How To Beat 6 Deck Blackjack

A standard deck contains 52 cards, and Blackjack can be played with one, two or more decks. Of course, the more decks a Blackjack game has, the more difficult it becomes for players to follow through with probabilities. Six and eight-deck Blackjack is commonly referred to as ‘shoe,’ and it’s the most popular version you will find.

Just wondering if a very large spread on a single deck 6-5 would overcome the house advantage? I've heard it takes a 20-1 spread, but I've also read that once the count got to plus 2 and over that an 8-1 spread can overcome the 6-5 payout and make the game beatable.

1. Blackjack can be played with a single deck or 4-8 decks. Most casinos I’ve been to have single deck or use six decks. Also, some casinos require the dealer to stand with a soft 17, and some mandate the dealer to hit with a soft 17. If the dealer has to stand with a soft 17, that will give you better odds.
2. In a standard 6 deck blackjack game each true count will move the house edge half a percent toward the player’s advantage. So a true 1 would basically erase the house edge and blackjack would be an even game. A true 2 puts the player advantage up to about half of 1 percent and the house edge becomes the player’s edge.
3. Professional blackjack player, DarkStar, compares double-deck pitch to the typical 6 deck shoe game. Which one to play is up to you but both have advantages.
4. The most important blackjack rule is simple: beat the dealer’s hand without going over 21. If you get 21 points exactly on the deal, that is called a “blackjack.” When you’re dealt a blackjack 21, it’s customary to pay out 3:2 or 2:1.

I refuse to call that blackjack. The 6/5 payout adds 1.4% to the house edge. A 20-1 spread seems to be in the ballpark. Wonging would be in order as well, but there goes your hands per hour. Be sure to take even money every time if allowed- it may not be. It doesn't seem that beatable to me, but I've learned to say never say never.
I've never played this game, so maybe someone who has can comment. Surely you can find a shoe game with better odds.

Just wondering if a very large spread on a single deck 6-5 would overcome the house advantage? I've heard it takes a 20-1 spread, but I've also read that once the count got to plus 2 and over that an 8-1 spread can overcome the 6-5 payout and make the game beatable.

I don't see how you can answer that question in the abstract. For instance if you were playing single deck with player permitted to double after split, that game would have a player advantage of 0.184 % using a composition dependent player strategy with the normal 3:2 payout . I would think if you were playing this game with a one on one and were unmolested in your how you bet, and you had 90% penetration you could overcome the loss of 1.39% for changing the blackjack payout to 6:5.
But for a normal casino game, you would be hard pressed to overcome that 1.39%.

Just wondering if a very large spread on a single deck 6-5 would overcome the house advantage? I've heard it takes a 20-1 spread, but I've also read that once the count got to plus 2 and over that an 8-1 spread can overcome the 6-5 payout and make the game beatable.

Not even close. 8-1 is barely enough to beat a proper 3:2 shoe game with mediocre rules and cover.
For 6:5 you'd need to wong in only in the best of situations for a hand or two and out again, while keeping a multi-parameter count (at least separate A and T).

Now could you achieve a very large spread through Team Play? (Ploppy plays his darned two red chips with no variation at all but the moment he gives some secret signal slightly sloshed large bettor whose been table hopping suddenly materializes and takes advantage of a high count).

'No mid-shoe entry'.
Modern counters, except for those times they find a safe game, have to use very short sessions and play around with the bet differently than the strategy suggest. A common tactic is to move only based on wins and losses, a more difficult option is to shift the bet all the time, emulating a system player. Hole-carding is a mainstream AP skill today too.

'No mid-shoe entry'.

Is this actually enforced? I've seen signs posted even at Baccarat tables but it still happens. At my local Happy Wampum, after the baccarat dealer asked if I minded someone joining in (I never object), the newly arriving couple paid for my then arriving drink. I've always assumed these No Mid Shoe Entry signs were scare tactics that they enforced only when they actually had suspicions or didn't like some player for some reason.
>a more difficult option is to shift the bet all the time, emulating a system player.
I would assume this really doesn't fool an experienced dealer or floorperson one bit. No matter how complex the 'system' might be and no matter how much a player is hopping all over on the amount of his bets, the house mentally classifies it as 'high' or 'low' and the house then correlates the bettor's action to the count.
>Hole-carding is a mainstream AP skill today too.
Do dealers still make inadvertent revelations of the down card? I mean that was old even in that Casino movie. Surely even these small handed and narrow fingered Asian dealers don't reveal cards all that often.

Is this actually enforced?

How To Beat 6 Deck Blackjack Games

If they're sweating the money and have the slightest suspicion? These signs aren't there for no reason, although they probably indeed scare off a lot more ordinary newcomer players than APs who know the score.

I would assume this really doesn't fool an experienced dealer or floorperson one bit. No matter how complex the 'system' might be and no matter how much a player is hopping all over on the amount of his bets, the house mentally classifies it as 'high' or 'low' and the house then correlates the bettor's action to the count.

Strictly speaking, unless there's Mindplay or you've been singled out for surveillance, the house isn't really keeping count. They just see if you're changing your bet or making trademark counter plays (split tens). A total sweat-the-money joint might ban anyone who spreads a lot, they might even be afraid of martingalers. The best critters might notice you're covering your count. But in the middle, if you get yourself chalked down as any particular type (rather than avoid being chalked down as anyone), you can greatly extend the playing time.

Do dealers still make inadvertent revelations of the down card? I mean that was old even in that Casino movie. Surely even these small handed and narrow fingered Asian dealers don't reveal cards all that often.

Rarely. But if you want to make money, you have to look own for ones that do, and hang at their tables as long as you can. Counting alone just isn't seriously viable today as an AP technique, it has to be supplemented by grasping at any advantage presented.

Just wondering if a very large spread on a single deck 6-5 would overcome the house advantage? I've heard it takes a 20-1 spread, but I've also read that once the count got to plus 2 and over that an 8-1 spread can overcome the 6-5 payout and make the game beatable.

Here are the house rules for that single deck 6-5 game, double after split, split any pair up to four times, aces only once, dealer hits soft 17.

How To Beat 6 Deck Blackjack Game