Blackjack Tips for Newbies

Blackjack is a very popular game in the online casino world. Currently, it is the most played table game after roulette. Such a craze for online Blackjack can certainly be explained by the fact that chance is not the only factor to consider during real money online Blackjack games. Your strategy and decisions can greatly increase your chances of winning against a dealer. 

BlackJack became known to the public thanks to Hollywood movies that featured talented mathematicians who predicted the cards by counting them and pocketed millions. However, if you are not gifted, it is better to know the classic strategies. The rather simplistic objective of this casino game is to get 21 points or a close number without ever going over, because if you go over 21… you lose! 

Play only games with standard game rules

Blackjack hand of cards and casino chips

Search the blackjack tables for the most common rules of play. Play only at tables where blackjack pays 3-2 (and avoid all games where the payout is 6 to 5 blackjack, or worse). Other common rules are: dealer stands on soft 17, players may double on any 2 cards, and doubling down after splitting pair is allowed. (If surrender is offered, even better.) Fewer decks are better than more decks. This means that a 1 or 2 deck game has better odds for a player than a 6 or 8 deck game (assuming the same rules).

Learn basic game strategy

Blackjack is not a guessing game where sometimes you hit your 16 against a dealer with a 10 card, while other times you stand. Brilliant mathematicians have studied the game of blackjack for over 60 years and what they have proven without a doubt is that there is an optimal way to play every hand you are dealt. This optimal blackjack strategy, known as the basic playing strategy, allows a player to minimize the house edge to less than 1% when a player uses the strategy to play every hand. You should never play blackjack without knowing and using the basic playing strategy appropriate for the set of rules you are playing against.

Use a strategy card

An obvious tip, however, is how many land-based or live blackjack players do you see using a strategy card when playing blackjack? These laminated cards are readily available, are casino-legal, and you can refer to them to make sure you always make the right decision on every hand you are dealt, to avoid costly gambling mistakes