Value to the player of this promotion?

Mazatal Casino & Hotel, Payson, Arizona:

6-card 21 pays $50 bonus.
7-card 21 pays $100.
8-card 21 pays $200.

$5 minimum bet, 4 decks, S17.

Any strategy changes?

Quote: teddys

Mazatal Casino & Hotel, Payson, Arizona:

6-card 21 pays $50 bonus.
7-card 21 pays $100.
8-card 21 pays $200.

$5 minimum bet, 4 decks, S17.

Any strategy changes?

I'd assume you'd hit 3 and 4 card soft 18s where you'd otherwise stay based on hand composition.

I dunno but I did hit a soft 19 against an A. Eventually got up to a 7 or 8 card 17 and then busted.

Quote: teddys

Mazatal Casino & Hotel, Payson, Arizona:

6-card 21 pays $50 bonus.
7-card 21 pays $100.
8-card 21 pays $200.

$5 minimum bet, 4 decks, S17.

Any strategy changes?

8 cards only pays $200? If you have 7 threes, that's already 21. I guess it's better than nothing.

No strategy changes for me of course since I can barely remember simplified basic strategy and wouldn't want to add complications.

However, if we assume that the player only has a minimum five dollar bet and is facing the possibility of a sixty dollar bonus (yeah, yeah... I know. I've pulled that figure out of thin air 'cause I don't know how to do it any other way) should he modify basic strategy or should he just continue on as if wearing blinders and just be happy if the dealer happens to give him an occasional bonus payment.

I would look at five cards and figure that if you've got five cards already and ain't reached even 18 yet, you sure have a whole lot of low cards. Now in four decks I don't know just how many low cards there are but for a 12x bonus payment I'd be willing to stretch my luck only a little bit more. I already have doubts every time "the book" tells me to hit my 16 hand. I'd sure feel better about hitting on 16 in accordance with Basic Strategy if that "5" was going to earn me an extra fifty dollars. Against a dealers "10" I'd be more willing to draw additional cards even if I were at 17.

Yet in reality, I think this is a promotion that should solely focus on the SIX cards and fifty dollars stuff. Anything beyond that is going to be rare! So I'd say that in the "iffy" situations wherein I am already uncomfortable, I would be propelled to take action if there is this fifty dollar bonus available.

Is 8 cards for $200 even attractive? I mean it's so out there, that they should make it $1k. Even the 7 for $100 isn't of any interest to me. And 6 for $50 is iffy, depending on what number I'm at with 5 cards; it's more common than the first two, but still probably rare. And you have to have 21?

How about this one(not that it's available, but more realistic):

6-cards and beat the dealer no matter what the number pays $50 bonus.
7-cards and beat the dealer no matter what the number pays $100 bonus.
8-cards and beat the dealer no matter what the number pays $200 bonus.

This is an excellent game for the player!!

From the Wizard's blackjack page, 6 card 21 that pays 2 to 1 is worth +0.09%. If you are betting $5, than the bonus pays 10 to 1 ($50), which is therefore worth +0.81%!

Similarly, a 7 card 21 that pays 5 to 1 is worth +0.05%. At $5 bets, that's worth +0.24%.

Assuming the 8-card 21 bonus is worth very little, you have a game that is clearly + EV! Unfortunately, maximum advantage is obtained when you bet $5, so it will be hard to make a lot of money off of this promotion. The edge you have with is promotion is worth less than a nickel a hand, so even at 100 hands an hour, you're still making less than minimum wage.

I'd suggest flat betting $5. Play multiple spots at $5 if allowed (or $10 if they insist you double the minimum to play extra spots).

If you can count, then its even better. Just don't Wong - play every hand, even if the count is very low.

There was a game in Belgium that paid bonus for a winning hand of 5-card+ and I think the change to basic strategy was to hit multi-card 12's and large totals against a 10 or A. The only time I've got one was in downtown Vegas, was when I had a five-card 17, hit and got a 4 and won 2-1 even though the dealer got blackjack.

8 card 21 is almost impossible even with 4 decks I put it at more than a million to 1. 7 card 21 is almost impossible too 400,000 to 1. A 6 card 21 is the most possible of the 3 and is still extremely rare odds probably around 10,000 to 1. If the wizard is reading this I kind of just made up the odds by gut you can correct me on the odds if you actual know them. The stragedy just play $5 a hand and play basic stragedy.

Quote: cardcounter

8 card 21 is almost impossible even with 4 decks I put it at more than a million to 1. 7 card 21 is almost impossible too 400,000 to 1. A 6 card 21 is the most possible of the 3 and is still extremely rare odds probably around 10,000 to 1. If the wizard is reading this I kind of just made up the odds by gut you can correct me on the odds if you actual know them. The stragedy just play $5 a hand and play basic stragedy.

Based upon my conversations with the dealers, they say they deal out the 6 card a couple times a day, the 7 card a couple times a week, and the 8 card very rarely (almost never). I did see someone get the 7 card and the $100 bonus while I was playing, but never got it myself. (I did get the six card).

Hey guys please help me with this: (admit an infinite deck)

What are the odds on drawing 7 cards to 21 and dealer having a natural BJ and beating you ? (obviously no peek rule in play and no 7 Charlie apply)

But what if dealer has to draw to 21 in order to push your 7 card 21 ? - What are the odds on this happening also ?

Quote: PlayHunter

Hey guys please help me with this: (admit an infinite deck)

What are the odds on drawing 7 cards to 21 and dealer having a natural BJ and beating you ? (obviously no peek rule in play and no 7 Charlie apply)

But what if dealer has to draw to 21 in order to push your 7 card 21 ? - What are the odds on this happening also ?

I assume you are in Europe or ex-U.S. since the dealer could never get a natural BJ after you draw to 21 in U.S. rules.

As for dealer drawing to 21 after your seven-card 21 -- pretty long odds, but I can't do the math on it :(

PlayHunter,

I ran a 400-million-round CVData sim for a 6D, S17, DA2, DAS, ENHC game with 75% pen for a heads-up Basic Strategy player. In total, counting split hands, he played 410,146,528 hands. Of these, 7,952 times (or 0.00194...% of the time, thus once in 51,578 hands) the player drew to a 7-card 21: note that this is EXACTLY 7 cards, not more, and includes hands that began due to splits. Of these 7,952 7C21's, the dealer received a BJ 684 times (once every 599,629 hands), and drew out to a multi-card 21 405 times (once every 1,012,707 hands).

Hope this helps!

Dog Hand

A BIG Thank you DogHand, BRILLIANT ! Yes, this was exactly what I was looking for.