Question of the Day - 09 February 2025

EVERY single one I've seen has several blatant errors. You'd think that as Basic Strategy dates from 1960 and has been shown to be correct time and again, they'd get it right.

Here's a bonus tip for "moving it along," whether or not you're using a strategy card: initially, don't even look at your hand. Look at the dealer's upcard. Then determine whether you're in the "defensive zone" (7-A), "offensive zone" (4-6), or "cautious offensive zone" (2-3). You can also think in terms of "I won't bust" (4-6), "I probably won't bust" (2-3), or "I'll risk busting (7-A). This approach means, for me, that I almost always know instantly what to do when I look at my cards.

 What are the most commonplace "errors' found on Blackjack strategy cards? Since there are "several blatant " errors claimed, please list them.

You may not use “strategy cards” that are on your phone, only actual hand-held cards. IOW, nothing in any electronic device, including phones, may be used. 

I can recall being at a BJ table and seeing the person next to me being obvious as he "secretly" looked down at the strategy card in his lep, pretending he wasn't using one. Everyone at the table knew he was doing it, and it only delayed things a little. But at one point he has a puzzling hand, and was staring down, uncertain what to do. I edged over and said to him, "Your card says you should hit this hand." He looked up and suddenly realized his "secret" was no secret.

Thank you Kevin!!!

With the paytables being lowered and lowered, Illinois/Airport Deuces is frequently the best available. Will Huntington/LVA be coming out with strategy cards for games with these lower paytables? We considered them previously unplayable, I know, but….

 Please post examples of "the blatant errors" that have been found on Blackjack strategy cards. Please start your list beginning with the most egregious and work your way down the list.

Crickets.

The irony is, the "non-experts" sometime do better than the "experts" using "strategy" just by the random nature of it all. Just like someone playing perfect VP go through horrible spells of losing. If "winning" money is the only name of the game, or losing less, plop your money in a money market account these days earning 4.35% vs the approx reducing the house edge to 0.5% of playing "perfect" black jack strategy and save your seriousness for something more productive perhaps as it sounds a bit silly otherwise oh now to lose less, doesn't it?

And nothing wrong with playing for a little fun and stop taking it all so seriously is how I see it. I think that's what most people do frankly.

LVA does sell an "NSUD" (Not So Ugly Deuces) strategy card, which covers both common playable varieties of Deuces Wild 44: 16/10 NSUD (99.73%) and 15/9 Illinois/Airport Deuces (98.91%).

This might be a good topic for another QOD....but I've usually found that simply asking the dealer "what the book play is" works most of the time.  I've done this myself when i'm a few drinks in and am getting overly aggressive with my double downs.  Seems like most dealers willing and able to give "basic strategy" advice.

Yes Nevada residents can join, but they have to sign up and bet in a state FD operates in (like AZ if it's there) You don't have to be a resident of the state it operates in.  I know this may go against what the spirt of the question was, just wanting to chime in.