Basic and advanced blackjack strategy are essential for gamers. The return to player rate in blackjack here at Jackpot Capital is about 99.5%. Unlike in slots, there is no volatility in blackjack. You will win and lose hands at about a 50-50 rate. And in the end, you will finish a session of blackjack either slightly ahead or slightly behind.
The key to success in blackjack is knowing the basic strategy perfectly. A lot of gamers use a blackjack chart to give them the edge in their decision making. Here we would like to teach you a few ways to remember the strategy chart without the need to consult it on every hand.
There is a great deal of hidden satisfaction when you simply “know” what your next move should be.
Getting Started
First and foremost, never play blackjack that pays 6-5 for a blackjack. A not so small number of blackjack players are fooled by the 6 in 6-5 over the 3 in 3-2. However, 3-2 is the same as 6-4. So, 6-5 costs gamers money on every blackjack!
Play 3-2 blackjack, period!
Second, learn the unique rules for every blackjack variation you play. Some blackjack games have different rules for doubling down and splitting. Know the variation you are playing.
Third, try to avoid going for big extra payouts for a 5-card or 6-card blackjack. These are very rare.
Fourth, avoid side bets in blackjack. Most side bets have a very high house edge so, if you do make side bets, you should do so with the understanding that your return to player rate will be a lot less than 99.5%.
Fifth, never play following a betting system. Although the purveyors of these systems “guarantee” that they will help you win, they do the opposite. The most famous betting system is the Martingale. In short, a small losing streak forces gamers to make a wild bet in order to win back their original ante bet.
And, Now, Tips for Remembering Basic Blackjack Strategy
A basic blackjack strategy card will have two axises (axes). The left axis has your possible hands. There is a lot to learn here. The top axis has the dealer’s up card. This is a lot more straightforward. The dealer can show an ace, a 2 and so on to a 10, and then a picture card.
The most common card the dealer will show is a 10-point card. There are 20 of these in any standard 52-card deck.
Best Strategy is Challenging
Here is where a lot of players get flummoxed. If you have 16 points and the dealer has a 10-point card showing, the dealer has a great chance to win the hand. Most players will never ever hit with 16 points. In this case, the best strategy is to hit with 16 points.
Let’s say that you hit and a 10 comes out and you bust. If you stayed, the dealer would get the 10 and win the hand! In a game like blackjack, there are a lot of hands that are effectively out of your control. There are also a lot of hands that are out of the dealer’s control since the dealer has to hit with 16 points! In the above example, if your game offers surrender, that is the perfect time to do so!
The key point here is that you have to look at the dealer’s up card on every hand.
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Look at the Left Side of the Chart
Now it can get complicated.
We see hard hands, soft hands, and pairs. Under each category of hands, a gamer can hit, stand, double, or surrender. A player can split only if he or she has a pair.
The next very important rule of thumb is that 17 and 18 points are not great hands for the player. 18 points often loses and often results in a push. 17 points is more than not a losing hand. However, if you have a hard 17 or 18 points, you stand. And you hope for the best.
A hard hand is a hand without an ace. A soft hand has an ace since the ace can be either 1 or 11 points.
The Dealer’s Card is Vitally Important
Let’s look at the hard hand side first. If the dealer has a 2, 3, or 4 points and you have a hard 8, you hit. If the dealer has 7 through ace and you have a hard 8, you hit. But if the dealer has a 5 or 6 and you have a hard 8, you double down!
It is identifying these kinds of opportunities that enable a player to achieve a return to player rate of 99.5%!
Next, look at a hard 12 points. Most players will stand with a hard 12 points because they don’t want to bust with 22 points. However, if the dealer has a 2 or a 3, the best strategy is to hit. You might bust. You might get a card that gives you 21 points. In any case, blackjack has been analyzed by computer over millions of hands and hitting with a hard 12 against a 2 or a 3 is the best play!
In fact, you stand only if the dealer has a 4, 5, or 6! This is so counter-intuitive for most players, that at a land-based casino, if a player plays a hard 12 correctly, he or she will be blamed for the other players’ losses!
How Should Players Play Soft Hands?
Once again, we see that when the dealer has a 4, 5, or 6 showing, he has a weak hand and any soft hand the player has is strong. You cannot bust with a soft hand on the third card!
You will hit with any soft hand from 13 points through 17 points with a small tweak when you have a soft 18 points. You will double with any soft total up to 17 points if the dealer is showing a 4, 5, or 6.
This might sound like a lot to remember. Two tips are in order here:
- Practice playing blackjack at home to get comfortable with strategy.
- Play in Jackpot Capital’s free play mode. This is the online way to practice!
The tweak is to hit with soft 18 if the dealer has 9 or 10 points showing. You cannot bust and statistically, you will win more often if you hit with soft 18 against a 9 or 10 than if you stand.
If the game allows it, you will also double when the dealer has a 4, 5, or 6 and you have a soft 18 or 19.
As is always the case, it is important beyond measure to pay attention!
We will come back to blackjack strategy soon with an article about how to use the split option.
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