Blackjack Question (1 Viewer)

[Jonathan Smith]

So I just got back from a cruise where I played a variation of blackjack:
8 decks, no queens
blackjack, 6-7-8,7-7-7, 5+ card 21 all pay 3:2
all 21 pay instantly (no pushes with dealer 21)
you can double down any time (after splits, after taking a hit)
late surrender, also surrender after double down

So my question is this... if you have 12 and want to play "by the book", do you hit when the dealer is showing 2? 3? 4? what about if you have 13 or 14?

Some people started bitching when I hit 12's with the dealer showing a "bust card", but it seems to me that the lack of queens in the cards swings the odds in favor of hitting. I'm less likely to bust with fewer 10's, and so is the dealer (i.e. I didn't consider the 2 a "bust card").

 

[Bruce Hedtke]

Hands of 12 are "feeler hands". If the dealer is showing a 5 or 6, then stay. Anything else is up to you, even without queens removed. Alot of the strategy books I've read seem to dodge this. Some say play it as you want, other say stand on bust cards, so even the "experts" aren't in agreement. I've always felt that with a 2,3 or even 4 showing, the dealer still has enough card options to hit on a 12. Yes, you will draw a bust card at times but more often than not, I've watched people stand on a 12 only to get beat when a dealer pulls a 6 out on a 14 hand.

Bruce

 

[Chris Rosene]

In Vegas this is called "spanish 21". And yes, the strategy is to hit. There are 32 less "bust cards" in this deck compared to a regular one, pushing the odds of a bust in the players favor.

 

[Chet_F]

Chris Rosene:
I agree with your statements. From what I remember the odds are statistcally better for you to win if you hit than if you don't. Especially if they are showing a 12, 13, 14 and you have a 12 showing.

 

[KyleS]

12 vs 12 yes you would hit but anything higher you would want to stay. The reason for a lot of these weird Black jack versions is to get the odds more in the favor of the house by making the players do crazy shit like trying to pull a 5 card 21 and removing the Push on a 21 WTF? The late surrender is something else that the house loves you to do heck you may win but if you take the surrender you lose for sure.
KyleS

 

[JohnS]

Since I'm a Professional Blackjack dealer.

It depends.
If your counting cards, and you see a good pattern of cards.
Hit/stand depending on that.

 

[Gary_E]

If your counting cards, and you see a good pattern of cards

I was taught that more BIG cards left in the shoe swings the advantage to the player. With the queens removed and under the circumstances you describe, I'd hit.

-Gary