Doubling on A8 and A9

If I play that the $25 min table will I get heat playing a 1-3 spread and doubling on A8 and A9 in a single deck game H17.

I'd guess you'd get heat doubling a9 just about anywhere. Isn't that just like splitting tens?

is the most blatant way I know of to demonstrate that you are a card counter. You should only do it if you are certain you are playing in a heat-free environment or if you're gunslinging (eg: hit-and-run or back-counting with big spreads).

The reason is because no ploppie would ever entertain the notion of doing it... only a counter would think to do it and I've been called out on many times when I've misjudged a pit and pushed my luck on it.

A ploppie would split tens... it's not an iron-clad way for a pit to ID a pro. When you do it, be sure it's not accretive to any compromise you've already given up as to your ability. Make sure your camo has portrayed you as a what-the-hell sort of guy and split your 10s with a what-the-hell sort of attitude.

Taking insurance is like a light version of 10 splitting... don't appear to be putting a lot of thought into it but accompany your insurance bet with something like "you're due for it".

Spok

I have been playing in a one of the European casinos. As you might know, rules are different from country to country, and even from one casino to another within one country.

The situation was as follows: my hand A+8 vs dealer's 4. True count was about +6 (HiLo). Certainly I was about to double down but wasn't sure about the rules. Double on any or only on 9-11? I started asking the dealer but she was not superb in English, neither the pitboss, so they called the manager. He understood the situation quickly and confirmed the "double on any" rule. Then he stopped to watch. So I doubled down and 10 came to me. The manager grumbled "a bad devil" (what did he mean by that?) and went away not waiting for a finish of the handle. I think he already knew its result.

Of course, I knew that the casino was not paranoid about counters.