The king of cards: Blackjack

The most popular card game in casino with the best chance of winning, if we know how to play it correctly! In casinos it is played with four to eight packs (208 to 416 cards). The biggest mistake of new players of this game is that they try to get to 21. The players think that this is the main goal of the game! Of course, in many cases they go bust. They lose their bet and everything goes downhill. This happens when a new amateur player joins the table, because he does not know what he is doing. He tries his luck, and plays so-called feeling Blackjack.  Pulling cards without a point cost other players at the table money.

Blackjack is a strategy game, in which one has to think, and the casino advantage is only 0.5%!

The common goal of all players of Blackjack is and always will be to beat the dealer! It should be noted that at a full table, seven boxes are playing against a single one – the dealer’s one. When pulling the cards it is very important to cooperate with other players at the table and try to beat the dealer!

Basic rules of Blackjack

In Blackjack each card has a certain value. All 2-9 cards have their value and 10, J, Q, K cards have a value of ten. Ace is the only card, which has selectable value, based on the player’s choice, which can be either 1 or 11.

It is important to remember that the goal is not to get value 21. It is necessary to know when you should pull another card and when it is better to hold on value 15. The croupier must always pull if he has 16 or less, and hold if he has 17 or more. He is not randomly pulling cards, but he has to follow the strict rules. So if you will follow the exact same strict rules, in long-term the game will certainly become profitable for you as well!

The game & possibilities of Blackjack player

After placing a bet in the gaming box and dealing the first card the bets are fixed. However during the game there are various options to double your bet: DOUBLE-UP. In most of casinos they will let you double-up the first two dealt cards (any two). However, it should be noted that the double-up option is most advantageous only for card combinations, which give us a total sum of 9, 10 or 11. Never double the bet if the dealer has an ace or a picture with a value of 10.

SPLIT – The option to split cards to two different combinations, and thus win or lose twice. Cards of the same value can be split, e.g. 44, 88, 99, etc. Never split card combinations, which have already created a so-called made hand with the sum of 20! Many Blackjack beginners do this mistake. The dealer is laughing in his mind because it is the basic BJ rule: Never split pictures, buddy!

When splitting e.g. two 44, you can pull cards on each of those 4´s as long as you wish, of course until you don´t go bust – you cannot pull more than 21. At this point you lose the bet. There is an exemption in the split of two AA; in this case only one card goes on each ace – The one card only rule. If you get a picture for each ace, it will always be only 21 and not Blackjack! Blackjack can be made only from the first two pulled cards and it pays 3:2!

If the dealer pulls a ten for his ace, he has Blackjack and wins! If you pull another ace for your splitted aces, the casino can allow you to split these aces again, or they can have a rule prohibiting this. Unfortunately you have to hold on 12 (one ace is 11 and the second has a value of 1 = 12). You can find the basic Blackjack strategy in the following strategy chart.

Insurance: If the first dealer’s card is an ace, the player gets the chance to insure himself in advance against a possible dealer’s Blackjack. You can put in a half of your bet as insurance. For example, his bet in the box is €10, you can insure yourself for €5. If the dealer pulls a ten for his ace, he gets Blackjack and pays the insurance at a rate of 2:1. In this case you don’t lose your €10. If the dealer won’t get Blackjack, the insurance is lost.

Surrender – (the option to surrender the game). Each player has the option to surrender the game after all players at the table have been dealt the first two cards. If he uses the Surrender option, he loses half of his bet. However not every casino has this rule, it depends on the house rules!

Even money – The option to have the amount paid 1:1 in case the dealer’s first card is an ace and the player gets Blackjack. The dealer automatically offers the even money option (I recommend to always take it).

The owner of the playing box is always only one player, however other players can also bet on this box, by placing their bets behind yours (max. 3 bets in a single box). The owner of the box always decides on the number of pulled cards. If your two blackjack “neighbors” want to split your two 88´s, but you do not agree, you have the final say.

Blackjack is an interesting and strategic game where casino has the lowest advantage. If you learn to play it strategically, it is definitely the best gambling choice when entering the casino!