The Playing 21 Blackjack Program -- Casino And Others Handouts

Casino And Others Handouts
“Basic Play Charts”

"The Guessing Game"

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

Start with your total row, now move across the row until you get to the column with the dealer’s up card at the top. There is the decision. Here is another one:

	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 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.

Now, if you’ve been paying attention, red flags have been going up everywhere in your mind. These are actual charts from real casinos and books we have read. We have over 40 of them (our best guess says there may be 300 different charts between the books, casinos and thousands of articles over the years on Blackjack). 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 (The best was recently at Casino Windsor I wanted to get a chart of theirs. The Pit Boss said they were sold for a "Buck" in the casino's store. Well, $2.85 later, I got my chart. They EVEN mislead you on the price!!! I think his name was Sal?)! That’s right, they charge you to mislead you! And, as was the case at the 2003 Global Gaming Expo in Vegas, they laugh in your face while they do it.

Obviously many casinos 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). Of course if they give you a chart, it is for if you are NOT card counting. 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 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!!”

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