Blackjack strategy

When you have 14-15-16

Now we're in trouble. It doesn't matter if dealer is showing a power card or a weak up card, we, the player, are against the wall. Of course the degree of trouble is based on what the dealer's card is, but how you handle these three situations will determine your rating as a blackjack player.

Even a completely perfect blackjack player, who is the best card counter in the universe, armed with the Big Four and the Little Three, is in trouble, and it is how I handle it that keeps me in this game (grin). Seriously, card counting can tell you the imbalance of large cards to small cards, but this is one of the reasons I warn people about the misconception that counting puts them several miles ahead of those who don't count. Handling these three weak breaking hands has a set of rules that is logical in its approach and demanding in its suggestions as to how to handle them, and that goes for both the counter and non counter.

It is my humble opinion that when we have these breaking hands against a dealer's power card, winning the hand should be secondary. Getting out with as small a loss as possible should be the primary concern and move. For that reason, I shall give you a one word move when you have bard 14, 15, or 16 and the dealer has 9 through Ace surrender!!

OK, many of you never heard of it. Many of you have heard of it and don't believe in it. Many of you have heard of it and use it. Good!! That will cut losses drastically, so continue using it.

For everyone, the next chapter goes into what surrender is all about, so read it. The only problem is that many casinos have taken this option away from us. Obviously they feel that it is a strong tool in the hands of a good player, and they sure as heck don't want anything at their tables that will assist the player.

Personally, I won't play blackjack unless surrender is part of that table's options. Obviously I think enough about that move to restrict my play if it ain't available. But let's wait until we go over the entire process in the next chapter. For now let's go with the thought that you will never see surrender again. So how do we handle these hands without that option.

Looking over your chart, it's plain and simple what the move is, when dealer is showing as the up card a 2 3 4 5 6, and you have a breaking hand of hard 14, 15, or 16. You stand. That's a period. You stand with your breaking hand vs. the dealer's breaking hand. Don't even think about a different move. That goes for counters too, even if you have 14 vs. the dealer's power card and the deck is designated very, very, very poor. You stand and that's a period, or have I said that before?

My friend Les Branes has less brains that Ed E. Ott, who is not far behind, but at least that idiot knows enough to stand with his hard 14, 15, and 16. Les Branes is another story. He'll sit at a table and dare the dealer to beat him, as he calls for a hit vs. that dealer's breaking card of 2 through 6. That is a brainless move, with no logical reasoning behind it.

The other players are totally disgusted with those actions and many show their dislike with verbal attacks against the brainless one and it is warranted. When the dealer is in trouble ,with a weak up card, you gotta get her to do the hitting. If stupid actions of people like Les Branes bother you, you gotta leave that table.

As I explained before, if I am at a table With stupid players and I am still Winning, despite their antics, I shall stay. But if their play is affecting my results, that will cause me to depart. You have to decide how much it bothers you. But the move I told you about standing with these three breaking hands vs. the dealer's breaking hand is not up for discussion stand.

Now we go to those same three situations when dealer has a power card showing. Again the answer is unyielding in its logical
approach. You hit those breaking hands and that too is a period. But here is where the bad players get flushed out and it seems that they are always at the table where I am playing. The fact is that there are so many of them around (bad players), that the odds are you're gonna end up With a couple occupying the next seat.

You will see people hitting a breaking hand of 14 15 and/or 16, time and again against that dealer's breaking hand. Some of these dorks don't know no better but some are merely on a suicide mission. They will make that play and then look around to see if there gonna get any flak from the other participants. It is as if they are daring you to question their foolishness.

Then, if someone does make a comment, El Dorko quickly responds with: "Hey, it's my money. I can do what I want with my hand." Actually he is right and as I said before, you have to make the choice as to whether to stay at that table or not.
This part of your strategy card is etched in stone stand vs. dealer's weak cards and hit vs. her power cards.