Optimal strategy for "Catch a Wave"

One table game that I don't hear too much about, is one of my favourite to play. Thanks to the Wizard for his optimal Catch a Wave strategy, which I have found very effective (as usual).

My question is about how the optimal strategy was generated and whether any tables (as in the appendices of many other games) are available.

How different would the strategy be if it was determined using an infinite deck? Does the card removal make a huge difference?

Thanks again.

Where do you play that game? I've been looking for it on the East Coast for a long time.

Sorry, I did that analysis five years ago, and don't remember it well. I probably developed the strategy with an infinite deck assumption, and then ran it through a random simulation. At the time I knew of only one table of the game on earth, so didn't bother analyzing the game in depth.

Quote: cclub79

Where do you play that game? I've been looking for it on the East Coast for a long time.

Sorry cclub79, hope I didn't raise a false alarm there. I've been playing it online at betvoyager.com where they offer a supposed zero house edge version (catching a wave pays 6.2:1 as opposed to the regular 6:1). Anyways if you like the game, I guess it's a good way to try it out again, but watch out - they take a 10% commission on all withdrawls.

Quote: Wizard

Sorry, I did that analysis five years ago, and don't remember it well. I probably developed the strategy with an infinite deck assumption, and then ran it through a random simulation. At the time I knew of only one table of the game on earth, so didn't bother analyzing the game in depth.

As for the Wizard, your analysis seems quite in depth and is much appreciated; if the game really was so rare, then we are lucky you did one at all. The problem I'm having figuring out how you did it, is to do with the dealer's potential to go on drawing cards forever, but I guess at some point you just have to pick a cut-off point, for example: 10% of 10% of 10% of 10% of 10% - "OK I think that's small enough not to matter anymore", or something like that.

But who knows, maybe I've got the wrong idea altogether.

I probably have the spreadsheet somewhere. If you give me an e-mail via the contact form I'll send it to you, if I can find the spreadsheet.

Quote: cclub79

Where do you play that game? I've been looking for it on the East Coast for a long time.

I remember seeing and playing it at Foxwoods about 7 or 8 years ago, during one of my annual Christmas trips with my brother and the wives. When we came home, we taught it to his 4 kids, aged around 13-16. They quickly understood the game, but lost all their money. Repeatedly. (We were playing for pennies.) After about an hour, and a few bucks each, they decided it was a stupid game. We agreed with them - and gave them their money back.

On our next trip, we were looking for it, but didn't see it. We went to the pit where it used to be and asked the pit boss. It had been removed because of two big problems with the game:

A - People were loosing too much money. Yep. That's a real problem. (I think the Commission objects to that sort of thing.)

B - Too many people sat down thinking it was a BJ table. (The layouts are similar.)