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| zebra |
where can i read up on the mag7 hands / methodology? |
2003-07-25 17:07:59 |
| Neil |
Hey guys. It's Neil, your oh-too-distant webmaster here. Walter, I want to thank you for coming to this board and sharing your expertise. Nice, SLD007! I have added your book to the top of the list on the Recommended Blackjack Books page. We are verry happy to have you! |
2003-07-25 16:11:49 |
| BuGhOu§eMASTER |
DD, just saw your post... very well said -- and also what fun it is to be dealt a 3 to one of your split 8's and then DOUBLING on it which ahppened to me a week ago on a $50 min. table and getting a face to bring you home free!! It was quite nice... I started with two 8's, of course I split that (dealer showed a *6*!!!!) and I was dealt ANOTHER 8! So of course I split that again, got an A on the first one, then a 3 on the 2nd 8, DOUBLED and got a face (yeah baby!!!), then another Ace on the last 8 to end up pretty much a SOLID winner with two 19's and a 21. Dealer had a 9 in the hole, drew an ACE totally 16 now, drew again and draw... ANOTHER Ace and after that it was off the hook for me!! I think I got ~250 overall... good stuff... so yeah, ALWAYS split 8's REGARDLESS. |
2003-07-25 16:03:17 |
| BuGhOu§eMASTER |
Yeah DD, I really hate players like that as well... but like I said on an earlier post my #1 pet peave is watching ignorant players ALWAYS TAKE EVEN MONEY simply because they have NO BALLS to wait an extra 1/10 of a second and see that the dealer does NOT have BJ. It's those people who dont deserve the PRIVILEGE to play BJ.
Crackerjacky, you shouldn't even HESISTATE splitting your 8's NO MATTER the circumstance because you must realize 16 is the worst possible player hand. Why would you want to stick with such a terrible hand? Split those badboys up!!!
Hands like hard 15 & 16 are bad from the beginning anyway... because already you are at a loss and YOU WILL lose more money then you will win with such a hand against dealer 10/A because less then 40% of the cards will help you, and 62% of them will BUST you. But yes, if you employ something called "ADVANCED Basic Strategy" (something even sld007 was unaware of), you will know what to do. In Advanced BS, there are 7 magnificent hands, called the "Mag 7" that, with the slight amount of high or low cards ON THE TABLE can change the correct "basic strategy" move. One of these hands is a hard 16 (hard 15 is NOT part of the Mag7)... yes, BS says to HIT on 16 vs. 7-A but if and when you have a hard 16 and MANY LOW CARDS are on the table already, the *ADVANCED* BS move is to STAND. The hard 16 is by far the most common of the Mag7 hands, so therefore should be played properly the most. The reason why it is called "Advanced" BS is because it takes BS a step further since reg. BS only calculates *3* cards - your initial 2 + the dealer's UP card, and nothing else however ADVANCED BS covers these 3 + the other cards that are currently displayed on the table (the other players' hands). I hope this further helps you and your 16 issues. :) |
2003-07-25 15:58:05 |
| Desert Dog |
Always split 8's no matter what the dealer's upcard. Sure, normally you'd stand on 16 vs dealer 2 thru 6 but 16 is still a bad hand that you want to escape. If dealer is showing a weak card, you want two chances to beat him, not one. And if dealer is showing a strong card, splitting the 8's is your ticket out of that lousy total of 16. Splitting 8's can be more fun that splitting Aces because you can resplit, double, or take more than one hit. |
2003-07-25 15:52:39 |
| Grifter |
crackerjacky - Absolutely, you played that hand right! |
2003-07-25 15:35:16 |
| crackerjacky |
So, I am at 3rd base the other night. Dealer has a 3 showing. I get a pair of Eights. What is the proper play here? I split the 8's and lost both hands. Dealer pulled an 8 to his 10-3 and beat the whole table. Did I play the hand correctly? |
2003-07-25 15:03:51 |
| Desert Dog |
I like both Walter and Grifter's rules about not hitting a 16 in certain narrow situations, because there are legitimate grey areas with 16's. What drives me crazy are players who never hit 16 under any circumstances, and I see many of them. Usually all they get is a reprieve of a few seconds before losing, and they never get the satisfaction of drawing a four or five. |
2003-07-25 15:00:34 |
| zebra |
have any of you tried a 4/5 count to help with sixteen & surrender decisions? i've tried to bolt this on to my basic strategy game but don't know exactly what to do with the information when i have it -- ie i don't know at which point to alter my behavior from basic strategy. |
2003-07-25 14:47:25 |
| crackerjacky |
Wow! you guys really covered the "16" mystery for me. Thanks! Really gives me something to think about... |
2003-07-25 14:40:34 |
| Grifter |
Walter - I agree 100% and take it one step further. If I'm at 3rd base and have a multiple card 16 without a 4 or 5, I will NOT hit that hand if the player on my right has just received either a four or five. |
2003-07-25 14:14:10 |
| Walter Thomason |
Bug -- All those twos are OK, since the fours and fives are still available to help the hand. But when the fours and fives have been played, the tide shifts... |
2003-07-25 14:07:06 |
| Walter Thomason |
Crackerjacky -- Simple rule re. multiple card 16s: If your multiple card 16 contains a 4 or 5, don't hit the hand again (against a dealer 20). Otherwise, hit. Fred Renzey explains this rule in his books.
Every time I apply this rule in a casino (which is every time I get a multi-card 16 against a 10) I get dirty looks from other players... |
2003-07-25 14:00:40 |
| BuGhOu§eMASTER |
crackerjacker, dont be afraid to hit again because it is to your betterment... just because five 2's have come out and put your total to 16 doesn't mean you should be AFRAID and think that a biggie's coming up. eventhough this is the case and you say you keep busting on the 5th card... continue HITTING that 16 unless of course you ARE counting cards and know that there is a heap of high cards remaining. hope this helps. |
2003-07-25 13:56:31 |
| Desert Dog |
Vindication at last of my theory about CSM's! Thanks for the fast reply, Walter! CSM's are almost all that's available at the three casinos on the reservations near Scottsdale, so I'll just flat bet at those places, visit them less, and plan more frequent getaways to Vegas. More fun anyway. Glad you've joined us here, Walter. |
2003-07-25 13:06:47 |
| crackerjacky |
Hello, Walter & thank you in advance for your experience & advice. I always hit a 16 against dealer 10. But, if I have taken 4 cards totalling 16 & believe the 5th will, most of the time, bust my hand, does it not make sense to pass up that 5th card and let the dealer have it? Is there any theory about how many cards you should take to make your hand? It just seems like that 5th card always busts my hand unless a lot of low #'s are flowing from the deck. |
2003-07-25 13:01:46 |
| Walter Thomason |
DD -- PS: I hope you enjoy the book. All comments are appreciated. History has taught me that the vast majority of people who have criticized the book never read it! |
2003-07-25 12:30:34 |
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