Blackjack Training
Blackjack is a very fun and exciting game to play. Millions of players the world over play blackjack and with good reason. The game of blackjack is easy to learn and players can win more often by following some simple rules. Unlike some casino games, player interaction factors into the outcome of the game-not just one hand, but for the whole deck or shoe. Whether you are playing for $1 a hand or $1,000, you will have a blast playing blackjack.
The Game
While the game of blackjack is pretty straight forward, a little prep work is needed before jumping in at a table. The nice thing about online blackjack is that you don't need to worry about other players messing up your game (unless the casino offers multiple-player tables).
The object of the game is to beat the dealer. You can accomplish this two different ways. First, you can have a higher hand count than the dealer when the hand is over. Second, the dealer can bust (go over 21) and if you didn't bust yourself, you win. Many guides falsely state that the object is to get as close to 21 as possible. This is a bad way of looking at the game. You could win with a 3, 13, 16 and so on. The dealer can bust often and allowing that to happen is key.
The game is setup smartly, from the casino's perspective. All players and the dealer are dealt two cards, with the first card dealt to the dealer being shown to all. This is called the "up card." The player sitting to the left of the dealer is the first to be called to action. The turns continue in a clockwise manner around the table and the dealer goes last. This is important to know, because the dealer position is the strongest spot in the rotation. The dealer does not act until all players have completed their turns. Since you act before the dealer, you have to guess what the dealer might have and how it might play out.
Let's look at the action possible when it's your turn. When your turn comes up, you have to decide what action to take. You have two cards and their added total is your hand count. For example, if you had an eight of clubs and three of diamonds, you have eleven. Face cards are worth ten and an ace can be played as one or eleven-your choice. To get blackjack, you must be dealt an ace and a card equaling a count of ten (ten or face card). Following is a list of possible actions that can be taken on your turn.
Hit: Take one more card. If you go over 21, you bust and your hand is over. You can continue to hit until you are satisfied or you bust.
Stand: At any point you can stand or stay, which means cease your turn, because you accept your current card count
Surrender: Some casinos still offer this option, and it's making a comeback. If you don't like your first two cards, you can surrender and lose half of your bet. Why would anyone do this? Well, let's say you were dealt a 16 (not a good hand) and the dealer's up card is a ten, some would rather lose half of their bet than potentially all of it.
Double Down: Most online casinos only allow you to double down on certain hand counts, such as eleven. When you double down, you double up your bet and take one last card. Your three cards are your final hand count. Many believe you should always double down on eleven-we will look at this more in detail later.
Split: If you have two cards of the same type, such as two kings, two eights or two aces, you can split them and make two separate hands. When you do this, your bet is doubled and you now have two hands to play. If you split aces, some casinos only allow you to take one additional card, two total, per hand.
Even Money: If you are dealt a blackjack and the dealer has an ace showing, it is possible to take even money-unless the online casino does not offer it. If you don't take even money and the dealer has a blackjack as well, you push and win nothing.
Insurance: If the dealer's up card is an ace, the insurance bet is possible. Insurance pays two to one and the bet is won if the dealer does indeed have the blackjack. Should you have a bet of $10 and place a $5 insurance bet, you push. However, if the dealer does not have blackjack, you lose the $5.
Bet Payouts
It's pretty simple. All bets pay even money, with the exception of a blackjack, which pays three to two. If your base bet was $20 and you were dealt a blackjack, you would win $30.
Now that you have a basic understanding on the game of blackjack, let's look at some ways to play the game. Just about every blackjack player has their own thoughts on play style, but most follow some simple rules. Before we go on to playing styles, there's one important item you need to figure out before playing at a blackjack table-the number of decks being used. Single deck is the best scenario for the blackjack table. Many tables you find will most likely be at least double deck-many using four or more decks. As the number of decks increase, your ability to guess what cards might be left in the deck decreases and the game becomes more random and less formulaic.
Suggested Play Style
If you are new to blackjack or just looking for a way to better your game, try following these rules. Doing so will strengthen your playing foundation and give you a better chance to win long-term. As you progress, you might find instances to break these rules, but they are good to follow most of the time.
Bet Amount: Newer players are well advised to not chase wins. Just because you won X times in a row or lost X times in a row does not mean the opposite will happen any time soon-especially in games using six or more decks. When you first start playing, try to keep your bets even.
Never Split Tens & Faces: One mistake many newer players do is splitting good hands. If you find yourself holding two tens, don't split them no matter what the dealer is showing. Take your twenty and stand pat. Greedy players almost always lose in the end.
Always Split Eights: This is a great time to split those cards. Sixteen is, in my mind, the worst hand to have, because you are very likely to bust if you hit and if you stand, you need the dealer to bust. However, by splitting the hand, you get a fresh start. The likelihood of making at least one good hand is very high. Your goal here is really to just get a push and move on to the next hand.
Double Down on Eleven: Just about anyone who has even played the game of blackjack will tell you to always double down on eleven. There are times when you might think otherwise, but following this rule is a good thing. When you have eleven, you have a high probability of making a good hand out of it-plus you get to increase your bet.
Don't Take Insurance: Insurance is not the best bet in the house, because the probability of the dealer having blackjack is low. In single deck blackjack, the probability of being dealt a blackjack is less than 3%. If the dealer does not have blackjack, you lose your insurance bet and if you don't win the hand, you now lose even more money. Think about this, if you lose the insurance bet, you now have to win the hand just to win half of your money. Would you play a game that paid $5 for a $10 bet? If you have blackjack yourself, think about taking even money.
Even Money: If you are down on your luck, you might want to consider taking even money. However, if you are ahead for the playing session, take a chance. The probability of the dealer having blackjack with you is pretty low. This is really a personal call.
Don't Run Yourself Out of Hands: Too many players play like the object is to get as close to 21 as possible. If your hand is not too great, give the dealer the chance to bust. If you have a sixteen and believe the next card is a six or greater-stand. There's nothing wrong with going with your gut. If the next card is indeed a six or greater, but the dealer had twenty, nothing changed-you would have lost anyway.
Dealer Showing Hit Required: If the dealer has a two, three, four, five or six as the up card, you know the dealer must hit. Therefore, it is important to modify your play. The worst thing you can do is hit your hand and bust. This is a good time to double down on decent hands and stand on bad hands.
Allowing the Dealer to Bust
When the dealer has a weak up card, meaning the dealer must hit, you need to play differently than you would on a normal hand. Weak up cards are: two, three, four, five and six. When the situation comes up, try following these rules.
Hand Count: Twelve
If your hand is comprised of two aces, split them. Should the dealer show a two or three, you might want to hit your hand once. Most players will stand pat on this hand, but the dealer-and you-have many cards in the deck that can result in a good hand. In single deck blackjack, there are only sixteen cards that equal a value of ten-30.7% of the deck. It really is a gut call, but I like hitting my twelve when the dealer has a two or three showing.
If the dealer is showing a four, five or six-stand.
Hand Count: Thirteen
With a thirteen, 38% of the cards in a deck can bust you. The best policy is to simply stand and hope the dealer busts. If the dealer is showing a two, you may consider pulling a card if you think there is a majority of smaller cards left in the deck or shoe. If you are not sure, just stand.
Hand Count: Fourteen, Fifteen and Sixteen
The bottom line is to stand. There are far too many cards that can bust you. Sit on your hand and hope the dealer busts.
Hand Count: Ten or Eleven
These are great hands to double down on. You have a good chance of pulling a great card and, most importantly, the dealer has an opportunity to bust since you know the dealer must hit.
Hand Count: Soft Eighteen, Nineteen or Twenty
These are good hands to hit on. Your hope is to pull out any small cards still in the deck. Many players won't hit on an ace-nine, and this is fine. Should the dealer have a six up, try doubling down, if the online casino allows it, on these hands.
Following all of these rules can help your blackjack experience be more rewarding. Remember, these are just general guidelines. By paying attention to what cards have been played and what type of cards likely remain, you enhance your ability to make gut calls and possibly win more.
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