Blackjack Strategy

Blackjack remains one of the most intriguing games in the gambling world. Although many players put blackjack down to luck, with the right tips and strategy many players are able to do particularly well at this game and in some cases even leapfrog the house advantage which is put in place by casinos.

Thos who put blackjack down to luck are those who do not understand the subtleties of the game. The game in itself is quite easy. You have to get as close to 21 as possible and then hope that the banker does not get closer.

The fact remains that in any game if you want to excel and gain a competitive advantage over your opponent then it is imperative that you arm yourself with as much knowledge of the game as possible. In blackjack, there is one such system available and this system is called counting cards.

Card counting

The concept of card counting was developed by Harvey Dubner in order for players to have a better chance of winning and therefore diminishing the need for players to have to rely on luck. Counting cards is often considered dirty tactics, but this is generally the case with those who do not understand the concept in its entirety. Counting cards allows players to predict with more certainty which cards are likely to follow and therefore how to play the game. Counting cards effectively can swing the game 97% in a player’s favour.

The first part of counting cards is quite simple. Before the game starts, you should have the number zero in your head. Whenever a 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 are flipped – to the dealer or other players – you should add one to this tally. In other words, if you see a 6, 5 and 3 being flipped, then your tally will be +3.

However, when you see T, J, Q, K or A being flipped, then you should subtract one from the tally in your head. So, to keep with the above example going, let’s assume that the next few cards that are flipper are two Ts, one Q and a K. You would therefore subtract 4, which will take your mental tally to -1. This total in your head is called your running count.

If your running count is positive, then you have an advantage. If your tally is negative then you are at a disadvantage.  Whenever the running count is positive, it is said that the player has an advantage. The bigger your running count, the more noticeable your advantage will be.

This system will soon become second nature to you and the more you play, the easier this will get. However, knowing how to count cards is nothing unless you know when to hit and when to stand.

Know what to do with your cards

There are so many possible hand combinations that memorizing a strategy for each hand would be exceptionally hard. If you are playing online blackjack then you will be able to keep the following list handy.

H = Hit
S = Stand
D = Double
T = Split

Other tips

You should not expect to win every blackjack hand. Even if you master the ability to count cards and use the above table, there is always a chance that you can lose. You should set yourself a limit of how much you are prepared to lose and win and then you should stick to this. You may think that setting yourself a winning limit is foolish, but your luck can very easily change. Quit when you are ahead. If you want your blackjack time to last then you should use smaller bets. This not only allows you to play for longer but also allows you to recover if you get off to a bad start before you are out of money.