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Gaming Guru
Tabasco-style blackjack14 July 2000
Dear Mark, There are two notable exceptions when comparing Spanish 21 to a regular blackjack game. In Spanish 21, all the 10s (not the jacks, queens, kings) are removed from the deck. Also, the player gets paid for a hand total of 21, or the standard three-to-two payoff for a blackjack, even if the dealer's hand is a natural blackjack. Additional player-friendly rules are: doubling down on two or more cards, pair splitting and double downs up to four times after splits, bonus payoffs for different combination 21s, and a super bonus that pays out $1,000 for a suited 7-7-7 when the dealer's up card is a seven. (Side note: In my entire 18-year gambling career I've never seen this occur, whether dealing or observing countless hands of regular blackjack as a pit boss.) So, Seth, even without the 10s in the deck, is Spanish 21 a good play? Yes, if you utilize perfect basic strategy. By employing Spanish 21 basic strategy-which obviously differs from normal blackjack strategy-you reduce the house edge down to .8%. Deviate and the house advantage can be up to 3%.
Dear Mark,
Dear Mark,
Dear Mark, The only playing method that will give you a positive expectation in blackjack is card counting. Period.
Dear Mark, You are correct, Ernie, craps is fun, craps is social, craps is exciting, but except for an odds wager, all craps bets come at a cost. Craps is a negative-expectation game, meaning that no matter how you bet, the odds are against you. I recommend all players treating craps like a bag of M&Ms. Eat (bet) only the colors (pass line, place bets) you like (a wager with a low house edge).
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Mark Pilarski |
Mark Pilarski |