Doubling on Blackjack vs 6 - wait, what?

The Harrah's Pulse of Las Vegas Blog poses an interesting question: on a 6-5 table, you are dealt a blackjack and the dealer shows a 6. Do you take the 6-5, or do you double down on the 11?

Has anybody figured out the strategy on this? Is it even allowed?

Trick question, nobody here would be on. 6:5 table.
Next. ;)
Take the money on the 21,
Locate 3:2 table..
But if you are just playing for kicks,
I suppose there may be some entertainment value in doubling.
Mathematically, not.

Edit: did not take in to account the dealer upcard

It's mathematically better even if you're at an even money table.

Entertainment value is an entirely different equation.


Sahara had $1 even money tables. I used to play there occasionally for the entertainment value of people's reactions when splitting tens, and doubling on BJ.

I'd take the money. But if the TC8+ then you might want to DD; IIRC.

But in general remember that a 6:5 game starts off with an additional 1.3% in favor of the house.

Double! Most places will let you cause why wouldn't they let you give up a winning hand.

Here's a page from Wizard of Odds with the expected values of the players' hands for H17 one-deck blackjack. For the 6:5 game, standing on blackjack would of course have an EV of 1.2, and the EV table has 0.679165 for doubling A,10 vs 6. (And for the S17 game, the doubling A,10 vs 6 EV is 0.682234.)

So, doubling A,10 is not a good idea, but WongBo is right that nobody here would play 6:5.

I would play 6:5 if I had friends playing it. It makes absolutely no difference to me. Dealers just get less tips from me at those games.