Archive for June, 2010

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Blackjack Misconceptions–Objective

Monday, June 14th, 2010

For being one of the easiest casino games to play both in the casino and in an online casino, there are a fair few misconceptions about blackjack. I understand that it is a card game and not quite as simple as pushing or clicking Spin on a slots game, but blackjack is not nearly as difficult to understand.

In looking over thirty sites with the objective of blackjack given, twenty seven of them were inaccurate.

Now poker, that I can see someone building misconceptions on and not understanding. But not blackjack.

So, I am going to discuss one of the biggest misconceptions about blackjack.

The biggest misconception about blackjack is its objective. Many people, players, nonplayers and so-called experts, claim that the objective of blackjack is to obtain a hand total of 21 using only two cards: an Ace and either a face card or a 10.

For starters the actual objective of blackjack, both blackjack played in a brick and mortar casino and online blackjack, is to beat the dealer’s hand by having a hand total greater than his without your hand total exceeding 21. Most of the time when you win in blackjack it is because you have beat the dealer simply by building a hand total that is greater than his. While being dealt a blackjack is awesome in terms of the payout, it is not the only way to win the game, ergo not the objective.

And speaking of being dealt a blackjack, that is the other part of this misconception. Many sites say that misstate the objective also say that the player is to build or hit to a blackjack. This is impossible. You can hit to 21, but 21 is not blackjack.

A blackjack only occurs when the player is dealt a hand total of 21 in the first two cards he receives from the dealer. A blackjack is made up of two cards, an Ace and a card worth 10.

So when you are in a casino or checking into online gambling sites remember that the objective of blackjack is to beat the dealer without going over 21. Focus on building a strong hand since that is the objective.

Do not focus on building a blackjack since that is impossible to build, and wait until you are dealt one.

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Luck and Skill in Blackjack

Monday, June 14th, 2010

I have said many times that blackjack is a game of skill. When I say this about blackjack, I mean that players have an impact on how to play out their hands in blackjack, whereas in other casino games, like slots, the player has no choice. Many blackjack players what playing in a game of skill means, and others not so much.

The players that do not quite understand what is meant by game of skill seem to think that this means that they can use a piece of strategy, like basic strategy, practice it, play with it, and then beat the house with it. Simply because blackjack is a game of skill, so if they use a skill then they think they have the game beat and will be rolling in money in no time.

These players would not be accurate. In fact, they would be very wrong.

Blackjack as a game of skill means that a strategy skill, again like basic strategy, can be learned and used to lower the house edge. But it does not mean that you have the game beat. Sorry.

There is still a certain amount of luck needed in blackjack.

While some blackjack strategy can help you in how to deal with the cards you are dealt, you need luck to be dealt good cards. After all there are some hands that you just cannot make a profit off of. And that is where you need skill.

Blackjack players are in need of luck in order be dealt natural blackjacks. There is no way of knowing when you are going to be dealt one or how often—although the average is one blackjack in every twenty two hands. Keep in mind that is only an average and not set in stone.

So while luck handles your blackjacks, you need to know the best ways to make the most out of advantageous cards and how to minimize your losses on poor hands. But we all still have to ride on luck to get the cards we want. So keep your blackjack strategy and skill on hand to deal with what luck gives you.

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Card Counting Illegal or Not

Friday, June 11th, 2010

I was looking around for blackjack news and I found something today that actually kind of shocked me. I read that card counting not being allowed in a casino is a myth—that casinos are fine with card counting. I had to laugh. Because not only did this particular article say that card counting been just ducky in casinos, it also encouraged blackjack players to learn this strategy and not worry about being caught.

Here is the truth. Casinos do not have set in stone that card counting is illegal. However, they do frown on it and can remove you from their establishment if they catch you.

But if it is not illegal why can a casino kick you out?

It is simple really. Casinos are private property, and just as you have the right to kick anyone off your property for any reason, so do the casinos have this right. This is similar to how businesses can choose to do business with you or choose not to. Casinos are private property business.

Why does that not count as discrimination?

The reason that kicking card counting blackjack players out of a casino is not considered discrimination is because the United States Supreme Court has classified discrimination as being based on race, creed, national origin, sex, age or physical disability. And card counters are not on this list.

If you want to learn how to count card as a part of your blackjack strategy, go ahead. But you must be extremely good at this skill to avoid being caught.

Sometimes it even helps to throw your bet a few times to keep them from recognizing that you are card counting. In other words, every so often when the cards are running high keep your wager low since most card counters would raise their wager then. Yes, you run the risk of losing out on winning with a high wager if you throw your own wagering, but you have to decide which is more important: losing one or two decent winnings or being barred from the casino.

However, should a casino try to bar you here are some tips:

- Do not admit that you are a card counter. Ever.

- Leave immediately to avoid the casino capturing your picture. If they have your picture they can stop you from returning at some point in the future.

- Do not show them your ID or let them get your name.

- Do not argue with the staff or create a scene. It will draw more attention to you. And you will probably wind up with your picture taken. Besides you were supposed to leave as soon as they spoke to you, remember?

- Do not stop at the bar for a drink to cool off. The casino could take your picture from a camera in the bar or get your name off of a credit card. If you need a drink, find a bar outside of the casino.

- And do not at all touch any member of the casino staff. Touching the staff could allow the staff to try to bring some other sort of charge against you.

If you want to avoid the whole card counting issue, stick with basic strategy and find a good casino online to play at. The reputable ones offer some good blackjack games, and you do not have to worry about getting caught counting cards since you cannot count cards in online blackjack.

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New Blackjack App

Friday, June 11th, 2010

And another blackjack app for the iPad is being launched. This one is from Viaden Mobile. Viaden is considered one of the most innovative developers of casino game applications for mobile devices. This time their app release is their Blackjack HD.

So far reviewers have said that is has the best graphic. But as well all know good graphics does not a good blackjack app make.

The Blackjack HD app actually contains three variations of the game. Players with this app can play standard multi-hand blackjack, Blackjack Switch or Blackjack Surrender.

To round out the Vegas feeling of this casino game app, Viaden has given the three variations contained in Blackjack HD casino music. They also try to give these games the feeling of playing with a live dealer through a voice that can announce hand totals and other sayings of blackjack dealers.

Viaden has given players interested in Blackjack HD another cookie. Since this app is not limited to only the iPad, it can be played on an iPhone or an iPod Touch, once a player purchases the app, they can install it on any of their devices that will support it without an extra fee.

Yuri Gurski, the head of Viaden Mobile, said of the app, “It is different from other apps because it is honest, both in the design and game play. Frankly speaking, I am proud of Blackjack HD because it is really one of a kind, a refreshing blackjack experience.”

While it is good for a company to be proud of its products, a part of me cannot help but think that this blackjack app is not going to differ in game play from other blackjack apps. After all, blackjack is blackjack.

Sure, the voiced dealer will add to the Vegas feeling, but that, to me, does not set a blackjack app above the rest. But the ability to install it on any supportable device does sound really nice. With the app only being $3.99 it is a nice alternative to some of the other apps that are not as well put together while still being a low price. And you are getting three games in fact.

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Worst Stiff Hand in Blackjack

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

It is never fun to be dealt a stiff hand in blackjack. You always feel like you have lost the round before it is even your turn to play. Or in the case of online blackjack, as soon as you see the cards you have been dealt.

You wind up basing your play off of whatever up card the dealer has. For hard hands 13 through 16 you stand if the dealer is showing a 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6. And if he is showing a 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace you hit. A hard 12 is the same except that you do hit when the dealer is showing a 2 or 3, so it is a little more flexible.

So if four of the five stiff hands are all played the same, which one is the worst one?

It would be the hard 16. Players have a 61% chance of busting with this hand. This is because when the dealer has a 7 or higher showing, the player’s best play is to hit. And there are only four cards that the player can receive that will not bust him: 2, 3, 4 and 5. That’s 4 out of 6 card types.

It naturally follows that the smaller the stiff hand the less of a chance there is of the player busting:

Hard 15: 59%
Hard 14: 56%
Hard 13: 52%
Hard 12: 48%

Notice that the hard 12’s chances of busting are less than 50%. This is because more than half of the card types that the blackjack player could receive will not cause him to bust.

The best you can do in blackjack is to play according to basic strategy and hope for the best. There really is not anything else that you can do. This is because you are too close to hit and not bust, but you are not high enough to really stand. Which is why every blackjack player hates being dealt stiff hands. At least in knowing the chances of busting, it can help a player feel a little better about hitting.

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Online Blackjack Tournaments

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

Recently I wrote a short series about blackjack tournament strategy. This can be owed to my rediscovering the fun of playing in an online blackjack tournament.

Blackjack is a player versus dealer kind of game. You might have other players at the table but their hand does not affect yours. You could win and they could lose and that is just the way blackjack goes.

But on occasion blackjack players want a little more from their favorite online casino game. And this comes in the form of a blackjack tournament. In a blackjack tournament suddenly those other layers matter. It matters what they are wagering and how they are playing.

In a typical brick and mortar blackjack tournament there will be several rounds of play. The rounds will either be timed or have a certain number of hands to play per round. The player with the highest chip count will advance to the next round. This keeps going until there is only one table, and the player with the highest chip count wins.

Online blackjack tournaments will typically work a little bit differently. Players sign up and then sign on at the start of the tournament. Since online tournaments have a set time limit, players will usually play until the time limit runs out. Whoever has the highest tournament balance is the winner.

Playing in an online blackjack tournament does not offer the same pressure as a blackjack tournament in a brick and mortar casino because you are not actually face to face with the other players. This makes online blackjack tournaments a good way for novice blackjack players to get into tournaments and become comfortable with competing with other players.

If you are looking for an inexpensive blackjack tournament at an online casino to try I recommend the tournaments offered at Go Casino. They fun for twenty-four hour periods every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The entry fee is only $0.99 and it gives you 50 tournament credits; rebuys are allowed for $2.49 for another 50 tournament credits.

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Blackjack Myth: Avoid Choosing the Last Seat at the Table

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

This one kind of goes along with that whole myth about the player at third base being able to effect the outcome of the dealer’s hand. According to this myth, any smart blackjack player will avoid sitting and playing in the last seat at the blackjack table.

Mostly this blackjack myth came about because of the third base affecting the outcome of the dealer’s hand. Because people honestly believe in the third base blackjack myth, they started believing that the third base seat should be avoided.

But there are some contentions and just plain common sense that argue against this blackjack myth.

My first, and favorite, if no one sits in the seventh (better known as third base) chair, then it means that whoever is in the sixth chair would be the one to affect the outcome of the dealer’s hand—that is if you believe that myth. So if everyone then avoids the seventh and sixth chairs, it comes down to the fifth. And then the fourth.

You can see where I am going with this. And you can see that by avoiding the seventh chair is silly.

Another bit of common sense, and this one applies to both the third seat affecting the dealer’s hand and avoiding the third seat. Everyone’s plays have an impact on the deck, regardless of who hits or stands because everyone has a choice, and their choices effect whether a card is taken from the deck or not.

The third base myth came about because players wanted to be able to blame someone when they lost because the dealer won. And the whole avoid the last seat at the table came about because no one wants to be blamed for everyone losing.

In reality, we all need to understand that one person does not make or break the dealer’s hand. Each of us is responsible for our own hands. And, despite being a game of skill, there is a certain amount of luck involved in blackjack. You play your hand the best way according to your blackjack strategy, and if you win, great, and if not, better luck next time.

And please, stop avoiding the last seat just because of some myth.

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Is Blackjack Beatable or Not?

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

You can go online and read about how blackjack is a beatable casino game. But then when you go to the casino and lose money or watch how another player makes more money than you. How does that work? Is blackjack really a beatable casino game? Is it more beatable for one player over another?

First, yes, blackjack is a beatable casino game. But it does require skilled card counting. Very skilled card counting.

The way it works is like this: the odds in blackjack are constantly shifting because cards are dealt and the makeup of the remaining deck changes. When the cards are running with high cards the odds favor the player. This is because there is a greater chance for the player to be dealt a blackjack.

The 3-2 payout is what makes up a good chunk of the player’s blackjack odds. The more natural blackjacks you are dealt, the more your blackjack odds will go up. This is because the house has to pay you for those natural blackjacks. When the dealer is dealt a natural blackjack he does not receive a payout. And this is why your 3-2 payout makes up a good chunk of your blackjack odds.

So when the cards are running high the odds increase in the players favor because the odds are on that the house is going to have to pay the player more.

Card counting blackjack players take advantage of those odds when the cards are running high. They will increase their wagers then. With those increased wagers the house winds up paying even more. This is how card counting blackjack players take advantage of the odds, thus increasing their own. In this sense a very skilled card counting player can beat the house’s edge.

Now, is blackjack more beatable for one player than another? Yes, this is true. A card counting player will have better odds than a blackjack player who does not count cards. And a very skilled card counting player will have better odds over a less skilled player.

It really does come down to the player’s skill at card counting that determines how beatable blackjack is. Even if you are not a card counter you can get close in even odds by playing according to basic strategy; you can lower the house edge to 0.5% with basic strategy. Card counting players will play according to basic strategy as a good starting point for their card counting.

So blackjack is beatable for the really skilled card counter; and the beat-ability of blackjack is based on how skilled the blackjack player is.

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Blackjack Myth: Assuming the Dealer has a 10 Hole Card

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

One of the biggest myths in blackjack is to assume that the dealer’s hole card is worth 10. You are bound to hear of this idea of assuming there is a 10 hole card and that you should build your blackjack strategy on it.

But the truth is that this can actually hurt your blackjack odds more than help. It does not matter if you are playing blackjack online or in a brick and mortar casino, by assuming that the dealer has a card worth 10 as his hole card you are setting yourself up for some bad blackjack odds.

The myth goes that by assuming that the dealer’s hole card is worth 10 that you will be prepared for the worst case scenario. As in if the dealer is showing a 4, you would assume that he has 14. But in truth he could have anything from 5 to 15. You cannot know or anticipate what he has. And it is foolish in blackjack to assume that you can.

Assuming that you can anticipate that the dealer’s hole card is worth 10 can hurt you to the tune of a 10.3% hit to your blackjack odds. Assuming is not worth it.

This is why you should not believe this blackjack myth.

Only 30% of a deck is worth 10. This means that there are four times as many other cards in the deck than there are 10 value cards. For you as a player this means that your chances of the dealer having a card worth 10 for a hole card are only 3 in 7.

As you can see the odds are in favor of the dealer’s hole card NOT being worth 10. And because the odds are against the hole card being worth 10—and because the player’s odds will take a 10.3% hit for assuming and playing off of that assumption—you should never just assume that the dealer’s hole card will be worth 10.

Play according to basic strategy. It will give you better odds in online blackjack and regular casino blackjack than if you were to assume that the dealer’s hole card is worth 10.

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Types of Pair Splitting Part II

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Yesterday I wrote a post about the types of pair splitting there is in blackjack. Pair splitting happens no matter if you are playing blackjack online or in a casino. In order to make the most of pair splitting in terms of strategy and improving your blackjack odds, you need to know when to split pairs.

Basic strategy is the first place to start. A basic strategy chart can be used in blackjack as the most basic way to gain an advantage through splitting pairs. But eventually, once you have mastered basic strategy, you can begin to work in other little bits of strategy. These other little bits offer you the chance to tweak your strategy to increase your blackjack odds a little more.

In yesterday’s post I talked about offensive, aggressive and defensive pair splitting. Okay, I mentioned reckless pair splitting, but that is not to be done.

Offensive pair splitting is when you take a not so great hand and turn it around to make it advantageous. Aggressive is when you take a good hand and push the envelope of your odds to increase them even more. And defensive pair splitting in blackjack is when you try to minimize your losses as best you can.

The choice to play with just basic strategy or to tweak your strategy to try to increase your blackjack odds a little more is up to you. If you really feel that you cannot make the tweaked pair splitting, then resort to whatever play your basic strategy chart says.

That being said here is each pair with when to make offensive, aggressive or defensive pair splits. Notice that not every single pair against every single up card is here. That is because not every single pair splitting decision should come from this. If it is not listed here, play according to basic strategy.

4/4 vs. 5 or 6: aggressive
6/6 vs. 2-4: defensive
6/6 vs. 5 or 6: offensive
7/7 vs. 2, 3 or 7: defensive
7/7 vs. 4- 6: offensive
8/8 vs. 2-7: offensive
8/8 vs. 8-Ace: defensive
9/9 vs. 2-6 and 8: aggressive
9/9 vs. 9: defensive
Ace/Ace vs. 2-8: aggressive
Ace/Ace vs. 9-Ace: offensive

Give yourself some time to practice these. Try playing blacking online in an online casino’s free-play mode. The more you practice your blackjack pair splitting in a free-play mode the more comfortable you will be when playing a real game of blackjack online or in a casino.

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