Learn Blackjack with Airbender Alexis
The Transcript
Heather:
Hey how are you guys? So this is Heather with Vegas-Aces.com and Alexis with Airbender Alexis and we're going to give you a video together. This is my first collaboration, my first unscripted video. This is gonna be really interesting. And, Alexis, um, why don't you tell the people watching, a little bit more about your channel?
Alexis:
OK, so my channel I do, like, comedy videos but they're not scripted. They're vlog style so I'll do like, I have a drunk trivia series. I'll do like, this is my friends, my mom, story times, um, some fun raps, if you want to check those out. And, you never know what to expect, so....
Heather:
Awesome. I'll put all that info in the description below and you gotta check her out. It's really, really cool. So, ok, we're gonna play Blackjack
Alexis:
Yay
Heather:
So, normally, uh, the first thing you do, when you walk up to the table, and especially for you, because you just turned 21, and you look young, so they're gonna be, like asking for your ID right away.
Alexis:
Yeah
Heather:
So give them your ID, now just so you know, in some places, um, you can either be 18 to gamble, or 21 to gamble, so it just depends on your location
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
Uh so we'll just pretend you gave me your ID and I checked it and all that. Hehehe
Alexis:
Did I pass?
Heather:
Barely
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
Hehehehehe hahahaha
Alexis:
Since I've been here, I've been trying to see how many people will ID me, and I've gotten six drinks, and I've only been ID'd one.
Heather:
Wow
Alexis:
I know. I was 5 for 5 and I got ID'd finally
Heather:
Hahaha
Alexis:
and I was like, What is happening? It was weird, but....
Heather:
Nice. They're a little more relaxed than you might think.
Alexis:
Yeah, I was surprised.
Heather:
Now, normally you would go up to the table and you would cash in for say, a hundred dollars. So, you would give them a hundred dollars, and they would give you a hundred in red, and this is what you'd have to start playing with.
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
And you, what you would do is you would take that money and put it right here in the betting circle.
Alexis:
My actual money or this?
Heather:
That money
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
You can actually put your real money in here and some people do it, cause it's lucky and everything, but normally you would play with chips and stuff.
Alexis:
I don't have any real money so this will have to do
Heather:
Ahahaha This is the best way to play
Alexis:
Yeah
Heather:
So um, go ahead and put, lets say $5 in there and normally they have a sign over on like, one of the sides and it'll say like, between $5 and $100 or $25 and $1,000 and those are your minimum and maximums, so that way you know, like, oh, I have to play $25 on this table if I'm gonna play. And uh, yeah, you don't want to sit down on those, tables, you want to stay away from them. Hehehehe
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
Yeah, so, um what the dealer would normally do is burn a card and then they would start dealing to you. (deals cards) oo, ok, this is good. Now, you have an eleven and I have a six. Now, you only get to see one of my cards. So you have to pretend you know what's on the other side and what people normally do is, they always give the under card , uh, the value of ten. So you would say, oh, she has a six up, she must have sixteen. So I'm gonna play like she has sixteen. Now, with your hand, you have an eleven, this is a really, really good hand. Especially if you want to double down. And, of course the first hand that we come out, is gonna be one of the, you know, trickier ones. Not just hit or stay, it's gonna be one of the fun ones.
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
So, a double down is, um it's a maneuver that you use in order to make more money. So you think that I'm gonna bust, and you wanna make more money, So you put $5 right here,
Alexis:
I'm already a little confused (laughs) but ok
Heather:
And you're doubling down, so now you doubled your bet. That's a double down
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
With a double down, you only get one card, and this is the only card you can hit. You can't hit any other cards. So right now you have a 16. BUT, you're not worried. Because I have a 6 showing and I'm supposed to bust and you're supposed to get paid double. That's how it's supposed to work. Now let’s see what actually happens.
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
So, I have a 10, and I got 21. Ouch, so my 21 beats your 16 and you lose that hand.
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
So I had to take your money, that wasn't a really good way to start off, was it?
Alexis:
(laughs) Yeah
Heather:
And just so you know, when you see the dealer get, like 21, out of a really crappy hand, that actually happens more than you might think. So....
Heather:
So, we're gonna play again, go ahead and put another bet up.
Alexis:
OK. So do I always double....
Heather:
No, you only double down on certain things. And what we just did right there, was one of those times when you needed to double down.
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
So, right now you have a 20, and a 20 is a really good hand. If you have say a 17 through a 21, you want to stay. A 21 being the best hand.
Alexis:
Yeah
Heather:
So, the way you stay, is you take your hand, and do this. (waves hand) and that's staying.
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
Now, normally you wouldn't do it over your bet, because, the reason why, is because there are some players who can put chips in their hand, and when they wave it over, they could put more money on there.
Alexis:
Wow
Heather:
So it's a way of cheating. So the casino doesn't want you to wave over their bet, because of this reason.
Alexis:
So I have to go like, over it?
Heather:
You go right here on the side
Alexis:
Ah
Heather:
Exactly, so that's perfect.
Alexis:
Perfect
Heather:
So that's a really good hand, and I got 16, and 19. So your 20 beats my 19, and you win.
Alexis:
Woo Ah
Heather:
Yeah Hehe
Alexis:
I'm a pro already. Do I take this back?
Heather:
Uh huh, yep you take it back. So you keep your original bet and you won an even amount.
(Deals cards)
Heather:
So you got a 6 and I got a 5 and you think I'm gonna bust because you think I have 15 and therefore I must bust. So you're just gonna hit a 6.
Alexis:
So what does that mean?
Heather:
Oh I'm sorry. (both laugh) Right, you don't know. So, when you hit, you take your fingers and you swipe the table like that.
Alexis:
Like this?
Heather:
Yep. Just like that, but you would use more of your fingers and less of your hand. Like that.
Alexis:
A little nails?
Heather:
Yeah, like scratching. Like you're scratching the table.
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
So, now you have 12.
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
And this is a little, uh iffy. Some people would stay on this, some people would hit on it. I believe the book says to stay on it. Um, oh, you don't know what the book is.
Alexis:
Nope
Heather:
OK, so if you're ever at a blackjack table, and you're wondering, geeze, What do I do here? I don't know how to play the hand, I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Well, they have a book for you. They have a little card, a strategy card that tells you, ok, I'm supposed to stay, I'm supposed to hit, That kind of thing. In fact, I have a strategy card for you. Just one second, I'll be right back
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
So, this is a blackjack strategy card. As you can see, you have the dealer's up card, up here, and then these are all your cards right here. And then it tells you weather you hit, stay, stand, split, or double. So, I had a 5, so we're gonna go to here for a 5 and you have a 12, so we're gonna go here for a 12. So, it's a stand. So you want to stay.
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
And then that helps you uh figure out, like oh, do I double down, do I split, what do I do? This is a really, really great way to play. Because this is optimal strategy, you're gonna get your best house edge by using the blackjack strategy card, than if you were, just say going by the seat of your pants.
Alexis:
Ah OK.
Heather:
So, how do you stay?
Alexis:
Oh this
Heather:
Yep, exactly
Alexis:
But not over the chip
Heather:
But not over the chip. Exactly (laughs) (deals cards)
Heather:
So we have 12, and I got 21. So unfortunately I kicked your butt. I'm sorry.
Alexis:
So, like, You've gotten 21 twice.
Heather:
mm hmm
Alexis:
So like, how, how. Actually, I have two questions. First question, how come your cards are always black and mine are red? Is that on purpose?
Heather:
(laughing) No
Alexis:
Cause that happened twice so I was like, confused. I thought that was like part of the game
Heather:
No, that might happen a little more often just cause we're using six decks and everything.
Alexis:
OK, that's cool though. And then, my follow up question, but not really follow up cause it's not related, but, so like, you're good at this game right? Like, how do you be good at it? It's like, I don't know. Because you've gotten 21 twice.
Heather:
I'm only good at it if I'm on this side of the table. If I'm on your side of the table, I get 16 bust, 16 bust, 16 bust, and I lose all my money. So it's only when I'm on this side of the table that I actually get like five card 21's
Alexis:
Is it just luck?
Heather:
It's the – I don't know if we consider it luck. Cause all the dealers do it and normally you have, um, you have two different types of dealers. You have your cold dealers and your hot dealers. I was a hot dealer, where as I would always get 21
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
You know, um, they say that this doesn't happen, but sometimes it does at the end of the night when they're trying to close the table, they will, uh, put their hot dealers in the tables that aren't closing, because the hot dealers making 21, 21, 21, and then they close the table and they're able to leave. So, uh, it's actually a thing in the casinos whether you're cold or whether you're hot.
Alexis:
So are you like doing something to get 21 or like, I just....
Heather:
It's just the way the game's built and the way its set up and...
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
Yeah
Heather:
I just have to tell you one story
Alexis:
OK please do.
Heather:
So, we had this guy on our table and he had no clue what he was doing. Could not play right (both laugh) No I mean like, like he would have 20 and he would hit and get an ace for 21. Like that kind of stuff.
Alexis:
Oh, ok
Heather:
Yeah. He was so drunk, and so, so wasted. So, so gone. So, I mean blackout drunk.
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
And he's playing, and he starts with a hundred dollars. He plays all night, eight hours, does everything wrong. At the end of the night, he walks away with twenty thousand dollars.
Alexis:
(laughs) What the hell? That's so cool.
Heather:
Yeah, so me and my dealers, like, we're all laughing because we're like, this dude is blackout drunk, he's gonna wake up, he's gonna see all that cash and he's gonna think he robbed a bank.
Alexis:
(laughs) Yeah
Heather:
You know? Like, that's just insane.
Alexis:
That is insane
Heather:
(laughs) OK go for it. Put up another one. Awesome.
Alexis:
Oh I got a red card now
Heather:
And if anyone hears the scratching, that's my dog Pip. I'm sorry about her. Now here's the fun thing. I have an Ace up. So, with the ace, I'm gonna ask you if you want insurance. What you're doing is, you're betting on whether I'm gonna have a blackjack or not. So, look at my cards and tell me, do you think I'm gonna have a blackjack or not.
Alexis:
No
Heather:
No. Then you wouldn't bet for insurance.
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
So, I'm gonna say, insurance. Insurance is closed. And then I'll check my cards, and we are good to go.
Alexis:
So I was right
Heather:
You were right.
(both giggle)
Heather:
So you have a 12 and you probably want to hit Because an Ace up, it's a really good hand for the dealer, so you wanna try and get as close to 21 as you possibly can.
Alexis:
OK. So.... Um....
Heather:
So you would hit.
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
Yeah
Alexis:
Sorry
Heather:
You're fine. And you got 19. So that's good. So then you would want to stay. Very Cool. And I have 6 or 16, and now I have 20. Now the Ace can be either 1 or 11.
Alexis:
Yeah
Heather:
It could be both. So with a 5 and an ace, it's 6, or it's 16. And with the 4, now I have 9 and 10. 20 and 10, so 20 is better than 10, so that's why I would stay with 20.
Alexis:
Yeah
Heather:
So that's how I got 20. So unfortunately my 20 beat your 19 and I gotta take that.
Alexis:
Bummer
Heather:
Yeah
Alexis:
(laughs)
Heather:
Yeah, so go ahead and put some more up. What do you think? You like it? You don't?
Alexis:
Yeah. It's fun. It's a little confusing, but I'm just like, I'm a slow learner, so bear with me.
Heather:
Oh, You're doing great. You're doing absolutely great. Don't worry. So what does your card say to do on this? A 14 against a 2.
Alexis:
Well, Let me check. Does it....Oh, OK, 2
Heather:
Great
Alexis:
S – Stand
Heather:
Very cool. So how do you stand?
Alexis:
Is that this thing?
Heather:
Yep
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
Exactly
Alexis:
This is like a cool motion. Just like, nah
Heather:
It's like, chill
Alexis:
Yeah
(both giggle)
Heather:
So I got 13....I got 22. You're a winner. Woo
Alexis:
Yeah
Heather:
Nice
Alexis:
Ten dollars. Well actually not really, cause I lost both
Heather:
Put ten up right now.
Alexis:
Ten up?
Heather:
Yeah, we're gonna go crazy
Alexis:
It's getting a little crazy
Heather:
(giggles)
Heather:
OK , so do you think I have blackjack this time?
Alexis:
No
Heather:
No? Insurance? Insurance is closed. Cool. So, what would you like to do? A 12 against an Ace.
Alexis:
I think we should, what's it called? Hit?
Heather:
Yep
Alexis:
So this, the scratch thing?
Heather:
Yep. You got it. You're good. You know what you're doing. So you got 17. Now, do you remember what number you stay on?
Alexis:
17? (laughs nervously)
Heather:
See, you got this. Oh, and then I beat you on 18.
Alexis:
Ah, bummer
Heather:
Totally. lol OK go ahead and put another one up.
Alexis:
Should I do ten again
Heather:
Uh do what you feel like. Do you feel lucky?
Alexis:
Lets do 15.
Heather:
Oh, you feel lucky.
Alexis:
Getting crazy right now.
Heather:
OK, one blackjack coming up. Oh, how about a 20? Give me an Ace. No, no Ace. OK, so you have a 12 against a 4. Now you just had, I think a 12 against a 4, didn't you?
Alexis:
Yeah
Heather:
So, what did you do?
Alexis:
Last time it said we should stand
Heather:
Do you want to stand or you wanna hit?
Alexis:
I think we should hit
Heather:
OK go for it. So now you got 13
Alexis:
OK
Heather:
So what do you want to do?
Alexis:
I don't know.
Heather:
Well, either go with your gut, or go with the blackjack card
Alexis:
Hit. Lets just hit again.
Heather:
OK
Alexis:
Cause why not?
Heather:
You got 15
Alexis:
Yeah. I'm doing well. I don't wanna risk it. Let's just stay
Heather:
OK, cool. So I have 11, 16, too many. Very good.
Alexis:
Wooohooo
Heather:
Nice
Alexis:
Good thing I betted 15
Heather:
Yeah seriously
Alexis:
It's raining chips over here.
Heather:
That would have given me 17 and I would have won so you played that well.
Alexis:
Yeah
Alexis:
OK, we're gonna go 30 in cause we're feeling crazy
Heather:
OK, 30 in going crazy, here we go. Oh, this is good. Yes! Nice! High five. Awesome.
Alexis:
Champion
Heather:
Very cool. So you got a blackjack. That always happens when your first two cards are an ace and a ten. So you have 30 dollars. Now with the way blackjacks go, you get paid one and a half times your bet. So, at 30, you get paid how much? If you take 30 and then divide it in half and then add the half to 30, how much would you get?
Alexis:
70, no wait that's total
Heather:
Close
Alexis:
I literally, I forget how to do math.
Heather:
So, 30, divided by half is 15.
Alexis:
45
Heather:
Exactly
Alexis:
It's 75 total
Heather:
(Laughs)
Alexis:
It's summer break
Heather:
Oh it's all good. (laugh) So yeah, nice job. Very good.
Alexis:
How fun. I love being rich
Heather:
Awesome.
Alexis:
and look, my first not red chip
Alexis:
OK, so the final round. How much do you think I should bet?
Heather:
mmmm lets do half.
Alexis:
Half of my money?
Heather:
Yeah
Alexis:
OK, well....
Heather:
Keep the green chip, that's your win. Yeah. I've had women do that too. I have. In fact, when they have given me money, they've pulled it out of areas you don't even want to go. And it's not just the women, it's the men too.
Alexis:
I respect that. Here, it's this much. Which I don't even know. I didn't count it.
Heather:
Oh that's OK. There we go. Ooooooh. Niiiiiice.
Alexis:
Does this mean something?
Heather:
So you got two of the same card. Especially 8's against my dealer's 6. So you always, always, always wanna split Aces and eights. Now a split, when you split, you would do the hand signal like this. And that means you want both of your cards to be now two different hands. So you have one hand, and you're splitting it, and now you're gonna have two separate hands.
Alexis:
You can do that?
Heather:
yep
Alexis:
But only if you get two of the same?
Heather:
Only if you get two of the same. Yep
Alexis:
That's fun
Heather:
And it has to be of the same amount. So whatever you have here, you have to put right here. So do you wanna do it?
Alexis:
Oh good thing I betted half exactly
(both laugh)
Alexis:
Yeah I guess, why not?
Heather:
Awesome. So that one's good. You wanna stay, so wave it off. Very cool. A 10. Oo, now you can either hit on this, or you can double down.
Alexis:
So you can hit just one of them.
Heather:
Well if you hit, you could hit as many times as you want. If you double down, you only get one card. But, the reason why you're doubling, is you think that I'm gonna bust and you want more money.
Alexis:
What do you think I should do?
Heather:
Double
Alexis:
Alright lets do it
Heather:
You got a green chip. Go ahead and throw it on there. Now, you could double for less. It doesn't have to be the same amount.
Alexis:
Ah
Heather:
When you split, it has to be the same amount. When you double, you could double for less, and that's OK.
Alexis:
That's all I have. Money is no object
Heather:
Nice. So I got 16 (gasps) I got 21.
Alexis:
Noooooo
Heather:
Oh no
Alexis:
That's all my money
Heather:
Oh and that's what normally happens at a casino.
Alexis:
Yeah
Heather:
That's a life lesson right there
Heather:
So that does it for this video. Thank you so, so much for watching. And if you get a chance, please, check out Alexis' channel. It's really cool, and like I said, info in the description below. And, as always, like me on facebook and twitter. Remember to subscribe, and thanks for watching.