do Ken's rules apply in a 10 round one on one $100 min $1000 max game? during middle rounds i rarely if ever see anyone using the "2,4,5 rule" ,,, many times your down by $500 easy and rarely would you see anyone betting the max....i mean you do,,, but it is rare and since its the max bet and only represents the "2" out of the "2,4,5 rule" i was wondering if i should still follow that logic. thanks d
Hi, From what you've been saying, I surmise that you are playing at blackjack21 (or one of it's skins). I'm a regular there too. You have to bear in mind that most people playing there aren't using much logic at all, and certainly aren't familiar with Ken's advice! In general, I find that this format limits you to only having one or two shots at a catch-up bet, if you fall behind, meaning that if you've just made a substantial bet and lost, then it will often be the case that your next bet might as well be the 1000 max, or half your BR, or your entire BR (depending on the circumstances). I think the general rule (not just for blackjack21.com) is to consider what bet you'd like to make, and then consider where that would leave you if you lost it. If you'd be ruined, then there may be a choice between betting less, in order to have another shot at taking the lead if you should lose, or betting more/everything in order to get the maximum value if you should win. Another important factor in these heads-up games is to check who'll be acting last on the final hand. You'd always like to be BR1, but if you will be acting last then it's not quite as vital if you anticipate that your opponent may overbet their lead.
The Rule of 2,4,5 is not very useful in this format. With such a small range between the min and max bets, the max bet limit means that the rule of 4 and 5 are practically a factor. The rule of 2 also becomes pointless once your opponent's optimal bet is capped by the max bet limit. For example, let's say you trail by $400 and bet $800 using the rule of 2. In a game with a higher max bet, your opponent could bet as much as $1199 here. You'd still eclipse his single-bet win if you win a double-down. (Winning $1600 to his $1199 means you lead by $1 after the hand.) However, in this format, his bet is limited to $1000 so you could actually accomplish the same thing with a bet of $701. (Winning $701 X 2 will pass his win of a max bet.) To make the reasons for the amounts clear, my examples used an allowed $1 betting increment which is atypical. In fact, it would by typical in a $100 - $1000 format to force bets to be in $100 increments. That's only 10 bet choices every hand! That increases the luck factor and dilutes many strategies which require precise betting. Edited to add: If in fact you are referencing Blackjack21.com's game as Colin's post suggest, then you actually CAN bet in $1 increments if I recall correctly.
thanks for the calrification,,, i thought something wasnt right. by the way the venue is "Inetbet" so thats why the succesfull players are conservative...even when there behind. dave
Inetbet is indeed a blackjack21.com skin. Another thing to consider regarding your bet sizing is that, in the two-player games that you mention, you act last (i.e. 2nd) in half of the available rounds. It makes much more sense to make any catch-up attempt after seeing your opponent bet, rather than before. In the early-to-middle rounds, trailing and acting first, I tend towards a choice between - 100 (the min). [or sometimes I may be following a progression of sorts - 101, 102, 104 etc.] 1/2 my deficit, plus a chip. (so that if BR1 matches my bet, there is the possibility of a swing) deficit, minus BR1's favourite bet, plus a chip. (again giving the possibility of a swing, if BR1 bets as I hope) deficit, plus a chip. 2 x deficit (perhaps also plus a chip, to engineer an extra $1)
Kens Book Ken,I'm a beginner at BJ tournaments and purchased your book,however it seems too complexed.I thought it would have been easier to understand
Ken's Book Ken,I'm a beginner at BJ tournaments and purchased your book,however it seems too complexed.I thought it would have been easier to understand
Thanks for your feedback, bjqueen2007. When I put together the collection of articles for the E-book, I tried to balance the needs of a diverse audience. I chose some articles that were suitable for a beginner, such as the first 4 or 5 chapters, and I also chose some articles that are appropriate for more advanced students of the game. There's no doubt that much of the material is pretty advanced for someone new to the game, and maybe the overall material would be more appropriately split into two products, one for each target group. The principal issue though is that at the highest level, tournament blackjack is a very complicated topic. While I try to make the ideas as simple as I can, I can't claim to always succeed. My advice is to use the material that you find helpful now, and revisit the other chapters after you gain some experience at the table. Thanks again, -Ken-
BJQueen2007 you might try Wong's book, Casino Tournament Strategies, if you don't already have it. Suggested reading order would be Wong, followed by Ken's ebook, as Wong's is more basic. Wong's book can be ordered from Ken's web site.
