You can use the live dealer blackjack strategy when you play casino blackjack and apply the tips and tricks of the blackjack strategy to your online gaming event.

Blackjack

When you think about a Vegas casino, your first image is likely that of a blackjack game. Blackjack, one of the first games to be featured in the first casinos, is often featured in media depictions of casino gambling, which creates an alluring picture of the blackjack table where suave dealers beckon, chips clink, glasses of drink tinkle and applause erupts as players sweep in their winnings.

Blackjack is one of the oldest and most popular games at the casino, with a mystique that comes from its history, the stories of surprising wins and the possibilities that await from the chance that you'll win even one round.

Regardless of whether you're a new gamer at the blackjack table or a veteran player, you'll need to know how to navigate the game's complexities. Enjoy the most rewarding blackjack adventure with the SlotoCash online casino's Blackjack Strategy Guide.

What is Basic Blackjack Strategy?

Pre-1950s, there was no acknowledged Blackjack Strategy. Blackjack was seen as a game that you won by "feeling"  your way through your hand. Other than "stand on a hard 15 or 16", since drawing a new card seemed risky, there were no formal guides for winning at blackjack.

In the 1950s, math entered the game when a player with a degree in mathematics from Columbia University learned that there were rules that dealers follow when playing blackjack. "Why", the math wiz wondered, shouldn't there be rules for players too? If the dealer's behavior is predictable, it should be possible for the game to be mathematically solved."

Together with 3 friends, the "Four Horsemen of Aberdeen" spent months crunching the various possibilities for blackjack combinations. Their work, The Optimum Strategy in Blackjack, proved that following this exact formula would reduce the house edge significantly. Over the years, other mathematicians refined the Strategy.

By the 1980s, computers were sharpening the strategy to account for different situations – for instance how to weigh the situation if low-value cards were being dealt in the opening deal (game would favor the player) or if many high-value cards were being dealt (game would favor the dealer).

Today, the Basic Strategy charts are even more developed so players who follow the Basic Strategy guidelines can combine blackjack's inherent low house edge with a proven mathematical system and increase their win rate. The Basic Blackjack Strategy guides players on when to stand, when to take a hit, when to split, and when to double down. If a player follows the Basic Blackjack Strategy closely, s/he can reduce the house edge to nearly 0.5%.

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Blackjack Variations

There are different variations of blackjack. Some are played with 1 deck and others are played with two or more decks.  Blackjack Strategies vary, based on the specific rules for a particular variation. For instance,

  • If you are dealt a Hard 11 while the dealer's upcard is an Ace, you should double if you're playing with a single deck and take a hit if you're playing a multi-deck game or playing a European blackjack variation.
  • If you have a Hard 8 from your first 2 cards and the dealer's upcard is a 5 or a 6, you should split with a multi-deck or a single deck variation and take a hit if you're playing a European variation
  • If your first 2 cards are a pair of 8s and the dealer's upcard is a 10, split with most variations but hit with a European variation.

When the Blackjack Strategy first debuted, casinos were in a panic, but over time, it became clear that most blackjack players are in the game for the fun. Only the most dedicated card sharks are prepared to put in the time and effort to learn and implement the Strategy. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't learn the basics and implement them as a way of achieving better results from your Blackjack experience

Playing Blackjack

Most people believe that, when playing blackjack, the goal is to build a hand that's as close to a value of 21 as possible without going over. That, however, isn't true. The object of the game of blackjack is to beat the dealer.

To do that, you:

  1. aim to outscore the dealer or put the dealer in a situation where he busts.
  2. don't go bust (allow the value of the cards in your hand to exceed 21).

In all blackjack variations, aces are counted as either 1 or 11 points, and face cards are counted as 10 points. All other cards retain their face value. You determine the value of a hand by calculating the point values of the individual cards. A picture card and an ace is a "Blackjack" that's the highest hand possible and outranks all other hands.

When you play blackjack, you place your bet and receive 2 face-down cards. Simultaneously, the dealer will receive one face-up card and one face-down card. Next, you start to build your hand. You can

  • Accept additional cards (take "hits") one at a time. If your total points exceed 21, you lose/bust, but as long as your total remains under 21, you can take more cards.
  • Stand with your current hand.
  • Split a pair (or any two 10-point cards) by doubling your bet. The cards are then separated into two individual hands and you go on to play both hands.
  • Double your bet to receive one more card.
  • Refrain from continuing the hand, which will allow you to recoup half of your wager.

After you finish your hand, the dealer turns over his down card. He can then draw another card if his hand totals 16 points or less but if his hand exceeds 21 points and you are still in the game, you win.

Simple 5-Step Blackjack Strategy for New Players

There's an advanced Blackjack Strategy for advanced players but if you're a beginning blackjack player, use this 5-Step Blackjack Strategy to increase your odds.

  • Learn the Game Theory Optimal Chart, which shows the mathematically correct way to play every possible combination of cards. By memorizing the chart, you will achieve maximum results since you'll automatically know how each hand should be played.
  • You can generally assume that the dealer's hole (down) card is a 10-value ("The Rule of 10s.") 10-value cards (10, J, Q, K)  make up roughly 30.7% of the cards in a standard 52-card deck. By working on that assumption, you'll enjoy better odds since you have almost a 1 in 3 idea of what the dealer's card is.
  • Don't bet more than 2% of your total bankroll on a single hand. This will allow you to survive a losing streak without going bust.
  • Avoid side bets (i.e. Perfect Pairs, etc). Payouts for these side bets are high, but so is the house edge, so there are more chances that you'll lose than win.
  • Play the variations that feature fewer decks – when you play with fewer decks, it's easier to track high-value cards.

Expert Tip

Many players rely on hopes, hunches and luck when they play blackjack. That's fine if you're just looking for some gaming entertainment, but if you want to experience the highest rate of success at the blackjack table, follow the Blackjack Strategy, the path that's proven to be mathematically sound.

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