In Knockout Blackjack, the simple counting system I use, the author calls insurance "the most important strategic play." But aside from signalling to the casino that you are an advantage player, when the count is correct you insure a 16 against a dealer's ace, it seems to me that you are now and again buying insurance when, were late surrender available, you'd be taking advantage of that exit. What am I missing?
In Knockout Blackjack, the simple counting system I use, the author calls insurance "the most important strategic play." But aside from signalling to the casino that you are an advantage player, when the count is correct you insure a 16 against a dealer's ace, it seems to me that you are now and again buying insurance when, were late surrender available, you'd be taking advantage of that exit. What am I missing?
If surrender is offered, you take it. If it isn't, and insurance is the correct play, you take that. These plays are independent of each other and are obviously made for very different reasons.
When using strategy-departure indices, most of the time, insurance is, in fact, the most important stratgeic play.
Don
To clarify what Don said. Insurance is offered before you act on your hand. If insurance is warranted, take it. If the dealer doesn't have bj, surrender.
I did have a floor man say to me: "You took insurance and then surrendered"?
"I did have a floor man say to me: 'You took insurance and then surrendered?'"
Yup. Has happened to me many times. Unfortunately, doing the two together is somewhat of an eye-opener to floor personnel, who don't understand that the two are completely unrelated.
"I did have a floor man say to me: 'You took insurance and then surrendered?'"
Yup. Has happened to me many times. Unfortunately, doing the two together is somewhat of an eye-opener to floor personnel, who don't understand that the two are completely unrelated.
Why would anyone insure a crummy hand such as 16 which you are going to lose anyway? Always take even money, even during a 2/1 promotion. Yep, I've seen it.
