$100 bonus with 30 blackjacks at Tuscany Casino in Vegas.

>>Does average basic strategy mean that he didn't really know basic strategy and made a lot of mistakes?
>Yeah, I can't remember any specifics but I do remember shaking my head a few times (but not saying anything).

A great many people seem to have a vague idea of what Basic Strategy is and will often make personal modifications of it based on their perceptions of recent history or simply due to the fact that they become excited. Sometimes a player will say congratulations to me or say "that was well done" when I noticeably depart from Basic Strategy and it proves successful. I don't know what they silently say to themselves when I depart from basic strategy and lose.

Quote: FleaStiff

A great many people seem to have a vague idea of what Basic Strategy is and will often make personal modifications of it based on their perceptions of recent history or simply due to the fact that they become excited.

There seems to be a folk basic strategy that many people follow. They're absolutely convinced that this is correct play. So many people play this way that actual basic strategy generates dirty looks and head shakes.

Some of the most common rules of folk basic strategy:

1. Always stay on soft 18

2. Stand on a hard 12 against a 6 or less (corrected EDIT)

3. Insure a "good hand" (my favorite)

4. Never double against a 10 or ace


I've also heard a lot of these moves suggested by dealers. It amazes me that they don't even have enough interest in the game they deal to learn how to play.

You are highlighting some fairly minor errors. Many people always stay on a soft 17, not distinguishing it from a hard 17. I read somewhere that people who take "even money" was some incredible 95%.

There is almost no way to intuitively understand the best option for player 12 against a dealer 3, and a player 13 against a dealer 2. You would simply have to lay out all the hundreds of ways for the cards to play out, or trust the mathematician who has done it for you.

That should read hard 12 (no 13). Pretty sure all or most basic strategy charts advise hitting a hard 12 versus a dealer 2 or 3.

Quote: pacomartin

I suspect that will be a popular promotion, and fill their 9 blackjack tables quickly. They have two craps tables if you have to wait ...

The promotion has been effect since January. I think your comment about filling the waiting time in with a few rolls at the craps table indicates part of the value of the promotion. It gets people in the door and once there they tend to make wagers! That would mean that even if there was a slight player's advantage to this promotion the casino has determined that it is worth it.

No one yaps about a five dollar table. Even if they offer a five dollar table, people will tend to play at the ten dollar level so as to qualify for the 100.00 bonus. The people who play at the ten dollar level may not be high rollers but they are not fleas. Its a fairly cheap way to compete for customers.

Quote: ahiromu

When I was at Tuscany a month or so ago, I befriended a guy doing this promotion. He lost like $800 and maybe 10 hour getting it? He was playing average basic strategy, so that's one reason he lost so much.

Did you take note of his betting style? With a continuous flat bet of $10 on one hand, your chance of being down $800 after 10 hours of play is 1.5%. Either this guy had the worst luck imaginable or he was overbetting.

Surprised no-one has answered the above posters question: will they let you play two hands of $10? If so, this becomes eminently more doable. I doubt they will because (1) the common rule that if you are playing two spots you must play double the minimum on both spots (but maybe that would be $10?) and (2) pit bosses will always rule against the player.

Quote: teddys

Surprised no-one has answered the above posters question: will they let you play two hands of $10?

I suspect that the web site statement about " full details available in the Pit " indicates there is some fine print that deals with that issue.

Quote: nyuhoosier

Some of the most common rules of folk basic strategy:
4. Never double against a 10 or ace

Ummm... when would you double against an ace? In multi-deck, never. Right?

Quote: Melman

Ummm... when would you double against an ace? In multi-deck, never. Right?

Depends on the rules. In most "hit soft 17" games, you would double against an ace with 11.

I forget that some people play games where dealer stands on soft 17. Those aren't available at my table minimums.

Quote: Melman

Ummm... when would you double against an ace? In multi-deck, never. Right?

Depends on the rules. In most "hit soft 17" games, you would double against an ace with 11.

I forget that some people play games where dealer stands on soft 17. Those aren't available at my table minimums.