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Fred Renzey Gaming Guru - Page 25 Always Hit 16 Against a Dealer's 7, No Matter What!20 November 1999
I was playing 3rd base at a $50 blackjack table. On my right were two other men who seemed to be business partners. They were making their bets in 'sync' with each other. They played liked typical pseudo-basic strategy players--that is, they acted as though they knew all the correct plays, but didn't. ... (read more)
The Art of Playing Your "Stiffs" in Blackjack6 November 1999
A couple of months ago, I detailed some ways you can maximize your double downs by going one step beyond the basic strategy. You would do this by noticing how many high and low cards are on the board when you hold a "borderline" hand, such as 9 against a deuce or 11 against an ace. If just a few extra small ... (read more)
Ten Blackjack Tips Most Players Need to Learn23 October 1999
Most of my ideas for helpful gambling advice come to me while I'm in the casino. That's when I see the same mistakes committed over and over again. Sometimes it seems that every next player is a clone of the last. There's no doubt in my mind that impulsiveness, eccentricity and cluelessness dominate the behavior of the majority of gamblers. ... (read more)
Different Basic Strategies for Different Blackjack Rules9 October 1999
You've played a fair amount of blackjack in your day. You know your basic strategy. Stand with 12 against a 6, hit 16 against an ace, and double down with 11 against a 5. Everybody knows the easy stuff. What about the other 337 hands you can be dealt, like a soft 18 against a 3 or a pair of 9s against a 9? ... (read more)
Don't Take Even Money on Your Blackjacks18 September 1999
Conventional wisdom says, "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Never turn down a sure thing." So I guess it means that one chip in the hand is worth more than a chip-and-a-half in the bush, right? Wrong! That's the deal you make every time you accept even money on your blackjack against an ace up, and it's not worth a chip-and-a-half in the bush. ... (read more)
How Do You Play a Pair of 4s in Blackjack?4 September 1999
Just about every blackjack player knows you should always split a pair of aces or 5s. Also, I'm sure you've gawked in disbelief at players who sometimes foolishly split a pair of 10s. These are basically your "no-brainer" pairs, hands that are easy to play correctly even by relatively inexperienced gamblers. ... (read more)
Dealer's 3-up Causes Many Blackjack Mistakes21 August 1999
Not considering the dealer's up-card, there are 34 different starting hands you can be dealt in the game of blackjack. That's counting hard hands like 14, soft hands like ace/3, and pairs like 7/7 separately. Now factor in any one of 10 possible dealer up-cards and you have 340 different hands to learn how to play. ... (read more)
Blackjack and Poker Share Several Important Similarities7 August 1999
Most casinos offer about a half-dozen different table games on which gamblers can court lady luck. Blackjack, roulette, craps, Caribbean stud, baccarat and live poker are all common inhabitants of this green felt jungle. But of these six, there are only two at which the player can gain an outright advantage. ... (read more)
Beyond Basic Strategy: Maximizing your Double Downs17 July 1999
Have you ever noticed that a basic strategy chart for single- or double-deck blackjack is more aggressive than for six-deck shoe games, particularly where doubling down is concerned? Why is that? First of all, understand that whenever you double down, you don't have a 10 in your hand. That's key. Now notice ... (read more)
The Most Likely Way to Win the Hand is Not Always the Best Play!3 July 1999
Here's a simple blackjack question for you. When you have 16 against a dealer's ace showing, what's your most likely way to win the hand? By hitting, of course. If you stand with your 16, you're a 5 to 1 underdog to win. If you hit, you're only a 3 to 1 dog. So your best play is to hit. Let's try another. ... (read more)
Fred Renzey |
Fred Renzey |
