Is there a good resource to learn the proper Basic Strategy, Deviations and House Edge for Rule variants of Blackjack?
I was recently at a Casino that offers 8 Deck Blackjack paying 3:2 with No Surrender option. They do offer Insurance.
The MAJOR variations are:
- DOUBLE DOWN is FREE… meaning if a player puts down $100 on a hand, is dealt a 9, 10 or 11, and asks to Double down - the player doesn’t need to put another $100 of chips, they just place a FREE token - and if the hand wins the player gets paid $200 [on his $100 bet]. This is like getting paid 2:1 on doubles. This sounds like a major advantage to sweeten the odds.
- PAIR splitting is FREE. The player can use a FREE token to split pairs [If my initial bet was $100, and I get dealt 88 or AA I can split them without putting down another $100]. The player can DAS [except on Aces]. A FREE token may be used for a split, "except when the cards have a value of 10". [I don’t understand this last rule as I would never split 10’s or split 5’s]. There is NO BLACKJACK on Split PAIRS [but then your second bet was FREE]
- Of course, with all the advantages there’s a DISADVANTAGE as well and it's major. “If your hand count is 21 or less without being a blackjack and the dealer’s hand count is 22, your bet is a push; it neither wins nor loses and you may take it back.” Stated another way - the house doesn’t bust at 22, the house only busts at 23+. [Can this still really be called Blackjack?]
- While observing the play [shuffle] it seems penetration is about 60% - more than half. I estimate they certainly cut off 2+ decks but cut at less than 4 decks.
I haven’t tried to do the math [nor would I know how] to figure out the edge with these significant differences and I don’t know how to reach Thorp or the Four Horsemen to ask them directly.
I’d like to know both:
Q1) If and How I should play this particular game [basic strategy/deviations] for AP?
And
Q2) How to understand strategy and deviations for other modified rule tables [is there a book with these calculations done or do I need to break out an Abacus and Slide Ruler and start calculating?] I'm sure there will continue to be rule variations at different tables/casinos.
Thanks in advance to the knowledgeable experts who guide us through this chosen challenge.
I tried to be clear in my post - feel free to ask for clarifications and apologies in advance if I misstated anything.
NOTE: I didn't make the house rules - just trying to figure out whether I can play AP by those rules.
