Twenty One

Basic Strategy Cards

2009-01-09T03:22:31Z

A “Basic Strategy Card” is a reference card that helps twenty-one players make optimal decisions while playing using basic strategy. Cards are typically easy to read tables that tell a player if it is best to hit, stand, split, double down or surrender for every possible hand combination. Laminated strategy cards can be found and purchased in many casino gift shops, or our cards be printed for free from your computer. The vast majority of casinos allow players to reference a card while playing, but if you are unsure you should consult your dealer.

4+, dealer stands on soft 17 (.pdf)

http://twentyoneforum.com/images/basic_strategy/4deckH17.jpg

Reading the Strategy Card:

A dealer’s upcard is listed along the top row. A players hand is listed in the left column showing hard hand totals, soft hand totals, and splittable hands.

To use the card:
1) find the intersection between your hand and the dealers card.
2) Decipher the entry using the key.
3) Follow the recommended action.

Key:
H- Hit
S - Stand
P - Split

D - Double if allowed, otherwise Hit
Ds - Double if allowed, otherwise Stand

H/P - Split if double after split is allowed, otherwise Hit
S/P - Split if double after split is allowed, otherwise Stand
D/P - Split if double after split is allowed, otherwise Double

H/R - Surrender if allowed, otherwise Hit
P/R - Surrender if allowed, otherwise Split
S/R - Surrender if allowed, otherwise Stand

Other Game Variations:

Blackjack is played in casinos all over the world and ther are hundred of possible game variations. These printable basic strategy cards should cover the vast majority of twenty-one games.

4+, dealer stands on soft 17 (.pdf)
2 decks, dealer stands on soft 17 (.pdf)
2 decks, dealer stands on soft 17 (.pdf)
1 deck, dealer stands on soft 17 (.pdf)
1 deck, dealer stands on soft 17 (.pdf)

Not sure about a particular rule or game variation? Ask about it in ourSide Bets and Game Variations forum.

Standing on 16

2009-01-07T18:53:51Z

When would you stand on a 16?

I was reading some articles on advanced strategies, and I read that you should stand on a 16 when the dealer has 10 or higher as the upcard and the count is positive. I’m not sure about that though, I think I might stand on a 16 only when the upcard is at least a face card!

How to make more cashback on blackjack and casino poker on InterCasino

2009-09-10T10:47:38Z

As some of you may know, InterCasino has new blackjack and casino poker games. I thought that I’d share with you a little bit of strategy that can help you choose the right limit for your betting style to maximize your rewards.

Check out the following table and the case studies below…

SP AC BJ (regular & progressive). Comp points: 1.0. Minimum Bet: 2.00
SP AC BJ (regular & progressive). Comp points: 1.0. Minimum Bet: 5.00
SP AC BJ (regular & progressive). Comp points: 1.5. Minimum Bet: 25.00
SP AC BJ (regular & progressive). Comp points: 2.0. Minimum Bet: 100.00
SP AC BJ (regular & progressive). Comp points: 2.5. Minimum Bet: 500.00
SP Vegas BJ. Comp points: 1.0. Minimum Bet: 5.00
SP Vegas BJ. Comp points: 1.0. Minimum Bet: 10.00
SP Vegas BJ. Comp points: 1.5. Minimum Bet: 25.00
SP Vegas BJ. Comp points: 2.0. Minimum Bet: 100.00
SP Vegas BJ. Comp points: 2.5. Minimum Bet: 500.00
SP European BJ. Comp points: 1.0. Minimum Bet: 2.00
SP European BJ. Comp points: 1.0. Minimum Bet: 5.00
SP European BJ. Comp points: 1.5. Minimum Bet: 25.00
SP European BJ. Comp points: 2.0. Minimum Bet: 100.00
SP European BJ. Comp points: 2.0. Minimum Bet: 500.00
SP Double-deck BJ. Comp points: 1.0. Minimum Bet: 10.00
SP Double-deck BJ. Comp points: 1.5. Minimum Bet: 25.00
SP Double-deck BJ. Comp points: 2.0. Minimum Bet: 100.00
SP Double-deck BJ. Comp points: 2.0. Minimum Bet: 500.00

If the table isn’t displaying correctly, check out the spreadsheet version here: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tpq3By8ZjaZGVTvWOga3RNQ&output=html

Did you also know that players on the higher limit tables receive as much as 250% more cashback?
If your normal bets are 25.00 or more, make sure you choose the right bet limit to receive extra comp points. Check the table below for more information on which games and limits generate more cashback.
Here’s an example of the benefits for higher limit players:

Player 1 (25.00 AC Blackjack Player)
If this person plays 1000 hands a month at 25.00 per hand, their wagering is 25,000.00.
On AC Blackjack games with a minimum bet of 25.00, this pays out 37.50.
If the same player uses the 2.00 or 5.00 minimum game, the cashback for comp points is only 25.00.
That’s an extra 12.50 in cashback just for choosing the right table.

Player 2 (100.00 Vegas BJ Player)
If this person plays 1000 hands a month at 100.00 per hand, their wagering is 100,000.00.
On Vegas BJ games with a minimum bet of 25.00, this pays out 150.00, but by choosing the 100.00 table, the cashback would be 200.00 instead.
If the same player uses the 5.00 minimum game, the cashback for comp points is only 100.00.
Make sure you always choose the right limit for your betting style to maximize your rewards.

I hope you find this all useful and if you’ve got any questions please ask!
Adam
[On behalf of InterCasino]

Anyone tried BJ assistant software?

2009-01-08T05:13:59Z

Has anyone tried BJ assistant software? I have heard about few software but am not sure about its effectiveness.

Opinions Required on AP Move

2009-02-26T08:29:35Z

Last night I thought I made a good AP move but am now worried about the heat it may have generated. I’m not the best CC in the world but am very good at spotting weakness in play. Last night I found a weak dealer who’s biggest weakness was assumptions on play.

On this particular hand, there was a TC of +5 (using Hi/Lo) and I bet 4 units. I was dealt 77 against the dealers 6. I spilt my 7’s and was dealt 74 and 7A. There was 1 other guy playing at third base on hard 19, so I knew I could make a move. I picked my drink up and raised it to my lips whilst saying double (on 74) and started drinking. I was dealt a 6 (for 17). As I intended, the dealer skipped my soft 18 whilst i was drinking as well as the other players hard 19 and pulled his next card which was a 4 (this is a ENHC game by the way). As he started to pull his second card. I shouted stop, just slighty to late to avoid see the next card laugh: this was a ten and gave the dealer 20. I immediately said “I wanted another card another card on my soft 18”. The pit boss was called over and placed the 4 on my soft 18 and the 10 to the dealer, making him to draw again on 16. The following card was another 10 to bust the dealer. Anyway, I basically made 24 units on that stunt from the 12 I should have lost and the 12 I won.

To be fair I had made 80 units on this session but I had to leave slightly after because I sensed quite a bit of heat coming from the pit. I have been making quite a bit out of the casino but am now worried I’ve killed the golden goose.

My concern now, is should I avoid this casino for a while or just carry on as normal?

Warped Aces

2009-02-26T08:27:25Z

During my weekend trip, while playing, I noticed that a few tables (8D) had heavily warped aces, which appear to be from trying to jam the ace into the card reader. Sometimes, I would see these warps making a slight opening when cutting the deck when the dealer isn’t holding it too tight. Other than trying to cut it to my first card, are there other opportunities that I can find?

Asm’s effect on shuffle

2009-02-26T08:26:47Z

Has anyone or does anyone who plays at joints that use these machines ever try to track shuffles that come from them? I go to different places and bj some have them some don’t. It is of my oppinion that there is less bias in the deck when they use asms as opposed to hand shuffle. I know I have been told a thousand times that asms make no difference in deck composition but this is still haunting me. I can go to a place that hand shuffles and expect to see slugs of cards that can be recognized from a prior shoe dealing. I was playing heads up awhile back and a dealer dealt himself trip cards four different times to himself two different decks, I was amazed.

Ace location/hand shuffle/cutting deck

2009-02-26T08:24:19Z

Once 6d shuffler got stuck due to a fast-hands dealer missing one card pulling the fresh deck out. Jammed the shuffler. So hand shuffle the one we just used. Paid attention to how it played out, and where the Aces were stacked…watched how she shuffled and where the bulk ended up in the re-hand shuffle as the Shuffler was now fixed and mid-shuffle of the 2nd deck.

The table sent the cut to me, as the previous cut wasn’t too bad for # of winning hands. I then cut to just in front of where I thought the Aces settled.

Due to a very friendly table, I didn’t get a solid count of all the Aces—But I think we saw almost all of them and in our hands not the Dealer’s.

The next shoe, the first one post-jam wasn’t so sweet….Dealer had 6 hands of 3-card 21s that killed decent bets and decent hands that should have won. And this was to be expected since it was a jam. Still, hubby felt his BR was up while mine was down for that show—another rarety.

Cut cards

2009-02-26T08:23:30Z

What do you guys recommend if you can see the bottom card? Currently, I’m simply cutting 2-7 out of play and 9-A into play and then just counting.

Should I worry about steering aces and tens, or just stick to what I’m doing?

And, to what extent does cutting one card into or out of play affect a single or double deck game?

Hole Carding

2009-02-26T08:21:43Z

I read a little about hole carding on this site and have some questions.

When you hole card, how do you do it? I know you have to have a weak dealer? What makes the dealer weak? Is the only place you can hole card from third base? Do you have to crouch low in your seat in order to get a peal of the card had the dealer slides it out of the shoe? Or can you only hole card on a single deck? I have never been anywhere that offers more than just shoe games so i don’t know the difference in dealing the different games?

Please explain your techniques if you don’t mind.. I understand the concept but feel I am missing the subtlety of it.. Maybe its one of those thins you have to experience in real life in order to understand