Month: July 2019

Blackjack Superstitions

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As you sit at a blackjack table, you’re bound to hear all kinds of hype about what brings good luck or bad luck at a blackjack table.  Unfortunately, believing in any of that hype can actually harm your game.  Let’s go over some of the myths and facts:

MYTH:  Novice or Bad players will make you lose

FACT:  It’s true novice players can negatively affect the outcome of a hand, because they’ll stand when they should hit and hit when they should stand.

When a bad move happens like that, it’s easy to blame the novice player for costing you a hand (especially if that novice is in the 3rd base seat), taking the dealer’s bust card, but the reverse can also happen.  The player’s bad choices can help you just as often, evening things out. 

MYTH:  A new player entering in the middle of a shoe, ruins the flow of the cards

FACT:  There is no way to know the order of cards, so you can’t say there’s a certain flow for you to know what card is supposed to come next.  Once again, as with playing with a novice, the addition of a new player can change your luck for the better, just as well as “ruin” the flow.

The Superstition: Face cards always follow face cards—so if a face card is dealt, don’t hit your stiff hand.

FACT:   Keep the facts in mind.  If you include the 10’s with the face cards, there are 16 out of 52, 10-value cards in a deck, meaning 31 percent of the deck.  If you see two face cards in a row, the chance of another face card coming out drops to 28 percent.  Because there are now fewer face cards, you’re actually in a better position to hit a “stiff” hand (12, 13, 14, 15, 16).  Looking at it this way, that superstition would be a detriment to your game. 

The Superstition:  You will always bust if you hit a 12

FACT:  Many blackjack players feel that if you hit a 12, you will almost always get a 10-value card.  However, remember the point that  a non-10-value card is more likely to come up, than a 10-value card.  You have to trust the basic strategy charts and hit a 12 when the chart tells you to do so.

Final Fact

If you let superstitions direct your blackjack playing decisions, you can bet it will cost you more money!

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Double Attack Blackjack

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This variant offers many twists and is seen mostly in Atlantic City.  It is similar to Spanish 21, in that, blackjack pays even money and the player can double down after seeing the dealer’s first card, before seeing their own card.

RULES

  • 8 Spanish 48-cards decks are used (all the 10’s are removed)
  • Dealer stands on a soft 17
  • If a player takes insurance, a dealer peeks for blackjack
  • Insurance payout is 5 to 2
  • A player has a right to double down after splitting
  • A player can split aces once and receive one more card
  • All cards except aces can be re-split 4 times (this can vary depending on the casino)
  • No re-doubling for this type of blackjack
  • A player can double or surrender any time during a game

The dealer gets the first card dealt and the player can then choose to double their bet, namely, the “Double Attack.”  The bet actually can be just a slight raise, but maxed at double the original bet.  If the player later splits, that bet must match the “double attack” bet.

BUST IT – Side Bet

This bet is a bonus bet in the game.  The player has the opportunity to bet whether or not the dealer will bust with 3 total cards.  This bet does have to be made before the dealer’s up-card is dealt. The payout will depend on what the “bust out” card is for the dealer and is as follows:

  • Third card is a face card. Pays off 3 to 1.
  • Third card is a nine. Pays off 6 to 1.
  • Third card is an eight. Pays off 8 to 1.
  • Third card is a seven. Pays off 10 to 1.
  • Third card is a six. Pays off 15 to 1.

There is also a special payout if the dealer busts with 3 eights (888) and is as follows:

  • The eight is the same color. Pays off 50 to 1.
  • The eight is the same suit. Pays off 200 to 1.

Additional Bust It Side Bet

Though not typically done at many casinos, the Bust It side bet can also be made on the total number of cards the dealer busts with and those payouts are as follows:

  • Dealer busts with 4 cards. Pays off 2 to 1.
  • Dealer busts with 5 cards. Pays off 4 to 1.
  • Dealer busts with 6 cards. Pays off 12 to 1.
  • Dealer busts with 7 cards. Pays off 50 to 1.
  • Dealer busts with 8 cards. Pays off 250 to 1.

Best Strategy for Double Attack Blackjack

Using traditional blackjack strategy should allow for a decent return on your money. You can trust that typically doubling down on 9, 10 and 11, as well as splitting Aces and eights should continue to be your playing strategy.

When the dealer’s card is low, say 2-8, is the best time to double attack.  If the dealer’s up card is a 9 or better, it’s best not to double.

Taking insurance in this game is slightly more favorable, because the payout is better.

Final Thoughts

While Double Attack Blackjack could be looked at as a bit more advanced, it’s a fun version for many blackjack fans.  The additional rules and bets don’t have to be memorized, just enjoyed. If you’re want a little more excitement with your blackjack fun, try this version.

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Play Free Bet Blackjack

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Another popular Blackjack variant is Free Bet Blackjack.  This version was created by Geoff Hall, who also invented Blackjack Switch, Zombie Blackjack and Zappit Blackjack.

The big difference from regular Blackjack is that the player doesn’t risk his own money when splitting or doubling down, for the most part.  I’m sure you thinking that’s great, show me where to sit!  Fortunately it won’t take long to understand the rules, especially if you’re already familiar with regular blackjack.

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Rules

Apparently the rules have been modified since the original launch in 2012, and casinos can develop their own rules, but the following are considered the standard.

  • Six decks
  • Dealer hits soft 17’s
  • Blackjacks pay 3 to 2
  • Double after split allowed
  • Double on two cards only
  • Re-split pairs up to four hands, including aces
  • No surrender

Three major changes from a standard game:

  1. FREE DOUBLES – with a 2 card total of 9, 10, or 11.  The player’s bet is matched with a “free bet” button and the player receive 1 additional card.
  2. If the dealer wins, the player loses only his original bet.
  3. If the player “pushes,” the player gets back only his original bet.
  4. If the player wins, the player get back his original bet, plus double the original bet.

  Regular doubling is allowed on all other two-card totals.

  • FREE SPLITS – With all pairs, except 10’s, the player’s cards are split into 2-one-card hands.  The player’s original bet is placed with the 1st hand and a “free bet” button is placed with the 2nd hand.  Each hand is played out one at a time, (where “free doubles” and “free splits” are still allowed).  For winning hands, the “free bet” button is replaced with chips equaling the original bet. Losing or push hands result in the dealer taking back the ‘free bet” button.
  • Dealer pushes with 22. If the player has 21 or less and the dealer busts with 22, the player’s bet is a push.

Basic Strategy

Strategy will depend  on whether you playing your real money hand or the “free bet” hand.  This is because with a ‘free bet,” a push is just as bad as a loss.  Therefore you want to be a bit more aggressive with a “free bet” hand.  Afterall, you’re not playing with your own money.

An easy thing to remember strategy-wise, take every free double and free split opportunity you can.  It’s free money!

Worth Playing?

Free Bet Blackjack was accepted by casinos because they know the idea of “free money” is appealing to gamblers.  The idea is that players will make larger original bets, hoping to get the opportunity of a free double or free split and thereby win bigger.

If you are a skilled player and a card counter, Free Bet Blackjack can result in some very profitable sessions.  The question is whether or not you can stay disciplined in play and make the bigger bets, only when it’s most opportune and not in hopes of hitting a big free bet.

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Is Wonging in Blackjack Effective?

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Wonging

This is a technique named after Standford Wong, the pen name for the legendary author of “Professional Blackjack” and other gambling books.   It’s not that Stanford invented the technique, but many of the users were Wong’s students.

It is when you stand beside or behind a blackjack table and count the cards and then decide to sit down at the table when the deck is favorable to you as the player.  It is also called “back-counting,” because you’re counting cards from behind the players. 

It is mostly used when there are several decks in play because it allows the wonger to spend some time counting cards.  If only a couple of decks are being used, the wonger doesn’t have a chance to get a good count on the deck before it’s shuffled.

By sitting down when the deck has become favorable, you can make relatively larger bets at once, hopefully without drawing suspicion.  If you’ve been at a table a while and suddenly start making bigger bets, the pit boss may consider that a sign that you’re counting cards and know the deck is suddenly favorable.

Some casinos try to negate wonging by having a “no mid-shoe entry” policy.  However, that can be difficult to enforce, so it still can be done effectively.

There is also a technique called Semi-wonging, where you actually leave the table at a predetermined point in the count.  For instance, you may have sat down when the count was +8, but decide to leave the table if the count falls to +4.

Wonging Advantages

The most obvious advantage is that you only play when the deck is favorable to you.  You don’t have to make minimum bets because you’re only playing when the count is highly favorable, allowing for maximum bets for you.

With bankroll management a vital concern, not having to waste time and money with minimal bets when the deck is not favorable, is a huge advantage.  The bigger you can bet, the more you can win, in a shorter period of time.

Wonging Disadvantages

Though standing around and counting cards can be relatively simple, it can also be noticed by casino surveillance. The casino will eventually realize that you observe tables for a bit and then sit down and make relatively large bets.

Despite sitting down when the deck is favorable, there’s no telling how long the deck will remain this way.  You will of course want to get up when the deck starts cooling down.  Casinos become wary of card counting when a player sits down for only a couple of hands, gets up and perhaps watches a few hands and then sits down again.  You don’t want to be that obvious.

Final Thoughts

Wonging has been around since probably the 1970s.  It can still be done effectively today if it is thoroughly understood and practiced.

In terms of doing it effectively, you need to be able to count cards from a distance, without drawing attention to yourself.

As a wonger, you probably won’t have your table mates happy with you because you sit down and start winning, while they have suffered through all the bad hands!  Just tell them you’ve brought them luck, since the deck is now favorable for all players!

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Understanding Bust-Out Rates

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Dealer Bust-Out Rate

This refers to the chance a dealer has of busting out, depending on the up-card.  It’s not imperative to know the exact percentages for each up-card, but knowing the relative rate can help you decide how you will play your cards.

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It has been determined that for an overall rate, a dealer will bust 28% of the time.  The following chart will show the dealer bust rate based on each available up-card.  The first row is the up-card, the second row gives the bust-out percentage:

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Ace
35% 37% 40% 42% 42% 26% 24% 23% 23% 17%

Of course these rates (specifically for 10 up-card) refer to those times the dealer does not have blackjack.  If the dealer had blackjack, you wouldn’t even play the hand.

There is clearly a significant drop between having a six or having seven.  This is why “basic” strategy can vary depending on the strategy card you’re using.  It is also why it can make a big difference if the dealer must “hit” a soft 17 or must stand on all 17’s.  If the dealer must hit a soft 17, the bust-out rate for a 6 up-card increases to 44% and for an Ace up-card increases to 20%.

One observation that should be made with this chart, is that the dealer bust-out rate is never over 50%, not even close. So, the dealer never has an up-card that will bust more often than not.  That’s part of the built-in house advantage of the game.

Player Bust-Out Rate

Knowing the player’s bust-out rate is as important as knowing the dealer’s bust-out rate.  The idea is that you don’t want to take the chance of busting out, if the dealer has a better chance of busting out.  In other words, you want to stand pat with your hand only if you have a greater chance of busting than the dealer. The top row is the hand value, the 2nd row is the bust-out rate.

121314151617181920
31%39%56%58%62%69%77%85%92%

As you compare the two charts, you should be able to understand the basis of strategy charts a little more.  First, you want to remember that these rates are primarily used when learning to deal with hand values of 12-16, because you should know not to hit hand values of 17-21.

So, you want to stand when you have 13-16 and the dealer has up-cards of 3-6, because you have a higher bust-out rate (39%-69%) than the dealer (37%-42%) Also you can see that it should be fairly safe to hit a twelve because your bust-out rate is lower than the dealer’s rate in those cases. 

You will find there are experts who say knowing these bust-out rates will help your play, while others profess that such knowledge is useless.  As I first looked at it, it was a bit confusing, but as I took the time to understand it, I think it gave me a better understanding of basic strategy as outlined on strategy cards.

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