JOHN GROCHOWSKI <\/p>\n
A shuffle through the Gaming mailbag:<\/p>\n
Q. I had one of those hands that made me wish they really paid Charlies. The dealer had a 10 up. I had a 2 and a 4.<\/p>\n
Next was a 3, then another 3. Four cards, and I only had 12. Then I drew another 2, then an Ace. So that's six cards and 15. The dealer still has that 10 up and I'm thinking, wow, I have to draw a seventh card.<\/p>\n
I really struggled with that. There were so many low cards out already. But I bit the bullet and signaled a hit. Miracle of miracles, it was a 5. That gave me 20 and I'm thinking it was all worth it.<\/p>\n
Naturally, the dealer flipped up another 10. All I got out of all that was a push. Beats losing, but why couldn't it be a 6?<\/p>\n
A. For those who don't know \"Charlies\" in blackjack, they're automatic winners with a specified number of cards without busting.<\/p>\n
With a five-card Charlie, you'd win with a five-card hand totaling 21 or less. with a six-card Charlie, you'd win with six cards totaling 21 or less.<\/p>\n
Charlie rules are rare in casinos. I've been playing for well over 30 years and have never seen Charlies in regular blackjack games. There's good reason for that. A five-card Charlie subtracts 1.46 percent from the house edge. It's gives as much to players as reducing blackjack pays to 6-5 takes away.<\/p>\n
With more cards required, players draw Charlies less often so they make less difference to the house edge. A six-card Charlie subtracts only 0.1 percent from the edge, though wizardofodds.com lists a six-card Charlie that pays 3-2 instead of even money at 0.31 percent.<\/p>\n
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Read this article:<\/p>\n
Player yearns for Charlies after push on low-card run - Atlantic City Weekly<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" JOHN GROCHOWSKI A shuffle through the Gaming mailbag: Q. I had one of those hands that made me wish they really paid Charlies. The dealer had a 10 up Continue reading