Departures from sensible play in computer blackjack

Gambling has been viewed as irrational, and even though blackjack offers ra tional strategies (i.e., Basic EE. Thorp, 1966] and card counting), people exhibit departures from rationality (e.g., "Never Bust" strategies). To det ermine whether departures from rational behavior reflect ignorance or fatig ue, university students were provided with on-line Basic advice while playi ng a simplified computer blackjack. Although the on-line advice initially a ffected the totals these players sat on, it was eventually discarded for hi gher risk strategies. Irrational pig did not reflect ignorance or fatigue a nd was not necessarily conservative. Real fluctuations of odds in blackjack may lend to situations in which Basic is not perceived by players as effec tive. Because Basic is not a personalized strategy, it seems less likely to be maintained in the fade of losses. Players were more optimistic that the y might win when utilizing their personalized strategies.