At its base, blackjack is actually rather simple: your goal is to beat the dealer’s hand without exceeding a total value of 21. Each participant receives two cards, and the dealer also gets two cards, one face up and one facedown. The value of your hand is obtained by summing up the values of the cards you hold:
- Numbered cards from 2 to 10 are counted for their face value.
- Face cards, that is, jack, queen, and king, are counted for 10.
- Ace cards have values of 1 or 11, and you can decide which value will most help your hand.
Following the initial cards dealt, a player can do one of the following as an action on a hand:
- Hit: Take another card to add to your hand. You can keep hitting until you either bust (go over 21) or stop.
- Stand: Leave your current hand without accepting any more cards.
- Double Down: Double your initial bet and are dealt only one more card. This is only allowed on the first two cards
- Split: If the first two cards of a hand have the same value, you can split them into different hands. You double your initial bet for that hand. Then play each hand separately.
The dealer follows a set of predefined rules. The dealer must hit if his hand totals 16 or less and must stand on a hand of 17 or higher.
Knowing Blackjack Strategy
Luck is a factor in online blackjack Games. Still, applying the right strategy can give you the peace of mind and is going to reduce significantly your house edge while winning money from it. What are some of the most basic strategies that every player should learn about?
- Learn the Basic Blackjack Strategy
The basic blackjack strategy is a mathematically proven set of decisions that tell you when to hit, stand, split, or double down. It is a strategy based on the value of your hand and the dealer’s face-up card, eliminating guesswork and giving you the greatest chance possible to win.
For example, if you have a hand of 12 while the dealer’s upcard is a 4, then basic strategy advises that you should stand. This is because a player with an upcard of 4 will bust more often than not, and hitting in that situation may result in your busting instead. Conversely, when the dealer’s upcard is a 10, you will hit because a player who has a 10 as his upcard has a better chance of having a good hand.
Remember, basic strategy charts memorized are very useful- especially for the new player.
- Know When to Double Down
Doubledown: This is one of the most thrilling bets in blackjack. This strategy allows you to double your bet in return for one more card. The best time to double down is when you are in a strong position to beat the dealer. For example, if you have a total of 11, then it is advised that you double down since the probability is high enough for getting a 10-value card, thus getting close to 21.
However, you should not bet much when the dealer’s upcard is a strong card such as 9, 10, or ace since the dealer might end up with the best hand.
- To Split Pairs
The splitting of pairs may convert a potential relatively weak hand into two stronger ones, but it is important to know when to play this strategy. Always split aces and eights. Splitting aces does improve your possibilities of getting a 21 on one or both hands. Splitting eights prevents you from having the lousy total of 16, a painfully poor hand in blackjack.
On the contrary, split tens and fives never. Tens give you a fairly good total value of 20 already and splitting fives gives two weaker hands.
- Avoid making side bets
While tempting, side bets like insurance usually carry a higher house edge. Insurance is offered when the dealer’s face-up card is an ace, and it allows you to bet on whether the dealer has blackjack. Statistically, these side bets offer poor value and should be avoided.
Conclusion
By mastering the basic rules and strategies of the game, one will increase his or her chances of winning at blackjack. The basic blackjack strategy includes knowing when to hit, stand, double down, or split. What is more, avoid placing superfluous side bets, as these reduce winning odds for the players and increase the house edge. Blackjack practice and discipline are going to be a tremendous way for the game to be an entertaining and rewarding experience.