Blackjack Bots (Game over)

[Sirius9121]

anyone wanna guess my bidding scheme

[inspiratieloos]

Eh, we'll find out after the game.

[Farren]

Hand 22

Zen Count/Basic is first to open this time, opening with its now normal $5,000.
ND bot follows suit with its own bet of $5,000.
Apple Siri succumbs to peer pressure (all the cool bots are doing it!) and also bets $5,000.

Out come the cards ...

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		14	$5,000	$1,235,000
ND bot		18	$5,000	$990,000
Apple Siri		21 BLACKJACK!	$5,000	$1,086,000
Dealer		2

Zen Count/Basic has a 14 versus a dealer 2. It chooses to STAND, trusting that the dealer will go bust.
ND bot has an 18; it too opts to STAND, reasoning things are not likely to improve.
Apple Siri has a blackjack! Bad time to drop its bet to the minimum, but at least it doesn't have to worry about the outcome here.

The dealer reveals its hole card - a ten of spades. That gives it a 12, to which it must HIT. It does so and draws a six of clubs, putting it at 18, where it STANDs. Zen Count/Basic loses; ND bot pushes.

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		14	$5,000	$1,235,000
ND bot		18	$5,000	$990,000
Apple Siri		21 BLACKJACK!	$5,000	$1,086,000
Dealer		18

Results:

Zen Count/Basic loses $5,000, dropping it down to $1,235,000.
ND bot pushes, remaining at $995,000.
Apple Siri wins $7,500, going up to $1,098,500.

[Farren]

Hand 23

ND bot's turn to open this time; it pushes in its standard $5,000 bet.
Apple Siri copies ND bot's bet with $5,000 of its own.
Zen Count/Basic does the same. $5,000 - minimum bets all around.

Here come the cards ...

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		12	$5,000	$1,230,000
ND bot		20	$5,000	$990,000
Apple Siri		14	$5,000	$1,093,500
Dealer		10

With a face card showing, a dealer blackjack is a possibility. The dealer scans the hole card.

Spoiler: Is it an ace?

No aces here. On to the action!

ND bot with a 20 naturally chooses to STAND, as with no blackjack on the dealer's end its success (or at least, lack of failure!) is almost guaranteed.
The other bots are not so fortunate. Apple Siri, with only a 14, opts to HIT - getting a king of spades and a quick 24. BUST.
Zen Count/Basic has more room for error with a 12; it also chooses to HIT - but one jack of clubs later and it too is over the limit at 22. BUST.

The dealer reveals a ten of diamonds, making this another short and brutal hand. ND bot pushes again; everyone else loses.

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		22 OVER!	$5,000	$1,230,000
ND bot		20	$5,000	$990,000
Apple Siri		24 OVER!	$5,000	$1,093,500
Dealer		20

Results:

ND bot pushes, remaining at $995,000.
Apple Siri loses, dropping to $1,093,500.
Zen Count/Basic loses, dropping to $1,230,000.

One more hand to go before elimination, and we'll be posting that hand ... today!

[Farren]

Hand 24 - elimination hand

The time has come to say goodbye to another one of the participants. Let's find out who.

First to bet: Apple Siri, which opens with $5,000.
Next up: Zen Count/Basic, which follows with the same bet - $5,000.
Last: ND bot, which bids ...

Spoiler: How much?

$5,000, like always.

Here come the cards!

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		Soft 20	$5,000	$1,225,000
ND bot		Soft 19	$5,000	$990,000
Apple Siri		19	$5,000	$1,088,500
Dealer		8

Very promising for the players - no one with less than a 19 against a dealer 8!

Apple Siri STANDS with a hard 19.
Zen Count/Basic STANDS with a soft 20.
ND bot STANDS with a soft 19.

The dealer flips over its hole card - and it's a nine of diamonds, making this an even shorter hand - but far more generous. Everyone wins!

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		Soft 20	$5,000	$1,225,000
ND bot		Soft 19	$5,000	$990,000
Apple Siri		19	$5,000	$1,088,500
Dealer		17

Results:

Apple Siri wins $5,000, going back up to $1,098,500.
Zen Count/Basic wins $5,000, going back up to $1,235,000.
ND bot wins $5,000, reclaiming its original stake of $1,000,000.

Unfortunately, while breaking even is a most impressive accomplishment in a casino - where the house always wins! - it isn't enough to prevail today. With $1,000,000, ND bot is the poorest of the remaining bots and is tentatively eliminated from the tournament.

Appeals are now open. Players will have 48 hours to appeal any plays (including bets) made by their bots. Any mistakes will be fixed; replays will occur if warranted. When the timer expires, any mistakes or errors not caught will be final.

(expired on 2020-12-06 10:45:00) remaining. Please send any appeals via PM to both StrangerCoug and me. Thanks!

[Farren]

No appeals were made, so the final results stand. ND bot, programmed by Nancy Drew 39, has been eliminated from the tournament.

We'll be resuming the action on Monday. I'm hoping to keep to the same schedule this week - and wrap everything up by Friday, with the last appeal period running over the weekend again.

[Sirius9121]

eh im losing i think

[inspiratieloos]

The deck seems kinda dead and I guess your bot doesn't gamble?

[Sirius9121]

my bot is betting 5000 for the rest of the game i guess

[Farren]

Hand 25

Two bots remain. Six hands before we crown a winner of the tournament. The first of those six hands starts now.

Zen Count/Basic is first to bet; it opts for its now-customary $5,000 wager.
Apple Siri makes the exact same wager: $5,000.

Here come the cards ...

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		10	$5,000	$1,230,000
Apple Siri		9	$5,000	$1,093,500
Dealer		10

Decent totals for the players, but the dealer has a face card; a dealer blackjack would make short work of everything.

Spoiler: Any aces here?

No ace detected. Play continues.

With the dealer in a firm position, Zen Count/Basic forgoes the double and asks for a HIT instead - receiving a six of clubs, for a total of 16. Too late to surrender; it HITs once more and gets a Jack of Hearts. BUST.
Apple Siri also asks for a HIT. It gets a queen of hearts, and will have to hope the dealer doesn't have a 20. It STANDS.

The dealer reveals a seven of hearts. Dealer always STANDS on 17, which gives Apple Siri a win.

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		26 OVER!	$5,000	$1,230,000
Apple Siri		19	$5,000	$1,093,500
Dealer		17

Results:

Zen Count/Basic loses $5,000, dropping to $1,230,000.
Apple Siri wins $5,000, climbing to $1,103,500.

[Farren]

Hand 26

Apple Siri is first to bet this time, locking in a $5,000 wager.
Zen Count/Basic responds with a $5,000 wager of its own.

The dealer hands out the cards ...

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		14	$5,000	$1,225,000
Apple Siri		14	$5,000	$1,098,000
Dealer		7

... and not very good ones at that, with both bots at 14 versus a 7 showing.

Apple Siri asks for a HIT - getting a king of clubs for 24. BUST.
Zen Count/Basic also asks for a HIT. It gets a two of spades for 16. It HITS again - getting a six of diamonds for 22. BUST.

That kills the hand. No action required by the dealer, but it reveals its hole card per Kilobit policies: a king of spades. Nothing the players could have done to avert this disaster.

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		22 OVER!	$5,000	$1,225,000
Apple Siri		24 OVER!	$5,000	$1,098,000
Dealer		17

Apple Siri loses $5,000, dropping to $1,098,500.
Zen Count/Basic loses $5,000, dropping to $1,225,000.

[Farren]

Hand 27

Zen Count/Basic opens up the bidding this time, throwing in a $5,000 bet.
Apple Siri does the same: $5,000. Do they know something we don't?

Here come the cards:

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		17	$5,000	$1,220,000
Apple Siri		14	$5,000	$1,093,000
Dealer		3

Zen/Count Basic gets a 17, which is an obvious STAND - especially with the dealer having only a 3.
Apple Siri has only a 14, but also opts to STAND.

The dealer reveals a two of spades, for a total of 5. It HITS, claiming a four of spades, putting it at 9. One more HIT - drawing the king of diamonds for a 19. Everyone loses again. The bots' low bets pay off.

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		17	$5,000	$1,220,000
Apple Siri		14	$5,000	$1,093,000
Dealer		19

Results:
Zen Count/Basic loses $5,000, dropping to $1,220,000.
Apple Siri loses $5,000, dropping to $1,093,000.

[Farren]

Hand 28

Apple Siri bets $5,000, apparently locked in.
Zen Count/Basic remains equally unwavering, betting $5,000.

Cards are dealt ...

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		14	$5,000	$1,215,000
Apple Siri		16	$5,000	$1,088,500
Dealer		3

... and it's low totals all around.

Apple Siri has a 16 against the dealer's 3. It chooses to STAND, hoping the dealer will go BUST.
Zen Count/Basic has only a 14, and makes the same choice: STAND.

The dealer reveals a six of diamonds, giving it 9. It HITS - drawing a jack of hearts and STANDING at 19. Everyone loses, again.

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		14	$5,000	$1,215,000
Apple Siri		16	$5,000	$1,088,500
Dealer		19

Results:

Apple Siri loses $5,000, dropping to $1,088,500.
Zen Count/Basic loses $5,000, dropping to $1,215,000.

We'll play out the last two hands tomorrow!

[inspiratieloos]

I have this image of two bots sullenly sitting at the table:
"Min bet"
"Me too"
"Low hand again"
"Me too"
"Lost again"
"Me too"
"'Nother round?"
"Sure, whatever"

[Farren]

Hand 29

Zen Count/Basic is first up to bet - unsurprisingly, it continues to hold at $5,000.
Apple Siri, still trailing by well over $100,000, continues its recent trend and bets $5,000.

Out come the cards:

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		21 BLACKJACK!	$5,000	$1,210,000
Apple Siri		11	$5,000	$1,083,500
Dealer		Soft 11

Now that looks a bit more exciting! Zen Count/Basic gets a blackjack, while Apple Siri has an 11 ... but the dealer has an ace showing, which could ruin everything. If the dealer also has a blackjack, it'll mean a push for Zen Count/Basic and an instant loss for Apple Siri.

With an ace showing, the dealer is obliged to offer insurance - a 2:1 side bet costing half the original bet that pays off if the dealer has a blackjack.
Zen Count/Basic refuses insurance.
Apple Siri refuses insurance.

The dealer scans its hole card ... does it have a ten or face card?

Spoiler: Is all hope lost?

Nope! Big sigh of relief for Zen Count/Basic, as that means its blackjack is a winner.

Apple Siri, meanwhile, has an 11 - normally a perfect opportunity to double down, but against a dealer's ace, Apple Siri decides discretion is the better part of valor and opts only to HIT. Good news: it gets a ten of hearts, putting it at 21! Bad news: it should have doubled down. Oops. At 21, it must STAND.

The dealer reveals a two of hearts, putting it at a soft 13. A HIT gives it a two of clubs, for a soft 15. Another HIT: an ace of clubs, and a soft 16. One more HIT, and the last one for sure: another two of clubs, giving the dealer a full house! What a shame this isn't poker; in blackjack, that's only an 18, where the dealer must finally STAND. Everyone wins!

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		21 BLACKJACK!	$5,000	$1,210,000
Apple Siri		21	$5,000	$1,083,500
Dealer		18

Results:

Zen Count/Basic wins $7,500, climbing up to $1,222,500.
Apple Siri wins $5,000, climbing up to $1,093,500.

Next hand will be coming up soon!

[Farren]

Hand 30

The last hand of the tournament. Who will walk away with the Grand Prize? Let's find out.

Apple Siri is first to bet. Will this be the moment it breaks its streak of minimum bets, risking everything to take the lead from behind?
Nope. $5,000 into the pot.
Zen Count/Basic also pushes in $5,000.

Here come the cards:

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		13	$5,000	$1,217,500
Apple Siri		13	$5,000	$1,088,500
Dealer		10

And we're back to the bad hands. Both bots with 13s against a dealer ten. Out comes the scanner; no insurance this time.

Spoiler: Does the tournament end with a dealer blackjack?

Nope. Play continues!

Apple Siri is first to play. With a 13, it chooses to HIT - getting a jack of clubs, putting it at 23. BUST.
Zen Count/Basic is up next. It also opts to HIT - and gets a five of hearts, putting it at 18, where it STANDS.

The dealer reveals yet another five - a five of clubs, putting it at 15. It has to HIT at 15 - but it draws a four of diamonds, putting it at 19, where it STANDS. Everyone loses.

Bot	Hand	Total	Bet	Stack
Zen Count/Basic		18	$5,000	$1,217,500
Apple Siri		23 OVER!	$5,000	$1,088,500
Dealer		19

Results:

Apple Siri loses $5,000, leaving it with a grand total of $1,088,500.
Zen Count/Basic loses $5,000, leaving it with a grand total of $1,217,500.

Spoiler: Final Results (tentative):

Ranking	Player Name	Bot Name	Stack Size
1st Place	inspiratieloos	Zen Count/Basic	$1,217,500
2nd Place	Sirius9121	Apple Siri	$1,088,500
3rd Place	Nancy Drew 39	ND Bot	$1,000,000
4th Place	Ircher	Minimalist Bot	$126,000
5th Place	Aronis	R2-D21	$0

Appeals are now open. Players have 48 hours to submit any errors. Material errors will be fixed; hands replayed if warranted. Please PM any errors to both StrangerCoug and me. Thanks!
(expired on 2020-12-13 10:45:00)

[StrangerCoug]

I plan to provide my commentary after the game is over, but I wish to thank Farren for helping bring this game to a timely conclusion

[Farren]

I received no appeals; results are final.

Congratulations to inspiratieloos for winning Blackjack Bots!

GAME OVER.

Thanks for playing, everyone! And thank you to StrangerCoug for giving me an opportunity to help out with this.

[Farren]

Mod Topic

[NoPowerOverMe]

I'm in for the next try

[inspiratieloos]

I figured I was probably the only one who implemented a counting strategy.

I think Apple Siri was also using basic strategy, just written out instead of as a table as ND bot and mine did? So all three seem pretty much equally good at the actual game.

The second shuffle the deck just immediately went trash and stayed that way, so counting was kinda irrelevant. In the end I think I got lucky that in the one moment the first shuffle that the deck was good my bot bet big and won big.

[StrangerCoug]

I'll have more time to post my thoughts after work, but if and when I run this again, I will probably cut the first round and have a four-player game of 20 hands. The bot submitting rules will probably change a little, but the plans are that the counting strategy that Zen Count/Basic used to win the tournament will remain legal.

[Ircher]

Thanks for modding y'all.

Despite trying to code something simple; I still managed to get it wrong. I'm actually not quite sure what I was thinking when I did the playing strategy. Oh well.

[inspiratieloos]

You used the wrong kind of simple.

"Use the strategy in this image."

More legitimately, the simplest vaguely decent strategy for blackjack is probably "stand on 17+, otherwise hit".

[the worst]

For a long moment, I considered just inning with "stand on 17+, otherwise hit"

Well played and well modded - this was pretty cool to follow along.