Top Tips to Improve Your Blackjack Game
It is no surprise when you find that blackjack is the most widely played casino banking game in the world – it is simple and quick to play as well as easy to learn. If you are just getting started with the game, you can get early success just from knowing the basics. If you want to take your playing to the next level and start making some serious cash, whether you are playing online live blackjack or in a casino in Vegas, then there are a few tips that can help.
Blackjack in some form has existed for several hundred years. The earliest mention of it in literature was in 17th Century Spain, and we know that it travelled through Europe until it reached the Americas with the first immigrants.
Basic Blackjack Rules
Here is what you need to know to get started with blackjack. The dealer uses standard 52-card decks. Some places will use up to eight decks in one game (which makes any strategy to do with card counting tough – probably why the casinos do it).
Each card has a points value attributed to it. Number cards from 2-10 have their own value as written. Face cards (King, Queen, Jack) are worth 10, and the Ace can be either 11 or 1 (which makes them a flexible addition to your hand).
Initially you will be dealt two cards face up. Everyone on the table will be able to see your hand, but it doesn’t matter as you are not bluffing or playing against them.
The dealer will have one face up card in front of them, and one face down. You decide, based on the cards you have and the card that the dealer is showing, whether you want to get another card (hit), stick with the cards you have (stand), double your bet, take a card, and end your turn (double), or split the cards and make two hands with identical cards (split).
The aim of the game is to get a higher combined total of cards than the dealer, without getting 22 or more (going bust).
Top Tips For A Better Blackjack Game
Once you have the idea of how to play, you can boost your game and have more fun if you put the following tips to work.
Master Basic Strategy
Many people have studied the game of blackjack, and it is thanks to them that we know it is essentially a game of mathematical probability. Knowing what moves to make based on the cards you have and what the dealer is showing will help you.
Things to consider here include:
- Always assume the card you can’t see is a 10, because there are statistically more cards with a value of 10 than any other card in the deck.
- Double down if you have 11 in your hand.
- Split if you have a pair of aces or a pair of eights, but don’t split 10s or 5s.
If you want to really hone your basic strategy, you can memorize the play charts to help – they tell you what moves to make based on your cards and the dealer’s visible card.
Play More
The more you do something, the better you get at it – so the next tip is to put all that basic strategy learning to good use and just play more. Whether that is online, with friends at home, or in a real casino, nothing beats practical application to help you learn.
Manage Your Bankroll
If you are playing blackjack for real money, you need to make sure that you are being sensible with how you are betting. You should never go all in – it’s the safest way to lose everything. Choose your limits and stick to them so that you can keep playing for longer, and never bet anything that you cannot afford to lose.
Choose the Right Table
Variety is the spice of life, and although the game of blackjack is simple enough, there are always variants to play. In online casinos this can mean added extras, a theme, or even a target to reach.
In a physical casino, this might mean choosing to avoid the high stakes tables until you are a bit more confident, or going for a less popular table so that you can chat to the dealer while you are learning.
Pick a Betting Strategy
Blackjack is one of the casino games that you can apply betting strategies to, and there are plenty to choose from. Whether you are deciding between using the Martingale system, Fibonacci, or some other way of betting, choose one and stick to it – just remember your bankroll management so that you don’t go overboard.
Take these tips on board to get your blackjack game to the next level.
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With a solid foundation in technology, backed by a BIT degree, Lucas Noah has carved a niche for himself in the world of content creation and digital storytelling. Currently lending his expertise to Creative Outrank LLC and Oceana Express LLC, Lucas has become a... Read more