Basic Strategy - who's correct?

(spun off from the Tuscany thread)

Quote: nyuhoosier

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.

I only play 2-deck hit-soft-17 (H17) games. Until recently, the chart in my brain was the "Las Vegas single-deck" chart from "Winning Casino Blackjack for the Non-Counter" by Cardoza, 1992 ed.

But since I haven't played single-deck in several years, I decided it was time to re-program my brain with the multi-deck chart. The book lists 9 changes to the single deck chart, among them is "Do not double hard 11 vs. Ace, hit instead."

There is some ambiguity in the book - he describes the Strip game as stand-on-soft-17, and Downtown as H17. (remember, this is a 1992 book) But, there's only one set of "Las Vegas" charts. In any event, none of his multi-deck charts (LV, Northern Nevada, Atlantic City, Europe) tell you to double 11 vs. a dealer Ace. They all say to hit.

But the Wizard's charts say to double 11 vs. an Ace, whether the game is H17 or S17. https://wizardofodds.com/blackjack/strategy/2deck.html

Another difference is that my book says to hit 9 vs a dealer 2; Wizard says to double.

I guess I assumed that everyone's basic strategy was the same, that it came from the same simulations and research. Can anyone explain these differences?

This might help- I assume it is still valid:http://www.blackjackforumonline.com/content/BasicChap.htm

Quote: Melman

In any event, none of his multi-deck charts (LV, Northern Nevada, Atlantic City, Europe) tell you to double 11 vs. a dealer Ace. They all say to hit.

But the Wizard's charts say to double 11 vs. an Ace, whether the game is H17 or S17. https://wizardofodds.com/blackjack/strategy/2deck.html

Another difference is that my book says to hit 9 vs a dealer 2; Wizard says to double.

I guess I assumed that everyone's basic strategy was the same, that it came from the same simulations and research. Can anyone explain these differences?

Wizard's 4-8 decks say to hit 11 vs. an Ace if the dealer stands on soft 17. You are looking at double deck strategy.
He also says to hit 9 vs a dealer 2 for multideck games, and to double for single deck or double deck games.

In Vegas the only casino that still plays single deck full pay blackjack is the oldest, El Cortez (last time I checked).

The older research was sometimes done with simulations, but the best algorithms do an analytic calculation. The wizard does his EV's analytically. Although it is all the same basic research sometimes very subtle differences in assumptions can throw the decision on the very close calls. A cut-card assumption for example. Or if you compress 4-8 decks into one cheat sheet, you have to make a decision if there is a slightly different result for 4&5 decks vs 6-8 decks. An averaging procedure is used.

Sometimes an actual decision is compositionally dependent. A player 14 against a dealer 2 actually depends on the makeup of the cards that add up to 14. On average you should stand, but the real rule should read stand, unless you have a 10, then hit. There are tables of exceptions in Wizard of Odds.

These narrow calls could involve a lot of memorization, and for very very little overall effect.

A unique way to learn strategy is to learn the Wizard's simple strategy which should take you all of 5 minutes. Then go down the list and learn exceptions to the simple strategy in order of importance.