How to win BlackJack

November 10, 2016October 10, 2016 Tanvi Agarwal

Blackjack, also known as twenty-one, is the most widely played casino game in the world. You can find this game almost in all of the online casinos. You can enjoy this game playing against a live dealer at the casino. The game of Blackjack is often liked by high roller players and so is considered the prime game among table games at online casinos. Indians are already familiar with card games and their varieties and the game of Blackjack is thus more attractive to players at Indian real and online casinos.

Just to recall the game of Blackjack it is a card game played between the player and the dealer. Many players compete against the dealer but not against other players. It is played with one or more decks of 52 cards. The objective of the game is to beat the dealer in one of the following ways

Get 21 points on the player’s first two cards (called a “blackjack” or “natural”), without a dealer blackjack;
Reach a final score higher than the dealer without exceeding 21; or
Let the dealer draw additional cards until his or her hand exceeds 21.

The player or players are dealt a two-card hand and add together the value of their cards. Face cards (kings, queens, and jacks) are counted as ten points. A player and the dealer can count an ace as 1 point or 11 points. All other cards are counted as the numeric value shown on the card. After receiving their first two cards, players have the option of getting a “hit”, or taking an additional card. In a given round, the player or the dealer wins by having a score of 21 or by having the higher score that is less than 21. Scoring higher than 21 (called “busting” or “going bust”) results in a loss. A player may win by having any final score equal to or less than 21 if the dealer busts. If a player holds an ace valued as 11, the hand is called “soft”, meaning that the player cannot go bust by taking an additional card; 11 plus the value of any other card will always be less than or equal to 21. Otherwise, the hand is “hard”.

The dealer must hit until the cards total 17 or more points. (At many tables the dealer also hits on a “soft” 17, i.e. a hand containing an ace and one or more other cards total six.) Players win by not busting and having a total higher than the dealer’s. The dealer loses by busting or having a lesser hand than the player who has not busted. If the player and dealer have the same total, this is called a “push”, and the player typically does not win or lose money on that hand. If all available players bust, the hand ends automatically without the dealer having to play his or her hand.

What you should know about playing the Hands

When playing Hard Hands follow these rules when your hard hand totals

5 to 8 – hit your hand against any dealer up card
9 – double against a dealer 2 through 6 and hit 7 through ace
10 – double against a dealer 2 through 9
11 – double against a dealer 2 through 10
12 to 16 – hit against a dealer 7 through ace, otherwise stand
17 to 21 – always stand

When playing Soft Hands follow below rules when your soft hand (with an ace) totals

13 to 15 – hit
16 and 17 – double against a dealer 2 through 6, otherwise hit
18 – double against a dealer 2 through 6, stand against a 7 or eight, hit against 9, 10 or ace
19 to 21 – always stand

When making Splits playing BlackJack

Always split aces and 8’s
Never split 4’s, 5’s, or 10’s
Split 9’s except against 7’s, 10’s and aces
Split 2’s, 3’s, 6’s and 7’s against 2 through 7, hit 6’s and 7’s against 7 through ace

What you should never do in BlackJack

Take insurance unless you are playing with several people and see no 10’s out on the layout, otherwise forget about this bet.
Use surrender except when you have a 15 against a 10 and when you have 16 against a 9, 10 or ace.
Be rude to the other players or the dealer, they are trying to enjoy themselves just like you are. The dealer does not control the cards – you control what you bet, when, and at what table.
The dealer is your friend. If they don’t act like it, find another dealer.
Bet more when you are losing to chase your money, that’s a sure way to bury yourself and your bankroll.

What you should keep in mind to do in BlackJack

Remember that blackjack is a great game and more fun when you play well.
Try to memorize the rules for winning.
Make an occasional “toke” bet for the dealer, or hand them a chip for their efforts.
Remember that you are in complete control of how long you play.
Raise your bets a little when you are winning.
Quit playing when you reach your pre-set win level or are not enjoying yourself.

So you need to have a basic strategy to play the hands in Blackjack, also understand the rules of the game before playing.

If you tend to play Blackjack at online casinos then remember to grab the bonus the casino might be offering for the game of Blackjack. It is better to ask the casino help and support team for the offer or bonus before you start your game play.

Before you play for at a casino at any time determine your Bankroll, thinking of this as money you can afford to lose and ensure that you stick to this so that you don’t get yourself into trouble by playing with money you don’t have to spend on entertainment.

Blackjack is for the most part a game of skill. The best way to develop this skill is to practice, and you can do this in the “Free Play” mode at most online casinos before you play for real money.

Many casinos offer sign up bonuses but check on the wagering requirements to establish what percentage of the these blackjack accounts for as this is very low at some casinos.
As mentioned when discussing blackjack variations, each game has a different house edge, and you should examine the odds of each game at each casino you play at in order to ensure that you play the variations with the lowest house edge.
Also remember that rules differ from game to game and casino to casino, so read these before playing and don’t just assume that they will be the same as other casinos produced by a specific software developer.
As a rule of thumb, select a blackjack table where the maximum betting limit is no higher than 5% of your bankroll, this ensures that you lose less and extend your game play time, rather than just playing one or two hands and having to call it a day. This way you will also increase your chances of winning.
Ensure that you Split pairs of Aces and 8’s, but avoid splitting Face Cards and 10’s.
Understand all of the rules as well as when to hit and stand. You should Hit hard until you reach 17+, stand on 17+ and hit soft 18 if the dealer has 10.
Observe the values of the hands closely as these will determine your strategies. If the dealer holds 7+, play up until 17+. When the dealer holds 4, 5 or 6, double with 9 and play soft hands of 13-17. Double your 10 when the dealer holds 9 or lower and double any hand of 11.
Never take the insurance on bets.
Develop a pattern and vary your betting values based on your current results. If you are winning increase the bets and decrease them the minute you start to lose. As in Slots, this determines the length and quality of your game play and also increases your chance of winning more often.

Basic Blackjack Strategy is very important and you should always memorize it based on cards supplied by the casinos, and apply it during your game play. Do not deviate from strategy based on your emotions, these have often been known to be wrong. The object of the game of blackjack is to reach a total card value of 21, or get as close to it as possible. Never attempt to copy or beat the dealer because you think he/she is well trained, in doing this you will find that you bust more often than you win.

With all these tips and strategies you can win the game of Blackjack and enjoy to play again at the casinos be it real casino or online casino that is your choice.