Player yearns for Charlies after push on low-card run – Atlantic City Weekly

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. I had a 2 and a 4.

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.

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.

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?

A. For those who don't know "Charlies" in blackjack, they're automatic winners with a specified number of cards without busting.

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.

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.

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.

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Player yearns for Charlies after push on low-card run - Atlantic City Weekly