Blackjack is one of the most mysterious games of chance. It attracts and frightens newcomers at the same time. Most casino visitors have heard about the basic strategy, card counting, shuffle tracking, and other tricks of professional players, but only a few have an idea of what we are talking about.
Blackjack is associated with numerous legends, myths, speculations, and just nonsense. Romantic fleur around it is strengthened in the minds of ordinary people thanks to filmmakers, writers, and journalists who do not have an idea about the essence of the game.
They write stupid and superficial articles about blackjack, present card counters as a genius of math, and write platitudes in the novels about the casino. As a result, regular fans of gambling have a misconception about it. They think that only a select few can win blackjack and prefer easy, but less profitable games.
This section of Casinoz is designed for those who want to learn how to play blackjack right, making the most of the currently existing effective techniques. We will teach you the fundamentals of the basic strategy, tell you about its variations, explain the technique of card counting, and introduce you to other professional methods.
Before we begin to discuss the strategy of blackjack, we should answer the question that many casino customers ask:
Why play blackjack?
Why indeed. It's a pretty complicated game. To achieve maximum results, you need to acquire an impressive amount of theoretical knowledge and learn how to apply it in practice. It is also necessary to develop many additional skills related to psychological stability, financial management, and other aspects.\
Isn't it easier to play video slots or roulette?
Yes, it is more comfortable. But playing on slot machines, you can't beat the casino. You will never get rid of the house edge in video slots. And in most of them, it is at least 3%.
In blackjack, you can reduce the house edge to a few tenths of a percent, playing only on the basic strategy. Additional professional tricks allow you to win.
You should agree that for the sake of a positive result you should learn a little.
There are many biases, legends, and misconceptions surrounding blackjack. Let's clarify a few contentious issues.
And finally:
Playing blackjack professionally is not an entertainment but a monotonous and rather boring activity.
It almost eliminates the creativity on your part but requires a lot of time and an impressive cash reserve. But that doesn't mean you should give blackjack up.
If you learn how to choose the most profitable varieties of the game and just play blackjack by the optimal strategy, you will minimize the house edge or even get superiority.
So go ahead, and our experts will help you!
Blackjack is presented in numerous versions at online and land-based casinos. They can be divided into two main categories:
Of course, both groups include dozens (or even hundreds) of games that differ in the nuances of the rules: the number of boxes, the features of doubles and splits, the presence of the surrender, and so on. They should be studied on a case-by-case basis.
Each item of the blackjack rules affects the size of the house edge.
For example, a blackjack game with one deck brings the house edge of 0.48% less than the game with the same rules, but eight decks.
Professional blackjack players take all the details into account when choosing a game and making adjustments to the basic strategy to achieve the maximum return.
The so-called blackjack basic strategy is traditionally presented as a table. As a rule, they are designed in a single format.
The column on the left lists the possible combinations of the player. "Hard" hands, aces, and pairs stay aside, as in many situations they require different decisions.
The top line shows the dealer's cards, which he shows at the beginning of the deal.
The remaining cells are filled with actions the player should take in each situation: take a card, complete a set, do a split, and so on. For example, if the customer has 5, and the dealer has 10, you need to hit.
It is essential to understand the following:
The basic strategy does not guarantee a win at every hand. Moreover, it doesn't mean you are going to win every single game session.
Why then do we need a basic strategy?
It minimizes the house edge and sometimes provides an advantage to the client.
In each of the possible situations, the basic strategy recommends actions that promise the best chance of winning. Accordingly, you should not rely on intuition or luck. It is better to trust the math.
Casinos offer numerous variations of blackjack. The same version may have different rules for splits, doubles, and other aspects of the gameplay. To minimize the house edge, you need to make changes to the basic strategy, taking all the nuances into account.
A strategy, adapted to a certain kind of blackjack, is called the optimal strategy.
Don't worry; you won't have to do the calculations yourself. Ready-made strategy tables are available for the most popular types of blackjack.
Also, free software that gives the best strategy for the specified parameters is available. You only need to clarify which rules apply in the blackjack you are interested in, and you get a table with clear instructions on how to play in all theoretically possible situations.
Professional blackjack players also take into account some additional factors, as described in the thematic articles at Casinoz.
The learning process should combine theoretical and practical parts. We recommend the following algorithm:
Start playing blackjack for money with minimum bets. You have to get used to the fact that now real money is at stake. Many beginners make a lot of mistakes in the transition phase or merely lose their temper.
Remember that online casinos may offer different T&C for the games with the same name. If two manufacturers name their models European Blackjack, it does not mean that they have the same rules. Learn to find the best versions.
Let's deal with another important issue:
Where is it better to play blackjack: at online or land-based casinos?
There is no correct answer to this question. You have to make your own choice, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages.
Only at a land-based casino, you can use the entire arsenal of professional blackjack players: card counting, sequencing, shuffle tracking, and so on.
Online casinos reliably protect themselves from counters, but often offer blackjack with more favorable rules. Moreover, they provide customers with bonuses, arrange prize draws, accrue comp points, and delight players with other promotions. By playing blackjack at an online casino, you will not spend money on traveling, accommodation, parking, food, and drinks.
If you are going to devote your life to professional blackjack, your choice is big land-based casinos. For the rest of the readers we recommend the most profitable types of blackjack at online casinos.
However, it's up to you.
This section of the site offers something but the strategy tables for different types of blackjack.
You will also find educational articles that deal with all kinds of game situations, professional players' tricks, advanced techniques, mathematical chances, and other important issues.
We discuss popular systems of card counting that allow you to gain a math advantage over the casino.
This information will be of interest to curious readers seeking to improve their game level.
Blackjack is a beautiful game of chance in every respect. It is interesting, exciting, and profitable.
Even if you stop at the basic strategy, without bothering to learn more complex techniques, you will already find yourself in more favorable conditions than the vast majority of online casino customers.
When playing blackjack correctly, you do not allow the gambling operator to make money from you easily. Moreover, you pose a real threat to them.
Aren't you attracted to this?
Blackjack is probably the best game for advantage players. The best varieties of the game offer high RTPs. If you master basic strategy and card counting, you will be able to beat brick-and-mortar casinos playing blackjack.
No, it does not. The basic strategy just helps players get the maximum RTP possible.
If you are going to play blackjack at land-based casinos, you should master card counting. It will help you beat the house. If you play online blackjack, this technique will not be useful (with rare exceptions).
In fact, if you play at online casinos, you do not have to know the basic strategy by heart. You can have a table in front of you and peek into it every time you need.
In some casinos, there are blackjacks with RTPs over 100%, but they are rare, of course. In most clubs, you will find a blackjack with an RTP over 99%.
