College course on blackjack

(Credit: Sarah606) 

Always stand on a pair of 10s. Never take insurance. Look for a table where the dealer stands on a soft 17.

Ken Hunt, a professor at Fort Lewis College, shows class members a perfect hand at his Blackjack Basics/Advanced Strategy class Thursday night.

Those were just a few of the words of wisdom Fort Lewis College professor Ken Hunt shared with his Blackjack Basics/Advanced Strategy class offered through the school's Continuing Education program.

Among the more than 20 people who attended the Thursday evening class, most were looking for a better player advantage in the game where the object is to reach 21 without going over. Hunt, who teaches marketing at the college, has written more than 40 articles and taught the business of gaming for the last five years.

"Why do you go to play blackjack?" he said to the class. "If you say 'to win money,' it's the wrong answer. You go to have fun. If you do what I'll tell you about tonight, the house will have no advantage. You won't win, and you won't lose."

Hunt said that at most casinos, the house advantage is 0.05 percent, meaning that for ever $100 bet, a player can expect to lose 50 cents. He based his blackjack lesson plan on the probabilities and logic of keeping the house advantage at or lower than that 0.05 percent.

"I've seen a lot of stupidity out there," he said. "That's one of the reasons I wanted to teach this class. I want to ask people, 'Why are you throwing your money away?'"

Hunt said that he estimates that 85 percent of blackjack players have no idea of the probabilities, 5 percent to 10 percent have some idea and only about 5 percent really understand the advantages and logic of the game.

Class members varied from those who knew how to play the basic game to a few who could help the professor explain the statistics and different rules that can make or break a player's success. Students' ages ranged from 21 to retirees, a standard mix for the lifelong learning offerings at FLC, according to Continuing Education Director Gigi Duthie.

"We try to offer classes that have a wide range of appeal," she said. "We want to encourage people and inspire them in areas ranging from computer software and writing to playing the piano and brewing beer."

Duthie said that the program, which has been building for several years, is now attracting more than 300 students a semester and becoming profitable. "It's an important connection between the college and town," she said.

Cheryl Lynn and her husband, Dan, were at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to blackjack playing but agreed on one thing.

"Now that we're both retired," she said, "we have a lot more time for fun things like this."

One woman called Duthie concerned about a class about gambling being offered in a program associated with FLC. Duthie's response was that while she can see the issue, the continuing-education program works to enrich the lives of locals. And blackjack is a game of skill that many people enjoy for entertainment, she said.

Hunt gave several final pieces of advice. "Never let the dealer or person sitting next to you count your cards," he said. "Never vary from the rules and don't follow hunches or gut feelings. And always tip the cocktail waitress."

Source: The Durango Herald

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