Title: Blackjack / Basic Strategy (OBO — no hole card, 6-deck S17)
Tags: hard pairs soft rules contrast

Hand: Does this game use a hole card?
Section: Rules
Answer: No hole card (ENHC deal), but OBO. Dealer takes one upcard and draws the second only after all players act.

Hand: What does OBO mean?
Section: Rules
Answer: Original Bets Only. If the dealer draws a blackjack, you lose only your original bet — any double/split money is returned.

Hand: OBO vs. true ENHC — the difference?
Section: Rules
Answer: OBO: dealer blackjack takes only the original bet → plays like the US peek game.
True ENHC: dealer blackjack takes everything, incl. doubles & splits → cautious play vs. 10/A.

Hand: How does OBO affect basic strategy?
Section: Rules
Answer: It doesn't. OBO is mathematically identical to a standard US hole-card game. Use the normal chart — no cautious deviations vs. 10 or A.
Note: This is the key difference from the France (true ENHC) deck.

Hand: The 3 hands that revert to standard under OBO
Section: Rules
Answer: 1) Hard 11 → double vs. 2–10 (not just 2–9).
2) Pair of 8s → always split.
3) Pair of Aces → always split.
Note: Under true ENHC these three turn cautious; under OBO they're normal.

Hand: Soft hand vs. hard hand?
Section: Rules
Answer: Soft = contains an Ace counted as 11 (can't bust on the next card). Hard = no Ace, or an Ace forced to 1.

Hand: OBO standard config (this deck assumes…)
Section: Rules
Answer: 6 decks · dealer stands on soft 17 (S17) · OBO · blackjack pays 3:2 · DAS allowed · insurance offered on dealer Ace · surrender varies by house.
Note: Check the felt for H17 and 6:5 — both are worse.

Hand: Should you take insurance?
Section: Rules
Answer: No. Pays 2:1 but true odds ~2.25:1 — about a 7% house edge. Decline every time. Even money is the same bet — also decline.

Hand: Hard 8 or less
Section: Hard totals
Answer: Always hit.

Hand: Hard 9
Section: Hard totals
Answer: Double vs. 3–6. Otherwise hit.

Hand: Hard 10
Section: Hard totals
Answer: Double vs. 2–9. Hit vs. 10, A.

Hand: Hard 11
Section: Hard totals
Answer: Double vs. 2–10. Hit vs. A.
Note: S17: hit vs. Ace. Under OBO you double vs. 10 (unlike true ENHC).

Hand: Hard 12
Section: Hard totals
Answer: Stand vs. 4–6. Hit vs. 2, 3, 7–A.

Hand: Hard 13
Section: Hard totals
Answer: Stand vs. 2–6. Hit vs. 7–A.

Hand: Hard 14
Section: Hard totals
Answer: Stand vs. 2–6. Hit vs. 7–A.

Hand: Hard 15
Section: Hard totals
Answer: Stand vs. 2–6. Hit vs. 7–A.
Note: If surrender is offered: surrender vs. 10.

Hand: Hard 16
Section: Hard totals
Answer: Stand vs. 2–6. Hit vs. 7–A.
Note: If surrender is offered: surrender vs. 9, 10, A.

Hand: Hard 17 or higher
Section: Hard totals
Answer: Always stand.

Hand: Soft 13 — A,2
Section: Soft totals
Answer: Double vs. 5, 6. Otherwise hit.

Hand: Soft 14 — A,3
Section: Soft totals
Answer: Double vs. 5, 6. Otherwise hit.

Hand: Soft 15 — A,4
Section: Soft totals
Answer: Double vs. 4–6. Otherwise hit.

Hand: Soft 16 — A,5
Section: Soft totals
Answer: Double vs. 4–6. Otherwise hit.

Hand: Soft 17 — A,6
Section: Soft totals
Answer: Double vs. 3–6. Otherwise hit.
Note: Never stand on soft 17 as the player.

Hand: Soft 18 — A,7
Section: Soft totals
Answer: Stand vs. 2, 7, 8. Double vs. 3–6. Hit vs. 9, 10, A.
Note: The trickiest hand. S17 version.

Hand: Soft 19 — A,8
Section: Soft totals
Answer: Always stand.

Hand: Soft 20 — A,9
Section: Soft totals
Answer: Always stand.

Hand: Soft-doubling caveat
Section: Soft totals
Answer: If the table only allows doubling on hard 9/10/11 (no soft doubles), hit every soft hand through soft 17 instead of doubling.

Hand: Pair of 2s
Section: Pairs (DAS)
Answer: Split vs. 2–7. Otherwise hit.

Hand: Pair of 3s
Section: Pairs (DAS)
Answer: Split vs. 2–7. Otherwise hit.

Hand: Pair of 4s
Section: Pairs (DAS)
Answer: Split vs. 5, 6. Otherwise hit.
Note: Only splittable because DAS is allowed.

Hand: Pair of 5s
Section: Pairs (DAS)
Answer: Never split. Play as hard 10 → double vs. 2–9, hit vs. 10, A.

Hand: Pair of 6s
Section: Pairs (DAS)
Answer: Split vs. 2–6. Otherwise hit.

Hand: Pair of 7s
Section: Pairs (DAS)
Answer: Split vs. 2–7. Otherwise hit.

Hand: Pair of 8s
Section: Pairs (DAS)
Answer: Always split.
Note: Including vs. 9, 10, A. Under true ENHC you'd hit vs. 10/A — not here.

Hand: Pair of 9s
Section: Pairs (DAS)
Answer: Split vs. 2–6, 8, 9. Stand vs. 7, 10, A.
Note: Stand vs. 7 — your 18 already beats a likely 17.

Hand: Pair of 10s
Section: Pairs (DAS)
Answer: Never split. Stand on the 20.

Hand: Pair of Aces
Section: Pairs (DAS)
Answer: Always split.
Note: One card each, no re-split. Under true ENHC you'd hit vs. A — not here.

Hand: 11 vs. 10 — OBO vs. true ENHC?
Section: OBO vs. true ENHC
Answer: OBO: double. True ENHC: hit.

Hand: Pair of 8s vs. 10 or Ace — OBO vs. true ENHC?
Section: OBO vs. true ENHC
Answer: OBO: split. True ENHC: hit (don't split).

Hand: Pair of Aces vs. Ace — OBO vs. true ENHC?
Section: OBO vs. true ENHC
Answer: OBO: split. True ENHC: hit.