To win at blackjack, you have to get all the guesswork out of the equation. In other words, every move you make has to be guided by a sound basic strategy. You would be mistaken to think that this might make the game less thrilling. But in reality, the opposite is actually true – the game becomes more fun because you win more often
I’m betting you already know a blackjack strategy or so, however rudimentary it might seem. And since you are on the hunt for more winning blackjack tips, I have prepared this review so that you can add a few more arrows to your quiver. With these strategies, you should be more successful at blackjack. So, take the time to understand them, you will be glad you did.
When to Take Insurance
The insurance bet is not worth it. Always pass up on the chance to take insurance. There are no exceptions to this fact. You are basically staking your money on whether the dealer has a blackjack, which will cost you money over time because that’s the statistical design of this playing option. Unless your card counting skills are really good, making the insurance bet is generally a bad idea because you will end up losing money.
Trying to Use Progressive Betting
Just because you have lost the last round, or the last couple of times for that matter, it does not mean you should expect to win the next game. Some people believe this for some reason. In addition, it’s important to keep in mind that in blackjack, the casino ALWAYS has the edge.
Therefore, they place bigger bets because a win is coming after all, and it might as well cover all the losses they have suffered until that point in time. So, although the odds of winning with every hand are nearly 48%, it does not mean you will win just because you have lost the previous game.
Split Decisions in Blackjack
When should you split in blackjack? And when shouldn’t you? As stated in the beginning, you cannot leave such decisions to your gut feelings, which is why you should know for sure if you need to split or not depending on the hand you have been dealt.
It’s actually pretty simple; you should split Aces and 8s. Furthermore, whenever you end up with 4s, 5s, or 10s, you should never split. For 2s, split when the dealer has a 19. For 3s, split when the dealer has a 20. When you have 6s, 7s, or 9s, you should split when the dealer has a 12, 14, or 18 respectively.
When to Surrender
Sometimes it is neither ideal to stand, nor take another card. In these circumstances, a “surrender” might be the ideal move for you. As you know, surrendering results in you losing half your bet. So, in cases where losing the entire bet is more than likely, a surrender could help you recover some of your money.
But when should you surrender? First of all, whenever you have a 15 (a hard 15) and the dealer has a 10, then you should surrender. Additionally, when you have a hard 16 and the dealer has a 9, 10, or an Ace, then you can also surrender. Be warned though, not all tables will give you the surrender option.
Play at Blackjack Tables with Fewer Decks
With every deck a casino adds to the table, it gains a slight edge over you. Although rare, a table with just a single deck will have a house edge of just 0.17%. But when another deck is added to the mix, this edge increases to 0.46%. That means that a casino will more than double its edge by simply offering this game using two decks instead of one.
Therefore, whenever you can help it, choose the tables that have fewer decks. Besides, this will also make your job easier if you happen to know how to use a basic card counting strategy. Winning at blackjack is all about the numbers, and the more they are in your favor, the better for you if you are trying to win more money.
Don’t Play when Tired, Drunk, or in a Bad Mood
If you are too tired to keep track of your last move, decide what amount of bet to place, or decide what play to make next, then you are doomed to fail as you play this game.
Blackjack requires a sharp mind, since one move could unravel all the progress you might have already made during the game up to that point in time. So, if you are tired, drunk, or simply in a foul mood, you should avoid playing this game, since you will inevitably make mistakes that will cost you money.
A Few Things to Remember
Blackjack is one of those few casino games considered beatable. But most people still find a way to lose with this game, and it all comes down to knowing the basics of the game. You need to have an appreciation for the numerical design of the game, and that is what the above strategies are all about.
The trick lies in avoiding making obvious mistakes and understanding when to use each of the playing options available to you as you enjoy this game. As you will note from the strategies above, each of the playing decisions you get as you play this game – hit, stand, split, insurance – requires to be used a certain way to help you win more.
Remember that with each strategy you master, you will have found a way to avoid making a mistake you were not even aware you made before. So, don’t let your pursuit for blackjack strategies end here; learn as many strategies as possible.
Quick Conclusion
Of course, each of the strategies you see here will need practice to become a natural part of your blackjack gameplay. So, do plenty of practice before trying these strategies using real-money blackjack games.
With time, you will not even notice the effort required to use these strategies effectively – you will just be having the time of your life playing blackjack as you account grows over time. And let’s be honest, few things can make playing blackjack as fulfilling as raking in regular wins.