Question of the Day - 10 December 2022

A majority of blackjack players have no clue how to properly play the game.  Learning basic strategy is so easy and yet most don't bother.  They'd rather give their money away on "hunches".  And I love those who read a Blackjack book on the plane and thing they are now "counters".  Playing an 8 deck shoe. Casinos have enough built in advantages and so many rubes make it even easier to be fleeced.  

The bad players help you as often as they hurt you. It just stings more when a bad play hurts you. I prefer to sit on either end--more legroom. 

Great line!
Casinos have enough built in advantages and so many RUBES make it even easier to be fleeced.  

This is no longer a dilemma! 99% of the games in Vegas are 6:5 shit and therefore, you shouldn't sit down to play at all!

The orangutans may spill a few drinks on the table and blow smoke in your face.  Hmm, or maybe I’m thinking about the people who have been over served…

About 20 years ago when I began playing blackjack, I made a really dumb move (don’t recall now what it was). The dealer looked at me and said “ are you Brad Pitts brother Stu ?” 🤣
Wonder how many times he’d used that line. 🤣🤣

Absolutely true about 3rd base getting abused. In Vegas, my buddy and I typically try to sit at 1st and 3rd. We both know and play basic strategy but my buddy for whatever reason sticks on 16. After several occasions of unkind comments when sticking on 16 worked against the table, he now announces upon sitting down that he sticks on 16 and if anyone objects, he and I will switch seats. No more problems.
Best run I ever had was playing alone sitting in a middle seat. Went through an entire 8 deck shoe without a loss. Only had 2 naturals and in hindsight I wish I had pressed up more than I did but it was still a very profitable session.

Decades ago, when I first started playing Blackjack, I remember sitting at a $1 table, with $1 players. I didn't split aces and the flack I got! From $1 players. I left right away. And of course I studied the game and never did that again.

I remember first seeing Video Poker on a trip in 1982. I was staying at the Riviera and they had 2 machines, in different places. JoB. I got hooked. Then the games started changing. Bonus poker, then Double Bonus poker, etc. On 5 quarters you could win $500 or $1,000 or more on a progressive. I'd only play BJ end of evening when I wanted to relax before going to bed. UNTIL 6:5 came along. 5 quarters and get a grand vs $5 to get $6?  Nope, not doing that.

I was at an Indian casino once, playing Blackjack. The dealer dealt us all one card face up, then dealt herself a card face up. She folllowed this with another card to each of us face up, and dealt herself a second card -- by flipping her first card face down and then giving herself the second card face up. We looked at each other and could not believe the dealer had just shown us both her cards in error! She realized what she had done, but just kept on with the game. The thing was that we knew she had a 15 total, and acted like we knew that. Except the guy on third case, who had a twelve, and hit it anyway. He got a ten, busted, and left the table. The dealer dealt herself a face card, and busted. and we all were shocked buy the dealer's error and the stiupid play by the fellow in the 3rd base spot.The pit manager was occupied elsewhere and didn't see what happened, and I don't know if it was spotted by the cameras, at the time or later. If so, that dealer must have gotten into real t

I was playing blackjack in a Kansas City casino, having fun and a little ahead when I stopped for lunch. The buffet drink server lady was friendly, I tipped her when I finished and told her I was headed to the blackjack tables. She took an Ace of Clubs card from the centerpiece of the table and handed it to me, said maybe this will bring you good luck. All the buffet tables had some random playing card on the centerpiece, the cards had 1 corner snipped off. I resumed playing bj and was having a bad streak when the pit boss lady came over to the table to visit. I told her I didn’t think my good luck charm was working and pulled that Ace of Clubs out of my shirt pocket. The pit boss lady looked stunned, shocked and frozen, then she took the card from me. All the other players got very quiet and dealer looked like he'd swallowed a goldfish. Finally the pit lady saw the card's cutoff corner and she was kinda friendly again, asked if I had any more surprises. And she kept my souvenir card.

I've mellowed out over the years, so I'll tolerate a bad player.  But I can't stand a bad player who thinks they're an expert. And makes sure everyone at the table knows it.
Some years back I was at a table with a drunk girl who insisted on a running commentary on her play, as well as telling her partner what he should do.  "I always stand on 16. You should always take even money. Oh, you need to double down on that." Whenever anybody did something she didn't agree with, she'd criticize to her partner, loud enough that half the casino could hear. "Why would you do that?!"
When I declined insurance, she started to open her mouth and I finally snapped, "Because I actually know what the fuck I'm doing."
They left soon after. Dealer asked me to watch my language but the other tablemates thanked me.

I prefer 3rd base only because I'm left-handed and it gives me elbow room, but I get how sitting there can get you grief from other players if you make any mistake. Cards are random, just make sure you play somewhere that offers you 3-2 BJ at your level of play. Don't go to the Strip expecting anything but shuffle machines and 6-5 BJ at anything less than $50 min. table. 

I mentioned this QoD to a buddy of mine that likes sitting in the 3rd base seat at blackjack. He said whenever some know-it-all player criticizes what he does at 3rd base he starts splitting 10's every time he gets them, and smiles at the jackhole making the unwanted comments. It doesn't take long for the offender to give up and leave the table in disgust. 

Back in the early 80's, my Dad tried to get me into blackjack. He used to play at places like Caesars and MGM Grand (currently Bally's/HS). The dealers where so intimidating.  They expected you to know how to play and know by the rules. The had no patience for beginners.  I found the whole experience uncomfortable as hell. Once the tribal casinos opened and all the college kids started playing the game, blackjack became a totally different game.  Those solemn tables turned into party games where off the wall hunch bets turned the blackjack tables into party pits.  I still say no, on both counts.

I too went through my stage of fuming outrage regarding 6:5 BJ, but after thinking about it, I realized they only reason we are outraged is because 3:2 was the precursor. But if this game was originally rolled out at 6:5, there'd be no issue with it still being 6:5. Basically the price went up (out of greed) and we got mad, because the price went up, out of greed. 

But we are WAY beyond the "If we don't play it, they'll switch back" strategy. That's never going to happen. It's here to stay, so either you continue to hew to a principled stance and wave your tiny fist at the casino and plunk down $50 a hand for the 3:2 blackjack of your youth, or you reconfigure your memory bank to forget 3:2 was ever the norm (as easily could have been the case), and sit down to play some $10 6:5 blackjack. 

Since the advent of 6:5 blackjack and the use of CSMs, I don't play much blackjack anymore.  When I do, it's mostly as a break or when the video poker payoffs are poor.

But when I do play it, I neither accept nor offer advice except when someone asks me directly.  If there's a poor player at the table, I figure I should let them learn (or not) on their own, again unless they ask.  If there's a genuinely awful player committing one of the two unpardonable sins--being loud and aggressive, or splitting tens--I say to myself, "There's lots of other tables and/or lots of other casinos, plus I can always just leave and not play at all," and depart the table as soon as I lose a hand.

I someone offers me unsolicited advice, I tell them that their advice is worth what I've paid for it.  Unless I violated basic strategy, in which case I'll thank them--"I screwed up, you're right to point it out." 

Many years ago, I was playing BJ in Atlantic City. The lady sitting at 3rd base was obviously clueless. But her incorrect moves were killing the dealer.  We actually told her, “We have no idea what you’re doing, but please keep doing it!”  She did and we all walked away winners.  🤣

Although BJ was originally my only casinos game, I gradually switched to poker, which I played exclusively for many years. One night, after a long, successful poker session, I became too tired to continue playing well, so I left the table.  But I still wanted to play *something*.  
I sat at a BJ table and played for several minutes.  I remembered basic strategy but, although I played perfectly and won a few bucks, the only thing I remember feeling was how BORED I was!  Compared to poker, BJ is soooo simple. At least to a non-counter.