BlackJack Dealers are funny...

So I was playing BJ this weekend in Reno...
Of course they have stingy "Reno" rules... (double on 10/11 only; no surrender, Hit S17)
I had a hard-16 and the dealer was showing a 10 and I said "I surrender!" with a chuckle (as I know they do not offer surrender and most of the dealers in Reno don't even know what surrender IS)...however this particular dealer actually did know what it was and said "You know surrender is bad for the PLAYER, because the casino is guranteed a win." I just looked at her...LOL

The next time that happens, feel free to be equally ignorant by stating, "No it doesn't."

Only if the dealer continues the conversation should you add, "I just won half my bet back," or "The casino only wins half."

I am often criticized when I surrender. Especially when I surrender 17 vs dealer A; or 8-8 vs A; assuming a H17 game. Of course, when I surrender the 8-8 (instead of split) I am often accused of changing the order of the cards and ruining the entire game.

After surrendering 8-8 vs A, one old timer told me "I've been playing for 30 years, and that's the worst play I've seen." I felt like responding "It's a shame after 30 years, you still don't know how to play." But I just shrugged my shoulders and said "I'm new to the game."

Last weekend in Tunica, while getting my A-- handed to me on Double Deck (though it turned around a bit after the conversation), the dealer suggested that the "book" was written by the casinos. She instead suggested I hit every hand like the dealer, since the dealer makes so many hands. I decided she wasn't one to argue with, so I just let it be...

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Quote: Ibeatyouraces

If surrender was bad for the player, EVERY CASINO would offer it. And 99% of dealers in this country are clueless about proper strategy for ANY game especially blackjack.

To be honest, I'm surprised more casinos DON'T offer surrender. There is a huge sentiment even among BS strategy players that it is bad to surrender. It only improves the house edge marginally, but as many players don't utilize it, or worse, use it at the wrong times (surrendering an hard 12+ against a dealer face/ace), it would probably be a boon to the house. They could advertise better rules on BJ games all the while making money off the play.

Edit: This reminds me of a time I went to Terrible's St Joseph in Missouri. The table sign says "Surrender Available" in big bold print. I would take advantage, and the dealer would chastise me for doing so. The pit boss came over and told me it was a house bet, since if it were good for the player, would the casino advertise it???? Sometimes, it's best not to argue with idiots...

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

If surrender was bad for the player, EVERY CASINO would offer it. And 99% of dealers in this country are clueless about proper strategy for ANY game especially blackjack.

A perfect example of underestimating percentages

I've come to realized that at least half of dealers are dealers because they can't do anything else.

Just like most gamblers are idiots. We've all seen the guy who about pulls a gun on you because you said the word "seven" at the craps table, or because you "took his card" at the blackjack game.

Although I love when playing blackjack with a superstitious player. One time, the guy was like "Would you please not take any cards". He had a bet of $1000 out there, versus my lowely $25. I told him if he pays me $25, I won't take any cards. He threw me a green, I surrendered, and he doubled his 11, got a 21, and won. Win-Win for both of us :)..(although I think he felted cheated when I surrendered)...

That surrender and green chip grab is a pretty slick move. I had a guy not wanting me to hit 12 on 12 the other day, he had 3k out there I had 200... I allowed it, dealer busted we both won, but I was annoyed I buckled to him, even though it worked out.

Quote: APDave

That surrender and green chip grab is a pretty slick move. I had a guy not wanting me to hit 12 on 12 the other day, he had 3k out there I had 200... I allowed it, dealer busted we both won, but I was annoyed I buckled to him, even though it worked out.

You let him convince you to make the wrong play? No offense, I'm a bit confused about your user name!

As far as surrender goes, casinos would have to build a new count room for all the extra cash they would make if they started allowing surrender at their games. In nearly every session I've ever played at a casino that offered surrender (a reasonably large sample size), fully half of the surrenders made by civilians were incorrect. Most of the time, people don't even realize that surrender is available until they see me take it; a casino should proudly advertise that they allow this option!

Gee I wonder if the casinos might know how valuable surrender is to counters. DUH I mean insurance adds 30% to an ap's bottom line, and I would guess surrender might be worth another 5 or 10%

So what? Counters make up such a small fraction of the gambling population that allowing surrender will pay for itself many times over, even if a dreaded card counter comes in with his 1.5% for a few 1-hour shifts here and there. Truly smart casinos know how valuable surrender is to counters and know that it can very easily be leveraged to increase their profits from civilians. Conventionally "smart" casinos limit penetration on their blackjack games because they're afraid of card counters; truly smart casinos deal deeply, correctly dealing to the 99.999% of their customers, rather than sweating card counters. Micromanaging vs. looking at the big picture — unfortunately, nearly all folks working in the casino industry seem to be firmly entrenched in the former practice, according to a very large amount of empirical evidence.

I was joking with a friend about using the wiz's strategy card at the table and he didn't like the play that was recommended by the card, but I convinced him to do what the card said and he won. I jokingly said stick to the card you will win every time. The dealer opens his mouth and says, "If that card helped people win then the casino wouldn't allow it at the table!"

Quote: SONBP2

The dealer opens his mouth and says, "If that card helped people win then the casino wouldn't allow it at the table!"

That's actually true.

The strategy card does NOT help a player win, it merely helps them lose less. Of course, sometimes that means a win on a particular hand....

When a dealer makes a comment about "The Book," I just smile and say that I'm friends with the author.

The first time I used Wiz's strategy card for Ultimate Texas Hold'em the dealer said, "That card won't work here!" I laughed and ignored him. He says, "This is Texas Hold'em, that blackjack card won't work here." I say, "Its for this game." He replies, "Ultimate Texas Hold'em?" I say, "Yes." The pit boss comes over and gives him a look like shut up and says, "They make them for every game."

We were losing every hand and the dealer keeps telling us that he scored in the highest one percent in the state in math and when a new game comes out he goes out and plays it and determines how mathematically to best play the game. He then proceeds to tell me that I should never bet 4x unless I have a pair of 8s or higher and even then its questionable. He said, "Wait for the flop, then see if you have anything. Then you wouldn't lose so much money. I hate to see you guys losing like this because of that card!"

I couldn't even comment.

Quote: SONBP2

We were losing every hand and the dealer keeps telling us that he scored in the highest one percent in the state in math and when a new game comes out he goes out and plays it and determines how mathematically to best play the game.

Wonder why he was dealing then? Maybe his doctor told him all the sitting is bad for his back and he needs to find an activity to stretch a bit? Or he could just like breathing cigarette smoke.

What, no I am not........the producer says I'm being cynical again.