Basic Blackjack Strategies

Clarissa Kane | Published on April 20, 2012

Blackjack is a very popular casino game that works on quite a bit of luck and a good deal of skill and strategy. If you do not know even one blackjack strategy, you will not be able to make a lot of money in this game. Most people claim to know how to play blackjack yet they don’t even know a few basic strategies.

 

When to Say No to More Cards

The biggest problem with most blackjack players is that they do not know when to say no. They have a belief that the next hand will be a winning hand. Lady luck can be the best person in the world but she can also be very cruel.

With this blackjack strategy, the first thing to do is to consider your total and how the next card will affect it. For example, if you have a total of eighteen, it may be time to say no. There are only four cards which can help you win while there are ten cards which can ruin you. With a 28.5% winning chance, it is better to stop drawing cards and save your remaining money than risk losing more in the current play.

When to Say Yes to More Cards

Sometimes it pays to say “hit me” – metaphorically speaking. If you have a low starting number, it is common sense to say yes to another card. In this blackjack strategy, if a player has a starting number of fourteen or less, it is usually ideal to ask for another card.

For example, if you have a total of twelve, it may be a really smart idea to ask to be dealt another card. There are ten cards which can help you win the round and only four cards which can cause you to lose. Statistically speaking, there is a 71.5% winning chance which is more than enough to justify another card draw.

Doubling

Doubling is tricky business and although it can lead to a very high pay out, it can as equally lead to a huge loss. This blackjack strategy involves changes to your starting total. It involves an automatic doubling of your bet and your winning payout.

However, confirming this move will mean you will get two cards in the next turn rather than one. This should not be done often as it can almost certainly lead to a loss.

This strategy is useful generally when a player has less than a starting total of eight. If a player doubles after his/her initial two cards, and the player gets two sixes, they can still win as the final score will be twenty. Again, the possibilities of winning and losing should always be analyzed first.

Do the Split

Splitting is a move whereby a large double number can be split by half. The option usually presents itself when double numbers come. This Blackjack strategy should be very carefully used and only when there is a strong chance that the next card can help you win.

For example, a player has a starting total of twenty which comprises of two tens. Splitting in such an example should never be done. However, if a player gets a starting total of sixteen which comprises of two eights, a split can and should be done. After a split, if a player gets an ace, the total will reach up to nineteen and will sufficiently improve the odds of winning. This blackjack strategy can be a life saver at times.

Whether you are a novice or a seasoned professional blackjack player, it is always important to remember the foundations of blackjack in order to maximize the odds of winning. Memorizing even one key blackjack strategy can and will help any player turn any bad situation into a good one. Memorizing them all can make you very rich very fast.

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