BlackJack in Guatemala

Hello all I am new to the site however I wanted some help regarding house edge on this rules,
The rules for Blackjack in Guatemala, my country are

6-DECK SHOE 80% PENETRATION
ENHC
DEALER STANDS ON SOFT 17
DOUBLE ON ANY 2 CARDS
SURRENDER ON 2-10
RE-SPLIT UP TO 4 HANDSS
NO RESPLITTING ACES, ACES ONLY GET 1 CARD
DOUBLE AFTER SPLITTING ALLOWED ON 2-10
BLACKJACK PAYS 3:2

EXTRA PAY, AUTOMATIC 1:1 extra pay for any 3 of a kind (6-6-6, 7-7-7, even a busted 8-8-8)



I believe this are actually pretty good odds using basic strategy ( under 0.3%) but not sure if I am right.
If we were allowed to surrender on aces, house edge would go to negative

Also it would be a good game for card counting, I am just starting playing so I am just sticking with basic strategy but doing good so far

>ENHC.......................................... European No Hole Card
Took me a long time, finally googled it.

Tell me, what is a casino in Guatemala like? Small? Quiet? Liquor oriented? Unaccompanied females in abundance?

Are casinos there in neighborhoods or grouped together?

The reason I ask is that BJ, as set forth above, is very generous and I wonder why any casino would be that generous if it was not forced to be?

Of course if the most popular games are roulette and slot machines, perhaps the casino can afford to be generous at other games.

The rules he stated are reported to be common abroad, found in a good number of countries. Low table maximums of 100-200 u.s., lack of regulation/suspicion of cheating, and issues traveling with/ converting large amounts of currency and the security issues that go with it when one is carrying multiple times the average yearly wage in a country are reasons why they are often left alone by professionals. Also the play of the typical civilian in these countries is generally awful, so the low house edge doesn't affect profits much theoretically.

The three card bonus may affect basic strategy, particularly on 6-6 vs. 2 and 4-4 vs. 5, 6.

Casinos are normally small-quite more oriented to other games video slots, roulette and poker

normally each one has 3-4 blackjack tables, (They have more caribbean and texas hold them tables which seem fuller than blackjack)
normally on Hotel Lobby's or shopping malls. Most have a small group of regular clients ( Mostly foreigners and some locals)
I noticed that most people playing have no idea of basic strategy, I bet even with the generous rules they come out on top. Casino is full of bad players that actually bother me a lot for surrending, doubling on S18 etc.

Welcome to the site and thank you for the information. I always like it when somebody's first post conveys information. I've noticed three-card bonuses in Costa Rica and Panama, although not directly in blackjack but in blackjack-based games.

Canal 21 -- Blackjack variant in Panama
Rummy -- Blackjack variant in Costa Rica

Finally, please join us in the Spanish Word of the Day thread at my other site.

Quote: mcallister3200

The rules he stated are reported to be common abroad, found in a good number of countries. Low table maximums of 100-200 u.s., lack of regulation/suspicion of cheating, and issues traveling with/ converting large amounts of currency and the security issues that go with it when one is carrying multiple times the average yearly wage in a country are reasons why they are often left alone by professionals. Also the play of the typical civilian in these countries is generally awful, so the low house edge doesn't affect profits much theoretically.

Actually you are right at min tables are generall US$5-US$20 min and US$100-US$400 max,
Actually if you can play in dollars and local currency I also find it a good way for getting a good exchage rate since theri business is gambling they have a fixed exchange rate ( No spread) which means if I need to get dollars the casino is a much better option than a bank for me ( Although this is an entire different subject). This is due that casinos are foreigner oriented and I am a local

A quick ball park on the Triples... if 2 through 8's except when Dealer has an Ace showing, about +0.2%, If allowed with AAA then about +0.225%

Quote: 98Clubs

A quick ball park on the Triples... if 2 through 8's except when Dealer has an Ace showing, about +0.2%, If allowed with AAA then about +0.225%

Really??In this case this may be a negative house edge set of rules??
All triples pay ( This is at one of the casino chains not all, but the one I play the most)
Even an 8-8-8 busted game makes you push
In which case it makes sense that I am currently about 1% up in about 10,000 hands (Only US$10/bet average).
Playing basic strategy could be a nice income-making hobby, with no need for counting

How does the triple option change basic strategy? Since I don't know I stick with basic strategy as per the wizards page for my set of rules (I've memorized it).

I guess hit rather than split 6-6 vs 2 4-4 vs 5-8? but any others?

It is my understanding that the exchange rate is set by the Guatemalan Society of Pediatricians which is the sole issuer of Gambling Licenses and the sole Taxing Agent. I should perhaps warn readers that this is third hand information from a yachtsman who sought shelter during hurricane season in the Rio Dulce area several years ago and has never left.

Quote: mcallister3200

Also the play of the typical civilian in these countries is generally awful, so the low house edge doesn't affect profits much theoretically.

This comment and others like it have always puzzled me. We all hear of such things as the Latin "Siesta" wherein life comes to a halt in the mid-day heat and Americans are the only fools to venture out to look at museums or the like.

We also hear of "Manana" in the literal sense of Tomorrow but the actual sense of Not Now and Probably Not Ever But Go Away And Don't Bug Me.

Now of course I would be the first admit that there are alot of dopes in American casinos but never to the extend alleged to be present in other countries.

So what is going on? Are the men in the casinos there to get away from their wives? To turn local currency such as drug money into respectable earnings? Or does jungle heat affect brains more than we thought and the people really do not care about Basic Strategy?

Something has got to be going on.

If it is not a popular game, the play is going to be generally worse.

Just as an aside, what would Las Vegas be like if it was run solely by the USA Pediatric Society?

I was shocked to learn the Guatemala Casinos are all licensed and administered by the Guatemala Society of Pediatricians. It seems strange but perhaps it has advantages.