Blackjack Rules And Their Effect On The Players Edge
There are good video-blackjack games and bad video-blackjack games and you should be able to distinguish between them. Basic strategy players and card counters alike benefit by liberal rules and are hurt by tight games with few options for the players. Even if the option is only marginally helpful to a player, it is better to play at a machine with this option, all other things being equal. The world of video blackjack is an ever-changing landscape and new rules come and go. However, for good or ill, most of the following rules can be found often enough in machines that it is worth knowing their impact on your expectations. Some of these variations are not yet found in video blackjack but more than likely will be in the near future—so forewarned is forearmed.
What follows will first be a discussion of the rule or option, followed by its percentage impact on the game. The percentages were prepared and furnished by John F. Julian, author of Julian's No-Nonsense Guide to Winning Blackjack and The Julian Strategies in Roulette.
All these percentages are based on a comparison of their impact on a single-deck game with Las Vegas Strip rules. This will be our model. The rules for the Las Vegas single-deck game are as follows: a player can double on any first two cards; player can split any pairs and double after splits. Blackjack pays three to two and insurance is allowed. This game is effectively even. In video-poker terms it is a 100 percent payback game. A double-deck game with the same rules favors the house by 0.35 percent. In video-blackjack parlance that machine is a 99.65 percent payback game. Percentages are based on playing perfect basic strategy.
Doubling on any first two cards
A good rule for the basic strategy player when used properly. For basic strategy players, follow the doubling strategies for the single and/or multiple decks as detailed later in this chapter. For the card counter, this is an even better rule since a card counter will find many more opportunities upon which to double. If the dealer-in-the-machine should have a blackjack, you only lose your initial bet on any double down. (No percentage value since this is part of the above 100 percent machine model.)
Doubling on 9, 1 0, and 11 only
This is not a good rule for single deck basic strategy players since there are times when you will want to double on eight. This rule is primarily aimed, however, against card counters to diminish their opportunities for doubling in advantageous situations. Value: -0.13 percent.
Doubling on 10 and 11 only
Awful rule and any game that stipulates this should be avoided if better games are available. Value: -0.28 percent.
Doubling on 11 only
Yuck. Value: -0.78 percent.
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