Blackjack Strategy Tips

Blackjack is a Thinking Man’s Game

Blackjack is a far more complicated game than roulette. But it’s also a far more interesting one. Blackjack requires the player to make decisions based on their cards and the better those decisions are, the better therefore their chances of winning will be.

Blackjack is not an easy game to master with a lot of close decisions. It certainly gets easier to make those decisions correctly the more you play so don’t worry too much about making the absolute correct decision every time, initially. Your strategy will improve with time just by playing.

Set a bankroll before you get to the blackjack table. This can be whatever you feel comfortable losing or better again a little less than that. That way, you can then play with freedom whilst at the table. Remember booking a win of any size is a good result and the casino chips are your chips once you have them not the houses!


Blackjack Staking Plan – Small Percentages

Your staking plan should be a low percentage of your bankroll.

A good staking plan would be to bet no more than 10% of your wagering bankroll for the session on any one hand. Feel free to drop your bet sizes if you’re losing or increase them a little if you’re winning. This will ensure you extend your playing time.

Whilst playing, the most basic blackjack strategy is to assume that the stronger the card the dealer is showing, the better our hand needs to be to win.

If dealer is showing a face card

For instance, if a dealer is showing a face card, you should really be trying as hard as you can to get to 21. If you’re holding a 16 or lower against a dealer’s face card, take a card. You are so likely to lose anyway that you may end up getting lucky with a low card and it’s an easier path to victory than hoping the dealer busts.

If dealer is showing a lower card

However, if a dealer is showing a lower card, like for instance, a four, be a little bit more reluctant to take a card on a hand that’s a solid teen, say 13 or better, as there’s now a much more likely chance that the dealer will bust.

Of course, there is no way of knowing what strength of a hand the dealer will ultimately make. You just have to make general assumptions and make your decisions from them, as best as you can.


Doubling Down

People worry a lot about when to double down. Doubling down is a chance to double your bet if your hand is of a certain value strength, say for instance, 11. 11 is actually the best number to double down on as there are so many ways to make 21. Even if you hit a mediocre card when you double down on 11 it’s still going to be a decent hand especially against a dealer’s low numbered card. A simple rule to follow would be to always double down on 11 except against an ace.

Another general rule would be if you get dealt two face cards, don’t split them. Yes you could end up with two good hands but you could also ruin a made hand, which you have. It’s hard enough to get a made hand in blackjack, so keep your 20’s and don’t split them.


Always Split Aces

However, if you get dealt two aces you should always split them! Together they’re worthless but separately they’re worth their weight in gold. Always split aces.

Another general tip would be don’t take insurance, if offered. It’s a bad proposition for the player and you’re better off not even thinking about it. There are more important things to concern yourself with at the blackjack table than whether or not to take a bad insurance offer.

Other than that, you’re good to go. Hands will lose and hands will win. You can do the right thing and be unlucky. You can do the wrong thing and be lucky. All you can do is just make the best decision with the information you have and let the cards fall where they may.

Darren Moore
Writer

Darren lives & breathes sports betting and is always sniffing out his next value bet. His favourite sports to bet on are the NFL, horse racing and UFC but he will bet on anything if he thinks the odds are favourable.