FinsRule
FinsRule
  • Threads: 128
  • Posts: 3914
Joined: Dec 23, 2009
September 1st, 2017 at 9:27:23 PM permalink
Ok math geniuses. If the dealer were to hit soft 18, how would that affect the house edge?
Mission146
Mission146
  • Threads: 142
  • Posts: 16832
Joined: May 15, 2012
September 1st, 2017 at 9:40:52 PM permalink
Well, the first thing you have to look at is:

Yeah, right, like I'm good enough to figure this out! Shot in the dark, dealer still hits S17 and stands on H17, adds about 2.5%-3% to the house edge.
https://wizardofvegas.com/forum/off-topic/gripes/11182-pet-peeves/120/#post815219
RS
RS
  • Threads: 62
  • Posts: 8626
Joined: Feb 11, 2014
September 1st, 2017 at 9:49:46 PM permalink
Quote: FinsRule

Ok math geniuses. If the dealer were to hit soft 18, how would that affect the house edge?


Wizard made a YouTube video showing how to come up with basic strategy and house edge using Excel. Your best bet is to probably follow along on his video, making an excel spreadsheet (unless the entire thing is already made up for download), then edit the soft 18 part for dealer having to hit instead of stand. BTW it uses infinite decks, so although it's not 100% correct, it should be very darn close.
sodawater
sodawater
  • Threads: 64
  • Posts: 3321
Joined: May 14, 2012
Thanked by
TropicalElectri
September 1st, 2017 at 10:06:41 PM permalink
Quote: FinsRule

Ok math geniuses. If the dealer were to hit soft 18, how would that affect the house edge?



This rule would be good for the player and lessen the house edge.
odiousgambit
odiousgambit
  • Threads: 326
  • Posts: 9557
Joined: Nov 9, 2009
September 2nd, 2017 at 4:21:34 AM permalink
with soft 18 the player in BS doubles or stands and only hits in 3 instances [depending]

dealers will always only go with one instruction, there's no composition-dependent decision ever. No casino is going to change this except as some special - it would be a weird promotion to choose, mystifying most players.

it's not in Wizard's list of special rules affecting HE
Last edited by: odiousgambit on Sep 2, 2017
the next time Dame Fortune toys with your heart, your soul and your wallet, raise your glass and praise her thus: “Thanks for nothing, you cold-hearted, evil, damnable, nefarious, low-life, malicious monster from Hell!”   She is, after all, stone deaf. ... Arnold Snyder
ChesterDog
ChesterDog
  • Threads: 8
  • Posts: 1481
Joined: Jul 26, 2010
September 2nd, 2017 at 7:05:19 AM permalink
Quote: FinsRule

...If the dealer were to hit soft 18, how would that affect the house edge?



The infinite-deck model gives these player EVs, expressed as percent, for various combinations of dealer soft and hard standing numbers. (This is for a game with no surrender or re-splitting.)

You can see that the optimal strategy for the casino is to stand on soft 18 and hard 17. But hitting soft 18 wouldn't hurt the casino much at all.

hard21hard20hard19hard18hard17hard16hard15hard14hard13hard12
soft21
102.51
53.56
26.97
9.21
0.99
9.22
18.35
28.02
37.94
47.92
soft20
97.29
50.51
24.82
7.66
-0.23
7.75
16.60
25.99
35.64
45.36
soft19
93.64
47.44
23.30
6.74
-0.77
6.96
15.57
24.69
34.12
43.63
soft18
91.45
45.63
21.78
6.21
-0.79
6.70
15.07
23.95
33.16
42.44
soft17
90.38
44.92
21.36
6.09
-0.57
6.76
14.97
23.67
32.69
41.81
soft16
91.80
46.47
22.98
7.62
0.85
7.97
16.24
24.93
33.92
43.00
soft15
93.15
47.98
24.57
9.11
2.28
9.42
17.47
26.18
35.13
44.15
soft14
94.42
49.38
26.06
10.53
3.68
10.83
18.91
27.36
36.27
45.24
soft13
95.60
50.68
27.44
11.85
4.99
12.16
20.24
28.74
37.36
46.26
soft12
96.18
51.31
28.11
12.54
5.70
12.85
20.92
29.40
38.02
46.77
FinsRule
FinsRule
  • Threads: 128
  • Posts: 3914
Joined: Dec 23, 2009
September 2nd, 2017 at 8:44:40 AM permalink
I guess I'm reading it wrong, if the soft 18, hard 17 box is the lowest number (-0.79), wouldn't that be optimal house strategy? Thanks for sending this over. Also, it looks like house hits all 17s would be more disastrous than I thought.
ChesterDog
ChesterDog
  • Threads: 8
  • Posts: 1481
Joined: Jul 26, 2010
September 2nd, 2017 at 10:29:27 AM permalink
Quote: FinsRule

...if the soft 18, hard 17 box is the lowest number (-0.79), wouldn't that be optimal house strategy?...



Yes--that's the right box. Dealer's standing on soft 18, meaning dealer hits all soft 17s (H17), gives the biggest edge (0.79%) for the house against perfect basic strategy by players. That's why so many casinos changed their rules from S17 (casino stands on soft 17) to H17.

And yes, if the dealer must hit all hard and soft 17s, the player would have a huge edge of 6.21%.
FinsRule
FinsRule
  • Threads: 128
  • Posts: 3914
Joined: Dec 23, 2009
September 2nd, 2017 at 10:39:32 AM permalink
Thanks, a very cool chart. A very very small difference between standing on soft 18 vs. soft 17. Now I know!
Neutrino
Neutrino
  • Threads: 84
  • Posts: 515
Joined: Feb 20, 2014
September 2nd, 2017 at 12:49:05 PM permalink
Would you play a game if--

Dealer hits soft 18
Blackjack pays 6:5
FinsRule
FinsRule
  • Threads: 128
  • Posts: 3914
Joined: Dec 23, 2009
September 3rd, 2017 at 2:23:14 AM permalink
Quote: Neutrino

Would you play a game if--

Dealer hits soft 18
Blackjack pays 6:5



Sure! Unlike everyone on here, I don't care what blackjack pays because my tipping strategy for blackjack is just to tip the extra on my $5 or $10 hand when I get a blackjack. So when I'm playing a terrible 6:5 game with a higher house edge, the house can afford to pay dealers more. When I'm playing a game with a normal house edge, I'll help subsidize the dealer's pay more.
Neutrino
Neutrino
  • Threads: 84
  • Posts: 515
Joined: Feb 20, 2014
September 3rd, 2017 at 10:20:41 PM permalink
I don't tip unless I know the dealer is also a part-time pitboss
Romes
Romes
  • Threads: 29
  • Posts: 5600
Joined: Jul 22, 2014
September 5th, 2017 at 8:10:49 AM permalink
Quote: Neutrino

Would you play a game if--

Dealer hits soft 18
Blackjack pays 6:5

Nope.
Playing it correctly means you've already won.
Ibeatyouraces
Ibeatyouraces
  • Threads: 68
  • Posts: 11933
Joined: Jan 12, 2010
Thanked by
Romes
September 5th, 2017 at 8:13:59 AM permalink
Quote: Romes

Nope.


You would so if "conditions" were right. 😉
DUHHIIIIIIIII HEARD THAT!
Romes
Romes
  • Threads: 29
  • Posts: 5600
Joined: Jul 22, 2014
September 5th, 2017 at 8:57:53 AM permalink
Quote: Ibeatyouraces

You would so if "conditions" were right. 😉

Touche.
Playing it correctly means you've already won.
  • Jump to: