Black Jack Strategies For Better Tactics And Experience
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #1
THE WINNING STRATEGY is to always double down on a hard eleven.
In every game except one, you will always win more money if you double down on hard 11 against any dealer’s upcard rather than hitting. Hitting against a dealer Ace is marginally more advantageous than double down in a multi-deck game if the rules stipulate that the dealer must stand on soft 17.
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #2:
SPLIT A PAIR OF 8s AND ACES EVERY TIME
Regardless of the dealer’s upcard, you should always split a pair of 8s and Aces. Unfortunately, when the dealer’s upcard is an Ace, 9, or 10, many players will not split with a pair of 8s. They argue that there is no reason to share the wager as they are the clear underdog in this scenario.
They fail to see that playing two hands with an 8 at the beginning (by splitting) makes you less of an underdog than playing one hand of 16 (and hitting). Put otherwise, splitting 8s against a 9, 10, or Ace will result in a smaller long-term loss than hitting a hard 16. In summary, the optimal approach is to always split 8s and Aces because, depending on the dealer’s upcard, splitting 8s can either let you to decrease your losses or increase your winnings, while splitting Aces will result in huge wins for the player.
(Note: Your best course of action is to surrender the pair of 8s vs. the dealer’s Ace instead of dividing them if surrender is given and you are playing in a double-deck game with h27 and NDAS or a multi-deck game with h27.)
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #3:
NEVER BREAK A TENS OR A PAIR OF 5S
It is usually preferable to take a one-or-more-card draw to a 10 rather than splitting the 5s and playing two hands, each beginning with a 5. A pair of 5s is also a hard 10. Splitting 10s is a successful strategy in most cases, but in all cases, keeping them together as a 20 is an even better strategy.
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #4:
IMPACT A DEALER’S 2 OR 3 UPCARD WITH A HARD 12 EVERY TIME
Most players are afraid of busting in this circumstance, so they stand on their 12 and chicken out. In the end, you will lose money whether you hit or stand against a dealer’s 2 or 3 upcard, but hitting is the optimal course of action because it will result in a smaller loss overall, even if you risk busting occasionally.
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #5:
Whenever the dealer’s UPC card is 9, 10, or ACE, ALWAYS HIT ACE-7 (SOFT 18).
Players often stand on soft 18 (A-7), especially when the dealer is presenting a “strong” upcard (such as 9, 10, or Ace), since they wrongly think that a hand with a total of 18 is a sure win. These are the facts. You are the underdog whether you hit or stand when you hold an A-7 against the dealer’s 9, 10, or Ace, but you are less of an underdog if you hit an A-7.
This is due to the fact that drawing a tiny card (such as an Ace, 2, or 3) will result in a pat hand that is greater than 18, increasing your odds of winning at blackjack. Additionally, the hand is unaffected if you draw any of the four ten-valued cards. In summary, if the dealer presents a 9, 10, or Ace, your best course of action is to always hit A-7 in order to get either a hard 17 through 21 or a soft 19–21.
(Note: The aforementioned approach has one exception. When the dealer’s upcard is an Ace in a single-deck game with S17, you are somewhat better off standing on A-7.)
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #6
Whenever the dealer’s UPC card is nine or lower, always double down on ten.
Double down is your greatest bet because you are the favorite when you possess a two-card 10 against any dealer’s upcard of nine or less. The rule is straightforward: if the dealer’s upcard is nine or less, always double down on ten.
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #7
The following should always be done if the rules stipulate that the dealer must hit Soft 17:
Hard 11 against the dealer’s ace, soft 19 (A-8) against the dealer’s 6, and A-7 against the dealer’s 2 are always double downs.
The three doubling strategy adjustments listed above are necessary when playing an H27 game as opposed to an S17 version of the same game.
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #8
Whenever the dealer’s UPC card is a 5 or 6, always double down from A-2 to A-7.
The ideal approach in all games is to always double down an A-2 through A-7 (soft 13 through 18) when the dealer’s upcard is a 5 or 6. This will increase your chances of winning.
(Note: Depending on the number of decks being used and the rules of the game, there are different dealer upcards that you should double down with soft 13 through 18. For instance, if you were dealt an A-3 in a double-deck game with h27, you should double down against a 4 as well as when the dealer’s upcard is 5 or 6. However, always double down with A-2 through A-7 when the dealer’s upcard is a 5 or 6.)
Learn how to react when the dealer in a live online game shows five or six.
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #9:
A pair of nines is always displayed when the dealer’s UPC card is a seven.
The majority of players are aware that if the dealer’s upcard is nine or fewer, they should split a pair of nines. When the dealer displays a seven, that is when they fumble the ball. Standing is the best course of action in this situation since it would yield a somewhat higher profit than splitting.
Here’s one technique to help you remember this best practice. Since there are four times as many ten-value cards in a deck as other ranks, there is a considerable likelihood that the dealer will have a 10 in the hole. Consequently, the dealer frequently has a perfect 17 while her upcard is a 7. Standing is a stronger play than hitting since your pair of 9s, which is an 18, would outscore her possible 17.
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #10
NEVER GIVE A DEALER’S 9, 10, OR ACE UPCARD HARD 16 AND A DEALER’S 10 UPCARD HARD 15.
Two of the worst blackjack hands are a hard 15 and a 16, particularly when the dealer is displaying a powerful upcard (such as an Ace, 9, or 10). By giving up the aforementioned hands against the given dealer’s upcards, you can reduce your losses even though you are the underdog. Simply put, surrender is the wisest course of action because it ultimately saves you money.
(Note: In certain hands, surrender is the best course of action, depending on the number of decks of cards being utilized and the blackjack rules.)
Play Blackjack in Real Time with Live Dealers
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #11
Always double down on 8 against the dealer’s 5 or 6 UPC card in a single-deck game.
You never double down with a two-card 8 in double- or multi-deck games, but in single-deck blackjack, the odds change so that doubling down is a better option than hitting.
(Note: With one exception, the best technique mentioned above involves two 4s. You should divide a pair of fours rather than double down if the rules are DAS.)
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #12
Split if the rules let it and hit if they don’t when dealing a pair of twos or threes against a dealer’s two or three UPC card.
If you split, say, a pair of 2s and draw a 9 that gives you an 11 or an 8 that gives you a 10, you would be able to bet more money (by doubling down) in a highly favorable circumstance, which is why splitting is the preferable approach with DAS.
(Note: This rule has one exception: even in NDAS games, you should always split a pair of 2s when the dealer displays a 3 upcard if you are playing a single-deck game.)
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #13:
AVOID PLAYING THE INSURANCE BET.
When the dealer’s upcard is an Ace, your wisest course of action is to avoid taking insurance because it is a sucker bet. Yes, you should avoid placing the insurance bet even if you are dealt a good hand, such as a 19 or 20. The insurance bet is a sucker bet because its payout (2 to 1) is smaller than the likelihood that the dealer will have a blackjack.
(Note: If you have a blackjack hand and the dealer has an Ace upcard, she will offer you “even money” in the majority of casinos. This is equivalent to placing an insurance bet. It’s tempting to accept an even money payout when playing blackjack before she looks at her down card, but you will ultimately earn more money if you decline the even money payout.
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #14:
If your 16 is a multi-card, stand on hard 16 against a dealer’s 10 UPC card.
The player’s hand total and the dealer’s upcard are the only factors considered by the conventional blackjack basic strategy. The strategy says to hit if you have a hard 16 against the dealer’s 10 upcard (provided surrender is not offered). While this approach is accurate, you can increase your accuracy by considering if your 16 is a multi-card 16. Your best course of action in the latter scenario (such as 7-5-4) is to stand against the dealer’s 10 upcard.
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #15
A 6 to 5 blackjack game should never be played.
A blackjack hand has traditionally always been rewarded at odds of three to two. For instance, you will receive $15 in profits if you wager $10 and you have an untied blackjack. These days, a lot of casinos only pay out 6 to 5 odds for a winning blackjack player. (In a 6 to 5 game, you would win just $12 if you wagered $10.)
In a single-deck game with 6 to 5, the house edge rises by roughly 1.45%; additionally, if 6 to 5 is available in a double-deck or multi-deck game, the house edge rises to more than 2%. Playing only blackjack games with a 3 to 2 blackjack payback is your best bet.
Take Advantage of Special Blackjack Offers
As seen in the strategy chart below, the greatest blackjack playing techniques are displayed. The dealer’s upcard is across the top row, and your hand is down the first column. Navigate to the column that represents the dealer’s upcard after finding your hand (or the total count of your hand) in the first column. The greatest way to play that hand is at the intersection.
Assume, for instance, that the dealer’s upcard is a 4 and you are dealt a pair of 6s. Finding the 6-6 row and crossing to the dealer’s 4 upcard reveals a P at that intersection, indicating that splitting the 6s is the optimal play when the dealer’s upcard is a 4. Similarly, let’s say the dealer’s upcard is a 6 and you are dealt a 10-5 (15). According to the following chart, you should stand (S).
The number of decks of cards and the combination of playing regulations determine the optimal approach for each blackjack game. Modifications to either one could result in a modest change in the playing strategy. Though I advise using the strategy created for the specific game you are playing, you may utilize the one in the chart below for all games without incurring too much expense.
Note: Refer to Chapter 3 of the Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide to determine the optimal playing strategy tailored to any combination of playing rules and card deck counts.
STRATEGY CHART MEMORIZATION GUIDELINES
Here are four methods to help you commit the optimal playing strategy to memory.
Make index cards into flashcards. Write the optimal playing strategy on one side and the player’s hand on the other. (For instance, “A-6” on one side and “Double down on 3‒6; otherwise hit” on the other.)
Make your own blank strategy chart using pencil and paper, then use memory to fill it in with the appropriate approach for each hand. To save time, type the letter only once and use an arrow to the right if a play repeats itself all the way across a particular row, as your play for holding hard 17.
Use a deck of cards to practice choosing the right card to play. Turn over a dealer’s upcard after dealing oneself two cards, which represent your hand. Choose your approach to the hand, then use a strategy chart to verify your response.
You may practice making the best playing choice on your computer or smartphone by using commercially available blackjack software. (Online practice resources that deal with basic strategy mistakes are also available.)
Note: Refer to Chapter 4 of the Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide for further information on the aforementioned methods for learning the optimal strategy by heart.
FAQ
Q. When playing blackjack, is it okay to have a cheat sheet with the optimal strategy?
A. You can, indeed. However, because they are laminated, robust, color-coded, and user-friendly, I advise utilizing a commercially available strategy card, like Don Schlesinger’s Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Cards. Holding the strategy card (or any strategy sheet) in your hand is safer than placing it on the blackjack table.
How much time will it take to commit the charts’ strategy to memory?
A. It shouldn’t take more than a few hours to practice utilizing any one of the four methods listed above, or a combination of them. Additionally, if you are unsure of the best play, you may always consult your strategy card while playing.
Q. Playing in a casino is something I enjoy doing. It seems like too much work to commit a strategy chart to memory.
A. You can lower the house edge to less than 1% if you take the time to discover the optimal playing strategy. (You could lower it to half a percent or less, depending on the regulations.) In addition to increasing your playing time, this raises your chances of winning more or losing less money when playing blackjack. It will ultimately cost you a lot more money if you decide how to play each hand on the fly, or worse, by guessing. Believe me, spending the little time it takes to master the finest playing strategy can make your blackjack experience more pleasurable and fun as you win more or lose less.
(Note: What is the additional cost of not learning? For a study of the costs associated with not taking the time to acquire the optimal playing approach, see Chapter 2.1 of the Ultimate Blackjack approach Guide.)
Q. Of the 15 “best strategies” you listed, one is the most crucial?
A blackjack game where an untied blackjack pays just 6-5 or worse, even money, should be avoided by all means. Play blackjack only in games where you can get paid 3-2.
Can I play blackjack at an online casino using the best strategy?
A. Indeed. You can and should use a strategy card when playing online as long as the rules are comparable to those mentioned above.