How To Play Blackjack Strategy

Mar 04, 2021 Study basic blackjack strategy. Because blackjack is a game of probabilities compared to other casino games, you will be a stronger player by learning how to play certain hands. For example, do you hit on your 16 when the dealer has a ten? Counting cards is one of the most widely used blackjack strategies. The idea is that card counters assign a value to cards as they see them being removed from the deck. This gives them a running.

1. How To Play Blackjack Rules
2. How To Play Blackjack Strategy Games
3. How To Play Blackjack Rules
4. How To Play Blackjack For Beginners

Contents

Object of the Game

Blackjack is a card game in which one or more people play against the casino dealer. Both the casino dealer and the player are trying to get cards that add up to 21 without going over 21. An ace can count as 1 or 11. Jack, Queen, and King count as 10. Whoever gets the closest to 21 without going over wins. If both the dealer and the player end up with the same total like 19 or 20 then it is a tie or a push.

How the Blackjack Dealer Must Play

The casino dealer has the advantage in this game for the simple reason that the players have to go first. This is an edge for the dealer because as soon as a player goes over 21 and busts, his bet is lost and he is now out of the hand. The dealer may still bust afterwards, but the player has already lost his bet.

The dealer must follow always follow a specific set of rules when playing his hand. If the dealer has less than 16, he MUST HIT. If the dealer has 17 or higher, he MUST STAND (a possible exception is if the dealer has a soft 17 which is an Ace and a 6).

As an example, if everyone at a blackjack table has a hand totaling 13, and the dealer is showing a 6, the basic strategy is to stay. The dealer flips over his other card revealing a 10. The dealer has a total of 16. His hand is higher than everyone else’s at the table.

However, the dealer MUST hit his hand since it is a 16 or less. The dealer hits his hand, has an excellent chance of busting, and the entire table wins.

On the flip side, let’s say everyone at the table is dealt an 18 (and stays) and the dealer shows a 7. The dealer flips over his under card revealing a 10 for a total of 17. Even though he’s losing to everyone at the table, he is not allowed to take a hit, and thus the entire table wins.

Because the dealer must play his hand in this fashion, this is a benefit to the player and by applying perfect blackjack strategy, we can exploit this to the maximum potential. Consulting our blackjack charts while playing blackjack will help you make the best moves possible in any situation.

Overall, the casino dealer has an advantage in this game, however it is very slight if you play perfect blackjack strategy. And if you can learn to count cards – which is not as difficult as it sounds – you can sway the odds to your favor! We discuss card counting in the more advanced strategy section.

How to Play a Hand of Blackjack

Using an example makes it easier to understand how to play blackjack. Suppose Fred sees an empty blackjack table and sits down. The dealer shuffles cards or uses an automatic shuffle machine. The dealer then puts the cards in a shoe. Fred must place his bet down to start the action.

Two cards are dealt to Fred and the dealer gets two cards as well. One of the dealer’s cards is face up and the other is face down. In places like Las Vegas all of Fred’s cards are face up but there are some casinos in places like Reno where the player’s cards are face down.

If your cards are dealt face down, you can only use ONE hand to lift your cards to see their values.

The player is first to act and you have the following options after your first two cards are dealt:

• You can Hit – which is take another card. At the blackjack table, you would point at your finger at your hand or tap the table to signify a hit. If you are holding your cards in your one hand, you would swipe them against the table towards yourself to signify a hit.
• You can Stand or Stay – you will play your hand as is. To signify a stand, you would wave off the dealer with your open hand or wave your hand over your cards. If you are holding your cards, you would slide them under your bet (again while only using your one hand) and leave them there.
• You can Double Down – this means you can double your bet and receive one and only one card. You would place an equivalent bet next to your existing bet (not on top!) and verbally announce “Double Down”. You will receive one card and the dealer may place it face up or face down. You are not allowed to touch the card so if it’s face down, you will have to wait until the dealer flips it over.
• You can Split – if you are dealt two of the exact same cards, like a 7 7, you may elect to split the cards. Like the Double Down, you would place an equal bet beside your current bet and verbally announce “Split”. The dealer will then split up your two cards and you will now play two hands. The dealer will immediately deal you a second card for your first hand, so you will have a 7 and a new card. Now you can play these two cards like any other hand – you may Hit, Stand, Double Down, or Split again (if the re-splitting rule is allowed).
• Finally, if the table rules allow, you may Surrender. You will have to ask the dealer if Surrender is allowed. If you Surrender, you sacrifice your hand and receive 50% of your bet back. This happens before you see the dealer’s hole card. This is a more advanced move and should only be used in certain specific scenarios!

How You Should Play Blackjack

We’ve made mention of the “basic strategy chart”. The basic strategy chart will guide you on how to optimally play your hand. The key, however, is to be consulting the RIGHT basic strategy chart. There are many!

The chart changes depending on:

• how many decks you are playing
• if you are allowed to double down on any 2 cards
• if you are allowed to double down after splitting
• if the dealer stands or hits on soft 17

Visit our Blackjack Charts page to find the right chart for the game you are playing!

All beginners should carry the chart with them when playing blackjack. You ARE ALLOWED to have the chart with you when you are playing real money blackjack! You can keep it in your pocket or place it on your lap and reference it when you need to.

Below is an example of a chart for a typical shoe (6-8 decks) game in Las Vegas.

Blackjack Chart for Multi-Deck Shoe

Feel free to print the image and take it with you!

Using the chart is simple, the top row shows the card the dealer is showing, the left column represents your hand.

The action would go as follows. Fred places his bet and then the hand is dealt.

Suppose the dealer is showing a Ten of clubs and Fred has a 7 of hearts and Jack of diamonds. The action is on Fred to make his move. Fred consults the chart and finds the Dealer’s Card of 10. He then cross-references that column heading with the row that shows 17.

The basic strategy chart shows a red S, which means that Fred should Stand. Fred waves his hand over his cards to signal a Stand.

The dealer turns over his hole card revealing a 6 of spades. The dealer has a hand that is less than 17 so he must hit. In this case let’s say he draws the King of hearts. The dealer now has a total of 10 + 6 + 10 or 26 and busts, so Fred wins.

Practice Blackjack

The best way to learn how to play blackjack is to use the blackjack trainer on our home page. Our trainer simulates real blackjack but you don’t risk losing any money. And, most importantly, our blackjack trainer will tell you when you’ve made a correct move or incorrect move.

How To Play Blackjack Rules

You can also use this simple Blackjack Calculator below to tell you the best move to make given your hand and the Dealer’s up card. Simply click on the Dealer’s card (top) and then select which card he has from the deck.

Then click on the Player’s cards below to select your cards from the deck. The tool will then tell you the best move to make. This tool assumes you are playing a 6-deck shoe, double down after splitting is allowed, surrender is allowed, and the dealer stands on soft 17 (a typical Vegas blackjack shoe game).

The blackjack tool below simply reads the blackjack chart for you and tells you the best moves to make.

It is easier to learn blackjack if you understand terms used in the game like third base (the last player to act), hole card (the dealer’s face down card), and busting (having cards that add up to more than 21 which means losing). Check out our blackjack dictionary if you run across any confusing lingo in the blackjack world.

Check out the casino section at FlopTurnRiver.com at http://www.flopturnriver.com/casino/ for a wealth of casino resources.

Helping you become a winner in Blackjack is why we are putting together this five-part series of articles equipping you with the strategies you need to help you in any given situation.

Do you want to be a winner at blackjack? Of course, you do! And to to be a long-term winner, you must learn the art of card counting and we will delve into that subject a little bit later. But first, let’s learn about the best way for the average player to improve their game and that is by learning the basic strategy of Blackjack.

According to computer studies carried out on the game of Blackjack, which involved analyzing millions of hands, a basic formula has been developed, showing the best way to play your hand in any given situation. Every decision you make is based on the fact that the dealer keeps on drawing cards until their total is 17 or more. Since they are forced to play by this rule, that gives you the advantage of making your decision based on the dealer’s upcard that you are able to see.

Now, according to the results of these computer studies, and as shown in the chart below, the dealer will complete more hands when having an upcard value of 7,8,9, 10 – or an Ace, and will bust more often with an upcard of 2,3,4,5, or 6.

Chance the dealer’s upcard will bust

We can see from this chart that having a 5 or 6 as an upcard will make the dealer bust more often. And, you can also see that will change when the dealer has an ace as the upcard because they will bust the least amount of times. Therefore, it is best to stand when the dealer has weak cards giving you the chance that they will bust early. However, when their upcard is a 7 through Ace, you shouldn’t stand. Rather, you should hit as much as you can until you reach 17 or above.

You should have noticed by now that whatever hit or stand decision you make will depend on the dealer’s upcard. This is illustrated more in the following basic Blackjack strategy tips.

Blackjack Basic Strategy Charts

We are now going to show you the basic strategies to use when playing your blackjack hands. Keep in mind that all of these strategies were derived from computer simulations of millions of blackjack hands and they show that there is always only one mathematically correct way to play your blackjack hand in any given situation.

All of the results have been put into basic strategy charts that players should try to memorize before stepping foot in the casino. Sometimes, the casinos will actually let you bring a basic strategy chart with you to the blackjack table, but it would be best to first ask if it is allowed.

Keep in mind that the blackjack strategy can vary slightly, based on the number of decks used (single-deck or multi-deck) and the rule variations (stand/hit on soft 17? double any two cards? surrender allowed? etc.). That is why there are multiple strategy chart variations, but most of those situations can be addressed in just six unique blackjack basic strategy charts and we have all of them available for FREE download on our website at https://www.americancasinoguidebook.com/blackjack/free-blackjack-strategy-charts.html

And, not only can you download them for FREE, but you can also print them out to take them with you to the casino, or to study at home. Feel free to print them out now and follow along as we delve further into understanding basic strategy in blackjack.

First of all, we will look at both hard hand and soft hand strategies. Your hand is always hard, unless you have an Ace as one of the two cards dealt to you. Remember that an Ace can be counted as either a 1 or 11, depending on your choice as a player. Hence, your hand becomes soft if you choose the value of the Ace to be one. Otherwise, your will be hard if you choose the value of the Ace to be 11.

Blackjack Strategy: Hard Hands

Let’s see how your hands will be played only with a hard hand. We are using principles that apply to casinos that deal more than one deck and the dealer hits soft 17. These rules are seen in the vast majority of casinos today. It’ll be a slightly different approach when you play against a single deck and the dealer stands on a soft 17. Let’s see how it’s applied.

When the total of your first dealt cards is between 17 and 21, you should stand no matter what the dealer’s upcard is (if surrender is not allowed).

When your total is 16, you should stand only if the dealer has an upcard between 2 and 6. Take a hit when their upcard is between 7 and Ace. By doing this you will bust more often, but in the long run, you will lose less money.

For a total of 15, stand if the dealer has an upcard between 2 and 6. Otherwise, you should hit until you total 17 or more where you’ll have to stand.

Same rules for 15 and 16 apply to 13 and 14.

Having a total of 12 means you only stand when the dealer’s upcard is at its weakest, that is, 4,5 or 6. This means the dealer will bust more often and you’ll want to be in a position of not busting yourself. Take one more card and stop with a total of 13 or more when the dealer’s upcard is between 2 and 3. Lastly on this, if the dealer has anywhere between 7 and an Ace, hit till your total is 17 or more.

With a total of 11, always hit because you can’t bust. You can also consider doubling down, if the casino rules permit it. If the casino doesn’t allow a double down, take hits and play by the rules we have given above.

Blackjack Strategy: Hard Hand Double Down

How To Play Blackjack Strategy Games

If you have a total of 10, you will want to double down unless the dealer has the same 10 or an Ace as their upcard. In this case, take hits and play by the above-mentioned rules depending on your total. If you have a 10 against a dealer’s 9 or less, you should double down, if allowed. In not, then take hits until you total 17 or more.

With a total of 9 doubling down will be best for you when the dealer’s upcard is showing 3,4,5 or 6. If the dealer’s upcard is showing a 2 or a 7 through Ace, you should take hits using the standard playing rules discussed above. Let’s assume you have a 9 against the dealer’s upcard of 4, it’ll be wise to double down and take another card. But when the casino refuses doubling down on a 9, you’ll take a hit and let’s say you got a 3 raising your total to 12, you should stand on this 12 against the dealer’s 4.

Lastly, on the hard hand strategy, you should always take hits and play by the standard rules we’ve given you when your total is 8 or less.

How To Play Blackjack Rules

Blackjack Strategy: Splitting Pairs Strategy

The question of when you should split pairs may be totally dependent on the casino you are visiting because some will allow you to split pairs and some casinos may not. Let’s take a look into when to split a pair if the casino allows it.

When you’re allowed to split, remember to always split your Aces and 8’s. Splitting a pair of 8’s helps remove the terrible number, 16, from your hand and you play the 8’s separately. This gives you a better chance to win.

When you split a pair of Aces, you might get a 10-value card which gives you a perfect 21. Though it is not counted as a blackjack, you still get an even-money payoff rather than a 3-to-2 payment for blackjack as we saw earlier in this article.

Next rule. Never split a pair of 5’s or 10’s. A pair of 10’s gives you a 20 which is a great number, and a pair of 5’s gives you a 10 that you’ll want to double down on unless a 10 or an Ace is the dealer’s upcard.

Splitting 2’s, 3’s and 7’s should only be done when the dealer has any number between 2 and 7 as their upcard. Split 4’s only when the dealer’s upcard is at its weakest (5 or 6 as we shall see later on). Doing a split on 6’s should only be done when the dealer’s up card is between 2 and 6. Lastly, 9’s should always be split with the exception that the dealer has an upcard of 7 a 10 or an Ace.

You don’t split 9’s against 7, because, should the dealer have a 10 as the down card, your pair gives you an 18 which is greater than his 17. It is rather obvious why you shouldn’t split 9’s against a dealer’s upcard of 10.

Make these quick changes when the casino does not allow you to double down after a split. Only split 6’s against an upcard of 3,4,5 or 6. Never split 4’s; and split 2’s and 3’s only against an upcard of 4,5,6 or 7. You can stick to the rest as they apply in this case too.

Blackjack Strategy: Soft Hards

How To Play Blackjack For Beginners

Remember we said a soft hand contains an Ace which is counted as 1 or 11 depending on your choice. Here are the rules for playing a soft hand.

Always stand when you have a soft 19. Also stand when you have a soft 18 against a dealer’s 2,7 or 8. Take a hit when the dealer has a 9,10 or an Ace. For an upcard showing between 3 to 6, take a double down, but just stand when the casino rules don’t permit a double down.

You should always take a hit with a soft 17, but if a double down is allowed, you should double when the dealer’s upcard is between 3 to 6.

Always take a hit for a soft 16 and soft 15. But you should double down against a dealer’s 4,5 or 6 with the exception that doubling down is allowed.

When you have a soft 14, take a hit. When the casino allows you a double down, do so against and upcard of 5 or 6. The same rules apply for a soft 13.

Another thing we must point out with respect to the surrender rule which we discussed earlier is, it is applied to only hard 15 or 16. When choosing a surrender for a hard 16, do it when the dealer’s upcard is a 9,10 or an Ace. For a hard 15, you can surrender only when the dealer has a 10 for an upcard. That wraps it up.

Okay, having covered basic blackjack strategy, let’s now move on to Part Four: Blackjack Odds Change With The Rules.

Try an online casino for FREE! Use any of our great No Deposit Bonus Codes. No credit card needed, just sign up and start playing!

If you want to play blackjack for fun, be sure to visit our FREE blackjack game page! https://www.americancasinoguidebook.com/play-free-blackjack.html Best of all, if you run out of chips, you can easily get more for FREE!