Blackjack Strategies
If you've got the basics of blackjack down - which shouldn't be too hard considering the basic rules of the game - then you need to move one to the basic strategies of the game. Blackjack is based more on good old fashioned risk taking and statistics that the ability to bluff, count on the ball dropping in the right spot, or even hoping that Lady Luck is on you side. It's also one of the few games in which the player stands a really good chance at beating the house. Many players count cards, which are considered cheating by most casinos. Here are a few strategies you can use, however, that will help you win more hands without having to rely on unorthodox methods.
Strategy #1: Only take insurance when it is absolutely necessary.
Since you are player against only the dealer and no one else sitting at the table, you could be dealt a really bad hand. Guess what? The dealer could be dealt one that is even worse. The only cards that you need to worry about are yours and the dealer's so if you were take insurance out, you'll only be betting against yourself.
Strategy #2: Split up pairs that equal less than 20 and take the extra bet.
Seriously, this actually gives you a better chance of winning. This is the one time when splitting up your cards is really profitable. Two cards worth 10 points a piece you want to stand pat with. If the dealer is showing a six or lower, and you have two Aces, two 7s or two 8s, split them up. It's more than likely that the card you are dealt next is going to improve your chance of getting 21 than going over it.
Say for example you are dealt two 8. That would be a 16. You have the option of splitting the cards and playing them separately, giving you better odds on beating the house. You would play one 8 with one card and the other 8 with another card thereby doubling your chance of getting a blackjack. You are required to bet as much on the second set of cards as you did on the first when you decide to split them.
Strategy #3: If you have good cards and can double down, do it.
Eighteen or higher is a good hand to double down on. You are not going to ask for another card if you're holding 18, 19, 20, or even 21. There's no reason why a double down bet here should not be taken. You may not always win, but being aggressive in a situation like this is one blackjack strategy that pays off more times than not. |
