KO Question . . .

My first post . . . please bear with me if I'm out of order here.

Pg. 85 of Knock Out Blackjack � 1998, soft cover, the "Preferred Strategy Matrix" chart.

I don't see a legend that describes the proper plays denoted by the A, B, and C counts. I suppose I can figure it out but would prefer a hand here if anyone knowledgable is so inclined.

Additionally . . .

The final row, the hard 8 count, contains a down arrow, seeming to indicate that at any count of 8 *or less*, the correct play against a 5, 6 dealer up card should always be to double down. Can that possibly be correct? Am I to double down when I'm holding, say, a 2, 3?

Finally, I play at a local place with two deck shoe and the catgory C count suggests that I'm to hit my hard twelve with a dealer up card of 2 through 6. It would be hard for me to hit my hard twelve with the dealer showing a 6 off a brand new shuffle (-4 IRC = C count). Besides, the other fellas at the table would kill me.

All help much appreciated . . .

TKO

TKO,

Below are the answers to your questions.

I don't see a legend that describes the proper plays denoted by the A, B, and C counts. I suppose I can figure it out but would prefer a hand here if anyone knowledgable is so inclined.

For hand totals of 12 or more, the index is the hit/stand number: stand when the RC is greater than or equal to the index; hit when the RC is less than the index. For hand totals of 11 or less, the index is the DD/hit number: DD when the RC is greater than or equal to the index; hit when the RC is less than the index.

The final row, the hard 8 count, contains a down arrow, seeming to indicate that at any count of 8 *or less*, the correct play against a 5, 6 dealer up card should always be to double down. Can that possibly be correct? Am I to double down when I'm holding, say, a 2, 3?

No, that down arrow is a typo. Except for soft hands (where the DD strategy is located on the BS chart), you should not DD on any hard total of less than 8. Thus, hit on 2,4 vs. 6, but DD on A,5 vs. 6.

Finally, I play at a local place with two deck shoe and the catgory C count suggests that I'm to hit my hard twelve with a dealer up card of 2 through 6. It would be hard for me to hit my hard twelve with the dealer showing a 6 off a brand new shuffle (-4 IRC = C count). Besides, the other fellas at the table would kill me.

First of all, remember that you use the current RC, which includes all the information you have at the instant you make the decision. Thus, off the top if all you see is your hard 12 (say 10,2) and the dealer's 6, the RC is no longer -4, but is now -3 (the 10 cancels the 2, and the 6 raises the RC by 1 from -4 to -3), so you'd stand.

However, you will frequently be making plays that upset the other players... Tough! You cannot allow the other players to play your hand... if you did, you'd have exactly the same EV as they do, which is negative. Developing a thick skin is a very important step on the road to becoming an AP.

All help much appreciated . . .

You're welcome!

Dog Hand

The final row, the hard 8 count, contains a down arrow, seeming to indicate that at any count of 8 *or less*,...

No, that down arrow is a typo.

I didn't realize that down arrow was a typo... I wondered about that too. That's good to know. I recall a time when I doubled down with positive outcome with a max bet out on my 7 against a dealer 6 (saying as I did it: "I know this is crazy."). The count was sky high. The dealer flipped a face then drew a face and busted. I flipped a 4 for 11. The dealer's second face would've been mine for a 21. The table went wild upon seeing this result--high fives all around. I colored up and left. And all this time I thought I'd played that one by the book.

Question: On that same preferred matrix, if my 8 is a pair of 4s, would I split or double against dealer 5or 6 with the count high?

Also, on page 180 "Tale of the Tape," (Tape?) what are the wins and losses they refer to? Individual sessions? Is a session the hour they spend at casino "x" or the several days they spend hitting Vegas?

BTW... I still appreciate the forum and miss the Green Chip pages. I can afford the $12 membership... I just can't afford the sloooow line speeds (26.4) here in my sleepy little technological backwater where DSL and cable modem are still thought to be science fiction.

scarab