Single deck blackjack games are rare nowadays and you can expect that they are really quite hard to find. But there are single deck games out there, it's just that players just need to invest some time looking for one. Unfortunately, in our single deck hunt we come across something else as we go along our way. There are often times when you see a "6 to 5" single deck game advertised.
The question is, is that "6 to 5" single deck game the same as our good old single deck original game? There must be a reason why we have the "6 to 5" added to the single deck phrase, isn't there? The truth is, if we look at the six to five single deck game we'll find some hidden nooses that tag along with this type of blackjack game.
Bottom line is that the six to five single deck game isn't the original single deck game we used to know. That explains the "six to five" phrase, it differentiates the old game from this new game. The first reason to avoid the six to five single deck is due to the pay out. The six to five isn't there for nothing at all, this is the rule for the pay out for this game type.
A six to five pay out doesn't paint a pretty picture for any player. It doesn't matter if you're a casual player, a skilled strategy player, or a card counter, you'll still be affected by this rule. With this rule, let's say you bet ten dollars. If you win via a blackjack then you'll only get back twelve dollars instead of the regular fifteen (i.e. the traditional three to two pay out for a blackjack on a minimum bet of ten dollars).
Another predicament you'll find in a six to five single deck game is that you get a worse payoff if you make your bets in amounts that are not divisible by five. Let's say you made a bet of seven dollars. If you win via a blackjack you win six dollars for the five dollars in your bet and even money for the other two. That is less than what you get paid in the old three to two game.
Card counting doesn't pay you as much when dealing with this type of blackjack. Another big reason to stay away from this type of game is that it usually applies to low limit tables. If you are the smarter kind of blackjack player, then you better stay away from the six to five single deck blackjack game.