Blackjack Strategy

Blackjack strategies is a simple game that takes hours of play and study to master so that the house edge is reduced or eliminated. The first step that a player should put into play in Blackjack is to learn when to hit a hand and when to stand. There are tactical and statistical answers to most hitting or standing situations. Learning how to count cards is also a strategy that will pay dividends if the player can master this skill.

Remember the dealer has no choice on when to hit or not. The house rules dictate the situations and hand count when a dealer must hit or stand. Playing for the dealer to bust is a time-honored way to win at basic blackjack strategy. Playing so as to not bust a hand in certain situations is also a winning strategy. The player can stand on any hand they are dealt. Card counting can improve this action by the player. A shoe that is rich in high cards is a bad place to hit a bustable hand.

Another area of skill is the splitting of pairs or doubling down against certain dealer show cards. Knowing the correct way to play can be learned as to which is the statistically correct move. Taking Insurance is a poor bet in most situations, as the house does not pay the correct odds unless there is a high card rich shoe. Most of the time the player should not take this bet.

Card counting can radically change some plays that most people consider correct. When a shoe is in favor of the player, the bets should be increased and even parlayed when won. When the shoe favors the house, the bets should be reduced or even quit the table.

One of the common decisions is what to do with hands that contain an Ace and a card under six. This depends on the show card of the dealer and the card count if the player is counting cards. The smartest plays fall in this area as the hands should be hit, doubled down on or stood on depending on the show card and the count. Some of these plays are obvious and some need to be completed based on active situations.

One very obvious play that can be made if the table situation will allow it is to play more than one hand at a time when the shoe favors the player. In many situations this is better than increasing the bet. Playing two or three hands at a time is not unusual at a Blackjack table. Raising or lowering bets by substantial amounts is not as common on these same tables. By playing multiple hands, the player can get more money in the game at favorable times and not have to make such large bet changes This method is less likely to arouse suspicion of pit bosses or the eye in the sky. Counting of cards while not illegal is a way of playing that casinos resent and will do everything to prevent if they become aware of it going on. Playing several hands at a time is not an obvious tell that card counting is going on by the player.

Playing Blackjack correctly is a large step toward to winning at the game. Smart play cuts the house edge to a minimum. Card counting can actually put the odds of the game in favor of the players. Casinos are not in business to play games where the player is favored.

It is worth the effort to read any of the good books on card counting and playing strategies that are easily found on the Internet. Solid play makes winning a real possibility in this most popular online casino gambling game.