Top 30 Hints for Playing Blackjack

Beginners

• Blackjack can and should be played with optimum strategy – giving the house a mere 0.5% edge over you – so make sure you learn the ropes with a free game before playing the real thing
• Learn proper strategy by using an app with coaching, such as Blackjack MH (Apple) or BlackJack 21 (Android)

  

• Once you’re got the rules sussed, try the online casinos, as these give you some great bonuses to start with
• Before you go to a casino proper, try Live Dealer online. This halfway house gives you much of the excitement and buzz of the real thing, but with less pressure to grasp etiquette

Choosing a Table

• The precise rules can vary dramatically from table to table. Make sure you know the ones for your table – which cards can you double down on, which cards can you split, and how often etc.
•  Do you have the option of surrender – and is that early or late?
• Make sure you know both the minimum and maximum bids for a table before you sit down
• Ensure that table is playing standard Blackjack – there are many variations, like Perfect Pairs, Super 21, and Progressive Blackjack, and these all have different rules
• Choose the last seat where possible, allowing you to play directly against the dealer without the distraction of what the other players are doing
•  If possible, find a table with five decks – six or more decks puts you at a greater disadvantage

Basic Playing Strategy

• It helps to have a target to aim at, so assume that the dealer’s down card is a 10 – around a third of the cards available are
•  If a ten will put you above 21 (a ‘bust’ hand), then stick if the dealer is in the same situation – over time, the dealer will go bust more often than you will

When to Hit

• Hit on 8 or less
• If your hand totals 9, hit if the dealer is showing 7-9
• If your hand totals 10, hit if the dealer is showing a 10
• If your hand totals 11, hit if the dealer is showing an Ace

When to Stand

• Stand if you have a 17 or higher
• The exceptions to this rule are when you have a soft 17 (Ace with a 6) or a soft 18 (Ace with a 7). Always hit the soft 17, and hit the soft 18 if the dealer has 8-10

Doubling Down, Splitting, and Insurance

•  If the hand is a 10 or an 11, always double down unless the dealer has an Ace
• Only double down 9 if the dealer is showing 3-6
•  If you have a pair of Aces, 8s or 9s, always split them
•  But don’t split them if you have 7s or less
•  Ignore the insurance option unless you’re a card-counter who knows a lot of high cards are due

Money Management

• Success in Blackjack is partly a matter of controlling your money, so never bid too much – the maximum bid should never be more than 5% of your bankroll
• Put only a portion of your bankroll onto the table at one time. That way you’ll be given pause for thought before putting up the rest
• It’s a moot point whether you should decrease your bet size when you’re doing badly. But you shouldn’t ever be increasing it in such a situation

Mind Management

• Cool nerves are essential. Don’t drink before you play!
• Take regular breaks – this is crucial
• Stop playing as soon as you feel your concentration wavering
• There’s little benefit to card counting online – the software generally reshuffles the deck with each hand