Blackjack is one of the most mysterious games of chance. It attracts and frightens newcomers at the same time. Most Canadian 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 the 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 Canada is designed for those Canadian gamblers 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.
Advantages of blackjack
Before we begin to discuss the strategy of blackjack, we should answer the question that many Canadian 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 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.
What to expect from playing blackjack by the strategy?
There are many biases, legends, and misconceptions surrounding blackjack. Let's clarify a few contentious issues.
- Blackjack is one of the most profitable casino games, but not all varieties are equally attractive to the client.
- Blackjack does not require you to have an analytical mind or a deep knowledge of math (although it may help).
- Neither the basic strategy, nor the card counting, nor any other technique guarantees a win in each session.
- Playing blackjack professionally, using all the developments of experts, is possible only in land-based casinos.
- You will not be able to count cards playing blackjack online based on the random number generator.
- Canadian online casinos with live dealers usually also eliminate the possibility of an effective card counting in blackjack.
- Playing by optimal strategy, card counting, and most other techniques are not violations of the law, although casino operators do not approve them and often expel counters.
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 a superiority.
So go ahead, and our experts will help you!
Key varieties of blackjack in Canada
Blackjack is presented in numerous versions at online and land-based casinos of Canada. They can be divided into two main categories:
- European blackjack – the dealer initially deals one card to himself, face up. He takes additional cards after all customers have made decisions.
- American blackjack – the dealer puts two cards in front of him but opens only one right away. If it's a ten or an ACE, then he can check for blackjack.
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.
Canadian 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.
Basic blackjack strategy
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.
Optimal blackjack strategy
Canadian 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 Canada.
How to learn to play the basic blackjack strategy?
The learning process should combine theoretical and practical parts. We recommend the following algorithm:
- Thoroughly study the rules of the game of blackjack.
- Take a traditional variety of European or American blackjack as a basis.
- Learn to read the basic strategy table.
- Understand why certain actions are recommended in each situation.
- Find out how different rules affect the RTP.
- Practice playing blackjack strategy for free until you start making decisions automatically.
- Learn to make adjustments to the basic strategy with certain nuances of the rules.
- Learn additional professional methods and techniques.
Start playing blackjack for money with minimum bets. You have to get used to the fact that now real money is at stake. Many Canadian 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.
Online or offline?
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.
Canadian 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. 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.
Reviews of blackjack strategies at Casinoz Canada
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 allows Canadians to gain a math advantage over the casino.
This information will be of interest to curious Canadian readers seeking to improve their game level.
Conclusion
Blackjack is a beautiful game of chance in every respect. It is interesting, exciting, and profitable.
Even if you stick with the basic strategy, without bothering to learn more complex techniques, you will already find yourself in more favorable conditions than the vast majority of Canadian online casino customers.
When playing blackjack correctly, you do not allow the gambling operator to take money from you easily. Moreover, you pose a real threat to them.
Aren't you attracted to this?
