Modified Illustrious 18 for back counters

The best game i can play in my area is a 5.0/6 S17 DAS with a 1-12 spread. I backcount the game (never playing a hand at TC below +1) and according to Blackjack Attack it has a win/100 of 2.47 units.

When backcounting there are 8 index numbers in the illustrious 18 that i never need to know:
9 vs 2 +1 (becomes a double in modified backcounters basic strategy)
11 vs A +1 (becomes a double in modified backcounters basic strategy)
16 vs 10 0 (becomes a stand in modified backcounters basic strategy)
13 vs 2 0 (never deviates from basic strategy in positive counts)
13 vs 3 -2 (never deviates from basic strategy in positive counts)
12 vs 4 0 (never deviates from basic strategy in positive counts)
12 vs 5 -1 (never deviates from basic strategy in positive counts)
12 vs 6 -3 (never deviates from basic strategy in positive counts)

The 9 that are used include:
Insurance +3
16 vs 9 +5
15 vs 10 +4
12 vs 2 +4
12 vs 3 +2
10 vs 10 +4
10 vs A +4
9 vs 7 +4
10,10 vs 5 +5
10,10 vs 6 +5

Are there 8 new deviation plays to replace the 8 not used when backcounting and what increase in win/100 would this "modified Illustrious 18" have? Thanks for any responses!

And i meant to say there are 10 index numbers in the illustrious 18 that are used when backcounting:
Insurance +3
16 vs 9 +5
15 vs 10 +4
12 vs 2 +4
12 vs 3 +2
10 vs 10 +4
10 vs A +4
9 vs 7 +4
10,10 vs 5 +5
10,10 vs 6 +5

Yours is a nicely written post and an interesting question.

As always, I point out that, if there were really eight more indexes worth knowing, I would have included them in the first place! :-)

But, if you have BJA3, then you should have read about the "Catch 22" (pp. 374-75) and the fact that we suggested four more plays (all doubles), namely: 8 v. 5 (+4), 8 v. 6 (+2), and A,8 v. 5 and 6 (both +1).

Not sure what the next four might be, but you can be confident that they aren't worth much!

Don

Thanks so much for your quick response! I have heard about the 8 vs. 5 and 8 vs. 6 deviation plays but always assumed they both occurred at a TC>+4. Are there any rule variations where 8 vs. 6 would be at TC>+4?...(in the 2nd edition on pg. 195 the play is for TC>+3 for single deck but listed as N/A for multiple decks)

I get a little confused about the correct index numbers for each of the different rule variations and trying to nail down the correct numbers for the game i'll be playing.

"Thanks so much for your quick response! I have heard about the 8 vs. 5 and 8 vs. 6 deviation plays but always assumed they both occurred at a TC>+4."

No, I think that in almost all counts the index is lower for the 6 than for the 5.

"Are there any rule variations where 8 vs. 6 would be at TC>+4?"

Not that I know of. Whether H17 or S17, for example, Wong gives +3 and +1 for multi-deck.

"...(in the 2nd edition on pg. 195 the play is for TC>+3 for single deck but listed as N/A for multiple decks)."

BJA3 supersedes this.

Don

9/9 v 7 +3
4/4 v 4 +3

I was wondering if some of these obscure plays would actually help improve your cover too. Some of the pit bosses might see you deviating from basic strategy with these obscure plays (something other then 16 vs. 10) and might think you're not a threat. Are these index numbers you gave for a 6D S17 DOA game?

The most important rule requirement for splits is DAS. DOA shifts the index for 4/4 v 4 only after the decimalpoint (+3.2 compared to +3.5 with D9). Number of decks are irrelevant.
By the way, you should include standing on soft18 v A (+1)in your counter's BS.

Knowing basic strategy is the absolute maximum you can expect from a dealer. So when you make a deviation, he will think that you play wrong.

Francis Salmon

Attached is a wonging basic strategy chart to memorize when you plan to only play at TC>+1 in a 6D S17 DAS game. There are also 15 deviations from basic strategy.

Are there any other deviation plays that occur at or below +1 to memorize as part of the "wonging" basic strategy table? Even an obscure play that is only worth .0002 units/hour would be worth memorizing if you are memorizing it as part of the wonging basic strategy.

To all the experts out there, does this chart look to be accurate and are all the deviations from basic strategy in the table accurate (used the risk averse index numbers from Blackjack Attack in addition to a few others listed that were mentioned in this thread).