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Welcome to The GameMaster's Blackjack School c A brief introduction.

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Sometimes you just need a place to start.

Blackjack is a game of skill and this is where you can learn the skills it takes to beat the game.c

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esson 1: Basic Strategy c

The foundation of winning at Blackjack is to utilize proper basic strategy in playing the hands.c7 c
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The method we use to count cards at the table is the real secret of this business.c  c  c 
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To win at single-deck games, you first need to learn another method of counting at a table where the cards are dealt face down.c9 c cc
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I do a little bit of preaching here every so often, primarily because I hate to think of people handing their money to casinos.c c c
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As it applies to playing Blackjack as a card counter, money management is a method of betting that will minimize your losses and maximize your gains.c 7
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All of our betting decisions will be made on the basis of what is known as the "true count" or more accurately, the "count per remaining deck". c  c c  c
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esson 8: Money Management - ´art 2 c A Few Words on Single Deck

In the previous lesson, I taught you how to figure the "true count" for a multi-deck game, but I want to emphasize that the concept of true count also applies to single-deck games as well.c!c   c c c
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For each increase of 1 in the true count as figured by the Hi / o counting method, the player's advantage increases by about .5% in the average Blackjack game. cc
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First and foremost, it isn't practical to bet in units of less than $1, so a betting schedule must be rounded off. Secondly, it is more appropriate to bet in units of $5 so that you'll look like the average gambler, plus it cuts down on the calculations you need to make.c cc c "c c c c 
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A single-deck game with decent rules in which thirty-six cards or more are used before a shuffle can be beaten by a 1 to 4 spread. 9c & 'c
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YOU WI SAVE A OT OF MONEY AND FIND MO‰E ´‰OFITABE SITUATIONS IF YOU EAVE A TABE WHEN THE COUNT HAS GONE DOWN TO A T‰UE OF - 1. BUT EAVE ONY AFTE‰ OSING A HAND; NO GAMBE‰ WOUD EAVE A TABE AFTE‰ A WIN. c

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I always stress the idea of 'expectation' as it applies to casino gaming because understanding the concept will help you stop gambling and hopefully turn you into an investor at the tables.c,c  c
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esson 13: The Advanced Course - ´art 1 c

The most powerful (legal) means of overcoming the casino's edge in Blackjack is to vary your bets according to the true count.c9

 
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esson 14: The Advanced Course - ´art 2 c Basic Strategy Variations: Hit or Stand?

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(c cBc

.
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.
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cc cc

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c$c c c c

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c c c

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c 9 c c cc c c c
4c.
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HOMEWO‰' c c 
'c c
c c c

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c c c c c

esson 15: The Advanced Course - ´art 3 c Basic Strategy Variations: Double?

The opportunity to double your bet in return for agreeing to accept only one more card is a very powerful option for the player, if it's utilized correctly.c c 
c c  c  c c c c 
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c


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c c
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c- ccc
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That said, there comes a time when it is worthwhile to double an 8 against a dealer's 6 and that's when there's a higher proportion than normal of 10s left in the deck.c!
c c c  c c  c"cc c c9 cc  c c c c cc"  c c 
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Just as you're using flashcards to learn the hit/stand variations, make up, a set for doubling. =c
c c  " c c 4cc Basic Strategy Variations Six decks, dealer stands on A-6

Soft Doublingc 9&%c c c

> "c
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) c @c,
c 
c
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c 
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9&Ac c c

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c$c

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9&Bc c c

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c(c

c

c c c c c

c Hard Doublingc Bc c(cc

> "c
c:c

Bc c:cc

> "c
cAc

c c%cc

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c cAcc

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$c cc

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c c9c

> "c
cc

c c

HOMEWO‰' c c 
'c c
c c c

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  c
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cc

c c c c c c c c c c c c c c

esson 16: The Advanced Course - ´art 4 c Basic Strategy Variations: To Split or Not To Split

The primary factor to consider when splitting pairs is whether or not your casino of choice allows doubling after splitting (DAS).c c >9.c  c
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c c c c 'c  c&ccc c c&cc
c"c c!'c cc c 
c  c c
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cBc

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c$@c,c c cc cc
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c c " c
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As the true count goes up, you'll split more and as it goes down, you'll split less.c /c
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c c c cc c c$ c c8
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c c
ccc c c c c
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c c
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c :c c  cc   c c
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cc  c
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c " c cc c  c
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c c c c 
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c c
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c c 
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c "c "c c
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c :c c  c  c 'c c c c   c cc 
c c  cc
c
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c c -ccc
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c c
cc c c c, cc c5 c c
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All other splitting situations should be followed to the letter; especially that of splitting 4s against a 5 or 6 (if DAS is allowed).c  c  c c 
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cc c cNc9 c c c cc " c c c
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c c cc c c c 'c 
c

Basic Strategy Variations: Double after split allowed. AAc c%c

=c
c$c c c

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BBc c$c

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c c *c c c c ) cc c c
cc c c 
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c

esson 17: The Advanced Course - ´art 5 c Basic Strategy Variations: Test Yourself

,c  c c 
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c c 
c 
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c cc& c
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c
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c c c c  ccc c c c c  c cc c c
c c
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c c c "  c  c   c c  c c  c  c  c 
c ' c  c 'c c  c c 
c  c "
c 
c  c   c  c  c c  c c c  c c  c c 

c c 
c c  c  c c   c
c
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This test just asks you to 'fill in the blanks' with the correct index number from -2 to +10. ´rint as many copies of this as you'd like.cc

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Advanced Course ´ractice Matrix %cc Ac c (cc :cc Dc Bc cc =c =c IIc IIcc IIcc =c =cc =cc =c =c IIcc IIcc >c =c =c =cc =c =c IIcc >c >cc =c =cc =c =c =cc =c >c >c >c =c =cc =c >c >c >c >c =c =c =cc IIc >c >c >cc >c .cc .cc =c .c .c IIc IIc IIc .c .c .c .c .c .c IIc IIc .c .c .c =c =c =c IIc IIc =c =c =c IIcc IIc >c >c >c IIc =cc =c >c >c >c >c >c >c >c IIcc >c >cc >c >c >c >c >cc >c IIc IIc IIc IIc .c =c =c =cc IIc .cc .c .c .c =c =c =c .c .cc .c .cc .cc =c =c =c .c .c .c .c .c IIcc IIcc IIc .cc .c .cc .c .c IIcc IIcc IIc .cc .c .c .c .c .c .cc .c 7c 7c 7c 7c 7c 7c =c =c IIc 7c 7c 7c 7c 7cc =c =c =cc =c =cc IIc IIc =c =c =c <+F+1c.7? !3c!1+9!c9.c$c IIc 7c 7c 7cc 7c =cc =cc =c 7c 7c 7c 7c 7c 7c =cc =c 7c 7c 7c 7c 7c 7c 7c 7cc 7c 7c 7cc 7cc 7cc IIc 7c 7cc .c .c .cc .c .c .c .c .cc 7cc 7c 7cc 7c 7c 7cc 7cc 7c

$c =c =c =c =c =c =c .c .c =cc =c =c >c =c =c =c IIc IIc .c =c =c =c

9c =c =c =c =c =c IIc .c .c =c =c =c IIc =c =c IIc IIc IIc .c =c =c =c

=c =c IIcc .c .cc 7c

=c =c 7c IIc .c 7c

THIS MAT‰IX ASSUMES DOUBE AFTE‰ S´IT IS ´E‰MITTED AND ASO ASSUMES THAT YOU DON'T CHOOSE TO S´IT 10s.c

HOMEWO‰' c .
c c c
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c
c cc8c c' cc.c cc8c c

esson 18: Advanced Single-Deck Blackjack, ´art 1 c

c c c
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c c&cc c c

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c
' c c c c
c
c cc 
c
c
c & 'c
cTrue count conversion is difficult to do quickly, large bet spreads (over 4 to 1) are difficult to obtain and it's hard to keep an accurate count at a game which is dealt face-down when you're used to counting where all the cards are face up.c > c 
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c c"
c c 
c

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The key to evaluating good single-deck play is how many cards you'll see before a shuffle.c c c
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I use two different systems for counting cards; the Hi/o for multi-deck play and the 'Hi-Opt 1' system for single deck play.c!c
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c c cc
c 'c cc c
c c 
c&&c c"c   c&&c 
c


c Lc cc  c c  c 
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c  @c c
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c "c
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c c c  c cc c"cc)
c c 


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c  c 
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c c =&/c  c c c
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c c =C? c  c 9c c c

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c  c c "cc c c c  c
c cc

The most difficult aspect of single-deck play is computing the true count.c c c c
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c c
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HOMEWO‰' c c 2  c 
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c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c

esson 19: Advanced Single-Deck Blackjack, ´art 2 c Basic Strategy Variations

Casinos that offer single-deck Blackjack games are very aware that it can easily be beaten by a counter who uses a big bet spread, so trying to play the game with a 1-12 spread like I recommend for 6-deck games will likely get you a one-way ticket out of the casino, pronto.c!
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c c
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c 
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c c 
c

If you know how to count cards, you can use the count to tell you how much to bet on each hand, but you can also use the count to help you play each hand more accurately, too.c c  c   cc  c c c c c  c' c c cc'c
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Consequently, you have to sit through a lot more "negative" decks, but the good thing is that a shuffle is never too far away.c 6c
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Some players prefer to learn just the indices for the most common hands, with the idea that they'll get a hand like A, 4 against a 5 less than 100 times in every 100,000 hands of play, but they'll have a 16 against 10 much more often.c c c" 'c,
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c c
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But I'm of the opinion that if something about this game can be learned, it should be learned. )/'
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c  c  cc, cc c c c
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‰ather than talk you through each hand's variation, as I did in the multi-deck section, what I've done here is produce a Basic Strategy Matrix that shows an "index" number for each appropriate play.c> c cc c
c
c "c   
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c c8
cc
c
cc"  cc Basic Strategy Variations Matrix for Single-Deck

=Dc>
%c c
c c  c

Dealer's up card

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Ace

A,A

Split

Split

Split

Split

Split

Split

Split

Split

Split

Split

2,2

Hit

0

-1

-4

-5

Split

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

3,3

Hit

4

-1

-4

-5

Split

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

4,4 (Double)

Hit

Hit

5

0

0

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

5,5 (treat as 10)

Double

Double

Double

Double

Double

-6

-3

0

4

3

6,6

0

-1

-4

-6

Split

Split@<0

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

7,7

Split

Split

Split

Split

Split

Hit

Hit

Hit

0 (Hit if below 0)

Hit

8,8

Split

Split

Split

Split

Split

Split

Split

Split

Stand@6

-2

9,9

0

-1

-2

-4

-5

6

Split

Split

Stand

0

10,10

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Dealer's up card

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Ace

A,9

Stand

Stand

Stand

5

4

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

A,8

Stand

4

2

1

0

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

A,7

1

-1

Double

Double

Double

Stand

Stand

Hit

Hit

Hit

A,6

0

-4

Double

Double

Double

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

A,5

Hit

4

-3

Double

Double

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

A,4

Hit

4

-3

-6

Double

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

A,3

Hit

5

-1

-4

-6

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

A,2

Hit

5

0

-1

-3

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

´airs

Soft Totals

Dealer's up card

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Ace

Hard Totals

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

5

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

6

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

7

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

8

Hit

Hit

5

0

0

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

9

0

-1

-2

-4

-5

4

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

10

Double

Double

Double

Double

Double

-6

-3

0

4

3

11

Double

Double

Double

Double

Double

Double

-5

-3

-3

-1

12

5

3

0

-1

-2

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

13

-1

-2

-3

-4

Stand

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

14

-3

-4

-6

Stand

Stand

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

15

-5

-6

Stand

Stand

Stand

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

Hit

16 (10,6)

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Hit

Hit

Hit

4

4

16 (9,7)

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Hit

Hit

Hit

0

3

17 or more

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

Stand

** Hit if below 0 Insure at 1.4 c Using the Matrix

!c
c c c   
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c.
cF

  c
8c c 4cIf the number in a slot is 0 or a minus, then that play is a Basic Strategy move that you should make as long as the count is higher than the number shown.c c8
cc9c:c c%c cc "c
c c
cc c c$c cc cc c c c- cc c c
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I hope the thought processes which I've tried to show in this lesson give you an insight into how to structure a plan for your own play.c c  cc c
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esson 21: Beating The Double Deck Game - ´art 1 c At first glance, it would seem only logical that a smart player will do better at a game that uses fewer decks, but that's not always the case when you compare double-deck games with six-deck games.c9c  c c 

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The primary advantage to playing a double-deck game is the volatility of the count.c0'c
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Because a DD game uses only 104 cards, versus the 312 of a 6D game, just a few extra cards of penetration can make a big difference in how well you can do at the game. c c ,
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For each increase of 1 in the true count as figured by the Hi/o counting method, the player's advantage increases by about .5% in the average Blackjack game.c cc
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Some ´ractical Considerations

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The most effective 1-8 betting spread would be to bet one unit whenever the casino has the edge and 8 units when the counter has the edge. !
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First of all, I hate this schedule for a lot of reasons.c !c
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The other reason I hate this betting schedule is, it's "clunky".c ,c 
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To test this betting schedule and to find some alternatives to it, I ran a series of simulations on Statistical Blackjack Analyzer (SBA) using the rules of our "core" game: 2 decks, double on any first two cards, double after splitting pairs, dealer hits on A-6 and surrender is not available. What got changed from simulation to simulation will be shown in the explanation for each.cc c Simulation #1

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‰esults: Initial Bet Advantage: 0.59% SCO‰E: 13.31 Estim. ´ayoff per 100,000 rounds played is $10,325.65, with an estimated standard deviation of $8950.40. Average st. dev. per round: $28.30 Av. std. per round per unit: 1.13153 Average bet per round: $17.42 Comments on Simulation #1c&cThis will serve as our "baseline" game and it's easy to see you'd really be wasting your time at it. The primary reason is the shallow penetration, just as I showed you in ´art 1.c !c .2/1+c  c
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‰esults: Initial Bet Advantage: 0.92% SCO‰E: 30.51 Estim. ´ayoff per 100,000 rounds played is $16,048.10, with an estimated standard deviation of $9187.70. Average st. dev. per round: $29.05 Av. std. per round per unit: 1.13153 Average bet per round: $17.42 Comments on Simulation #2 - You can quickly see that the average bet remains the same, but the potential profit has increased by nearly 60% and that's due to making better plays with the cards you're dealt.c c   c  c c
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Additional ‰esources: And I'll have a side of aces.... c c

If I were to ever go to work for a casino as a 'counter-catcher' (not likely), I'd watch certain players' feet to tell me if they were counting or not. !c @c 6c c c
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No, I haven't gone crazy ( I could understand you thinking that way if I ‰EAY went to work for a casino to catch my brethren), because the feet are a great place to keep track of the aces played from a deck or shoe.c6 c cc
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In multi-deck games, a counter will make most of his $$$ via a large betting spread. But, in a single-deck game where it's difficult to get a large spread (because of camouflage purposes), playing the hand accurately is very important.c !
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When I play single-deck Blackjack, I use the Hi-Opt 1 count which assigns a value of 0 to aces and make temporary adjustments for betting purposes. .c
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Additional ‰esources: Multiple-card Soft Hands c

Of course, even a two-card hand where one card is an Ace is a multiple-card soft hand, but players who have memorized the proper basic strategy know what to do when they get one.c !c  "c  c  c
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I think one problem some players have in dealing with this area of the game is that they try to work the doubling rules into their thinking when faced with a 3 or more card soft hand. They then realize that they can't double, since it's no longer a two-card hand and then they get confused.  c 8
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The hand of soft 18 is usually the problem. Most people think it's crazy to hit an 18, but most people are wrong. 9
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Thus far, we agree to stand on all soft hands totaling 18 or more, EXCE´T we hit soft 18 vs. 9, 10 or A. et's now look at soft 17 from the players' point of view. 9:c  c  c c  
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This has led us to two general rules about soft hands made up of 3 or more cards:c

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