A Crying Shame?

Is there at least one commercial simulator for the Spanish 21 game? If not, then the subject title really hits the mark.

Gorgon, there is hope for you.
Your savior's name is Norm. See the link below.

Well, ok CVData will simulate the Spanish game, but I had in mind something like SBA that would allow index numbers to be generated. This ability isn't affirmed within the site in question.

I'm not sure what you are looking for, but a lot of work has been done on this game already. In the Green Chip archives there is an excellent article on playing this game, and I've included a link below to another valuable source of information on it. Based on the reading I did some time back, I concluded that this game was playable, but only marginal- probably best suited for cover and comps.

Sentry

I am trying to say that I want to take up the Spanish game exclusively. Given that, I naturally would be interested in software that fully analyzes this game. My original question should have been, "Is there any available commercial software that is capable of generating strategy index numbers for the game of Spanish 21?" That's all I really need to know. And thanks for the link but I already knew about that.

..as Sentry just said it is only marginally favorable best suited for comps and cover. Playing this game exclusively is like trying to drive up a mountain in an 86 Ford Festiva....its possible, but your going to slip alot and its going to go very very slowly...
But thats just my take:)
Good Luck..

D

but if the game is only marginally playable, then to win anything more than you could earn doing a McJob you will have to play big green/black. I have never seen a S21 black chip player so your game will be under alot of scrutiny and you may not have much longevity.

the only thing I could think is that there is alot of natural cover since the PC's know it is a good house game. However, if you want cover, you are much better off using a really simple count system and just throwing in all KINDS of playing errors and smaller bet spread, you will have all the cover you could ever want and still probably wind up with more of an edge then in SP21....

The reason I want to devote my time and energy into this thing is that I have found a game that gives the player a far less disadvantage than the traditional blackjack game, provided you are able to play perfect basic strategy-which is no small feat. Since virtually noone plays even close to a break-even strategy, the House is willing to bank this game. In light of all this, I believe that someone using an effective counting system, in conjunction with proper basic strategy, wouldn't be required to make large bet spreads to beat this game consistently. This is why I had thought it extremely unfortunate that I am forced to use a modified version of a counting system for the normal blackjack game. It's like trying to perform delicate dental surgery with a hacksaw. It'll get the job done, but not without much pain in the process. Statistical Spanish 21 Analyzer to be announced, no?

"The reason I want to devote my time and energy into this thing is that I have found a game that gives the player a far less disadvantage than the traditional blackjack game, provided you are able to play perfect basic strategy-which is no small feat. "

Actually, according to Wongs CBJN (April), the basic strategy SP21 player has an off the top disadvantage of .82%, which compares unfavorably to a disadvantage of .41 to .63 for your typical Strip 6D shoe, and even less favorably to the decent double deck of .25 to .35 that is readily available in Vegas (of course depending on the sweat level). In fact, to use a comparable game, "Super Fun 21" which we all know is a rip off (although not as bad as 6:5) is a .94% disadvantage, only .12 worse then SP21.

Bottom line, you are at a huge disadvantage with SP21 off the top and although you could beat the game, you would need abnormally large bet spreads as Sentry suggested. You are better off just putting SP21 into the same catagory as SF21 and 6:5. As for why there is no sim package for it is quite logical to me...those of us who are serious enough about the game to invest in a sim package wouldnt think of SP21 as anything but cover and comps, thus a typical basic strategy guide would be good enough:)

At any rate, best of luck.

D

In my area, good single and double deck games are a veritable fantasy. And you dont feel that -0.37% warrants anyone attention? Good thing I am relatively thick-skinned and can handle the static. It seems to be my fate lately.

Well attention is a completely different topic. When I was referring to large spreads I was not referring to attention. I was referring to the huge fluctuations that will occur in your bankroll. See, if what you really want is cover, you are better off choosing a traditional BJ game (even 6 deck if double is not available where you are) and spreading smaller then you should while mixing in some typical "errors". This will reduce your edge, but it will still probably (and I say probably because I havent yet simed it) be greater then SP21 with a HUGE bet spread, provide even better cover and of course reduce that always ugly Standard Deviation which can make you cry.

Gorgon,

I'm pretty sure that you can generate index numbers using CVCX (another of Norm's Casino Verite products), but just to make certain, why don't you e-mail Norm directly at support@qfit.com? He usually responds to e-mails with alacrity.

Dog Hand

SBA will allow you to create a modified deck, ie a 48 card deck, containing only 12 10's. It will also allow you to generate stategy index no.'s, & has a box you can tick for re-doubling. It has standard features of allowing you to set no. of decks in use, pen, all standard rule modifications as well as a lot of exotic ones.

The only problem, (rather large) is that you will have to develop a suitable count system yourself. I've also being looking at this recently. I will next sim 3,4,5,6, v J,Q,K,A.

If you can or someone else can determine a better approach, I'd like to hear it. I was told the BS was on Wizard of Odds, but that site now appears defunct as the URL takes you to a casino site.

Yes there is. It is called "Masque Multi-Play Video Poker". It is an excellent program (Mac and Windows) and I bought it BECAUSE of the S21 simulator. For more info, go to http://masque.com