The Playing 21 Blackjack Program -- Casino And Others Handouts

Casino And Others Handouts
“Basic Play Charts”

Or as we like to call them “Basic Pray Charts”. We refer to them like that because prayer will do you about as much good at the tables as those charts will. Surely, if you’ve ever played Blackjack in a casino before, you’re familiar with the Basic Play Charts that they give to players. Before we start bashing heads, we’ll explain what they are, and how to use them, for those who don’t know.

A “Basic Play Chart” lists player hand totals vs. the Dealer’s Up Card, and the corresponding decision (which is the way you “should play” the hand) for each. Here is an example of one:

	The Dealer's Up-Card
Your Hand	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
8	H	H	H	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
9	D	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
10	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
11	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
12	H	H	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
13	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
14	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
15	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
16	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
17	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
A,2	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,3	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,4	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,5	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,6	D	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,7	S	D	D	D	D	S	S	H	H	S
A,8	S	S	S	S	D	S	S	S	S	S
A,9	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
A,A	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
2,2	H	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
3,3	H	H	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
4,4	H	H	H	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
6,6	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H	H
7,7	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	S	H
8,8	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
9,9	P	P	P	P	P	S	P	P	S	S
10,10	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

H = Hit S = Stand D = Double Down P = Split
We Didn't Type Those in, But I Think The YELLOW One is a Mistake Likely

Start with your hand total using the right column. Now move across the row until you get to the column with the Dealer’s Up Card shown across the top. There is the decision and that is how you should play this hand. Using the chart below, if you have a 9 and the dealer has a 2 up, you'd be in that first cell where it says "H" for Hit. Here is another Basic Play Chart we have been given:

	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
9	H	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
10	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
11	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H
12	H	H	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
13	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
14	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
15	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
16	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
17	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
2,2	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP
3,3	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP
4,4				SP	SP
5,5
6,6	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP
7,7	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP
8,8	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP
9,9	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP		SP	SP
10,10
A,A	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP

	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
A,2	H	H	H	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,3	H	H	H	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,4	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,5	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,6	H	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,7	S	D	D	D	D	S	S	H	H	H
A,8	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
A,9	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

H = Hit S = Stand D = Double Down P = Split

A, B, C D, E, F G...

We hope you’ve noticed something about these two different charts. Come on, look again! See it? There are 13 decisions listed differently between the 2 charts (We’ve highlighted them for you)! How the hell can this be?! Common sense tells you that one of them has to be wrong. The correct play can only be listed on one of them, or worse; neither of them. Can anyone explain this, cause we’re stumped? Now for arguments’ sake, let’s say that “Casino A” is correct. How can “Casino B” distribute their chart? It’s full of errors! Are we to believe that the laws of mathematics cease to exist the minute you sit at their tables? Take a look at what your local casinos or what some book has shown you for their charts. See the differences yourself. We just always believed in logic and logic always told us something wasn't right when we'd have 15 different charts from 15 different casinos. Ask for them yourself next time you are there playing.

Now, if you’ve been paying attention, red flags have been going up everywhere in your mind. These are actual charts from real casinos, Internet teaching sites and books we have read. We have over 40 of them from casinos alone. The differences are truly astounding. And, are you sitting down for this one…some casinos have the balls to SELL this crap, I mean these charts! (Here is a funny one. I was recently at Casino Windsor, and the Pit Boss said they don't give them away, but they were "Only $1 in the gift store." That was all fine until I paid $2.85 in the gift store. Simple misleading mistake, just like the answers on the ones many casinos have been handing out for years.) That’s right, they charge you to mislead you! And, as was the case at the Global Gaming Expo in Vegas, they laugh in your face while they do it.

Obviously they do not test any of these charts. If they did, does it not seem probable that the info would be the same? The fact – and it IS fact – is that there is only one mathematically correct way to play a hand, any hand. You can’t stand on it here, but hit it there, and still double for less over there (of course you can in Hand Variations if you are Card Counting). Those charts are all based on not counting of course or it would be different for different counts! Personally, we feel it is a joke. It’s time for many casinos to take their heads out of their asses, their hands out of your pockets, and stand up and be accountable.

The game is mathematics. So imagine an industry that makes $30 billion a year misleading you here and there so you are confused or don't know how to play the mathematically most sound way. You might only lose quicker with a difference of one full percent, but imagine how much quicker they win as a casino or an industry? I can likely think of 100 class action law suits that weren't as strong. Especially since we already told them the information was incorrect and they just keep handing out (and selling) the charts.

The charts are ridiculous. The only chart you should have is the one you made yourself using the Playing 21 Program. Get the decisions right and stop being blindly mislead, and praying “Please, please, Blackjack Gods, let the dealer bust!!”