Fear Factor Blackjack

[meltdown75]

I caught a bit of this show last night. It was "Vegas" Fear Factor. Hey, cool. We were just there. So I sit down on the couch and watch a bit of TV with the wife - a rare occurence because most of what she watches is crap and I'd rather entertain myself with games on the PC, etc etc.

SO this couple wins their challenge. They are awarded $100,000 but there is a stipulation. They have to bet $25,000 of the money on ONE HAND of blackjack. Kinda wild but hey, they're in Vegas and I guess "fear is not a factor" if you can throw that money down on one hand.

So their cards come and their first card is a 4. Second card is an 8. Dealer is showing a 4. Rogan looks over and says, "Well, what are you gonna do? Take a card or stay?"

At this point, I'm thinking - TAKE A HIT! Your total is 12 which means anything other than a face card and you're safe from busting.

Dude says to his SO: "The book says to stay." Apparently he had read some blackjack book before coming to the show and thought he knew what to do. So they end up staying on TWELVE. Dealer takes a couple more cards and beats them easily. Bye bye $25K.

Someone explain to me why he would stay on 12! I'm not good with odds but wouldn't they overwhelmingly predict that he would receive something other than a face card or a 10?! I don't even play blackjack, and I would have taken another card.

 

[hypn0tik]

Usually when you play blackjack, you assume that the card you get when you hit will be a face card. At least that's what I've been told.

 

[CreativeTom]

Yeah I saw parts of that too. You have to remember one thing, it's Fear Factor.....are there ever really any contestants on the show with an IQ above like 90????

I think it comes down to one thing.....he was stupid.

 

[LeiZaK]

Originally posted by: hypn0tik
Usually when you play blackjack, you assume that the card you get when you hit will be a face card. At least that's what I've been told.

:thumbsup:
yea, he did the right thing

 

[Demon-Xanth]

The dealer was guarenteed to have to hit. And two cards of 9 or higher (which 5 of the 13 are) and he busts.

 

[junkerman123]

you have to play every hand in blackjack as though the next card is a face card (10). So, you have to calculate your odds of winning. The dealer has to hit till 16 (or 17), so the odds of the dealer busting here are quite high, since his hole card is most likely to be a 10/face and the next card is also most likely going to be a 10/face. It's a crappy position when you got 12 but staying is the right move.

 

[CreativeTom]

Originally posted by: LeiZaK

Originally posted by: hypn0tik
Usually when you play blackjack, you assume that the card you get when you hit will be a face card. At least that's what I've been told.

:thumbsup:
yea, he did the right thing

I don't know what school of Blackjack that is, but there are some theories that say on a soft 12 (no face card in your cards to add up to 12) you would hit. I don't think it was the right thing to do and I have seen it fail more times then it's worth.

 

[meltdown75]

Well, you learn something new every day. Thanks for the replies... I still would have taken a card though.

Good thing I didn't play any Blackjack when I was in Vegas. :beer:

 

[dullard]

Look to the right.

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: dullard
Look to the right.

ah crap that category is filtered here

"Gambling" :roll:

simmer down, Websense... :roll:

 

[Drakkon]

dealer shows 4 you have to assume its a 14....he will hit and you have to assume he will get a 10 and he will bust
You have 12...hitting could make it 22 and make you go bust
Playing by the "book" says you should stay...

I would have hit

 

[hypn0tik]

Originally posted by: CreativeTom

Originally posted by: LeiZaK

Originally posted by: hypn0tik
Usually when you play blackjack, you assume that the card you get when you hit will be a face card. At least that's what I've been told.

:thumbsup:
yea, he did the right thing

I don't know what school of Blackjack that is, but there are some theories that say on a soft 12 (no face card in your cards to add up to 12) you would hit. I don't think it was the right thing to do and I have seen it fail more times then it's worth.

I'm no expert in black jack, but on a soft 12 why would you hit? That just means there are more face cards in the deck and your chances of busting are higher. Could you explain please?

 

[bleeb]

hahahah

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: meltdown75
ah crap that category is filtered here

"Gambling" :roll:

simmer down, Websense... :roll:

It's just a simple blackjack table for when to hit/stand. 12 with a dealer showing a 4 is a stand. However, it is right on the edge to being a hit (if the dealer showed a 3, you'd hit). Thus, it is very close to a 50/50 gamble. Just a slightly better chance that you'll win if you stand.

 

[rh71]

what I don't understand is if you play it by the book, shouldn't you always come out on top ? I mean the reason for writing "the book" is so that your chances are greater than 50% for winning. So if you play long enough, shouldn't you ALWAYS come out a winner ? So why doesn't everyone just play BJ for the win (as little as it may be) ?

 

[DribbleDrive]

Originally posted by: CreativeTom

Originally posted by: LeiZaK

Originally posted by: hypn0tik
Usually when you play blackjack, you assume that the card you get when you hit will be a face card. At least that's what I've been told.

:thumbsup:
yea, he did the right thing

I don't know what school of Blackjack that is, but there are some theories that say on a soft 12 (no face card in your cards to add up to 12) you would hit. I don't think it was the right thing to do and I have seen it fail more times then it's worth.

Whoah. A 'soft' hand refers to using an Ace as 11 as opposed to 1. It doesn't have anything to do with face cards.

Most blackjack strategies/cheatsheets I've seen concur with standing in the situation in question.

 

[Qwest]

most people dont realize, the point of blackjack ISN'T to get 21. it's to beat the dealer...so with the dealer showing a 4, it's correct to stay with a 12.

rh, who said your chances are greater than 50% for winning? black is so skewed in favor of the house. in fact, counting cards only increases your chances by 2%.

 

[shuan24]

i believe playing by the book gets you as close to 50% as you can possibly get, but its definitely not over 50%.

 

[brian_riendeau]

No if you play by the book you always lose money if you play long enough. However you will normally lose your money slower if you play by the book, then if you just wing it.

The house wins in Blackjack over a long timefreme, that is the point of casino games.

 

[LeiZaK]

Originally posted by: CreativeTom

Originally posted by: LeiZaK

Originally posted by: hypn0tik
Usually when you play blackjack, you assume that the card you get when you hit will be a face card. At least that's what I've been told.

:thumbsup:
yea, he did the right thing

I don't know what school of Blackjack that is, but there are some theories that say on a soft 12 (no face card in your cards to add up to 12) you would hit. I don't think it was the right thing to do and I have seen it fail more times then it's worth.

a "soft 12" is when you have two aces in your hand, one counting as 11 and one counting as one... in this scenario, yes you would hit (or better yet, split). But i did not automatically assume he had two aces

 

[habib89]

he did the right thing.. the dealer was showing a 4, so you assume 14, which means 8, 9, 10, j, q, k he busts that's 24 cards that he can bust on.. that's a 50/50 chance that he's gonna bust... that is of course if he has a 14... i woulda stressed over it, but i probably woulda hit once, and then stay after that no matter what