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Show HN: Blackjack Break, a minimal quick-play blackjack game

blackjackbreak.com

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Re: Show HN: Blackjack Break, a minimal quick-play blackjack game

#52
post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Very nicely done, enjoyed playing it! My only wish would be to hit after split, though the way you handled it is perfectly valid.

Thanks, never played in a casino - Are the left and right hand cards hit immediately after splitting?

It depends. The rules vary from casino to casino. :)

The Wizard of Odds has a very thorough walk-through of the variations of rules - and what they mean to the odds:

https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/basics/#toc-RuleVar...

Brings back memories from playing many, many hours of playing optimal strategy blackjack to release generous bonuses from online casinos. :)

Well done on launching btw. I second the UI suggestions about making UI a bit easier.

Re: Show HN: Blackjack Break, a minimal quick-play blackjack game

#53
post #2

From the about page: Towards the end of 2017, I found myself wanting to play a quick game of something while I was working. That something turned out to be blackjack. I tried a few web-based games and downloaded a bunch to my phone. All of them either felt kinda scammy, were hard to look at, or just played way too slow. I like making things, so I made Blackjack Break. I hope it's a fun diversion for you like it is fo…

It would be nice if it told you after finishing a hand if you deviated from basic strategy. Also would be nice if some of the more common rule variants where settable (DAS, S/H17, etc.).

Re: Show HN: Blackjack Break, a minimal quick-play blackjack game

#54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If your AI is any good it will refuse to play because it’s realized the house always wins. I spent a few hours watching card counting videos on YouTube to see if there was anything to it - didn’t matter who it was, they spent the entire time belly-aching because other players were getting “their” cards. Amazing how all these card counting schemes depend on everyone else playing perfect basic strategy.

Those people are dumb... other people at the table hitting too often actually helps a card counter, because you see more cards per hand.

A good question might be why they are not all rich if card counting is such an easy win. I’m pretty sure the best way to get rich on Wall Street is to teach people how to get rich on Wall Street. Maybe the same thing holds true for blackjack. If anyone was winning big on a consistent basis I’m sure the casinos would change things up to stop that ie table limits, six deck shoes, continuous shuffle machines.

Re: Show HN: Blackjack Break, a minimal quick-play blackjack game

#55
post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks, never played in a casino - Are the left and right hand cards hit immediately after splitting?

It depends. The rules vary from casino to casino. :) The Wizard of Odds has a very thorough walk-through of the variations of rules - and what they mean to the odds: https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/basics/#toc-RuleVar... Brings back memories from playing many, many hours of playing optimal strategy blackjack to release generous bonuses from online casinos. :) Well done on launching btw. I second the UI sugge…

I was impressed by the online casinos using real dealers and those scannable oversized cards. I don’t think I would have gone that route but great that people are employed and I guess that puts to bed any discussion about algorithms or if the computer is dealing under to itself. Wizard Of Odds is an amazing guy, I love the articles on his site.

Re: Show HN: Blackjack Break, a minimal quick-play blackjack game

#56
post #2

From the about page: Towards the end of 2017, I found myself wanting to play a quick game of something while I was working. That something turned out to be blackjack. I tried a few web-based games and downloaded a bunch to my phone. All of them either felt kinda scammy, were hard to look at, or just played way too slow. I like making things, so I made Blackjack Break. I hope it's a fun diversion for you like it is fo…

Very nicely done, enjoyed playing it! My only wish would be to hit after split, though the way you handled it is perfectly valid.

My wish has been granted, I can play the hands after split now, very nice

Re: Show HN: Blackjack Break, a minimal quick-play blackjack game

#57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those people are dumb... other people at the table hitting too often actually helps a card counter, because you see more cards per hand.

A good question might be why they are not all rich if card counting is such an easy win. I’m pretty sure the best way to get rich on Wall Street is to teach people how to get rich on Wall Street. Maybe the same thing holds true for blackjack. If anyone was winning big on a consistent basis I’m sure the casinos would change things up to stop that ie table limits, six deck shoes, continuous shuffle machines.

Card counting is an "easy win" only in that it's relatively easy to master. With a bit of practice, you can gain a consistent (but small) edge. The problem is, the variance is enormous. You need a large bankroll to sustain the wins, and you need to put in a lot of hours to get into the long run. That's a major reason most successful counters play in teams.

Of course you're right in that once a casino notices you winning, you're a target for closer observation. A six-deck shoe isn't much of an obstacle, though. In Atlantic City, they'll flat-bet you (adjust the table limits so you can't vary your bet). In Las Vegas, they'll just outright ban you from playing.

Re: Show HN: Blackjack Break, a minimal quick-play blackjack game

#58

Makes me recall “BytesJack” from the old 10kb build competition: http://heliom.github.io/bytesjack/

this is slick

Keyboard controls, responsive design, no images (I don’t think), pseudo elements, and all weighing in under 10kb.

Re: Show HN: Blackjack Break, a minimal quick-play blackjack game

#59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those people are dumb... other people at the table hitting too often actually helps a card counter, because you see more cards per hand.

A good question might be why they are not all rich if card counting is such an easy win. I’m pretty sure the best way to get rich on Wall Street is to teach people how to get rich on Wall Street. Maybe the same thing holds true for blackjack. If anyone was winning big on a consistent basis I’m sure the casinos would change things up to stop that ie table limits, six deck shoes, continuous shuffle machines.

It has been done: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIT_Blackjack_Team

But if you are that skilled, funded, and organized, there are probably better ways to make money.

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