreal.

I managed to turn my $60 don't-care-if-I-lose-it buyin into $125, so it was a nice intro back into actual real-life play in that respect. I just need to learn how to relax a little more when these guys are making their bonehead plays.

 

[bluewhale]

I just had my first casino session in 4 months this past weekend. A combination of things has conspired to deplete what little bankroll I had, and I didn't want to waste my time going there with a hundred bucks or something. It's been all kitchen table blackjack for me this year.

Anyway, the play at the $5 table just absolutely floored me. I was holding down the middle of the table. The guy on my right would split 2s against pretty much anything. He'd hit 12 against everything. The guy on my left would hit 12-14 against a 4-6 every time. I can't remember how many times the guy at third base hit a 12 or a 13 against a 6 and busted, helping the dealer make a hand and wipe the table. I know I'm not supposed to let other people's bad plays affect me, but ho-lee-crap.

There were a couple of guys who were pretty bad though, but ended up winning pretty big. There was the young guy who bought in with $20, got down to his last $5 several times, and ended up walking out with over $100 about 45 minutes later. He was so terrible, standing on A-6 against a 10, standing on 14 or 15 against a 10, hitting 14s against 5s and 6s. A couple times he'd get up to $40 and then tell his buddies "I'm going all-in", put the $40 down, and win the sucker. I just had to shake my head.

Then there's the older guy at first base who tells everyone that the only way to make money is to play the Lucky Lucky sidebet. Everyone kind of ignores him, and 5 hands later the guy gets a suited 6-7-8 on a $7 bet. We're all drooling as he plays with his nice little stack of 7 blacks after that 100-1 payoff. Unreal.

I managed to turn my $60 don't-care-if-I-lose-it buyin into $125, so it was a nice intro back into actual real-life play in that respect. I just need to learn how to relax a little more when these guys are making their bonehead plays.

just remember that it doesn't affect you. also the kid going all in is a very good thing for you.... hope he gets AA and then throw him some money quick.

 

[aka23]

Watching other people who play an OK game (not outright ploppys) it seems there are many common BS errors. Most often I see:

1) Won't hit stiffs vs high card .... or play hunches when dealer will bust)
2) Either double 10 VS 10 or 11 VS A or won't double 10/11 ... these probably don't know right play)
3) Split most any pair any time .. again these just don't know.

It's been said here before that even good BS players often don't play soft 17 right or don't split 9's, so those go without saying.

What else do you think are the big mistakes and why.

My ex-gf is aware of basic strategy, but prefers to play with her own strategy (and encourages me to do the same). The differnces between basic strategy usually involve minimizing impact of the dealer upcard. For example...

-Always hit 12, as 12 is a low card sum

-Never hit 16, as 16 is a high card sum

It's more about feelings of what is a good or bad decision than memorizing tables.