Third Base at Blackjack

10 March 2024

By Jerry Stickman

QUESTION: I enjoyed playing blackjack at home as a kid. It is a simple game and it was fun playing with friends.

I recently tried playing blackjack in the casino. It was not nearly as much fun as the nickel blackjack we played at home. The atmosphere is different. Usually, the other players are quiet. Either that, or they are drunk and noisy and obnoxious. The games at home were friendly, casino blackjack, not so much.

Sometimes other players comment about me making the wrong play. More than once another player told me that I took the dealer’s bust card – and they were pretty mad at me.

What is going on? I am just trying to have a little fun in the casino. The table limit was only five dollars. Why were they so mad?

ANSWER: What you say about the game of blackjack is true. There are some well-known strategy rules that most regular players know. Most players will not comment on other players actions, but some players like to show their mastery of the game by shaming players who do not follow this strategy.

It is probably best to just ignore these people – though it might not be easy.

You were probably sitting at the dealer’s far right (far left as players look at the table) when you got comments about taking the dealer’s bust card.

The player at this position of the table, is the last person to act before the dealer plays his or her hand. Players can hit or stand on any hand. Dealers, however, have set rules as to when a card must be drawn and when they must stand.

In general, basic blackjack strategy assumes that the dealer has a 10-value card down. That is because there are 16 cards valued at 10 in the deck and only four cards having each of the other possible values (1 or 11 thru 9). If the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 up, and they have a 10-value card down, a face card or 10 will cause the dealer to bust.

If you draw a card and it is a 10 or face and the dealer has a 10 or face card down, your drawn card would bust the dealer’s hand that had a 2 thru 9 showing. I am guessing the dealer had a 10 or face down and drew something less than 10 and won the hand.

Do not feel bad about taking the 10 or face. It is your hand. You paid to play it.

There is a good chance the dealer would have been helped by the card you drew. Unfortunately, players remember the times the dealer made such a hand and not the many times the dealer did not make the hand. They also do not remember the times the dealer did not have a 10 or face down so the 10-value card did not cause them to bust.

As always, may all your wins be swift and large, and your losses be slow and small.

Jerry “Stickman”

Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play. He is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines. He authored the video poker section of "Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker, Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Pai Gow Poker!" You can contact Jerry “Stickman” at stickmanjerryg@gmail.com