The Basics of Blackjack Strategy
Blackjack is a game where luck plays an important role, but strategy also has its place. Depending on the cards you have been dealt and what the dealer has, knowing when to hit, stand, double down or surrender can make your odds of winning much higher. In order to understand when to do each of these things, you need to know what a basic blackjack strategy is.
The basic blackjack strategy consists of keeping track of the running count and the true count, which takes into account the number of decks in play. You can use a chart or calculator to do this. The running count is the number of high cards that have been dealt minus the number of low cards. The true count is the number of high cards minus the number of low ones plus the number of decks that are still in the shoe.
One of the most important things to remember about blackjack is that it is a two-person game. It’s easy to get caught up in what the other players are doing at the table, but you need to keep focused on what your own strategy is. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself losing money much more often than you’re winning.
Getting a hand value of 21 from the first two cards you are dealt is called a “natural blackjack.” This beats the dealer, and the player gets even money on their bet. If the dealer has less than 21, they will win, and if they have a blackjack themselves, they will push the player’s bet.
If your hand is a total of 17 or higher, you should stand. You have a very good chance of beating the dealer’s hand with a stand, and the dealer will probably bust if they have a face card. This will save you a lot of money in the long run.
When it comes to the other side bets in blackjack, it’s usually best to pass on them. You should only make these bets if you have enough money to comfortably cover your bets. However, if you have more than enough money to play the game, then making these bets can improve your odds of winning.
Another thing to consider when playing blackjack is whether or not you should buy insurance. Statistically speaking, you will lose more money paying for insurance than you will win back by taking it. Therefore, it’s not a good idea to purchase insurance.