There are several blackjack strategies. Finding the one that best fits the particular game of blackjack you are playing and your personal style of gambling can be a daunting task. However, once you discover the best combination that you are comfortable with, you can find a lot of enjoyment in the game. In this article, we will review some basics and introduce other strategies for you to consider.
The Basics
Before you begin getting seriously engaged in the game of blackjack, you should spend a fair deal of time getting familiar with how the game works. By watching dealers and players you can gain a great deal of insight into the mechanics of the game. Essentially, you are trying to get closer to a 21 count with your cards than the dealer. Beating the dealer without going over 21 makes your hand a winner. As simple as that sounds, there are a lot of ways that it can go wrong. One way to greatly reduce your risk is to play at a table that features a version of blackjack that has fewer card decks involved. Blackjack with four or eight decks is popular and the strategies noted below can be easily applied to these versions of the game. The strategies listed below will also give you a bit of an edge online. To test them, head on over to blackjack online at 10CRIC. Good luck!
Strategy #1 – Surrender
When a player surrenders, that player chooses to stop taking cards from the deck and is most likely in possession of a hand that won’t be a winner. Here are two very basic surrender guidelines:
– Surrender a hard 16 but never a pair of 8’s against the dealer’s 9, 10, or Ace.
– Surrender a hard 15 against a dealer’s 10.
Strategy #2 – Split
Splits present themselves when a player has two cards of the same value. There are times when splitting them and playing two different hands can be a beneficial tactic.
– Split Aces and 8’s.
– Do not split 5’s or 10’s.
– Split 2’s and 3’s against the dealer’s 4, 5, 6, or 7.
– Split 6’s against the dealer’s 3, 4, 5, or 6.
– Split 7’s against the dealer’s 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7.
– Split 9’s against a dealer’s 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 8, 9, but not against 7’s.
– Split 2’s and 3’s against the dealer’s 2 and 3.
– Split 6’s against the dealer’s 2.
– Split 4’s against the dealer’s 2.
Strategy #3 – Double
Doubling down is an exciting and profitable move in blackjack if it works out correctly. This is when a player will double their bet in the middle of a hand.
– Double on hard 9’s against the dealer’s 3, 4, 5, or 6.
– Double on hard 10’s except against a dealer’s 10 or Ace.
– Double on hard 11’s except against the dealer’s Ace.
– Double on soft 13’s or 14’s against the dealer’s 5 or 6.
– Double on soft 15’s or 16’s against the dealer’s 4 or 6.
– Double on soft 17’s or 18’s against the dealer’s 3 or 6.
Strategy #4 – Hit and Stand
When a player takes another card from the dealer, it is known as a hit. When a player does not take an extra card during a hand, it is known as standing. There are a few ways to use the hit or stand tactic to be successful at blackjack.
– Hit on a hard 11 or less.
– Stand on a hard 12 against the dealer’s 4, 5, or 6, otherwise hit.
– Stand on a hard 13, 14, 15, or 16 against the dealer’s 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, otherwise hit.
– Stand on a hard 17 or greater.
– Stand on a soft 18 but hit against the dealer’s 9, 10, or Ace.
– Stand on a soft 19 or greater.
Should the dealer hit on a soft 17, you may want to add these tactics to your strategy:
– Double on 11’s against the dealer’s Ace.
– Double on soft 18’s against the dealer’s 2.
– Double on soft 19’s against the dealer’s 6.
– Surrender 15’s, 8’s, and 17’s against a dealer’s Ace.
Strategy #5 – Counting Cards
This is a simple way to break down the game of blackjack once you get the hang of it. Essentially, you are assigning cards with specific values. The Hi-Low System of card counting looks like this:
– Cards 2 to 6 are assigned the value of -1
– Cards 10, J, Q, K, and Ace are assigned the value of +1
– Cards 7, 8, and 9 are assigned the value of 0
Once play begins, you just add the values each time a card is dealt which will help you to determine if there are low or high cards left in the deck. When the dealer shuffles the deck, you begin your counting back at 0. Keep in mind that if you begin to win frequently, the casino will start to send you free drinks and the dealer will strike up an overly friendly conversation with you. Those are signs that the casino security team has identified you as a potential card counter. Once this happens, you may want to call it a night and cash out your winnings.
Summary
Blackjack is a very popular casino table game and online gambling game. That is because the goal of the game is rather easy, but contains several complicated steps that can change the outcome in an instant with just the turn of a card. Considering players are playing against a dealer, the odds of winning each hand differs greatly depending on what cards have been dealt and which ones remain in the deck. However, there are many strategies in place that can help a player increase their odds against the dealer. The most common ones have been listed above. There is not so much science involved as there is math and provided you can keep the numbers straight in your head, you are bound to do well as the blackjack table.
