Blackjack: Who has the edge?

[CrustyFace]

Ok, this is a quick question:

Assuming someone was playing the statistically perfect game of blackjack, who has the edge, the house or the player?

Thanks,

CrustyFace

[tarheeljks]

i think you can get it down to 1% but you should check. just google it.

[Tom1975]

The house.

[Krow]

The house always has the edge that is how the casinos make thier money there is no casino style game (poker with players (not table) is not a casino-style game it is parimutual) which the edge favors the player with the rare exception of a good odds on a video poker machine.

[PairTheBoard]

[ QUOTE ]
Ok, this is a quick question:

Assuming someone was playing the statistically perfect game of blackjack, who has the edge, the house or the player?

Thanks,

CrustyFace

[/ QUOTE ]

It depends on the Rules and the number of decks. In the early 90's there were briefly games dealt at the old Frontier, Rio, and Tropicana with standard strip rules (Dealer stands soft 17) with IIRC the added attraction allowing double on any two cards, ie double after splits. Basic strategy gave the player a tiny edge off the top of the deck, something like 0.05% ie. half a tenth of a percent. That's the best off the top game I ever heard of other than the old Benny Binion Chistmas Bonus 2-1 on blakjack.

With standard strip rules the House has something like half a tenth of a percent in its favor, single deck. In Downtown single deck rules (dealer hits soft 17) the house edge was about 2 tenths of a percent. The Horseshoe downtown was a little better, like 1.5 tenths of a percent with resplit allowed of Aces. Reno rules, which I forget, gave the House about half a percent single deck. I believe rule of thumb is add 1% to the House edge for every additional deck added to the Single Deck edges. So 6 deck strip rules is about 5 or 6 tenths of a percent edge to the House. 6-5 on 21 for single deck is not even Blackjack as far as I'm concerned. A total ripoff game.

Bottom line. Every game dealt these days gives the House a significant edge vs basic strategy.

PairTheBoard

[CrustyFace]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Ok, this is a quick question:

Assuming someone was playing the statistically perfect game of blackjack, who has the edge, the house or the player?

Thanks,

CrustyFace

[/ QUOTE ]

It depends on the Rules and the number of decks. In the early 90's there were briefly games dealt at the old Frontier, Rio, and Tropicana with standard strip rules (Dealer stands soft 17) with IIRC the added attraction allowing double on any two cards, ie double after splits. Basic strategy gave the player a tiny edge off the top of the deck, something like 0.05% ie. half a tenth of a percent. That's the best off the top game I ever heard of other than the old Benny Binion Chistmas Bonus 2-1 on blakjack.

With standard strip rules the House has something like half a tenth of a percent in its favor, single deck. In Downtown single deck rules (dealer hits soft 17) the house edge was about 2 tenths of a percent. The Horseshoe downtown was a little better, like 1.5 tenths of a percent with resplit allowed of Aces. Reno rules, which I forget, gave the House about half a percent single deck. I believe rule of thumb is add 1% to the House edge for every additional deck added to the Single Deck edges. So 6 deck strip rules is about 5 or 6 tenths of a percent edge to the House. 6-5 on 21 for single deck is not even Blackjack as far as I'm concerned. A total ripoff game.

Bottom line. Every game dealt these days gives the House a significant edge vs basic strategy.

PairTheBoard

[/ QUOTE ]

How do you define a basic strategy?

[Capitan23]

the house has the edge unless you can count cards good enough to take the edge away. (illegal.)

[MightyA6]

http://wizardofodds.com/blackjack/strategy/1deck.html I guess is the basic strategy...

[Tom1975]

Card Counting is not illegal. Casinos can bar you from their property and charge you with trespassing if you come back, but that's about it.

[Tom1975]

[ QUOTE ]
http://wizardofodds.com/blackjack/strategy/1deck.html I guess is the basic strategy...

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, this is basic strategy. Assuming you know nothing about the composition of the deck(s), these charts show what the optimal play is given your cards and the dealer's upcard. Following this strategy, the house edge is very low, but still in the house's favor. The only way to beat the house is to count cards.