Table Games Beginners Blackjack Strategy

Hi all, I'm going to vegas next week and have never played blackjack. I've been practicing online and have most of basic strategy learned but I've read a few simplified versions.

I was hoping for bait I feedback on using this:

Stand 12-16 vs 6 or less (except hit 12 vs 2-3), hit vs 7-A
Double 10-11 vs lower card, double 9 vs 6 or less
Soft 13-15 alway hit
Soft 16-17double vs 6 or less, hit otherwise.
Soft 18 - stand, except hit vs 9-A
Split As, 8s always. 4,5,10 never
Split 2,3,6,7, 9 vs 6 or less (7s v7) ( 9vs 8 or 9)also.

I know there are errors but hopefully not too major as I want to keep it simple.

Any thoughts?

 

I am not sure what kind of responses you are expecting. That's not ideal play. But I've certainly seen people play with a worse strategy. I would recommend playing at a table with a low minimum and have fun

 

Thanks for reply.

I think the soft hand strategy is off most? Is the rest ok though?

Am I limiting myself significantly?

I read the sticky post on Simplified Basic strategy and didn't seem too different to what I'm posting.

I guess I was looking for response of 'you never do ...... ' or ' if you did ...... instead it would help u'

 

Always double on 11.

 

Since you're likely playing a hit soft 17 game with a strategy like this, I agree.

Also soft 18 is double 2-6 (or stand), stand on 7, and hit 8-A.

Here's another publicized "simple" strategy that's slightly less detailed. It only costs you 0.14% due to errors. Much better than many actual players. Even some of those players that criticize others' play!

From wizardofodds.com:

 

If you want to go by probability, it would probably be best if you just followed this chart to a tee: http://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/strategy/4-decks/, which you might have seen already. The strategy you have seems like a jumble of different methods, and it's best if you stay with one strategy to avoid confusing yourself at the table.

The biggest thing to remember is that everything depends on what the dealer has, and what you do is hinged on that. If you want to keep things simple, just go by the "rulebook" method, even if it is more unfavorable to the player than the probability method, just to get a feel for things.

Typical "Rulebook" Stuff

• Always stand on hard 17 or higher
• Always hit when the dealer has 17 and you have 16 or less
• Always hit when both you and the dealer have 12
• Always hit on soft 17 and double vs. a dealer's 3-6
• Stand on soft 18 or higher
• Always double 8-10's vs. a dealer's 3-6
• Always double 11's
• Never split 10's
• Always stand if you have 13 or higher vs. a dealer's 3-6
• Always split 8's and aces

 

Honestly, if you're practicing online (and using a site/app that "corrects" you), you're actually making this HARDER, not SIMPLER but trying to remember a "simple" strategy. Why? Because there are errors (as you acknowledge). Now, there aren't many and in the big picture, they're relatively minor, but consider this: If you're practicing in a H17 game and you hit 11 vs A instead of double, the game should "correct" you. Now you're in a position of having 2 strategies in your head and that's likely to lead to more errors.

At the end of the day, if you're just starting out, your bankroll is relatively small and you'll generally play low minimums, none of it really matters except 4 or 5 "big" rules. But if you want to learn how to play as close to ideally as possible and will start playing a little more often, I strongly encourage you to practice and learn the full strategy right now. Think of it this way: If you only learn the "simplified" strategy and decide you like BJ and start playing more often, etc...now you basically have to re-learn the strategy all over again. You don't have much further to go and not much more to remember to just learn the full strategy.

Good luck...and have fun!

 

I thought you only hit on 11 vs. an A? That's how I'd always learned it at least.

EDIT: Okay, apparently you double an 11 against an Ace on a H17 table. At least according to the Wizard.