Poll

2 votes (11.76%)
1 vote (5.88%)
5 votes (29.41%)
9 votes (52.94%)
3 votes (17.64%)
5 votes (29.41%)
2 votes (11.76%)
No votes (0%)
1 vote (5.88%)
2 votes (11.76%)

17 members have voted

Wizard
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January 31st, 2017 at 8:18:49 PM permalink
Discussion of this game begins with this post in PokerGrinder's thread about his backpacking travels in Asia. While in Singapore he noticed a new blackjack variation at the Marina Bay Sands. The thrust of the game is that both player and dealer start with an 8. The game uses Spanish decks and pays 6-7-8 bonuses. For the complete rules, strategy, and analysis please see my new page on Dueling 8's 21.

As always, I welcome all questions, comments, and especially corrections. As I write this I'm running a simulation on the game but initial results are showing a house edge of 1.07%.

The question for the poll is would you play Dueling 8's 21? Multiple votes allowed.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
Mission146
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January 31st, 2017 at 8:36:30 PM permalink
I would say instead of:

"2-10 = Pip value"

It would be more technically precise to say 2-9 = Pip Value because there are no actual tens in the deck and the next line specifies that Face Cards = 10.

Anyway, simple strategy, reasonable house edge, I'd probably play it if I was, 'Captive,' to the casino (there with someone) and it was the best game available. In my opinion, it's not that bad a game, you eat a little HE compared to traditional Blackjack, but it comes in exchange for not really having to think about anything. I suppose one downside is I would think it would play faster, if for no other reason, just because there are fewer physical cards to deal.
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/gripes/11182-pet-peeves/120/#post815219
Paradigm
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January 31st, 2017 at 10:57:54 PM permalink
As Mission indicated, you lose a little house edge vs. BJ but the simple strategy is a real draw for those that have not played BJ before...I can see the game as way less intimidating to play for a beginner table games player...In fact, I would think this game would have a decent shot in the US if it had a better side bet....that HE on the 8's bet is awful & only an 8% hit rate!!

A new 21 year old comes to Vegas having never played BJ before, 4 simple rules and you are on your way. Much easier than trying to teach them all the splits, soft doubles, etc. and likely a faster game (again see Missions comments above).
PokerGrinder
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January 31st, 2017 at 11:35:50 PM permalink
I forgot to mention it is dealt out of a CSM.

(As are all BJ and Pontoon games at Sands)
You can shear a sheep a hundred times, but you can skin it only once. — Amarillo Slim Preston
Wizard
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February 1st, 2017 at 6:30:28 AM permalink
Quote: PokerGrinder

I forgot to mention it is dealt out of a CSM.

(As are all BJ and Pontoon games at Sands)



Smart of them. This game would be obviously highly countable.

In Macau as well all blackjack games everywhere are dealt out of a continuous shuffler.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
DJTeddyBear
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February 1st, 2017 at 8:29:12 AM permalink
This made me laugh:
Quote:

If you prefer my usual basic strategy charts, I think this is the smallest one I've ever made.

Wanna make it smaller? Remove the soft line since that is a Stand, and falls into the 17-21 Stand group.

Or at least change the label to '19' since that's the only soft hand possible.
I invented a few casino games. Info: http://www.DaveMillerGaming.com/ ————————————————————————————————————— Superstitions are silly, childish, irrational rituals, born out of fear of the unknown. But how much does it cost to knock on wood? 😁
DJTeddyBear
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February 1st, 2017 at 8:34:42 AM permalink
To the original question: At 1%, it's not bad. I'd try it although I suspect it would get boring fast.

But, holy crap! Stay away from that 17% side bet!
I invented a few casino games. Info: http://www.DaveMillerGaming.com/ ————————————————————————————————————— Superstitions are silly, childish, irrational rituals, born out of fear of the unknown. But how much does it cost to knock on wood? 😁
Wizard
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Maverickjkh
February 1st, 2017 at 11:04:32 AM permalink
Quote: DJTeddyBear

This made me laugh:Wanna make it smaller? Remove the soft line since that is a Stand, and falls into the 17-21 Stand group.



I did it that way at first. However, I just know somebody would write and ask how to play a soft 19.

"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
Ayecarumba
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February 1st, 2017 at 1:47:39 PM permalink
Is there a column missing in the Analysis table of the "Base Game"? I don't see the "Events" on my display.
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Wizard
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February 1st, 2017 at 7:04:54 PM permalink
Quote: Ayecarumba

Is there a column missing in the Analysis table of the "Base Game"? I don't see the "Events" on my display.



Yes; I fixed it. Thanks.
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NIV)
gordonm888
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February 2nd, 2017 at 9:59:42 AM permalink
Quote: Wizard

Smart of them. This game would be obviously highly countable.

In Macau as well all blackjack games everywhere are dealt out of a continuous shuffler.



Here is what I got for Effect of Removal (EOR) of cards of each rank. This was done on a composition-dependent spreadsheet with a couple of caveats:

- when hitting 8s after splitting 8-8 the calculation is not perfectly composition-dependent, and there was some approximation in modeling the "split up to 4 times" feature

- I've done this quickly and I may have made a mistake.

- I have not yet included the bonuses for getting an 8-7-6. That will certainly change the EORs,

(Approximate) EOR in terms of change in player EV (in units of %)

A = + 0.184%
"Tens" = + 0.091%
9 = + 0.068%
8 = + 0.214%
7 = + 0.084%
6 = - 0.09%
5 = - 0.214%
4 = - 0.190%
3 = - 0.138%
2 = - 0.111%

Hmmm. Interesting.
Last edited by: gordonm888 on Feb 2, 2017
So many better men, a few of them friends, are dead. And a thousand thousand slimy things live on, and so do I.
gordonm888
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February 10th, 2017 at 2:00:08 PM permalink
I wanted to correct the EOR numbers for Dueling 8s that I had posted in the previous post. I had a small error in my previous calculation; also for the numbers below I've included the effect of the Bonus for an 876/867 hand which was missing in the previous calculation.

(Approximate) EOR in terms of change in player EV (in units of %)

A = + 0.172%
"Tens" = + 0.079%
9 = + 0.056%
8 = + 0.174%
7 = + 0.136%
6 = - 0.088%
5 = - 0.224%
4 = - 0.200%
3 = - 0.148%
2 = - 0.121%
So many better men, a few of them friends, are dead. And a thousand thousand slimy things live on, and so do I.
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