Blackjack Strategy

For decades, Blackjack has remained one of the most popular and widely played casino card games in the world. This is likely because a good understanding of Blackjack strategy can greatly increase your odds of winning. In fact, Blackjack is one of the few games based almost entirely on the skill of the player rather than the luck of the draw. Not even professional Poker players come close to matching the winning potential of a gambler armed with a good Blackjack strategy. With a good understanding of Blackjack strategy and the rules of the game, a player has the ability to take a lot of the guesswork out of gambling and be on track to making money at casinos.

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The first and most basic step to developing Blackjack strategy is to know the rules of the game. Blackjack is a card game in which the object is to beat the dealer by coming as close to 21 as possible without going over. Points in Blackjack are assigned according to the value of the cards, with number cards being face value, face cards worth ten points, and aces assigned either one or eleven points depending on the remainder of the cards. Each player in Blackjack, including the dealer, is dealt one facedown and one face-up card. The options then become to hit (receive another card), stand (keep the hand you have), split (create two hands from a dealt pair) or double down (double your original bet amount and receive just one further card). A good Blackjack strategy begins with knowledge and practice of the rules.

Because the object of Blackjack is to beat the dealer, a good Blackjack strategy is to pay attention to the dealer’s up card and base your plays on the possible hands for the dealer. If the dealer has a ten-value card showing, it is more likely that he has a Blackjack. The dealer always wins in the event of a tie. In most U.S. casinos, when the dealer has a ten showing, he will immediately check for Blackjack and collect all bets if he has one. When the dealer has an ace showing, he will first offer players the opportunity to buy insurance before checking, which pays 2 to 1 if the dealer has a Blackjack. It is poor Blackjack strategy to buy insurance, as more often than not the Blackjack will not show up and you will lose the insurance money.

Another thing to take into account regarding Blackjack strategy when considering the dealer’s cards is the general rule that a dealer must hit on sixteen and stand on seventeen. This rule sometimes varies in land-based and online casinos, so you should check the rules at specific tables to find out whether the sixteen-seventeen rule applies. Additionally, many casinos employ a “soft seventeen” rule, which states that the dealer must hit when he has an ace and any number of cards totaling six. This rule is especially important when the “five card Charlie” rule is employed: any hand with five cards that is not a bust automatically wins the round. If the dealer has a soft seventeen, his chances are good for a five card Charlie win.

Other examples of Blackjack strategy revolve around the moves a player makes after the opening deal. One Blackjack strategy is to mimic the dealer - always hit on sixteen and stand on seventeen. It is also a good strategy to know when the best and the worst times are for splitting and doubling down. Where splitting is concerned, a good rule of thumb is never to split when you have a pair that totals 20. It may be tempting to try this in the event you receive an ace on one of the cards, and therefore a Blackjack. However, the odds that your twenty hand will beat the dealer’s hand are far better than the odds you will make 21. When doubling down, a good strategy is to learn when you have the best chance of receiving a good hand with one further card from the initial deal, and double down as often as possible. Blackjack is one of the few games that will allow you to increase your original bet while a hand is in progress, and too few players take advantage of the double down rule.

To learn more Blackjack strategy, you can read books on Blackjack, consult successful Blackjack players, or even enroll in a Blackjack tutorial that will give you specific examples of winning Blackjack strategy. Practice is also an excellent way to hone your Blackjack strategy. Many online casinos offer the option of playing for fun rather than real money, so you can develop your Blackjack skills without risking a dime. Blackjack is truly a game of skill, and you can win big when you learn basic Blackjack strategy. The more you practice and learn, the better your Blackjack strategy will become!

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