Quick Blackjack Tips
It’s probably safe to say that you haveheard of blackjack before, but whether you are great at playingblackjack or not is anotherstory. Playing blackjack has always maintained its place as the popular game of choice in casino’s worldwideand online. Over time, games like poker and the pokies have gained quite the following. Blackjack, however, does notappear to be slowing down anytime soon.
What the Rules Mean. This might seem simple, but this article is for amateur blackjack gamblers. Pro’s Perspective: Blackjack Strategies and Tips With John Grochowski. Not all blackjack games are created equal. Beyond the basics, there is a mix-and-match set of rules, and each casino chooses the conditions for its own game variations. Some rules are favorable to players while others give the. Blackjack Tips – Useful Online Blackjack Tips As one of the most popular casino games out there, Blackjack comes in many different variations. While there are plenty of Blackjack online variations to choose from, knowing the basic rules and Blackjack tips is crucial if you wish to become good at it. Blackjack Tips In Detail Decide what bankroll is appropriate for the game. This will help you control your winnings or/and losses. Never start a real money game without learning the Basic Strategy. Do not forget that blackjack is a mathematical game. Choose the table you play. Blackjack is a speedy game to play. It can be as short as a few seconds or perhaps as long as a full minute, which still isn’t much time. Expect to get anywhere between 2 and 6 cards per round. At minimum, you may have two 10s, with only one point missing from the glorious 21 and keeping your hand in.
Blackjack is unique and offers many tipsand tricks that help players like you to overcome the house edge; at least asmuch as possible anyway. While the ideaof counting cards and being able to beat the house may seem lucrative, thepopularity behind blackjack is plain and simple. Playing blackjack is fun.
Now you might think that to be a goodblackjack player you need to invest in learninga strategy heavily, but this is not true. With our quick tips andtricks, you can increase your chances of landing a great hand and a nice nest egg without spending hours readingthrough card counting books.
How to play blackjack
Blackjack isusually played with a four, six, or eight standard 52-card decks. Thesedecks are combined to create the dealer’s shoe, which is also the source of wherethe cards are drawn from to give players’ their hand in each round. Now, eachcard in the game of blackjack carries a point value, cards two to ten are worth their face value; kings, queens, andjacks are valued at ten points; and acescan be used as a one or as an eleven.
The way that you win a game of blackjackis by drawing cards from the dealer which add up to a value of 21, withoutgoing over, or at the very least to beat the dealer’s hand.
How to win playing blackjack
Now that you are all caught up on thebasics of how to play blackjack – read onand make sure to take note of our quick blackjack tips and tricks.
Lookout for fives
In blackjack, each card has a value. Thisvalue is the underlying factor in determining what actions you take and theireffect on the entire game played from the dealer’s deck.
Card counters are always on the lookoutfor decks that are stacked with high-value cards. This is because a deck that is loaded with cardson the higher value benefits the player’s chances of drawing winning hands.
Now, if higher value cards arebeneficial, then lower value cards are bad news. These lower value cards aregreat for the dealer. What is useful to know is that the lowest value card withthe most significant disadvantage to theplayer is the five. For every five that isremoved from the dealer’s deck,the player will receive an extra 0.67% to their expected return. This might seem small at first but considermultiplying that by the number of fives that are in a dealer’s six-deck shoe, and you’re looking at a significant advantage.
Quick Tips For Blackjack
So be sure to keep a lookout for all thefives that are being drawn, the more being removed from the shoe, the better!
When to hit
A hit is your way of asking the dealerfor another card. How you notify a ‘hit’ is different, depending on the styleof game that you are playing. In hand-held games,players scrape their cards against the table. In face-up games, players can useeither a wave of a hand towards their body or tap the table with a finger.
Use the following guidelines as a quicktrick for when to hit, depending on what your hand looks like and the dealer’s face-up card:
- Ifyour hand totals eight or 12 through to 16, and the dealer’s face up card is aseven, eight, nine, ten, or ace – hit
- Ifyour hand totals 11, and the dealer’s face up card is an ace – hit and do not double down
- Ifyour hand equals ten, and the dealer’sface up card is a ten – hit and do not doubledown and
- Ifyour hand equals nine, and the dealer’sface up card is a seven, eight or nine – hit and do not double down.
When to stand
To notify the dealer that you want tostand, you can place your cards under chips in hand-held games; whereas, in face-up games, you must wave your handhorizontally across your cards.
Use the following guidelines as tips forwhen to stand, depending on what your hand looks like and the dealer’s face-up card:
- Ifyour hand totals 17 or above, no matter what card the dealer has – you alwaysstand
- Ifyour hand equals 13 or above, and thedealer’s face up card is a six or below – stand
and
- Ifyour hand consists of a splittable pairof 10s or face cards – do not split them, stand.
When to split
A split is a little more complicated.When splitting a pair of cards, you must place a second bet of equal value outside of the betting box while pointing with two fingers in a spread ‘V’shape.
The dealer will then split the cards anddeals an additional card to each new hand, which results in the player usingeach hand separately.
Our quick “tricks” to split your handdepends on the value of your pair of cards, and the value of the dealer’s face-upcard. Consider the following rules to decide when it is best to split yourhand:
- Onlysplit a pair of twos or threes if thedealer’s face up card is a four, five, six, or seven
- Neversplit a pair of fives; either opt todouble down, or hit if the dealer’s face up card is a ten or an ace
- Alwayssplit sixes and sevens if the dealer’s face up card is a six or below
- Alwayssplit a pair of eights – no matter what the dealer’s face up card is showing
and
- Alwayssplit aces if you are allowed.
When to double
Doubling down ‘looks’ as cool as itsounds. To double down, place your added chips next to your original bet andpoint with one finger, with confidence.
Doubling is a strategy which is generally used when your hand equals nine, ten, or 11, which gives players a good chanceof hitting 19 to 20 with either a 10 or a face card. Use these guidelines to determine when to double down on your hand,according to the total value of your cardsand the dealer’s face-up card:
- Besure to double down when your hand has atotal of ten – unless the dealer’s face up card is a ten or an ace
- Alwaysdouble down on an eleven, unless the dealer has an ace
and
- Alwaysdouble down on a nine when the dealer’s face up card is a three, four, five, orsix.
Consider using a strategy chart to begin
If you are having trouble remembering ourquick tips and tricks – you may want to invest in a handy blackjack strategychart.
A blackjack strategy chart is designed totell players exactly what moves to make in every possible situation. If you dopurchase a chart, beware of playerbacklash as some of the community have a strong dislike for blackjack strategycharts. This is because they remove the foundations of the game I.e. the “on the fly” decision making.
Before you decide, think of it this way –casinos have the house edge in blackjack because the dealer cannot makedecisions. The dealer always follows strict guidelines based on probabilitieswhen playing their hand.
Now, if you as the player tries to usethe same strategy, you would be effectivelyreducing the house edge.
Understand the rules
There are many variantsin the game of blackjack today, each with their slight differences in therules. Some games even have optional side bets and progressive jackpots.
If you decide to tryplaying a new variation of blackjack, like Perfect Pairs or Super 21, be sureto know all the rules and payouts beforegetting started.
No, you do not want fries with that
Insurance is the blackjack version of thecashier at Maccas asking “do you want fries with that?” When the dealer draws a face-up card – that is an ace, and the playerhas the option of purchasing insurance. Now the insuranceis a bet which involves putting down half of your original bet in the case the dealer draws a blackjack (aperfect 21). If the dealer does, you will win 2:1 on your insurance bet,covering your loss.
For example, you initially bet $10. The dealer puts up an ace to which you decide topurchase the insurance and place a $5 bet down. Now the dealer draws a king,which makes a clean 21. You get your $10 from your insurance bet but lose the$10 bet you initially placed.
Now, what if the dealer did not draw a 21 you say? If this is thecase, you will lose the $5 insurance bet you placed but still have the chanceof winning your initial bet if you beat the dealer’s hand.
It seems like a good idea on paper,hedging your bet and all – but the reality is the opposite.
The odds of a dealer having a blackjackare 9:4. This means that out of 130hands, you would win your insurance bet 40 times and lose it 90 times. So, savemoney in the long run and skip the insurance.
The not-so-sweet 16
If you thought fives were terrible, check this out about ‘16’.
Blackjack players over the world hatedrawing a hand worth 16. It is a value complete with indecision and uncertaintyand is full of confidence-shattering second-guessing;should you hit and risk busting over 21? Or should you stand and risk losing tothe dealer’s hand?
The problem with 16 is that it is there,but not quite there enough. Whether you have a hard or soft 16, or whether thecasino you are playing at has the surrender option. Any serious blackjackplayer needs to consider their stance on the not-so-sweet 16.
This is a difficult situation and not one that can be decided so quickly,so we recommend going out and doing some significant research into the16-point hand.
21, 20, and 11
So, it is a given that the best possiblehand to receive in blackjack is a perfect 21, and the second-best hand is 20. Thus, the third best hand in blackjack has to be a 19, right?
Wrong.
It might come as a surprise, but the third best hand in blackjack is an 11. This is because when you are dealt a hand witha value of 11, you need a ten to win which makes this hand very favorable.
The 11 is favourable because there are somany opportunities to get a ten, because kings, queens, and jacks all have avalue of ten. This means that there arefour times as many ten value cards inblackjack than there are any other cards.
As pointed out earlier, provided thedealer’s face-up card is not an ace – youmust always double down on 11.
Counting cards
Blackjack card counting is not for the faint-hearted and will take a lot of practice and brain-power to be able tocount effectively. Card counting is an old strategy that was used by manyprofessional blackjack players to make the game virtually beatable.
Although it is not hard to learn, it doestake some time to master; however, theresults are very lucrative.
We suggest that you do a lot of practisingbefore you practice card counting so that you do master it. Although it is not considered illegal, thestrategy is disliked by casinos because it removes the house edge and causesthe casino to lose money. You will likely find yourself being thrown out orpermanently banned from casino’s if security or gaming attendants recognisethat you are counting cards.
Remember, card counting does not work foronline games of blackjack. This isbecause after each hand the software re-shuffles the deck.
Play online, it is much cheaper
Playing online blackjack is excellent,and a really enjoyable game without the social aspect of physical casinoblackjack. The only downside? It is mostly only relevant to the hardcoreplayers – which means that you cannot count cards because the virtual dealer isdrawing from an infinite source of cards.
Playing online will save you a tonne of money in exchange for giving up the social aspects of casinos andblackjack. When it comes to online blackjack, players can reduce their significant overheads that playing at casinosattract, such as the flights, accommodation, food and drink, the parties – thelist could probably go on forever.
It makes sense to stay home and set a limit on your funds that you mayuse for playing blackjack, so why not consider signingup to a casinowith online blackjack games like Planet 7 Oz? It’sone of the most favourited casinos to play online blackjack within Australia, withstable servers which perform much better during Aussie peak traffic times.
The bonuses online are worth it
The comfort of playing in your own homeisn’t even the best part of playing blackjack online.
Because of the intense competition in theonline casino gaming world, players are always going to score sweet bonuses toentice them to join.
Simple tactics like welcome bonuses orfree casino chips for returning to the casino after any short hiatus, can netyou with huge starting bankrolls up to $100!
You’ve made it through our quick tips andtricks for playing blackjack, now get out into the world and put that newfoundknowledge to the test! If you are still unsure where to start, we suggestplaying blackjack online for free before you put your hard-earned cash on theline. You can practice playing using ‘fake’ money online with Planet 7 Oztoday!
VISIT PLANET 7 OZ NOWHistory – How To Play – Rules – Odds – Strategy – Pro’s Perspective
Whether online or land-based Blackjack is one of the most popular card games at casinos, whether online or land-based. The game is sometimes referred to as 21, as players will try to get a hand total that is equal to 21. The game is not a competitive game in that players do not compete against each other. It is only played between the player and the dealer at the blackjack table. When the showdown occurs, players will not compare their blackjack hands together, but will instead compare their hands with the hand of the dealer.
There are many versions of the game, but they all have the same concept and target, which is reaching a hand total of twenty-one. The game begins with each player being dealt 2 cards. Players will then go through a series of decisions that depend on the hand total and the cards forming the hand. These decisions include “Hitting”, “Standing”, “Splitting” and “Doubling Down.”
When players get an ace and a jack or any other ten-value card, they will instantly win, and it is called Blackjack. Players will be rewarded more than the usual winning hand ( for Blackjack which is usually 3 to 2) while regular winning hands would pay even money (one to one). There is also a selection of side bets that players can place, depending on the blackjack version. The typical side bet in most blackjack games is an Insurance bet.
Blackjack History
The origin of Blackjack, like many other casino games, is still debatable. Nonetheless, most people agree the game of Blackjack originated in France in its land-based casinos in the 1700s. The game was called Vingt-et-Un. Vingt-et-Un is a French word that translates to twenty-one (21) in English, which is how players still use to refer to blackjack to this day. Some researchers believe that the game was derived from other card games that were popular in France at the time. These French games were French Ferme & Chemin de Fer, which had many similar rules and procedures.
Though Blackjack is thought to originate in France, the game was first referenced in a novel written in the 1600s by the Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes. In the book, he describes two characters playing a card game that was named Veintiuno (Vingt-et-Un), and the rules of the game were pretty similar if not the exact rules of Blackjack.
Players dealt with cards, and the purpose was to get a hand total that is as close to twenty-one as possible without busting. In this game, the Aces counted as either 1 point or 11, just the like modern-day version of Blackjack. The book was written in the early 17th century, which adds credibility to the theory that the game actually originated in Spain.
Later on, the game of Blackjack traveled throughout Europe, however, leaving the most prominent tracks in Spain and France. Eventually, the game was introduced to the US.
Among the different versions of Blackjack, Vingt-et-Un (21) was the one that spread the most. It started to appear gradually in North America among the French colonists. However, the rules of Vingt-et-Un at that time differed slightly from modern-day Blackjack. For example, the dealer was the only person permitted to double down, and there were wagering rounds between each dealt card.
The game became very popular in Nevada as it was the first state to legalize gambling in 1931.
At that time, the game was still named 21. For the casinos to attract players and encourage them to play the game, they offered the chance to place a special bet. This bet would pay players 10: 1 if they got a blackjack with a Jack of Clubs or Spades, along with an Ace of Spades. This is where the name Blackjack originated.
How to Play Blackjack
Like any casino card game, players will start by placing a bet. This is the final bet and players will not be able to reduce it or add to it (unless the game allows for doubling down) during gameplay. Once players place their respective bets, they will get two cards facing up while the dealer will give himself two cards though one is facing down, and the other is facing up. In some versions, the two cards of the dealer will also be facing up, for example in Blackjack Double Xposure.
Some games allow players to place bets on more than one blackjack hand; they are called multi-hand blackjack games. In these games, players will place a separate bet for each hand, and each hand is played separately. Although it is very rewarding, and it enables players to recover from the loss of one of the hands by winning the rest, it can also be devastating if the dealer gets a good hand or a blackjack.
Players will calculate their hand total, and make a decision to: either “Hit” or “Stand.” If they “Hit”, it means that they are not satisfied with their hand total and that they want more cards. They can keep hitting until they “Stand” which means that they are happy with the hand total or until they “Bust.” Busting means going over 21; if players bust, the hand is an immediate loss.
Once players stand, the dealer will show his hole card, which is the card that was facing down. He will then start “Hitting” which means to draw more cards until he reaches or passes 17. Some games obligate the dealer to stand on all 17s, and some require the dealer to stop at only Hard 17s. After the dealer stands, a comparison between the hand of the dealer and the hand of the player will take place. The hand that is closest to 21 is the winning hand. If the two hands have the same value, it’s a tie, which really depends on the rules of each version. When there is a tie, it is called a “Push”; some versions would consider it a tie and give players back their bets while other games consider a Push to be in the favor of the dealer.
There are other decisions that players will need to make during the gameplay. For example, players can “Split” If they get identical cards to form two hands. The two hands will have the same value of the original bet. Some versions would enable players to split more than once to form 4 different Blackjack hands. Also, some versions would allow players to split, unlike ten-value cards like a Ten and a Jack, or a Jack and a Queen. Players can split aces in some versions, but they will only be able to hit once and if they get a ten-value card, they will be paid even money as it is considered an average win and not a Blackjack.
Blackjack Rules
The rules of blackjack depend on which version is being played. Players are advised to check the rules of the specific blackjack version they are playing before engaging in the game. Although there are common rules like 21, busting, the dealing procedure and the card value, there are other rules that differ.
Card Values:
The card values are equal to the face value of each card, while Jacks, Queen, and Kings have a value of ten. Aces can be counted as either 11 or 1, depending on the blackjack hand. If it forms a total while being counted as 11, it is called soft, and if it creates a total while being counted as 1, it is called hard. For example, a hand that consists of an Ace and a five is a soft sixteen and a hard six.
Splitting Rules:
Splitting is allowed in every blackjack game, but some games will not allow splitting Aces and some games will only allow players to split 1 time. Players who split aces will only be allowed to hit once and get one more card. Players can split unlike ten-value cards depending on the rules of each game; some allow it while some require players to get identical ten-value cards so they can split. Splitting means that players will place a new wager which on the new hand, which is equal to the original wager was placed on the Blackjack hand; with four hands players can quadruple their original wager.
Double Down Rules:
Players will be permitted to double down after they get their first two cards. Some games enable players to double down at any value and others only allow them to double down if they get a hand total that is equal to 9, 10 or 11. Players will only be able to get one more card after they double, they will have to take that card, because it is not optional.
Surrender Rules:
Some games will give players the chance to surrender their blackjack hands; it is the equivalent of folding in poker. Players can make that decision after they are dealt the initial two cards. If they surrender, they will forfeit the hand, and they will lose half of their bet. Sometimes it is better to lose half than to lose the entire bet.
Insurance Rules:
Insurance is a side bet that players can place if the dealer’s card that is facing up is an Ace or a ten-value card. Players will win that bet if the hand has a blackjack. The dealer will peek and see his card once players place that wager and pay it out if it is a blackjack.
If players do not place insurance, and the dealer gets a blackjack, all the wagers, except insurance will bust. If the player has a blackjack as well, it is considered a push. Some variations will give players their bets back, while others consider a push to be in the favor of the house.
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Blackjack Odds
For you to fully understand the game, it is essential to comprehend and master the odds of the game and learn about the advantage of the house. It is critical to know how the house gets its edge.
The house has a distinct advantage over the players because players have to draw in blackjack first. If the player busts, the dealer will automatically win regardless of their hand. This is the main advantage the house has, and if everything else is equal, the house edge in a standard game of blackjack would be equal to 8 percent. The player and the dealer have a 28 percent probability of going over 21. Twenty-eight multiplied by twenty-eight means that 8 percent of the time the two hands will go over 21, and since the player will draw first, the dealer will win if and when they both bust.
Odds of Busting Based on Dealer’s First Card Drawn
Of course, the odds are not equal among all variations. Some offer players great advantages and, to balance these benefits; the casino increases its advantage or edge. Because of this, it is essential for players to know everything about the game before playing.
For example, the number of decks in play has a tremendous effect. Some games draw cards from a single deck, which can affect the odds significantly while other games draw the cards from six different decks of cards. If a game uses one deck of cards, the house will change other rules to increase its odds and reduce the odds for players. This is because when a player gets an Ace, it means there are 3 Aces left which decreases the chances for the dealer in getting one of these aces. On the other hand, if the game uses 6 decks, it means that there are 23 Aces remaining in the deck.
The odds on a player’s hand will change every step of the way. For example, if players get two cards, and they hit, the hand total will increase, and the chance of busting will increase, and so forth.
Odds of Busting based on Player’s First Card Drawn
Since Blackjack is one of the games with a reputation of counting cards, a lot of researchers and gamblers have studied the game and the odds so they can increase their chances of winning. You might have seen that in the movie “21” where MIT students developed a way to beat the house. For them to do that, they had to make up a counting system that would increase their advantage. This is why there are published studies that show the percentage of busting and getting a blackjack depending on the first 2 cards, the hand total of the player, and the facing up card of the dealer. You can find more about these strategies and percentages in the Strategy section.
Blackjack Strategy
Before discussing strategy, let us firstly go through some numbers that can be quite helpful. For starters, we will discuss the bust probabilities for each hand total. This will enable players to optimize their game to the fullest by knowing the percentage of busting if they ask for one more card.
– If players get a hand total of 11 or below, the percentage is equal to zero.
– If players get a hand total of 12 or below, the percentage is equal to 31.
– If players get a hand total of 13 or below, the percentage is equal to 39.
– If players get a hand total of 14 or below, the percentage is equal to 56.
– If players get a hand total of 15 or below, the percentage is equal to 58.
– If players get a hand total of 16 or below, the percentage is equal to 62.
– If players get a hand total of 17 or below, the percentage is equal to 69.
– If players get a hand total of 18 or below, the percentage is equal to 77.
– If players get a hand total of 19 or below, the percentage is equal to 85.
– If players get a hand total of 20 or below, the percentage is equal to 92.
From these numbers, players can figure out when they should stand and when they should hit. Players who get a hand total of between 2 and sixteen should generally hit and get another card. If they get a hand total that is more than 17, they should typically stand.
Of course, players will have to take the showing card of the dealer into consideration. The next set of numbers shows the dealer’s chance of busting according to the facing up card.
– Ace (11.65%)
– 10/Face Card (21.43%)
– 9 (23.34%)
– 8 (23.6%)
– 7 (25.9%)
– 6 (42.08%)
– 5 (42.89%)
– 4 (40.28%)
– 3 (37.56%)
– 2 (35.30%)
Taking these numbers into consideration, as well as the previous ones, will help players decide whether they should hit or stand.
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Besides hitting and standing, players should also know when to split and when not to split:
– When players get Aces or 8 cards, they should always split. There is a big chance to get a hand total that is closer to twenty-one when you hit on these two cards.
– Players should never split 10, 4, or 5 cards, regardless of the upcard of the dealer. Splitting in these scenarios will put you in danger of busting.
– Players should split 7, 3, and 2 cards if the dealer is showing a card between a 2 and a 7. If the value of his card is 8 or over, you should hit instead of splitting.
– Players should split 6 cards if the dealer is showing a card that has a value between 2 and 6. If the value of his card is equal to 7 or over, you should hit instead of splitting.
Pro’s Perspective: Blackjack Strategies and Tips
With John Grochowski
Tips For Playing Blackjack
Not all blackjack games are created equal. Beyond the basics, there is a mix-and-match set of rules, and each casino chooses the conditions for its own game variations. Some rules are favorable to players while others give the casino an extra edge.
Let’s look at some of the more common options.
Number of Card Decks
Fewer decks are better for players. That’s because more blackjacks are dealt with fewer decks. That’s true for both players and dealers, but players are paid a premium on blackjacks and dealers aren’t.
In a single-deck game, if your first card is an Ace, 16 of the other 51 cards, or 31.4 percent, are 10-value cards that complete a blackjack. In a six-deck game, a first-card Ace leaves 64 of the other 311 cards, or 30.9 percent, as 10 values. There is a similar effect when the first card is a 10-value. Regardless of whether an Ace or a 10 comes first, there is a greater chance of blackjack with fewer decks.
However, not all single-deck games are better than all multi-deck games. You need to consider other rules in effect, including those listed below.
Blackjack Rules
The basic blackjack rule is that the dealer hits on 16 or less and stands on 17 or more. However, many casinos have the dealer hit soft 17, where an Ace is being counted as 11. Soft 17s such as Ace-6, Ace-2-4, Ace-3-3, and others can’t be busted with a one-card hit because the Ace can be counted as 1 instead.
It’s better for players if the dealer stands on all 17s. Hitting soft 17 gives the dealer a chance to improve to hands that could beat player 17s, 18s, 19s or 20s, and even push player 21s.
For most of blackjack’s history, two-card 21s have paid 3-2 so that a $10 bet brings $15 in winnings. Some casinos nowadays only pay on 6-5 on blackjacks, so a $10 bet only wins $12. This is one of the most important rules in blackjack. If blackjacks only pays 6-5, it adds 1.4 percent to the house edge – an amount greater than the entire house edge in many games that pay 6-5.
Variations of Double Down
As a player, you want to see games where the player may double down on any first two cards, including after the player has split pairs. If you split a pair of 8s and receive a 3 on one for a two-card total of 11, you want the option of doubling down. It increases the house edge if the casino does not allow doubling down after splits. Similarly, some casinos do not allow doubling down on soft hands and some restrict doubling to two-card totals of hard 10 or 11.
Fewer restrictions are better for smart players who know how to use them. Have your web browser search for basic strategy charts. They’ll tell you the proper times to double down along with the best plays for each possible hand.