Wong (10-2 vs. 4)

Wong states in Professional Blackjack on page 23 the following:

"If you get to twelve by 10-2 or 2-10 (where 10 means any 10-count card), and two or fewer decks are being used (or seven or fewer if the dealer stands on soft seventeen), you should hit."

Is that correct?

I can see it for a one or two deck game where composition-dependent strategy has a certain amount of value to it, but he's saying that you should hit a 10-2/2-10 when SEVEN decks are used (S17)!

That doesn't sound right to me.

Is there a typo in the book? Should it say "...if the dealer HITS on soft seventeen"?

..you should hit 10-2 vs 4 at a 6D S17 (although it is close vs stand)but stand at 6D H17...as for why this is the case, I am not sure, but according to Cacarulo the expectations are as follows...

6D S17--Hit -.210364
6D S17--Stand -.211115
6D H17--Hit -.210664
6D H17--Stand -.205906

Hope this helps..

D

The statement you've quoted is only an example of composition dependant basic strategy. This is not the strategy Stanford uses (I don't know anyone who does, but perhaps someone will speak about it). I think Stanford put this in just to recognize that there is such a thing as composition dependant, but does not expect it to be followed.

Apendex E (starting on page 298) is awsome for understanding basic strategy! These charts were a huge benifit to helping me grasp the concepts behind much of AP. You'll notice that the EV of 10,2 vs. 4 is different than 9,3 vs. 4. This is what Stanford was reffering to on page 23. However the difference is so small that it's not worth learning a more complex BS for.

Hope this helps - BTW, it's good to see you spending your time in Pro Blackjack rather than messing with progresives!!! Good luck and stick with it!

A much more useful departure from basic strategy for non-counters is 16 against a 10, largely because it comes up four or five times as often. Blackjack Bluebook II recommends "board counting" the "babies" (2s, 3s, 4s and 5s) vs. 10s every time a basic strategy player gets this hand. If there are more babies on board than 10s (including the players own hand), the book says to stand. Otherwise follow basic strategy and hit.
This is consistent with counting down the deck/shoe on the first hand off the top, and would also be correct later on if no other previously dealt cards were known.