Blackjack is one of the most acclaimed casino games, thanks to its simple rules that anyone can understand and learn quickly. Played using one or multiple decks of cards, the aim is to beat the dealer by creating a hand that comes closer to 21 than theirs.
Blackjack’s popularity lies in its low house edge, which can be reduced to below 2% when players follow basic strategy. This strategy takes into account starting card values and the dealer’s up card as well as taking into account that aces have two values – either one or eleven – which affect decision making processes.
Even though Blackjack has gained in popularity, many players don’t fully comprehend its mathematical foundations. It is essential that all players at a table abide by its rules regardless of how others at their table play or whether you have had a winning or losing streak; using a defined strategy will ensure you don’t waste money on poor hands while increasing the chance of realizing a positive return on your investment in the long run.
Practice makes perfect when it comes to blackjack, and one effective strategy training option is an online blackjack trainer or a printed chart that tells you what steps are needed in each situation. A good chart should offer solutions for both hard and soft hands as well as splits and doubles. Furthermore, these charts should indicate whether it would be wiser for you to hit or stand depending on the value of both starting cards and dealer up card.
When holding a hard hand of 11 or higher and the dealer’s upcard ranges from 2-6, it is advised to double down. Doubling down will strengthen your hand with the chance of turning into a blackjack. Doubling down may also be advantageous when holding soft 16+ hands where the dealer holds two, three, four, five or six in their hole card position – however double downing if the dealer holds an Ace is generally seen as risky and should never be attempted.
In blackjack, when you have two eights or aces paired up against a dealer with 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 in his hole it is often best to split them and create two individual hands which can be played independently of each other for increased odds of a strong finish. Any pairs of nines, sevens, sixes or threes that he has twos or fives as well should also be split if either twos or fives have been concealed by him in his hand – always avoid taking insurance; its house edge exceeds 2 to 0.