What is the overall effect?
Now the overall effect is not quite as bad because there aren’t as many rounds played at these terrible disadvantages. But there is an effect.
This chart shows the difference between a fixed number of rounds and using a cut card. I have included a six-deck game even though six decks is not normally played to a fixed number of rounds — although it is in most Internet casinos and some Video Blackjack machines. Here we see the overall differences in house edge between cut card and fixed rounds. Note that in single-deck the numbers can change substantially by the exact circumstances, including when the specific dealer chooses to shuffle without a fixed-round rule.
Of course, all that I've shown with all of the above is what was already known. The cut-card adds hands when the deck is lean in tens. So, does this mean that you should avoid single-deck using a cut-card? Probably yes, if you’re playing Basic Strategy. But if you are counting, the effect is not as great. Counting cards partially corrects for the effect.
www.qfit.com/book/z201Chart.gif
· Six decks, S17, DAS, LS, 1 player, Basic Strategy
· Single-deck, H17, 1 & 4 players, Basic Strategy
· Six decks ten billion rounds, Single-deck five billion rounds
© 2009 Norman Wattenberger
