Blackjack tips and tricks

Here are some of the best tips and tricks to play BlackJack, while some of these might seem obvious to those with some blackjack background, you would be amazed at how normally intelligent players often let go of common sense in all the excitement of the game.

·         Always split pairs of Aces and 8s since when you have a pair of 8s it totals 16, not a very good hand because you must stand in most cases according to the Basic Strategy.

·         A pair of 10-value cards totals 20, quite a good hand to risk it.

·         When you have a hand which totals 17 or more it is very risky to hit since you can bust.

·         Never buy insurance! Insurance bet favours the house and don’t help you to win.

·         Always hit on 11 or less because you can’t go bust.

·         Never, ever adhere to the 'dealer rules.' Dealers must hit on 16 and stand on 17. This is the number one rule that novices need to forget. Playing by the dealer rules assumes that the dealer and the player are on equal footing, and they're not. If the player and the dealer both bust, the dealer wins. That is why this 'system' does not work for the player, but only for the dealer.

·         As a novice, play by the Basic Strategy. It is only through consistency that you improve your odds against the house.

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Mental Attitude

·         Whether you're playing baseball, the stock market or Blackjack, expect to lose a majority of the time, approximately 70% of the time. Statistically, you'll lose more hands than you'll win.

·         Think long-term. No single hand or session matters if you're playing with discretionary money. Don't lose sight of the fact that you're playing for fun and money.

·         Play only when you're mentally prepared; feel up to rolling with the punches, and when your energy level is high.

·         Don't allow yourself to get distracted. If you cannot give the game your full attention, walk away from the table.

·         Drink in a bar, not while you're playing Blackjack.

·         Don't pressure yourself or accept outside pressure to act too quickly, whether you're playing on the computer or in a casino.

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Tactical Advice

·         Remember that even after you have mastered basic blackjack strategy and black jack card counting techniques, it is impossible to win all the time. Blackjack is a statistical game and professionals know that to win big means playing lots of hands, riding out fluctuations and perfecting their skills to achieve an overall advantage.

·         Card counting is an effective way to gain an advantage over the house, but it is extremely difficult to do properly. More importantly, counting cards in blackjack while playing online is useless, since most games shuffle the deck after every hand.

·         Playing multiple hands against the dealer does not provide a statistical edge – it’s really no different than playing for a longer period of time. It certainly speeds things up, but it doesn’t increase your chances of winning.

·         Know the blackjack lingo. If there is a term used in blackjack that you don’t understand, you need to find out what it is. Blackjack is an easy game to learn, but it takes some time to master. Find out all about insurance, surrendering, and all the rest before you put money down on the table.

·         Never stop learning, never stop practicing. Even if you think you have perfected your game, you can always improve. Check out new strategies, new games, and new ways to play.

Blackjack for beginners

Blackjack can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it. Using card counting and advanced techniques, you can actually have a slight advantage over the house in certain conditions. That is, if you are willing to spend hundreds of hours learning and practicing, plus hundreds of hours each year playing!

The strategy described below is designed for those of you who have never played Blackjack before or have played only a few. It requires that you learn only four simple rules.

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Card Values

Tens and face cards count as 10, Aces count as either 1 or 11 (your choice), and all other cards have a count equal to their face value.

The Play

All players play against the dealer, not against one another. Each player makes their bet and the dealer starts out by dealing two cards to each player and two cards to himself. The dealer's second card is dealt face-up for all players to see. If the dealer has a "Blackjack", he will turn it over and automatically wins all bets, unless a player also has a Blackjack, in which case it's a tie.

Then, starting with the player to the dealer's left, each player has the choice of standing or being dealt additional cards. Play continues with that player until the player stands or "busts" After all players have made their decisions, the dealer draws additional cards to either reach a total of 17 or higher, or bust. If the dealer doesn't bust, all remaining player's hands with a higher card total win, and those with a lower card total lose.

One very critical point to remember is this: you goal is not to get a card count as close to 21 as possible, but to get closer to 21 than the dealer, without going over. 

Doubling Down, Splitting Pairs And Insurance

There are three special bets you can make after the first two cards are dealt. Doubling down means you can double your original bet after you receive your first two cards. You then receive one - and only one - additional card.

Splitting pairs means that when you receive any pair on your first two cards, you can split them into two separate hands and play each one independently (of course, you must place an additional bet equal to your first bet on the second hand).

Taking insurance means that if the dealer's up card is an Ace, you can wager an additional amount equal to half your original bet as "insurance" in case the dealer has a blackjack. If the dealer has a blackjack, you lose your original bet but your insurance bet is paid at 2 to 1, so you break even.

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"Hard Hands" Versus "Soft Hands"

A "soft" hand is one that has an Ace which is counted as 11 (remember: Aces can be counted as either one or 11). For example, a hand composed of an Ace and a 4 is called a soft 15.

A hand that either contains no Aces or the Ace is counted as a 1 is called a "hard" hand. 

Four Simple Rules

1. If the dealer's up card is 7 or higher, continue to draw cards until you have a hard count of at least 17 or higher, or a soft count of 18 or higher.

2. If the dealer's up card is 6 or lower, draw cards until you have at least 12. Stop when you have 12 or higher.

3. Double down when your first two cards total 10 or 11, IF the dealer has a 9 or lower.

4. Always split aces and eights. Do not split any other pairs.

Blackjack Basic Strategy

Blackjack basic strategy is based on the mathematics of the game. When it is followed correctly it reduces the house edge to the minimum, which is usually about one-half of a percent. Minor adjustments are made to basic strategy depending on certain rule variations that the different casinos can chose to use.

It is imperative as a blackjack player to learn this basic strategy, because by using it, you will eliminate the normal 5 or so percent advantage the casino has over the unskilled player. With basic strategy the house advantage is only about 0.5 percent! That is less than a 1 percent disadvantage to the player. This is why blackjack can be one of the most profitable games to play in a casino.

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Basic strategy varies according to the type of playing conditions that you are exposed to.

In order to know the Basic Strategy there are three things you must learn:

Simple Strategy – 7 Rules for Social Play

Simple Strategy; Seven Rules to help you Lose Less
Player Does	Verses	Dealer's Upcard
Stand on 13	V's	2 or 3
Stand on 12	V's	4, 5 or 6
Stand on 17	V's	7 or more
Double Down on 11 verses Dealer's 10 or less
Double Down on 10 verses Dealer's 9 or less
Always Split 8,8's
Always Split A,A's

When the Dealer is showing a 6 or less, he has a better than even chance of busting. So, the Player can pretty much relax and leave the Dealer to self-destruct. The only thing to remember is that if that upcard is a 2 or a 3, we stand on 13, not 12.

Stand on 13 verses Dealers 2 or 3. Stand on 12 verses Dealer’s 4, 5 or 6.

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When to Double Down

‘Double Down” is when the Player double’s his bet on the first two cards, and receives just one more card in exchange. 

When to Split Pairs

With two eights and you’ve got a Total of 16. No one wants a total of 16. Split and Hit, you’ve got a better than even chance of arriving at a Total of 17 or more. Even when the Dealer is showing a “6” or less and 16 would be a comfortable Stand, split the pair and double your rewards for Dealer’s better than even chance of Busting. So, all the odds say “Split”.

Splitting Aces would seem good sense to anyone, and it is. When you split Aces you only receive one additional card for each Ace. You can’t Hit again. If either of those cards is a “10” it’s not a Blackjack and only pays the usual 1 to 1, not 1½ to 1 . A Blackjack only applies the Player’s first two cards. That’s why it’s also called a “natural”. You don’t get it for extras.

Basic Strategy is not something that you can learn by walking into a casino and trying it out. You need to practice. 

SINGLE DECK - BASIC STRATEGY

Your Hand     vs        Dealer's Upcard

8                                             Double on 5 to 6. Otherwise hit.

9                                             Double on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit.

10                                          Double on 2 to 9. Otherwise hit.

11                                          Always double.

12                                          Stand on 4 to 6. Otherwise hit.

13 to 16                               Stand on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit.

17 to 21                               Always stand.

A,2 to A,5                           Double on 4 to 6. Otherwise hit.

A,6                                    Double on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit.

A,7                                     Double on 3 to 6. Stand on 2,7,8 or A.

Hit on 9 or 10.

A,8                                         Double on 6. Otherwise stand.

A,9                                         Always stand.

A,A                                         Always split.

2,2                                          Split on 3 to 7. Otherwise hit.

3,3                                          Split on 4 to 7. Otherwise hit.

4,4                                          Same as 8 above.

5,5                                          Same as 10 above.

6,6                                          Split on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit.

7,7                                         Split on 2 to 7. Stand on 10. Otherwise hit.

8,8                                         Always split.

9,9                                          Split on 2 to 9 except 7. Stand on 7,10 or A.

10,10                                    Always stand.

The above chart assumes the casino doesn't allow doubling

down after pair splitting.  If the casino allows doubling down

after pair splitting then use the following pair splitting rules.

Your Hand    vs Dealer's Upcard

2,2                            Split on 2 to 7.   Otherwise hit.

3,3                             Split on 2 to 7.   Otherwise hit.

4,4                            Split on 4,5 or 6. Otherwise hit.

6,6                             Split on 2 to 7.   Otherwise hit.

7,7                            Split on 2 to 8.   Stand on 10. Otherwise hit.

FOUR, SIX, EIGHT DECK - BASIC STRATEGY

Your Hand            vs     Dealer's Upcard

5 to 8                    Always Hit.

9                              Double on 3 to 6. Otherwise hit.

10                           Double on 2 to 9. Hit on 10, A.

11                           Double on 2 to 10. Hit on A.

12                            Stand on 4 to 6. Otherwise hit.

13                            Stand on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit.

14                            Stand on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit.

15                            Stand on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit.

16                            Stand on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit.

17                            Always stand.

18                            Always stand.

A,2                          Double on 5,6. Otherwise hit.

A,3                          Double on 5,6. Otherwise hit.

A,4                      Double on 4 to 6. Otherwise hit.

A,5                      Double on 4 to 6. Otherwise hit.

A,6                      Double on 3 to 6. Otherwise hit.

A,7                      Double on 3 to 6. Stand on 2,7 or 8.

Hit on 9,10 or A.

A,8 to A,10                          Always stand.

A,A                                         Always split.

2,2                                         Split on 2 to 7, Otherwise hit.

3,3                                          Split on 2 to 7. Otherwise hit.

4,4                                          Split on 5,6. Otherwise hit.

5,5                                          Never split. Treat as 10 above.

6,6                                          Split on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit.

7,7                                          Split on 2 to 7. Otherwise hit.

8,8                                          Always split.

9,9                                          Split on 2 to 6, 8 or 9. Stand on 7,10, or A.

10,10                      Always stand.

The above multiple deck basic strategy is valid if the players are

allowed to double down after pair splitting.  If doubling down

is not allowed after pair splitting, then use the following pair

splitting rules.

Your Hand           vs            Dealer's Upcard

2,2                       Split on 4 to 7.Otherwise hit.

3,3                       Split on   4 to 7. Otherwise hit.

4,4                       Never split. Always hit.

6,6                       Split on 3 to 6. Otherwise hit.

Perfect Blackjack Strategy

Once you have mastered these simple rules , you will have in place the basis of Basic Strategy. In order to master the complete strategy, there are two more areas of refinement to attend to. These are the rules for 'doubling down' and the rules for 'splitting pairs'. These do not alter the rules you have learnt above. They build and extend on them.

Rules for Doubling Down
Double Down On	Verses	Dealer's Upcard
11	V's	2-10
10	V's	2-9
9	V's	3-6
A6-A7	V's	3-6
A4-A5	V's	4-6
A2-A3	V's	5-6

Rules for Splitting Pairs
Split	Verses	Dealer's Upcard
A,A	V's	Any Card
9,9	V's	2-9 but not 7
8,8	V's	Any Card
7,7	V's	2-7
6,6	V's	2-6
4,4	V's	5-6
3,3	V's	2-7
2,2	V's	2-7