Most of us have some idea of how to play blackjack. You receive two cards face up, while the dealer receives one card face up and one face down. Your goal is to get as close to a total of 21 without going over, and furthermore to get closer to 21 than the dealer does. You can get one or more additional cards as a result of ‘hitting’ if you choose to. As usual with casino games, the house has an advantage, since the dealer does not need to make any decisions until you have finished drawing cards, so if you bust, or go over 21, the dealer wins without any risk. Here are some tips on how to play blackjack better.
Dealing
Cards for blackjack are commonly dealt from a shoe, a device that can hold up to eight decks of cards, although six is most common. The shoe serves a couple of purposes. First, it allows the dealer to shuffle multiple decks together, which means more players can play, and it also increases the amount of play time in between shuffles. More importantly, the shoe makes card counting much more difficult, which means players are less likely to overcome the house edge. Once the cards are dealt, it is decision time. Here is when you really need tips on how to play blackjack more effectively.
Handling the Cards
If the dealer’s open, or visible card, is an ace, the player may choose to make a side bet which is called insurance. This bet is that the hidden card is worth 10, meaning the dealer has blackjack. If the dealer does in fact have blackjack, the side insurance bet pays 2:1, at least somewhat making up for the automatic loss of the main bet. If the dealer does not have blackjack, the insurance bet is lost money, and play proceeds normally. If the player has blackjack, this is normally paid automatically at a ratio of 3:2 of the player’s bet. Some casinos do pay less than 3:2 for blackjack, and pay nothing on a push, or tied blackjacks. One helpful tip on how to play blackjack: as always, be sure you know the rules at the table you are playing at before posting a bet. The bankroll you save could be your own.
Hit, Surrender, or Double Down?
If you do not have blackjack, which will be the case on the majority of the hands you play, you may hit one or more times to increase your score, stand and take no more cards, split your hand into two if your two initial cards are of the same value, surrender your hand, or double down. If you choose to surrender, it must be the only decision you make (cannot happen after you hit or split, in other words), and you lose half your bet. A double down bet means that you double your initial bet, accept one hit card, and stand, regardless of what the hit card is.
Your decision of what to do should be based on your position at the table, the total of your first two cards, and what card the dealer is showing. Find a blackjack strategy chart, which gives the statistically best play to make in every card combination. To improve your odds at blackjack, you should find that chart, print it, memorize it, and play by it. While it will not negate the house edge, it will give you the best chance of winning with whatever cards come out of the shoe. There are many tips on how to play blackjack better, but it all can be summed up with making the best with the cards you have—and don’t have.