How to play Blackjack

Ah, Blackjack. Complicated card game for some, a playground of risk-taking for others. Nothing gets the old brain going quite like Blackjack. Unlike Poker, Blackjack is all about you vs. the casino. Well, you vs. the dealer more likely. No other players to ruin your moves, no other factors than your wits and the depth of the deck remaining. Your bet, your basic strategy and your experience is all that stands between you and the house edge. To help you with your casino experience and increase your chances at winning, let us give you some pointers about Blackjack strategy in the pursuit to win. 

Blackjack - Basic Strategy

The basic premise of Blackjack stays the same throughout every round. Beat the dealer's hand without going over a hand total of 21. No matter if you are playing at a real Blackjack table in a land-based casino, or playing one of the many modern online Blackjack games, based around this big rule most Blackjack games follow the very same chain of events. Keep in mind that while online Blackjack might seem less thrilling or demanding, many consider it to be Blackjack in its purest form. We feel it is perfectly acceptable to use online casinos to practice Blackjack online. Especially when it comes to gambling for real money, Blackjack can quickly become overwhelming for almost anyone. We instead suggest using Blackjack games online in their practice mode, or to find online Blackjack games allowing for minute bets to begin with. A win at such a complex game is always a good job well done, no matter the wager!

We will be using basic Blackjack terminology in this Blackjack strategy primer. If you need to refresh your Blackjack terminology, then head over to our other Blackjack Tips.

Our basic strategy could best be visualized with your hand on the left and the dealer's hand on the right. We will be using hard hands to better demonstrate basic rules. Your betting strategy should reflect these basic rules accordingly.  And just to be sure; a "hard hand" means any hand not containing an Ace counting for 11. 10 + 7 = hard 17. 

Basic Strategy for Hard Hands

• Hard hand: Any hand not containing an Ace counting for 11. 10 + 7 = hard 17.

• Hit: Asking for another card.

• Double, doubling down: To increase your bet and request only 1 additional card. Whatever your hand is worth after receiving that card is what you exit the round with. 

• Stand: Keeping your hand without asking for another card. 

Following these basic rules should keep your win rates consistent no matter at which casino you might be playing. Blackjack, no matter how many decks are being used, is one of those casino games that are susceptible to good statistical prediction models and probabilities. It shares this characteristic with some other casino games, which - lucky for you - should help you beat the house edge without the need for card counting or napkin math regarding odds. Following these lists should also raise your confidence when making a bet. Moving on:

Basic Strategy for Soft Hands

• Soft hand: Any hand containing an Ace counted as an 11. Ace + 5 = Soft 16. Soft hands allow for more aggressive play. 

Finally, what to do if you have the option of playing a Split? Ponder no longer, your wager is safe with us.

Basic Strategy for Splits

• Split: Whenever you are being dealt two cards of the same value, you have the option of splitting them, ending up with two hands. You purchase your second hand by putting down your initial bet of this round again. Afterwards both hands can be played completely independently. 

• In the above table not splitting the hands means you refer to the "hard hand" table above. Not splitting a 10 / 10 hand means treating it as a hard 20. 

Following this basic Blackjack strategy could have you winning more often than losing. Carefully maintain your bankroll, measure your bets and be happy about every win you make this way. These hard and fast rules will work for any Blackjack version in any online casino or land-based casino.

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A Word on Card Counting

Card Counting is one of these things that are always mentioned in regards to Blackjack. Especially in online Blackjack people think that card counting is a viable strategy, after all there are no dealers or floor managers watching you. No cameras and software analysing your bets and wagers. Many players will want to feel as comfortable as possible while betting their hard-earned cash after all, which is absolutely understandable. Trying to beat the odds by attempting to track the progress of virtual decks, however, is not the approach we would recommend. While online Blackjack is strictly controlled and regularly inspected by independent third parties, trying to beat the house edge with tools like these is not the path to glory for 99.9 % of players. Which is part of the reason we explain Blackjack strategy to you on these pages - to make your more familiar with the basic rules of Blackjack or how to treat an Ace in your hand for example. It should also help you improve your bet strategies and help you win more consistently - even if there never is a such as a thing as a guaranteed win in Blackjack!

The Perfect Blackjack Strategy

Many books and guides have been published touting perfect Blackjack strategies. Winning at Blackjack tables, however, is never guaranteed. How to win at Blackjack every time is an often posed question, to which the answer will always be: It's complicated. For such predictions and strategies depend on the number of decks being used, which will differ in many casinos - even in online Blackjack. Complexity is added also depending on the dealer's hand, and whether special house rules are in place. We will cover advanced strategies for your Blackjack games in another post. Go on then, practice your newly developed skills in the casino of your choice and show others how it's done!

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is basic Blackjack strategy?

Basic Blackjack strategy is based on mathematical simulations of millions of rounds of Blackjack. Following our Blackjack strategy primer will have you winning more in online casinos as well as any regular casino. 

• What is the best strategy to win at Blackjack?

Simply follow our basic strategy tables and you will be winning more in online Blackjack in no time. These robust rules will support any betting strategy and keep you entertained and focused throughout many rounds of Blackjack online!

• What is the trick to Blackjack?

Online Blackjack, regular Blackjack, house edge or not, the trick to Blackjack is to keep in mind whether you have a hard hand or soft hand and to keep our Blackjack strategy in mind. Our easy to remember tables can up improve your Blackjack games within minutes! No card counting needed!

• What is the best bet in Blackjack?

The best bet in Blackjack is the one that you are most confident in based on the basic strategies we explain here. Especially when it comes to splits, knowing beforehand whether the math is on your side will help you bet smarter and win more consistently!