Blackjack fans are considered to be the most intelligent casino customers. Perhaps this opinion is somewhat exaggerated, but hardly anyone will deny that this game requires special knowledge and skills.
We wish all Canadians could learn how to play blackjack correctly, to bring them to a qualitatively new level, allowing them to achieve success at the casino more often or even gain the upper hand over the house in the long term.
Various aspects of blackjack and related topics are covered in the articles in this section of Casinoz Canada.
The main advantages of blackjack
Let's highlight the key benefits of the game, ensuring its popularity among Canadian customers.
The main advantage of blackjack is a high RTP, which allows you to play against the casino on an equal footing.
We can also highlight such strengths as:
- Wide choice of varieties,
- Ready-made basic strategies for all varieties,
- A wide range of bets,
- Availability in most casinos of Canada.
Currently, there is a lot of information on how to play blackjack. Any beginner can master the game at a high level.
Advantages of online casino blackjack in Canada
Online casino blackjack has additional benefits:
- Even a larger choice of games,
- Even wider range of limits,
- Unique variations with unusual rules,
- Blackjack with bonuses and jackpots,
- Realistic animation and user-friendly interface,
- No side costs.
Playing online blackjack is profitable and convenient unless you are going to count cards, which is impossible in the games with the random number generator.
Basic blackjack rules
Since we have devoted a whole department of the site to the game rules, we'll not discuss it here.
The main goal is to get paid by defeating the dealer. To do this, you need to collect a higher score than the dealernever exceeding twenty-one.
You can play one or more hands in different types of blackjack. During the deal, the client can use other opportunities: double the bet, divide the same cards into two boxes, make insurance from blackjack and so on.
The set of these options and the scope of their application may vary in particular games, so you should always carefully study the rules of each type of blackjack.
Blackjack terminology
Blackjack uses a few dozen key terms that every Canadian gambler needs to understand, not to mention the professionals. If you do not understand the necessary words and expressions, you will not be able to play blackjack correctly. Accordingly, you will not be able to achieve the maximum return and win the casino as often as possible.
Most of these terms are related to the gameplay. Here are a few of them:
- Split - an opportunity to split cards of the same value into two hands by making another bet of the same size;
- Double - the rule which allows doubling the bet, getting only one card;
- Surrender - quit the game with the loss of half of the bet;
- Insurance - allows to ensure against blackjack of the dealer;
- Soft 17 and Hard 17 – 17 with an ACE or without it.
All important blackjack terms are covered in the articles about blackjack at Casinoz. Be sure to read it.
The main types of blackjack in Canada
First of all, we should name 2 key varieties:
- American blackjack – the dealer deals two cards to himself but opens only one of them. If this card is an ACE or a 10, he checks himself for blackjack without showing the closed card to the player.
- European blackjack – the dealer initially deals one face-up card to himself. As soon as the customers make decisions on all boxes, he deals all the rest cards.
Software providers for online casinos and offline casino operators in Canada can change blackjack rules at their own discretion. For example, they can limit the situations in which you can make a double, or reduce the number of splits on the one hand. Therefore, always carefully study the nuances of each game.
Some of the other popular types of blackjack:
- Spanish 21 – an unusual version without tens, with liberal rules and bonus payments;
- Blackjack switch – a game with an opportunity to exchange cards between boxes;
- Pontoon – a variation, very a similar on Spanish 21;
- Vegas Strip Blackjack – a widespread American blackjack with four decks;
- Super Fun 21 – a single deck game with special payouts;
- Atlantic City Blackjack – an American version of eight decks;
- Progressive Blackjack – different types of blackjack with a progressive jackpot, which is usually played at an additional bet;
- Double Exposure – the dealer opens two of his cards right away, but more stringent rules apply;
- Double Attack – here you can raise the bet, but other conditions are not the most attractive.
Features of all the above varieties are discussed in our blackjack articles at Casinoz Canada. We cover unique games of well-known brands too.
Live blackjack
Many gambling operators in Canada offer blackjack with real dealers at live casinos. Real dealers work from the special studios or the halls of land-based casinos. They provide a continuous video stream from there, which allows Canadian players to follow the gameplay.
Canadian users need special software to place the bets. They can talk to opponents and dealers in the live chat, look at the table from different angles, customize the interface and use other tools.
In live blackjack, the decks are shuffled by the dealer, not the random number generator. Out of the game, cards are stored in the shoe. Theoretically, this makes it possible to count cards in "live" casinos. In practice, there are many difficulties.
Read about all the nuances of playing blackjack with real dealers in the thematic articles.
Bonuses and additional bets
Some types of blackjack offer prize payouts in certain situations. For example, the so-called Charlie Rule. It means that a box with a certain number of cards and no bust wins automatically. In different Canadian casinos, the number of cards varies from five to ten.
Also, many casinos accept Side Bets, which are paid in the situations described by the rules. Options can be:
- Twenty-one point on five cards,
- Six, seven and eight of the same suit,
- The first two cards of the same suit,
- Winning hands series and so on.
You can read about prize payouts and bonus bets at Casinoz.
Blackjack math
Games from different producers may feature the same names but differ by all sorts of nuances: the number of decks, the allowable number of boxes, the features of splits or doubles, the presence of the surrender, and so on.
Any of these characteristics have an impact on the house edge and the return to the player. For example, if the dealer hits on the "soft 17" (with the ACE), the house edge increases by 0.2%.
Canadian blackjack pro players take all the subtleties of the rules into account when choosing the most profitable option. You should also learn at least the basics of blackjack math to learn how to choose the best games.
How to choose the best blackjack
When choosing a blackjack, you need to start with the house edge. The lower it is, the higher the chances of winning. Both land-based and online casinos of Canada feature games with the RTP over 100%. It turns out that superiority is on the client's side. But reaching the maximum RTP is only possible with the help of the optimal gaming strategy, subject to the rules.
You should also pay attention to the following:
- The range of bets,
- The reputation of the operator and software provider,
- User interface convenience and so on.
But the main criterion is still the theoretical return.
Basic blackjack strategy
Many decades ago, the so-called BJ Basic Strategy was developed. Typically, it looks like a table that tells how to act in all theoretically possible game situations.
These tips leave the best chance of winning with the current hands. It is important to understand that these recommendations do not guarantee to win in every draw. Moreover, they do not provide success in a single gaming session.
The basic strategy raises the odds, but practice often goes against the theory.
Even the best blackjack players in Canada face bad streaks. That's why all Canadian pro gamblers try to have an impressive bankroll in stock, which will allow them to wait out unsuccessful periods.
Card counting in blackjack
Card counting refers to various systems that allow you to determine what the ratio of large and small cards is in the decks remaining in the game.
Why do you need to know that? Roughly speaking, the more aces and 10s are in the game, the higher the player's chances of winning.
The simplest methods of blackjack card counting come down to the fact that the player adds one in mind if a low-value card goes to the shoe, and deducts one with each played high-value card. Some cards are not taken into account.
If the score grows, the customer raises the bet. If it goes down, he should reduce the stake.
Even such a primitive approach makes it possible to get a math advantage over the casino.
Also, Canadian pro gamblers locate aces in the decks and use other tricks, described in the thematic articles.
You will also learn why it is impossible to count cards in online blackjack based on the random number generator, and understand how effective the card counting in online casinos with live dealers.
Blackjack mistakes
Beginners and even experienced users may screw up that doesn't allow them to beat the casino in blackjack. Let's highlight a few common mistakes that every Canadian need to get rid of in the first place:
- Making decisions based on intuition – you have to play blackjack by the optimal strategy, picked according to all the nuances of the rules. Don't bother about intuition and people's advice.
- Planless bets correction – learn to manage the bankroll. Changing an amount at stake, take the current gaming situation and related factors into account.
- Passion for progressive blackjack – games with progressive jackpots usually have a lower return to the player. Playing them is unprofitable.
- Love for side bets – side bets usually feature a high house edge. Exceptions are rare.
- Unwillingness to look for the most profitable games – many Canadian players stick to certain blackjacks and don't want to consider other options, which makes them lose the opportunity to play on more attractive terms.
If you are going to move to the professional level of playing blackjack, learn to count cards in offline casinos and master advanced techniques.
Blackjack for beginners
Novice users who have decided to learn how to play blackjack are advised to follow this sequence:
- Learn the basic rules of the game,
- Learn how to choose the most profitable games,
- Master the basic strategy,
- Choose the best strategy for the selected game,
- Practice your skills playing blackjack for free,
- Play for money starting with minimum bets.
If you are going to play in offline casinos of Canada, learn how to count cards and try to master other professional tricks. They are described in our articles.
Other articles about blackjack at Casinoz Canada
Useful information about blackjack can also be found on other pages of the site:
- Rules of the games,
- Strategy,
- In the reviews of online blackjacks of different brands,
- In the News,
- In the Tournament.
Stay tuned for the site updates.
Conclusion
Be sure to learn how to play blackjack if you want to win at the casino as often as possible. Believe us, it's not that difficult. Decent knowledge of the basic rules and basic strategy is enough.
