Question about Down Under Blackjack

Here's a link to Wizard's strategy. Allow me to direct you to a part of the strategy that I do not understand.

https://wizardofodds.com/games/down-under-blackjack/

The situation is BLUE, meaning the down card is 2, 3, 4, or 5. If you have a total of 16, the strategy line instructs to STAND against 5 or 6, otherwise hit. I'm confused.

If the dealer's upcard is a 5, he either has a total of 7, 8, 9, or 10. If his upcard is a 6, his total is either 8, 9, 10, or 11.

Seems to me those are the kinds of totals you would want to HIT the 16, not stand.

And further, say the dealer's upcard is a TEN. His total would be 12, 13, 14, or 15. Yet now I'm supposed to HIT the 16. Seems to me I'd be better off standing.

What am I missing?

Thanks in advance.

Quote: bobbartop

Here's a link to Wizard's strategy. Allow me to direct you to a part of the strategy that I do not understand.

https://wizardofodds.com/games/down-under-blackjack/

The situation is BLUE, meaning the down card is 2, 3, 4, or 5. If you have a total of 16, the strategy line instructs to STAND against 5 or 6, otherwise hit. I'm confused.

If the dealer's upcard is a 5, he either has a total of 7, 8, 9, or 10. If his upcard is a 6, his total is either 8, 9, 10, or 11.

Seems to me those are the kinds of totals you would want to HIT the 16, not stand.

And further, say the dealer's upcard is a TEN. His total would be 12, 13, 14, or 15. Yet now I'm supposed to HIT the 16. Seems to me I'd be better off standing.

What am I missing?

Thanks in advance.

You're missing Rule 4.

"The dealer peeks for blackjack when an ace or any 10-point card is the dealer's face-up card."

The dealer only uses the reader (and reveals the range of the down card) when they have an A or 10-value card.

So, if the dealer's up card is NOT one of those, you would revert to the strategy correct for the other/house rules of the game. DAS, DA2, 6:5 or 3:2, whatever.

Quote: beachbumbabs

The dealer only uses the reader (and reveals the range of the down card) when they have an A or 10-value card.

Um.... The dealer uses the reader for EVERY down card.

The old version used specially designed cards with symbols on the back to identify the card’s range. Therefore, with those cards, the peek was used only for potential BJs.

But the new reader can identify the range for any card, making custom decks unnecessary.

Quote: Rule 5

Using the peeking device, the dealer shall then reveal to the players whether the hole card is small, medium, or high.

Bottom line: Every dealer down card IS scanned for the range.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Um.... The dealer uses the reader for EVERY down card.

The old version used specially designed cards with symbols on the back to identify the card’s range. Therefore, with those cards, the peek was used only for potential BJs.

But the new reader can identify the range for any card, making custom decks unnecessary.

Bottom line: Every dealer down card IS scanned for the range.

Thank you, both Babs and DJTeddyBear for your replies. I did not know there had been a change from an original version. But yes, now it is as DJTeddybear describes.

So I am finding it very difficult for myself to memorize Basic Strategy. To me it is difficult, but I am sure others will find it easier. It's like there are three different sets of Basic Strategy.

A specific hand is bothering me, as I mentioned above. In BLUE Mode (small card), Wizard's strategy says to hit hard 16 against a dealer's 10 upcard. That means you are hitting it against a 12, 13, 14, or 15. Does this seem correct to you?

I agree it seems like its wrong.

I didn't actually analyze that game but copied the strategy from the BMM report. I will try to confirm it based on infinite decks. I'll be out of town over the weekend so this will have to wait until early next week.

Has this game actually gone live anywhere yet? It's been 5 months since the conference, are any of those winning casinos up and running?

Interested to see if this can catch on like a Free Bet, or BJ Switch did in the past.

Quote: Wizard

I didn't actually analyze that game but copied the strategy from the BMM report. I will try to confirm it based on infinite decks. I'll be out of town over the weekend so this will have to wait until early next week.

Thank you. I did play a couple hours yesterday while I got my car serviced in Fresno. The second hand I was dealt was the particular hand I was questioning, in fact it came up rather often. I decided to go against the strategy and stand on the 16.

Quote: SM777

Has this game actually gone live anywhere yet? It's been 5 months since the conference, are any of those winning casinos up and running?

Interested to see if this can catch on like a Free Bet, or BJ Switch did in the past.

Somewhere in the description it says that Barona is spreading it, and I think somewhere in the state of Washington. But I have personally seen it at two places in central California, Eagle Mountain has had it for a few months and now Table Mountain started dealing it maybe three weeks ago. Eagle is a small casino but the game does get play. They offer it at a lower minimum which attracts more players. They have five decks in a continuous shuffler. At Table Mountain, it is a six-deck shoe. Table Mountain is a much larger casino servicing a large city like Fresno. I asked and it has been received well there. Yesterday it was $5 to $300. A lot of action while I was there in the afternoon. Naturally, Friday and Saturday nights are busy nights at both places.

This is a very interesting game, in my opinion. And it should be good for the casinos because I can't imagine the average recreational player ever figuring out how to play it properly. It's confusing. But for the more determined player I think it has much potential.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Um.... The dealer uses the reader for EVERY down card.

The old version used specially designed cards with symbols on the back to identify the card’s range. Therefore, with those cards, the peek was used only for potential BJs.

But the new reader can identify the range for any card, making custom decks unnecessary.

Bottom line: Every dealer down card IS scanned for the range.

You're right, thanks. It is every hand regardless of upcard. I read the wizards page only, and rule 4 says, dealer uses the device to peek for bj. Rule five says, dealer then uses the device to determine the range. I took that to mean the device was only in use when the up card was a 10 or A.

Wizard explains it better in the updated video from G2E with the inventor, here.

https://wizardofodds.com/video/down-under-blackjack-2017

Mike, can I suggest you link that video to the strategy page in WoO, or perhaps include in rule 4-5 something like " with any upcard, the dealer uses the reader to determine the range of the hole card".