Blackjack is a great game for the for the gambler that likes to get value for their money. It has one of the lowest house edges of all the games found in a casino, and is fun to play. In fact, in some situations the player can even have an advantage over the casino when playing Blackjack. It's a great game to play in both land-based and online casinos; it can also be used to good effect to profit from bonuses offered by online casinos! You can also try out your favorite blackjack strategy by using a free cash bonus, no deposit required from any of the large number of online casinos that offer no deposit casino bonuses to attract new clients. View our list of no deposit casino bonuses.
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The object of the game is simple: make a hand of cards that is adds up to more than the dealers hand without going over 21, or busting! All cards 2-9 score their face value, tens and all picture cards score 10, and an Ace can score 1 or 11, which ever gives you the best score.
The dealer will deal each player and themselves two cards, the dealer will turn one of their cards face up, and leave the other face down, so you have some clue as to what you need to beat. Ireland online gambling.
Each player in turn will then chose from a number of options:
Hit – take another card, you can hit as many times as you like as long as your hand adds up to less than 21.
You hit (per the blackjack chart or table), and draw a 4. You now have A-3-4, which you should consider as A-7. If it were a two-card A-7, you would double down against a 4; however, since the A-7 is actually three cards, and you can't double down, you stand. In most cases, a player normally stands when the point value of their cards is between 16 and 21. Do Dealers Hit on a Soft 17? If a dealer has less than 17, they must continue drawing cards until they reach 17 or above, without going over 21. Once the dealer reaches a score of 17 or more, he/she will then stand. Taking a look at the basic blackjack strategy guide, you will start to notice general patterns on where exactly to stand and hit. For instance, you will always hit when your hand value is below 11 and will always stand when your hand value is 17 or higher, unless you have a soft hand. Blackjack Strategy Chart 2020 – When to Hit & Stand Blackjack is the most popular casino table game of all drawing in countless numbers of hungry players both in the brick and mortar casino, and in online casinos. You hit (per the blackjack chart or table), and draw a 4. You now have A-3-4, which you should consider as A-7. If it were a two-card A-7, you would double down against a 4; however, since the A-7 is actually three cards, and you can't double down, you stand.
Stand – stick with the hand you have and hope it beats the dealer.
Double – can only be your first action, or first action after splitting, doubling doubles the bet you have placed on the hand, and gives you one more card. After doubling you can take no further actions.
Split – if your cards are the same rank, such as 77, you can split them and play each as a separate hand. If you chose to do so the dealer will deal you a second card to each hand. This also effectively doubles your bet as you are now playing two hands each for the original bet amount.
Once all of the players have finished, the dealer will turn over their second card and then play their hand in a similar fashion. Once all the hands are played, if your score is higher than the dealer, but not over 21 then you win!
If you make a Blackjack (get dealt exactly 21 with your first two cards) then you win 3:2 on your original bet, so if you bet $10 and make a blackjack you'd be paid $15. All other wins are paid at 1:1.
How to make fake casino chips doubledown casino. There is one other bet you may be offered: if the dealers face up card is an Ace, you may be offered 'insurance' against the dealer having blackjack. This is an extra bet that is heavily loaded in the houses favor, it's best to always decline. Hands in poker best to worst.
Most players do not have much of a system and play the game like they would any other casino game, that being by the seat of their pants and hoping to get lucky. By using the blackjack strategy chart below, you can reduce the house's edge to a very small percentage. This is particularly useful if you are clearing casino bonuses online. If you manage to break even after you have played the required wagers to clear the bonus, then the bonus is pure profit.
Players can also gain an advantage and actually see a profit in some blackjack games if they use card counting strategies along with the basic strategy presented on this blackjack chart.
Blackjack Strategy Chart
For a full explanation of this chart, click here.
This chart shows how to play blackjack in such a way to minimize the house edge, and so lose at the slowest possible rate.
Use this chart to clear bonuses at online casinos to maximize your return from each casino. You could also use it in a land-based casino to lose at a very slow rate while hitting up the complimentary drinks!
Once the hands have been dealt, add up your cards and find your hand down the left hand column of the chart. Note that pairs and hands with aces are special cases. If your hand is below 8 then follow the instructions for 8. If your hand is over 17 then you always want to stand.
Next, follow the chart along until you find the column that matches the dealer's face-up card and you should find the correct action to take in that box. After hitting, repeat this process until the chart tells you to stand (or you bust).
After a split some casinos do not allow you to re-split should one of your two new hands also be a pair. In this case simply follow the actions for the total of your cards.
Blackjack basic strategy is a blackjack chart that includes all the possible combinations of your hand against the dealer's hole card. While you won't make money by following the rules of that strategy, it's the first step you should take if you want to turn into a winning blackjack player. And that step will minimize the casino's edge against you. That is you will lose less money by applying the blackjack basic strategy!
Casino players have heard it before: The house always wins. They do accept the fact that they are going to lose money but at least they are going to have fun. In the process they tend to forget that and begin devising new methods and strategies, in order to beat the dealer and come out winners. Eventually they are doomed to fail, since the science behind casino games is nothing more than mathematics. And mathematics never lie. Playing blackjack online isn't any different.
Blackjack Basic Strategy and Rules
Blackjack basic strategy is tailored towards specific blackjack rules. Depending on 6 rules of the game, there can be basic strategy variations, so that the dealer's edge is minimized in each occasion.
- Number of card decks: There are a definite number of decks in each shoe. Most casinos use 6 decks of cards, although you may find games with as low as 2 decks or as high as 8! Many decks favor the casino, less decks reduce the house's edge.
- Soft 17 (S17): you may have noticed on the blackjack tables: Dealer stands on soft 17 (S17). In other words, they have to stop drawing cards when their cards are A6. The opposite is H17 and favors the casino.
- Double any two cards: Blackjack players usually have the option to double any two first cards they get dealt. Even when the sum of the cards is as low as 5! You may also double A9 according to that rule (I still remember when I did that back in my card counting days!). Alternatively you may be allowed to double only when the cards' sum is between 9 and 11 (D9) and even worse when the cards' value is either 10 or 11 (D10).
- Double after split (DAS): Assuming my hand is 88 I decide to split my hand. In case a 2 or a 3 is dealt at either card (for a sum of 10 or 11), I may want to double. As long as the casino offers me that option and I double, the house's edge is decreased.
- Surrender: Quitting before we hit or stand and losing half of the wager at the start of the hand is called surrender. There are two types of 'surrender' depending on the choice given before or after the dealer checks their hole card for a likely blackjack; the very rare 'early surrender' and the 'late surrender' (ES and LS respectively). You should sit at blackjack tables that offer any type of surrender, as that rule favors your odds.
- US/European style: In US blackjack tables, dealers are dealt two cards, one facing down. In Europe the dealer is dealt just one card facing up obviously.
Blackjack basic strategy: 6 decks, S17, DAS, No surrender, European
These are the rules of the blackjack game I used to play almost on a daily basis before the introduction of the automatic shuffling machines. Every new player, who wanted to play 'correctly', had to memorize the following Blackjack chart. They wouldn't make money in the long run, but their hobby would cost them the minimum.
Blackjack basic strategy examples
- Me (35), dealer (9): My cards' value is 8. Reading the 4th line of the blackjack chart I am instructed to hit my hand, given the 'H' under the dealer's '9' column. Besides, whatever the dealer's card, I must take a card. The real issue here isn't whether I hit my hand or not. It's about a 'double' being a better option.
- Me (64), dealer (10): Holding a combined 10 and according with the 6th line of the blackjack Basic Strategy, I have to just hit and avoid doubling up. That course of action (double) should be taken if the dealer's card was anything but a 10, J, Q, K or an Ace.
- Me (J2), dealer (5): The blackjack basic strategy's 8th line prompts me to stand on 12! This applies when dealer shows a 4, a 5 or a 6; otherwise I need to draw a card.
- Me (97), dealer (K): Basic strategy (12th line) says I have to hit. No matter my position at the table I have to follow that rule. Even if I am sitting at the last seat of the blackjack table, I MUST hit. Although other players sitting at the same table will negatively comment on my action and recommend me to stand on 16, it's a mistake mathematically to stand.
- Me (A4), dealer (4): Blackjack basic strategy recommends doubling if the dealer's card is a 4 to 6. In any other case, I should just hit. In that instance we should consider our hand as a '5' and not a '15'. If a ten comes along, our cards' value is '15' and basic strategy's 11th line advises to stand.
- Me (44), dealer (5): I need to split my 4's. If the dealer's card was any other card than a five or a six, my hand would have been a plain eight.
- Me (55), dealer (9): Double. In case dealer was showing a ten or an Ace, I should hit. Of course you should never split fives. Don't lose focus when the dealer asks you 'Split sir?' when you double your bet. They are trying to win more money from you!
- Me (99), dealer (7): Blackjack basic strategy's recommended action is to stand. If I split my nines, I would lose more money in the long run.
Advantages of blackjack basic strategy
The object of the game is simple: make a hand of cards that is adds up to more than the dealers hand without going over 21, or busting! All cards 2-9 score their face value, tens and all picture cards score 10, and an Ace can score 1 or 11, which ever gives you the best score.
The dealer will deal each player and themselves two cards, the dealer will turn one of their cards face up, and leave the other face down, so you have some clue as to what you need to beat. Ireland online gambling.
Each player in turn will then chose from a number of options:
Hit – take another card, you can hit as many times as you like as long as your hand adds up to less than 21.
You hit (per the blackjack chart or table), and draw a 4. You now have A-3-4, which you should consider as A-7. If it were a two-card A-7, you would double down against a 4; however, since the A-7 is actually three cards, and you can't double down, you stand. In most cases, a player normally stands when the point value of their cards is between 16 and 21. Do Dealers Hit on a Soft 17? If a dealer has less than 17, they must continue drawing cards until they reach 17 or above, without going over 21. Once the dealer reaches a score of 17 or more, he/she will then stand. Taking a look at the basic blackjack strategy guide, you will start to notice general patterns on where exactly to stand and hit. For instance, you will always hit when your hand value is below 11 and will always stand when your hand value is 17 or higher, unless you have a soft hand. Blackjack Strategy Chart 2020 – When to Hit & Stand Blackjack is the most popular casino table game of all drawing in countless numbers of hungry players both in the brick and mortar casino, and in online casinos. You hit (per the blackjack chart or table), and draw a 4. You now have A-3-4, which you should consider as A-7. If it were a two-card A-7, you would double down against a 4; however, since the A-7 is actually three cards, and you can't double down, you stand.
Stand – stick with the hand you have and hope it beats the dealer.
Double – can only be your first action, or first action after splitting, doubling doubles the bet you have placed on the hand, and gives you one more card. After doubling you can take no further actions.
Split – if your cards are the same rank, such as 77, you can split them and play each as a separate hand. If you chose to do so the dealer will deal you a second card to each hand. This also effectively doubles your bet as you are now playing two hands each for the original bet amount.
Once all of the players have finished, the dealer will turn over their second card and then play their hand in a similar fashion. Once all the hands are played, if your score is higher than the dealer, but not over 21 then you win!
If you make a Blackjack (get dealt exactly 21 with your first two cards) then you win 3:2 on your original bet, so if you bet $10 and make a blackjack you'd be paid $15. All other wins are paid at 1:1.
How to make fake casino chips doubledown casino. There is one other bet you may be offered: if the dealers face up card is an Ace, you may be offered 'insurance' against the dealer having blackjack. This is an extra bet that is heavily loaded in the houses favor, it's best to always decline. Hands in poker best to worst.
Most players do not have much of a system and play the game like they would any other casino game, that being by the seat of their pants and hoping to get lucky. By using the blackjack strategy chart below, you can reduce the house's edge to a very small percentage. This is particularly useful if you are clearing casino bonuses online. If you manage to break even after you have played the required wagers to clear the bonus, then the bonus is pure profit.
Players can also gain an advantage and actually see a profit in some blackjack games if they use card counting strategies along with the basic strategy presented on this blackjack chart.
Blackjack Strategy Chart
For a full explanation of this chart, click here.
This chart shows how to play blackjack in such a way to minimize the house edge, and so lose at the slowest possible rate.
Use this chart to clear bonuses at online casinos to maximize your return from each casino. You could also use it in a land-based casino to lose at a very slow rate while hitting up the complimentary drinks!
Once the hands have been dealt, add up your cards and find your hand down the left hand column of the chart. Note that pairs and hands with aces are special cases. If your hand is below 8 then follow the instructions for 8. If your hand is over 17 then you always want to stand.
Next, follow the chart along until you find the column that matches the dealer's face-up card and you should find the correct action to take in that box. After hitting, repeat this process until the chart tells you to stand (or you bust).
After a split some casinos do not allow you to re-split should one of your two new hands also be a pair. In this case simply follow the actions for the total of your cards.
Blackjack basic strategy is a blackjack chart that includes all the possible combinations of your hand against the dealer's hole card. While you won't make money by following the rules of that strategy, it's the first step you should take if you want to turn into a winning blackjack player. And that step will minimize the casino's edge against you. That is you will lose less money by applying the blackjack basic strategy!
Casino players have heard it before: The house always wins. They do accept the fact that they are going to lose money but at least they are going to have fun. In the process they tend to forget that and begin devising new methods and strategies, in order to beat the dealer and come out winners. Eventually they are doomed to fail, since the science behind casino games is nothing more than mathematics. And mathematics never lie. Playing blackjack online isn't any different.
Blackjack Basic Strategy and Rules
Blackjack basic strategy is tailored towards specific blackjack rules. Depending on 6 rules of the game, there can be basic strategy variations, so that the dealer's edge is minimized in each occasion.
- Number of card decks: There are a definite number of decks in each shoe. Most casinos use 6 decks of cards, although you may find games with as low as 2 decks or as high as 8! Many decks favor the casino, less decks reduce the house's edge.
- Soft 17 (S17): you may have noticed on the blackjack tables: Dealer stands on soft 17 (S17). In other words, they have to stop drawing cards when their cards are A6. The opposite is H17 and favors the casino.
- Double any two cards: Blackjack players usually have the option to double any two first cards they get dealt. Even when the sum of the cards is as low as 5! You may also double A9 according to that rule (I still remember when I did that back in my card counting days!). Alternatively you may be allowed to double only when the cards' sum is between 9 and 11 (D9) and even worse when the cards' value is either 10 or 11 (D10).
- Double after split (DAS): Assuming my hand is 88 I decide to split my hand. In case a 2 or a 3 is dealt at either card (for a sum of 10 or 11), I may want to double. As long as the casino offers me that option and I double, the house's edge is decreased.
- Surrender: Quitting before we hit or stand and losing half of the wager at the start of the hand is called surrender. There are two types of 'surrender' depending on the choice given before or after the dealer checks their hole card for a likely blackjack; the very rare 'early surrender' and the 'late surrender' (ES and LS respectively). You should sit at blackjack tables that offer any type of surrender, as that rule favors your odds.
- US/European style: In US blackjack tables, dealers are dealt two cards, one facing down. In Europe the dealer is dealt just one card facing up obviously.
Blackjack basic strategy: 6 decks, S17, DAS, No surrender, European
These are the rules of the blackjack game I used to play almost on a daily basis before the introduction of the automatic shuffling machines. Every new player, who wanted to play 'correctly', had to memorize the following Blackjack chart. They wouldn't make money in the long run, but their hobby would cost them the minimum.
Blackjack basic strategy examples
- Me (35), dealer (9): My cards' value is 8. Reading the 4th line of the blackjack chart I am instructed to hit my hand, given the 'H' under the dealer's '9' column. Besides, whatever the dealer's card, I must take a card. The real issue here isn't whether I hit my hand or not. It's about a 'double' being a better option.
- Me (64), dealer (10): Holding a combined 10 and according with the 6th line of the blackjack Basic Strategy, I have to just hit and avoid doubling up. That course of action (double) should be taken if the dealer's card was anything but a 10, J, Q, K or an Ace.
- Me (J2), dealer (5): The blackjack basic strategy's 8th line prompts me to stand on 12! This applies when dealer shows a 4, a 5 or a 6; otherwise I need to draw a card.
- Me (97), dealer (K): Basic strategy (12th line) says I have to hit. No matter my position at the table I have to follow that rule. Even if I am sitting at the last seat of the blackjack table, I MUST hit. Although other players sitting at the same table will negatively comment on my action and recommend me to stand on 16, it's a mistake mathematically to stand.
- Me (A4), dealer (4): Blackjack basic strategy recommends doubling if the dealer's card is a 4 to 6. In any other case, I should just hit. In that instance we should consider our hand as a '5' and not a '15'. If a ten comes along, our cards' value is '15' and basic strategy's 11th line advises to stand.
- Me (44), dealer (5): I need to split my 4's. If the dealer's card was any other card than a five or a six, my hand would have been a plain eight.
- Me (55), dealer (9): Double. In case dealer was showing a ten or an Ace, I should hit. Of course you should never split fives. Don't lose focus when the dealer asks you 'Split sir?' when you double your bet. They are trying to win more money from you!
- Me (99), dealer (7): Blackjack basic strategy's recommended action is to stand. If I split my nines, I would lose more money in the long run.
Advantages of blackjack basic strategy
By applying blackjack basic strategy when playing blackjack you effectively decrease the casino's edge. If you follow the rules shown above without making any mistake, the house has a 0.55% edge against you. This means that for every 10 dollars you bet, you lose 5.5 cents long term. If you play 50 hands per hour, your entertainment will cost you about 3 dollars!
The more I deviate from blackjack basic strategy's rules, the more the casino's edge increases. If I begin standing on 16 against dealer's ten, not doubling my nine or not splitting my threes against dealer's two to seven, the house's edge might increase more than 1%! I would then lose money twice as much per hour! Making even bigger mistakes, such as never splitting Aces, hitting 15 versus dealer's six or doubling my 11 against dealer's low card, my disadvantage could easily skyrocket more than 3%, donating more money to the casino!
Memorizing the Blackjack chart of the basic strategy is necessary if you want to play blackjack correctly. Learning blackjack basic strategy is also required if you also want to become a card counter later. Finally, by adopting basic strategy when playing blackjack, you'll earn the respect and trust of other good blackjack players, who might bet on your hand, when the odds are in their favor!
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