BLACKJACK QUICK TIPS
This is the first in a series of Quick Tips for casino games.
I thought it would be useful to put together a gambling mini-education that offers strategies, rules and a brief outline of the game delivered in quick informational bites.
1.) |
Blackjack: Play ‘Dealer must stand on ALL 17’s tables. |
2.) |
Best: single deck tables, no double down restrictions. Re-splitting and surrender allowed. |
3.) |
You only have to beat the dealer: you can win with a 13 or 14 hand and a dealer bust. |
4.) |
Master hit/stand strategies and true count system for card counting. |
5.) |
Snag the third base seat to survey all the cards on the table before your decision. |
6.) |
Watch for dealer ‘tells’. Signs that can give away hands. |
7.) |
Don’t take Insurance. |
8.) |
Don’t play blackjack at a table where player’s blackjack pays 6-5 or even money.
Stick with the standard 3 to 2 payout. |
9.) |
Pass up blackjack tables that utilize a continuous shuffling machine where cards are returned to the shuffler after each round. |
10.) |
A Quick Tip Blackjack Strategy follows:
Your Hand against Dealer Upcard
12 to 16: stand on 2 to 6, hit on 7 to ace
17 to 21: stand
10 or 11: double down on 2 to 9
Soft 13 to 17: hit except double down on 5, 6
Soft 18 to 21: stand except double down on soft 18 and 5, 6
2,2; 3,3; 6,6; 7,7; 9,9: split on 2 to 7 but stand on 9,9 against a 7.
5,5; 10,10: never split
8,8; ace, ace: always split |
Blackjack Terms:
- Hard Hand: a hand that does not include an ace. What you see on your two cards is your total count, such as 9 + 8 = 17.
- Soft Hand: a hand that includes an ace in first two cards dealt. It has two values, depending on whether you use the ace as 1 or 11. A five and an ace would be 6 or 16.
- Stiff Hand: a potential bust hand, such as a 13 or 14. Also, a hard 15 or 16.
- Push: same count as the dealer -- a tie -- no money is exchanged, you don’t win or lose.
- Burn Cards: number of cards casino discards at the beginning of a new shuffle.
- Multiple Decks: four or more decks played in a game, always dealt face up.
If you play blackjack with poor strategy or instinct, you give the casino an advantage of over 5%.
A final Quick Tip: I suggest you print out this Blackjack mini-education for future use.
Gayle Mitchell is the author of Casino Gambling Made Easier books, EBooks, booklets & Slots Trilogy. |
