Let’s spend a session therapeutically going over the most annoying online blackjack players – and plays. Don’t worry, there’s a lesson here for players still wanting to learn – and that’s cut your losses (or gains) and find another table if too many of these characters pop up at the same table. It’s not worth the hassle or the distraction – and if you believe some players, not worth the way the players alter the cards coming out of the shoe.
First is the guy who hits 17. Now, it’s a different story if he’s hitting against a 10, but this is the one hitting against the lower cards in the deck. The guy who thinks if you don’t hit 21, you didn’t try hard enough. And, to many players, he’s the guy they feel screws up the distribution of the cards and hurts their chances. Some players are quite vocal with their distaste for this type of amateur play. And while you never want to be “that guy” fuming over his rum and coke, sometimes it’s just inevitable. What’s even worse is when he hits that 4 and wins. Not because you want to see him fail, but because getting lucky and winning is going to reinforce the idea that what he did was a good move.
And another one for me is the dealer copycat. This is a huge “don’t” in the world of blackjack, but I still catch players doing it all the time. Just because this guy is wearing a black vest and taking your money, it doesn’t mean he’s a world class player. If fact, all he’s doing is following the casino-mandated rules of play. And since the casino’s rules are made to take your money, you’re not doing yourself any favors by playing into that from your end, as well. The dealer stands on 17, the dealer doesn’t split. The dealer hits on 16 or lower. The dealer doesn’t get to look at a strategy chart, or go on gut feelings. You can. So why in the world would you want to take away your options – the only thing standing between you and plummeting odds against the house.
Finally, the poor loser who lashes out at that very same black jack dealer. It’s just unacceptable. He’s not against you. You only look like a fool by making comments like “Finally!” when the dealers change. You show weakness by vocalizing your emotions, and you better hope nobody who sees or hears it follows you over to the poker table, because they’ll eat you alive. Be polite.