Blackjack Strategy Guide Gives A Hand

Blackjack is a tremendously fun game and many people enjoy playing the game for its spirit and charm. Then again, many people like to play the game because they love to win. That winning feeling that goes along with taking a hand of blackjack can be an intense feeling and if there is money on it, there is an even greater exhilaration involved. There is no doubt that many people flock to casinos and online casinos to play the blackjack table in the hope of winning a good amount of money. Good fortune can take you some of the way but if you want to be a regular winner at the blackjack table, it is best to put in some serious thought and planning.

This means that a blackjack strategy is something that players should be thinking about. There is no strategy that is completely fool proof or can account for all of the variables in the game so it is best to not pin your hopes on winning all of the time. It is just not possible to win all the time but if it was possible, it would be the end of blackjack because the players would always win and the house would always lose. This sounds like a great outcome until you realise this would see casinos no longer offering games of blackjack, which wouldn’t be great in the long run. Having a strategy that helps you win and minimises the chances of losing is enough of an incentive for players to introduce a strategy to their playing style.

There are plenty of blackjack strategies to choose from

There are many different strategies to choose from when playing blackjack but you may wish to keep it simple at first. Bringing these strategies into play will hopefully see the amount of times you win start to rise. If the up facing card of the dealer is a 7 or higher, you should continue to draw cards until you have a 17 or higher (hard count) or an 18 or higher (soft count). A soft count is one where the Ace is classed as an 11.

If the up card of the dealer is 6 or less, you should continue to draw cards until you reach a minimum of 12. As soon as you hit 12 or above, you should stop drawing cards. If your first two cards count up to 10 or 11 and the dealer is holding a 9 or 11, you should double down on. This is where you double your original bet and will leave you receiving just one more card.

Another important area of blackjack advice is to split eights and aces but not to split any other pairs.

Blackjack strategies can develop confidence

If you are comfortable with these tips, there are plenty of other blackjack strategies to look into but this should provide a basic level of grounding in ways to play. If you are looking for something more substantive, it could be that a blackjack cheat sheet is what you are after.

The name may give the impression that there is something untoward about the cheat sheet but that is not necessarily the case. It does inform players of what their decision should be based upon the initial cards they receive and what the dealer is holding but it isn’t cheating, it is merely a strategy. Mind you, if you were playing at a table in a casino and you took out one of these sheets, other players and indeed the house may not be too happy. This is why it is helpful to memorise as much as you can from the cheat sheet but if you are playing at home, feel free to have a copy with you.

A good blackjack cheat sheet will provide information on when to Hit, Stand, Double Down and even Split based on the cards that people can see. Blackjack games can move quickly so you need to know this information and process it quickly but following the guidance of cheat sheets can help you progress and hopefully win a good few games of blackjack.

A cheat sheet can help you win

For some people though, a blackjack cheat sheet is not enough. Some players want to give themselves a greater chance of winning and this is where counting cards can be a route to success.

Card counting is a strategy commonly associated with blackjack games with players using it to hopefully determine if the next hand will be of advantage to them or the dealer. A more pleasant name for a card counter is an advantage player, which better describes the true intention of someone who counts cards. Having an understanding of what cards are left to play will allow a player to place a bet with a reduced level of risk. Card counting is based upon the premise that the high cards are of greater benefit to the player and the lower cards are of more value to the dealer. There are different card counting strategies to choose from including Hi-Lo, Hi-Opt I or II, KO, Omega II and Zen Count.

It is important to remember that when card counting is done in your head, it is not illegal but of course, the house will not be too happy with this situation. It seems strange that players can be penalised for showing a natural flair for the game or having the determination to develop a talent that will help them win but again, casinos are able to make up their own rules. There are many different ways that a casino can monitor for possible card counting and technology is at the forefront of many new methods. Anything which attempts to push the advantage away from the house and towards the player will always be met with confrontation by a casino, which means players have to be one step ahead.

Card counting is a great talent and is definitely something that can be worked on to give you a better chance of winning. The only problem comes if you become so good at playing blackjack, you will come to the attention of the casino and you will be spotted.