Blackjack is one of the casino’s most skill-based games. What strategies can you use in this exciting card game? Read about the most common ones here and learn how to apply them.
What is blackjack basic strategy?
Basic strategy is a guide to the best decision for each game situation, based on the probability of the cards. You take into account your own hand, the dealer’s upcard and the specific rules of the blackjack variant.
For example, if you have a hard sixteen and the dealer shows a ten, taking another card may be necessary because 16 is usually not strong enough to beat the dealer. Against a six, standing can be more favourable because the dealer has a greater chance of going over 21.
How does basic strategy work?
To apply basic strategy, you first look at your own cards and then at the dealer’s upcard. You then determine which action applies to that combination.
For some hands, the choice is fairly straightforward. With a total of twenty, for example, standing is almost always the logical choice. With a total of eleven, doubling down can be interesting in many situations because one additional card gives you a good chance of getting a strong hand.
Other hands are less straightforward. Hands between around twelve and sixteen can be particularly difficult. Taking another card carries a relatively high risk of going over 21. At the same time, standing with such a low total can allow the dealer to beat you easily.
A complete basic strategy therefore consists of many different combinations. The exact decisions can also change depending on the rules, such as the number of decks, whether the dealer must stand or hit on soft seventeen, and which options are available when doubling down and splitting.
How do you apply basic strategy to each hand?
Basic strategy differs depending on the type of hand. With a hard hand, your total and the dealer’s upcard are particularly important. A soft hand contains an ace that can count as eleven, which often gives you more flexibility to take another card. When splitting, you divide a pair into two separate hands.
For example, according to basic strategy, you should split two aces and two eights, while you would normally keep two tens together. This is because they give you a strong total of twenty. The exact decision always depends on your cards, the dealer’s upcard and the rules of the blackjack variant.
What is card counting?
Card counting is a much more advanced strategy in which you keep track of which types of cards have already been dealt. The aim is to estimate whether the remaining cards are, on average, more favourable or less favourable to you as a player.
One well-known system is the Hi-Lo method. In this system, cards are assigned different values. Low cards receive a positive value, high cards receive a negative value, and cards in the middle generally have a value of zero. The player keeps track of these values throughout the game.
When relatively many high cards remain, the ratio between high and low cards can change. This can affect the expected probabilities. Card counting therefore requires considerable practice and concentration.
It is important to note that card counting is generally not effective in online blackjack, where the cards are generated by an RNG for each hand, or in most live blackjack games, where continuous shuffling machines are often used. The technique is primarily associated with land-based casinos using physical decks without continuous shuffling.
How do betting strategies work?
In addition to strategies for playing your cards, there are systems that focus solely on the size of your bets. A well-known example is the Martingale strategy. With this strategy, you increase your bet after a loss, with the idea that one win can compensate for previous losses.
The problem is that several losses can occur in a row. Your bet can then increase rapidly. Blackjack tables also often have minimum and maximum betting limits. A betting strategy does not change the odds of the game itself.
Other progressive systems involve increasing your bet after a win or following fixed betting sequences. These systems do not change the house edge either. They only determine how you distribute your available bankroll across different hands.
Applying blackjack strategy to online blackjack
The different blackjack strategies do not all have the same purpose. Basic strategy focuses on your decisions during a hand, card counting attempts to use information about the remaining cards, and betting strategies mainly determine how you distribute your bets.
Whichever method you use, it is important to remember that a strategy does not remove the randomness of the cards. In online blackjack, the cards are determined by an RNG, while in live blackjack, real cards are dealt. In both cases, each hand remains a separate round of play.
If you want to play blackjack, it is therefore best to learn the rules and basic strategy first before considering more complex strategies. This way, you understand exactly why you choose a particular action in different situations.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best blackjack strategy?
Basic strategy is a mathematical system that indicates the statistically most favourable action for each game situation. The decision you should make depends on factors such as your own cards, the dealer’s upcard and the table rules.
Does blackjack strategy always work?
No. A strategy can optimise your decisions during the game, but it does not guarantee a win on an individual hand. The outcome of each hand still depends on the cards that are dealt.
Is card counting the same as basic strategy?
No. Basic strategy determines which action you should take in a particular situation. With card counting, you also keep track of which cards have already been dealt to gain information about the composition of the remaining cards.
Do betting strategies work in blackjack?
Betting strategies do not change the odds of blackjack. They only determine how much you bet after a win or loss. A system such as Martingale can also lead to increasingly larger bets when you lose several hands in a row.