Ana Weaver
Casino blackjack is one of the oldest casino games, and is on offer in the majority of traditional casinos as well as most online casinos. It has become famous over the years in many movies, written about in books, and discussed the world over. The game itself is simple and learning the rules will not take much time. In fact, it is so well suited to both new players as well as those with years and years of playing experience. What isn’t as simple though is effectively and consistently walking away with big winnings. The following strategies might help you to become a more successful player.
Order of Play & Top Variations
There are two factors that you’ll need to win an online Blackjack game. The first is to beat the dealer by getting more points, or if the dealer Busts. The second is to stay under 21 points. You could win a game with just 4 points, if the dealer Busts.
You will need to place an Ante bet to start the game. What kind of gameplay follows will depend on which variant you are playing:
American Blackjack
This variation is played with six decks of cards. Players will get two cards facing up and the dealer one facing up and the other facing down. If the dealer’s viewable card is an Ace, you can purchase Insurance. The dealer then checks if they’ve got a Blackjack and if they do not, the game continues. You may Split matching cards and Resplit as you want to.
Double Attack Blackjack
Double Attack Blackjack is a version of Spanish 21. It’s played with two decks of cards with all the 10s removed, and you can Double or Surrender at any point of the game. Up to four Splits can be undertaken per hand, except in the case of Aces, which can only be Split twice per hand.
European Blackjack
Played with two decks, the dealer will hand you two cards facing up but themselves only a single one, facing down. You need to decide whether to Hit or Stand and only if you Stand will the dealer give themselves another card, facing up. You are only able to Split 10s, Js, Qs, and Ks and can only do so once per hand.
Pontoon
Although very similar to Blackjack, Pontoon originated in the United Kingdom and has very similar rules but different terminology. In Pontoon, Twist, Stick, and Buy replace Hit, Stand, and Buy. You also have to Twist, the equivalent of Hit, if your hand totals less than 15 points. And all Ties go to the dealer, even if you have a Pontoon, or Blackjack, and the dealer has other cards totalling 21. Lastly, a 5-Card Trick is the second-best hand in Pontoon.
Spanish 21
Also played with two decks, the odds of getting a Blackjack in Spanish 21 get lowered because the eight 10 cards are removed. To even things out, there is no push. If the player and the dealer both get 21, the player wins. Another unique rule in Spanish 21 is that you can Double on a Split Hand and there is also the option for a Late Surrender.
Switch
Two hands are dealt on each turn in Blackjack Switch. And, unlike the rule for multi-hand games generally, not only do you place a single ante bet, you can switch cards between the two hands until you Hit. Because it’s so much easier to create a Blackjack, this variation pays out for this hand as a regular win, not the usual 3:2.
Surrendering
It is vital to know, or at least to have a strategy, when to surrender in blackjack. It is suggested that players follow these rules. If you have a hand of 16, surrender against the dealer if they have from 9 through to ace. If you have a hand of 15, only surrender if the dealer has 10, otherwise keep playing.
Splitting
Splitting in blackjack can be quite a confusing strategy to follow. There are some rules that experienced players follow every time it comes up in play. However sometimes you might choose to change depending on your appetite for risk, as well as how well your luck is holding out. These are some guidelines to follow.
Always split aces and 8’s. Never split your 10 cards.
There are of course numerous other splitting possibilities, and it’s worth spending some time getting to know these options.
Soft Totals
Knowing when to stand with soft totals is important. A soft 20 will always stand. Generally a soft 19 and a soft 18 will stand. Soft 13 to soft 17 will typically hit, but you can also double against the dealer.
Hard Totals
Hard totals include hands that do not have an ace in them, because of course the ace can count as either a 1 or an 11. Typically any total of 17 and up will always stand. 11 will always double, and 8 will always hit. Other totals will either stand against the dealer, or double, or will alternatively hit.
These betting strategies are based on the experience of countless professional players, based on looking at the odds of various blackjack hands, and also based on computer simulations. Ever since computers were able to play blackjack, betting strategies have been improved because of the ability to test and try rules with computer players.
Of course there are different ways to approach any specific hand when looking for big casino wins at blacklotuscasino.com. The one option is to strictly follow all betting strategy rules, hand after hand, with the hope that over the course of many hands, you will be able to end up in the positive. The other option, for both new and experienced players, is to ride your luck. Sometimes, making a risky play can result in big rewards.
Players must also be willing to lose though, because risk works in both ways. It is always advised to go into a game with a strategy, and be willing to change your strategy if the game changes shape.