Helping You Quickly Lower the Casino Advantage!
Blackjack/21 is my favorite casino game. By playing best odds you can reduce the casino advantage to about one half of one percent; therefore you can win very close to half of the time! Casinos make money on Blackjack because people rarely play best odds, or even good odds.
Contents
Basic Strategy
To play smart blackjack, first you need to learn Basic Strategy (also known as "The Chart", right). Then you need to PRACTICE Basic Strategy. Next you may learn card counting if you have the time and are VERY serious, but not before you learn Basic Strategy EXTREMELY well and can use it confidently, quickly and although I don't encourage it, intoxicated. Ok, you get the picture...General Rules
- Always stand on a hard 17 or greater
- Always stand on a soft 19 (A,8) or greater
- Always split A,A and 8,8
- Never split 10,10 and 5,5
Chart Observations
- When the dealer is showing a 7 or better, and you have 12-16, you have to take the risk and hit
- If the dealer's face card is 2-6, generally you stand (if you risk busting) or double (if you do not risk busting)
- A hard 10 and 5,5 are treated the same way, as you might expect--double except when the dealer shows a 10 or an ace
- 10s and 11s are almost always doubled
- 9s are almost always split
- 2s, 3s, and 7s are split for dealer face card 2-7
- Generaly double soft hands (Ace paired with 2-7) and a hard 9 when the dealer is showing a 4-6
- for hard totals 12-16 when the dealer is showing 2-6, the only time you would ever hit is if you have a 12, and only then when the dealer shows a 2 or 3
- Split and double when you should! This reduces the casino's edge
Learning Basic Strategy
The following are steps I suggest you use to learn Basic Strategy
- Study the chart, noting the general rules and chart observations above. Think about how the patterns make sense, and if a play does not make sense, you need to try to figure out why it would and convince yourself it does.
- Then get a deck of cards and practice, referring back to the chart when you are not sure. Flash cards are also suggested at this step. (Ex: front of card says "10" back of card says "Double vs. 2-9 otherwise Hit")
- When you are feeling pretty confident, play with a friend, preferably one who knows the chart, or use the Strategy Trainer (Click "Free Blackjack Game: Blackjack Strategy Trainer")
Links
The problem with searching for Blackjack resources online is that there is a lot of junk: online casino ads, popups, poor information and guidance. Here are links that I have found to be valuable blackjack resources.
Blackjack Rules
Visit this page for basic casino and Blackjack information.
Card Counting 101
An excellent card-counting primer by Stanford Wong
Books
You don't need to buy books unless you want to start card counting, and you won't need to do that until you master Basic Strategy. If you know the basic strategy for any set of rules and want to reduce the casino edge further, I suggest the following books.
Theory of Blackjack, Sixth Edition
The original.
Professional Blackjack
And the following Knock-Out Blackjack: The Easiest Card-Counting System Ever Devised
