Edge for BJ game

I deal BJ for monte-carlo nights and I swear the players have an advantage of about 2%. I can't get Wiz'a calculator to figure it because of some of the rules are so liberal. Can anyone give me the true house edge?

4 decks
Stand on S-17
BJ pays 2-1
One card on split aces
split any 2 cards, unlimited resplits except AA
double on any 2 cards

Also what effect does paying a 5-card charlie add to this (we sometimes do or do not do that one)

Quote: AZDuffman

I deal BJ for monte-carlo nights and I swear the players have an advantage of about 2%. I can't get Wiz'a calculator to figure it because of some of the rules are so liberal. Can anyone give me the true house edge?

4 decks
Stand on S-17
BJ pays 2-1
One card on split aces
split any 2 cards, unlimited resplits except AA
double on any 2 cards

Also what effect does paying a 5-card charlie add to this (we sometimes do or do not do that one)

Start with .387% for realistic results based on 4 decks, S17, DAS, D/SA2, one card on split aces.

Add 2.27% for 2:1 BJ (from WoO). So PA is 2.27% - .39% = 1.88%
Negligible advantage for unlimited splits (splitting 3 hands vs 4 only give you an extra .01%).
5 card charlie add 1.46%.

Usually a game that has that many rules in favor of the player, also has the house win ties. Winning ties cancels out all the other rules. No casino would have a game like that. Savvy players would fly in from all over the country just to play the game. The losses would be astronomical.

Does the Monte Carlo night pay in cash, or in auction money?

When it's auction money, there are often all kinds of rules that favor the player.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Does the Monte Carlo night pay in cash, or in auction money?

When it's auction money, there are often all kinds of rules that favor the player.

99% of the time we pay off in "tickets" which they then enter into a raffle for a variety of items. They can win a max of 20 tickets and put as many or as few in each raffle box as they like.

A funny note, the fist time I did this at my current company was a freshman orientation at University of Pittsburgh. The tickets are the two-part kind where one side says, "Keep this Coupon." For college kids I was suprised they had to announce how to use the tickets at least twice! The kids just threw both halves in together-how they thought they would collect was beyond me. I understood the concept of the two-piece ticket at age 10 or so, and not like it is rocket science.

Quote: pacomartin

Usually a game that has that many rules in favor of the player, also has the house win ties. Winning ties cancels out all the other rules. No casino would have a game like that. Savvy players would fly in from all over the country just to play the game. The losses would be astronomical.

We want them to win and have fun, no concern with house edge. The five card charlie means it is a really "fun" night and we really loosen up the rules. Once on the fun night I ask if a woman wants to double down on an 11 vs my bust card. She says no. I peek at the card to come and ask if she is sure. She still says no! Dude at the end of the table looks at me and I at him like she is a live, female Homer Simpson or something. He tells her to take the card, which was a 10-value card so she gets 21. Some people you can't help.

Needless to say if I ever end up dealing (next job layoff I take the class) I can't do such stuff without ending up in jail or at the bottom of the river. One thing I do notice in this job is that I have become able to tell if a person plays or not within 3 hands or so. I've learned to adjust my style to their level of experience and expecrtations. Teaching BS is fun and easy and I do not see why dealers at real casinos do not offer advice when asked.

My standard disclaimer is, "The guy who invented this strategy also invented the modern hedge fund and he is a billionare, so I follow his advice even if it doesn't work 100% of the time." Gets me off the hook for the most part.

Usually those nights pay 2 to 1 for BJ because they don't have all of the chip denominations to pay out the 1/2 bet... (and don't have the time to care that much about it...2:1 is much easier in a relaxed enviornment)

Quote: AZDuffman

....and not like it is rocket science.

Uh, oh. Thems dangerous words there!

Quote: cclub79

Usually those nights pay 2 to 1 for BJ because they don't have all of the chip denominations to pay out the 1/2 bet... (and don't have the time to care that much about it...2:1 is much easier in a relaxed enviornment)

Good point.

Also I don't know if some dealers could handle it. When I got the idea to do it the kid dealing to me was the worst. Cards face down and no idea of anything. I asked when he learned the game and he told me "an hour ago!" So I figured if he coudl do it I could-the pay wasn't bad for an "extra" job anyways.

I was lucky to get in with a place that actually trained. It was just 2 hours in their living room, but I was suprised. Even at a "fake" casino level there are a dozen little things you need to do as a dealer and not knowing them it might take you forever to figure them out.