When a newcomer sits down and plays blackjack for the first time, it may not be apparent that under this seemingly simple game, there has been extensive analysis of the odds and strategies. It is incredible to think that so much brain matter has been exercised to achieve optimum results in a game where the purpose is to get as close to twenty-one as possible. Leave gut-feel, luck and superstition at the door because this is a game of mathematical probability combined with clever blackjack betting to minimise the damage the house can do to a player’s wallet. The good news is that understanding the rules, and general strategies does decrease the house odds. On a multi-pack deck, this translates to a meagre .5% of an edge depending on the rules. Effectively if a player gambles smartly, in the long run they will only lose 50 cents on every $100 played at a blackjack table.
Beyond the concept of trying to pull cards as close to twenty-one as possible, a player also needs to understand the general blackjack rules and game play. In a typical blackjack game the dealer will deal players two cards face-up after they have entered in a bet for the round of play. The dealers will give themselves one card face-up. Since the player is trying to beat the dealer and not other players, this dealer card is a consideration on how the players will play. With basic blackjack, the dealer then looks for action from the players who have the choice to hit (receive another card), stand (take what was dealt), split (play two hands from the pair that was dealt) or double down (offers the chance for the player to double their bet when they receive the next card.) There are other rules that should be considered when a player is learning how to play blackjack such as the ability to surrender half of the bet after the cards are dealt, and to buy insurance against a potential house 21 blackjack. It is important to understand the rules of the individual table, including the payout for blackjack, the way the house treats a soft seventeen, and any side bets that can be made.
When it comes to strategy the player needs to remember that there is always a statistically “correct” way to play a hand. Every seasoned player has had an experience of someone acting on his or her gut to throw the whole shoe out of whack. For the new players, it is worthwhile to review these charts to increase blackjack odds. A few of the general rules that can be followed to increase odds are not to split 4s, 5s or 10s; stand on a soft 18 or above (ace,7/8/9/10); hit all soft hands of 17 and below; and when dealt a hard 12 to 16, stand if the dealer has 2 to 6. Expansions of every combination are readily available on the Internet to improve your results when you play blackjack.
A great way to warm up on the rules and strategies is to play on some of the free online blackjack websites. This will give the new player a feel for the play, as well as some comfort with betting and understanding of the strategies with no cost. It’s worth checking out to give new players the opportunity to yell “BLACKJACK!” for the first time.
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