Crown Blackjack Plus Perspective & Basic Strategy?
January 10th, 2013 at 6:19:50 PM
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Hi there,
I'm a dealer at Crown Casino in Perth and have been for about 12 years. When I'm dealing Blackjack, I always like to know what statistically the best option for the player is for two reasons...
1. I want to be able to let the player know if they ask me (or if they're unsure what to do I can give them the statistically best option)...
2. For my own curiousity
I know this might be a bit unusual for a dealer, but I'm quite mathematically minded and I like my players to have the best chance of winning! (Makes my job more fun...)
Anyway now I have been dealing BJ Plus, with the rule changes and I'm not sure of a Basic Strategy... (I know the Basic Strategy for Pontoon but we rarely do that game anymore due to there being no Perfect Pairs on those tables!)
And a side note (and I'm not a company man by any means - quite the opposite!)... I think that Blackjack Plus - although clearly having a bigger house edge - at least it means there are $5 tables again - which brings back the recreational or "fun" punter... These people are priced out at $15 Blackjacks or more where their $50 bucks only lasts three hands (or less if they have a double)... At least these people can sit and relax knowing they're not going to go broke for a little while... The way these people play Blackjack - they will make such bad moves in normal blackjack (hitting 12s or 13s against 3-6 etc) that the house edge for these people is probably pretty comparable on either Blackjack or Blackjack Plus - believe me! (BJ+ in a way rewards stupidity!)
Same as I'm glad there's still $2.50 roulette even tho it's Double Zero...
Better than all tables going to $5 as it takes away fun punters...
It's just commercial reality that low minimum games have to have a higher house edge or the casino won't offer it...
Anyway what I'm really after is a Basic Strategy for BJ+ so I can give better advice...
CSM (4 deck),
BJ or 21 or 5-cards-under instantly pays,
Can double down any 2 or 3 card hand (including soft hands),
Can Split twice to make 3 hands max (even Aces - but one card only on Ace),
Can double after split
All bets lose on Dealer BJ (unless already paid out)
No Surrender offered
STANDOFF ON DEALER 22 (this is the element which I can't find any data on)
I'm a dealer at Crown Casino in Perth and have been for about 12 years. When I'm dealing Blackjack, I always like to know what statistically the best option for the player is for two reasons...
1. I want to be able to let the player know if they ask me (or if they're unsure what to do I can give them the statistically best option)...
2. For my own curiousity
I know this might be a bit unusual for a dealer, but I'm quite mathematically minded and I like my players to have the best chance of winning! (Makes my job more fun...)
Anyway now I have been dealing BJ Plus, with the rule changes and I'm not sure of a Basic Strategy... (I know the Basic Strategy for Pontoon but we rarely do that game anymore due to there being no Perfect Pairs on those tables!)
And a side note (and I'm not a company man by any means - quite the opposite!)... I think that Blackjack Plus - although clearly having a bigger house edge - at least it means there are $5 tables again - which brings back the recreational or "fun" punter... These people are priced out at $15 Blackjacks or more where their $50 bucks only lasts three hands (or less if they have a double)... At least these people can sit and relax knowing they're not going to go broke for a little while... The way these people play Blackjack - they will make such bad moves in normal blackjack (hitting 12s or 13s against 3-6 etc) that the house edge for these people is probably pretty comparable on either Blackjack or Blackjack Plus - believe me! (BJ+ in a way rewards stupidity!)
Same as I'm glad there's still $2.50 roulette even tho it's Double Zero...
Better than all tables going to $5 as it takes away fun punters...
It's just commercial reality that low minimum games have to have a higher house edge or the casino won't offer it...
Anyway what I'm really after is a Basic Strategy for BJ+ so I can give better advice...
CSM (4 deck),
BJ or 21 or 5-cards-under instantly pays,
Can double down any 2 or 3 card hand (including soft hands),
Can Split twice to make 3 hands max (even Aces - but one card only on Ace),
Can double after split
All bets lose on Dealer BJ (unless already paid out)
No Surrender offered
STANDOFF ON DEALER 22 (this is the element which I can't find any data on)
January 10th, 2013 at 7:34:35 PM
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No idea of the house edge but I played it briefly in November in Melbourne and found it to be a dreadful game. The stand off on dealer 22 was the killer for me.
January 10th, 2013 at 7:42:17 PM
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The big rule change is the push on dealer 22, so I would use the Switch basic strategy which also plays against a dealer push 22 (ignore the switching tables, just use the basic at the top of the page):
https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/switch/
The European hole card rule has little effect on the strategy, since it almost never doubles or splits against a dealer 10 or A. The only exception here is AA vs 10 or A. Probably still better to split.
Then you can modify the switch strategy with the 5 card charlie rule. That can be found here:
https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/strategy/charlie/
There could be unusual situations where the charlie strategy exceptions are incorrect against a push 22 strategy... but you are on your own there.
https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/switch/
The European hole card rule has little effect on the strategy, since it almost never doubles or splits against a dealer 10 or A. The only exception here is AA vs 10 or A. Probably still better to split.
Then you can modify the switch strategy with the 5 card charlie rule. That can be found here:
https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/strategy/charlie/
There could be unusual situations where the charlie strategy exceptions are incorrect against a push 22 strategy... but you are on your own there.
Wisdom is the quality that keeps you out of situations where you would otherwise need it
January 10th, 2013 at 8:01:47 PM
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They put 'Blackjack Switch' in Australia and then one casino developed 'Blackjack Plus' by taking the 'Push 22' idea from my game. Unfortunately, I didn't apply for an Australian patent when I developed 'Blackjack Switch'.
I hope it fails miserably.
I hope it fails miserably.
January 10th, 2013 at 8:06:06 PM
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The push 22 is a real killer in this game. If this game isn't owned by Shufflemaster, we probably should get "Switch" to sue.
If you play BJ switch strategy after the switch, the house edge would roughly be 5% with normal BJ and the rule change effects. Push 22 costs 6.91%.
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/questions-and-answers/math/8136-new-blackjack-plus-variant-how-does-it-affect-the-house-edge/
You're much better off playing triple the bet if the rules on higher limit tables follow "standard blackjack".
Damn, I hope so too.
If you play BJ switch strategy after the switch, the house edge would roughly be 5% with normal BJ and the rule change effects. Push 22 costs 6.91%.
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/questions-and-answers/math/8136-new-blackjack-plus-variant-how-does-it-affect-the-house-edge/
You're much better off playing triple the bet if the rules on higher limit tables follow "standard blackjack".
Quote: SwitchThey put 'Blackjack Switch' in Australia and then one casino developed 'Blackjack Plus' by taking the 'Push 22' idea from my game. Unfortunately, I didn't apply for an Australian patent when I developed 'Blackjack Switch'.
I hope it fails miserably.
Damn, I hope so too.
