In Ken Smith's e-book "How To Win More Blackjack Tournaments" he talks about Magic Numbers. These numbers are ratios of your lead compared to a max bet. With a max bet of 200 and a minimum bet of 5. It says (ignoring the surrender magic numbers) and having a lead of 2/3 max bet (rounded up slightly) or more than, a bet of (max bet) + (a fraction of a chip) - (half your lead) will give you a the high and the low on a simple bet and the high and the low in a double/double scenario. For example: You.........535 BR2........400 Here you have a lead of 135 or 135/200 = .675 which is slightly more than 2/3 max bet lead. Your bet is computed thus 200 - 135/2 = 200 - 67.5 = 132.5 Now by adding a fraction of a chip your bet is 135. .............BkRll.......Bet.......... 1xWin..........1xLose You.......535.........135............670...............400 BR2......400........200...........600...............200 For the double/double scenario .............BkRll.........DblBet..........2xWin.........2xLose You.......535.............270................805............265 BR2......400.............400...............800................0 In fact after you double and bust you still have the low even if BR2 does not double. THE NEW MAGIC NUMBER if your lead is 1.5Xmax bet + 1 chip. Example as follows: BR2.........400 You.........400 + 1.5(200) + 5 = 705 Now by betting 1/2 max bet (100) you can lose your hand and even if BR2 wins his hand you still win the round. If BR2 gets a winning double bet then all you have to do is win your hand without having to double. You do not have to double a hard 19. Example below. BR2...........400........200....Wins...=>.....600 You............705.........100....Lose....=>.....605 BR2...........400........200+200......Wins...=>.....800 You............705.............100...........Wins...=>.....805 I got this new magic number idea when I saw the following situation by 2 players. Max Bet = 2500 Min Bet = 25 The situation was: ...............BkRll BR2........11200 BR1........16000 Here the chip lead is 4800, not quite a double max bet. 4800/2500 = 1.92 which is more than 1.5 The betting was : .................BkRll.........Bet BR2..........11200.......2500 BR1..........16000.......2500 It seems that when a Low bankroll bets the max into your High bankroll that a bet of a max bet is appropriate with some players. In fact before seeing this hand, I likely would have done the same. The cards and play was as follows: ..................BkRll..........Bet.............Cards BR2..........11200.........2500............10+9 = 19 stands BR1..........16000.........2500............10+4 = 14 busts Dealer..................................................9 BR2 considers doubling for a little while since the dealer has a possible 19 also. However he is too close to busting and hopes for the full swing instead. BR1 takes a hit and busts. The dealer turns over another 9 for 18 and BR2 wins the round 13700 to 13500. With a bet of 1/2 max bet (1250) by BR1 the situation would have been as follows: ..................BkRll.............Bet.............Cards BR2...........11200............2500...........10+9 = 19 stands => wins = 13700 BR1............16000...........1250............10+4 = 14 Hits => busts = 14750 WINS Round BR2 would have had to double on the hard 19 and hope that he wins the hand and BR1 loses (or pushes) the hand. With a lead of 4800 (1.92 max bet lead) a bet of 225 to 2275 gives BR1 the Round WIN if he suffers a full swing to BR2. BR1 also wins if he only wins his hand and BR2 wins a double max bet. For a max bet of 2500 you need a lead of 1.5(2500) + 25 = 3775 for this new magic number to work. ...................................................BlueLight
