Las Vegas blackjack play: basic or advanced strategy?
 

When you "play" this particular "gaming entertainment", do you stick with just basic strategy, or are you more aggressive?

Do you sometimes NOT do what "the book" says? Example would be your NOT doubling down with the dealer showing anything but an ace.

Example on multi deck basic or aggressive play: Dealer shows 4,5,6. You have 8. Basic says to hit your 8. Aggressive would be to double down.

Your story, pls.

Kohoutek

about 7 times out of ten I will play by the book. Will be more aggressive depending on how plays are going for me and whether dealer is busting a lot.

I never fully follow the book and I don't play an aggressive style. I don't like to double down against face cards and aces. I usually only split when I'm against dealer's 5 or 6.

With that said, I don't change my play much whether I'm playing seriously or playing for fun. I might play a more aggressive style when it's just for fun and I'm betting much less than I usually do. But that's just me. A lot of people split 8s against 10. Double down on soft 18s. That's not me.

Unless you are counting..
 

Follow basic strategy. You are just costing yourself money long run doing anything else.

I always follow the book with the exception of hitting 12 v. 2/3. In that case, I just see how I'm feeling and then I play that way for the rest of the session.

Yup. Deviating from basic strategy on a whim isn't doing you any favors unless you are doing it because of the count.

If Las Vegas blackjack dealers ever start trying to bluff me off of my hand, I'd consider it.

Dealers are often idiots
 

Often dealers are nitwits. Read a good blackjack manual and stick with it.

The answers I've gotten from dealers to "What should I do?" are either "The book says X" or "I don't know." I've never had one give me the wrong advice.

For me there are some clearcut rules and then there are discretionary rules. You don't hit anything above 11 against a dealer's 6 is a clearcut rule to me. When people ask me for strategy, I always say "the books says to do this..." "some people do this..." and "I would do this..." Ultimately, this is still a game and there's really no "wrong" way to play some hands.

+1

Having said that, if you're having fun doing it some other way, go for it. It's your money.

Mike

For multi-deck play:
"The Book" states you STAND if you hold a hard 16 with the dealer showing 2 through 6, and you HIT with the dealer showing 7 to A.

You don't always follow this "rule". Or maybe, at a single session, you flip-flop back and forth with your "system". Sometimes, you hit, other times, you stand. After all, you're "gaming", with no expection of winning.

I need your advice.

Kohoutek

Is the dealer a relative?

Kohoutek

Blackjack "play" is not "fun", it's "work".

Kohoutek

^^

Oh, I beg to differ! Haven't you seen, Goosey, players standing on hard 8-10?

Thanks for your post.

Kohoutek

Well, if you don't want to work, then play baccarat.

Always the same house edge, never any issues with how you play it. And, drinking isn't as much of a concern. (Well, unless drinking causes you to push all your chips out on a single hand :p:eek: )

Blackjack requires you avoid hunches and follow the rules for the particular game and number of decks. Which also requires that you avoid alcohol. The ability to count, and adjust for the true count and vary your game based on the count is also a plus. This especially requires that you are playing your "A" game. Unfortunately, playing any other way requires that you are OK with giving up EV.

Not really sure there's much additional advice anyone can give....... ;)

[QUOTE=baccarat_king;11467779]Well, if you don't want to work, then play baccarat.

Always the same house edge, never any issues with how you play it. [QUOTE]

Don't you get nasty stares when you bet against everyone on the table with your minimum bet and win? I guess that's just me. :cool:

Just make sure you face the cards very slowly and dramatically. :D