Tag: Blackjack Tips.

What Not To Do In Blackjack

There are many experts out there who want to tell you everything you are supposed to do in a game of blackjack, but I am here to tell you what not do in blackjack. Blackjack is perhaps the best game at the casino because it is a perfect combination of skill and chance. There are many tactics to use, and not use during your game; let’s sort through these tips and tricks.

First of all do not underestimate the power of your gut instinct. Many experts want to over complicate the game and give you advice about all of the aspects of the game you need to pay attention to, and these are important. It is also important to recognize the simplicity of the game and not get too overwhelmed.

Do not forget that you are playing against the dealer. The dealer wants the casino to win; therefore modeling your behavior after the dealer will not bode well for you.

Do not use insurance unless you count cards. Insurance only benefits card counters because you do not want to use it unless you are certain that you do not have a winning hand.

Don’t forget about the surrender option, but also be very selective when using it. Only use it if you have a nine or ten and your cards total 15 or 16, and the dealer also has a nine or ten.

And finally don’t go into a blackjack game without knowing the rules. Whether you are playing in Vegas or at casino.com be certain that you know all of the rules and regulations of your particular game. Every blackjack game is different, be sure you know how to play yours.

Different Blackjack Games

There are so many different forms of blackjack that playing online can be beneficial because you can go through all of the different games and pick the one which you prefer. Each game has its own set of rules and regulations and it is very important to play by these rules to ensure the best results. I enlisted Wikipedia to help me with my search to find the best blackjack game for my lifestyle.

First there is American Blackjack which is typically played with four decks of cards and the dealer must hit on a soft 17. As a player you can double down on any two cards and only split an ace once.

European Blackjack is played with two decks and a player san only split once whether it is an ace of not. If both the player and dealer have blackjack the game is a push.

Blackjack Switch is played with two hands at once and the player has the option to interchange the cards dealt to each hand.

Double Exposure is mostly the same rules as American except the dealer’s first two cards are dealt face-up.

Caribbean 21 is the exact same rules except the goal is 31 instead of 21.

Spanish 21 is a little bit different in the fact that there are an unlimited amount of double downs and you have the option to rescue and surrender, which is sometimes not available in certain blackjack games.

There are just a few choices to get you started on your hunt, my favorite is Double Exposure, but try them all out for yourself.

Blackjack Tips

When sitting around a blackjack corner, you know that you are only playing against the dealer, no matter how many players there are. What if there was a way to get an edge on the dealer? What if you could sneak into their head and know the psychology of what is in their hand?

I am going to share with you a few tips about dealer’s “tells.”
Learning the dealer’s “tells” is a skill that must be perfected to be useful. It involves facial expressions as well as subconscious movements. Sitting down at your first table, you will not really know what I’m talking about, but with practice and a keen sense of your surroundings, this skill will become second nature.

Of course every dealer is different, your best bet is to survey the casino and familiarize yourself with the different dealers. Get a feel for which one you think is giving away the most info with their demeanor. Some are stone cold, while others have a more lackadaisical approach to dealing.

Your second step is to figure out the dealer’s hold card, or facedown card. Unlike you, the dealer is not playing with his or her own money, so they tend to be a little less careless with their “poker face.”

Pay attention to how long the dealer looks at their hold card. Also how much the card is bent plays a key role in figuring out what the dealer’s card is.

If the dealer is holding a paint card, they will look at it for almost a nanosecond. They know as soon as they see the color, they have a ten.

If their card is a stiff card (2, 3, 4, 5, or 6) they will bend it more, and higher. They also do this for an ace though, so you have to be careful, and pay attention to the cards that are already on the table.

Ok check back often for more Blackjack tips you can take to the table!

Hot vs. Cold Dealers in Blackjack

Even if you are not a slots player I am willing to bet you have heard of hot and cold streaks. It is when a slot machine is either paying out often or is paying next to nothing, respectively. I have crossed paths with a number of beginner blackjack players who smirk at slot players, believing that they are playing a game that is above hot and cold.

Guess again!

Blackjack is not above the hot and cold phenomenon. It relates to the dealer. When a dealer is hot is winning more than he is losing; and a cold dealer is he is not winning as many hands. Obvious which dealer you should want to be playing with right?

Like with slot machines, there really is nothing a blackjack player can do if they find themselves with a hot or cold dealer. Not that you would want to give up a cold dealer and all those opportunities to win.

What do you do when you find yourself with a hot dealer though?

Finish the round you are playing, and then take your chips and find a new table. There is nothing that says you have to play at only one blackjack table or at the same blackjack table. You can hop around. So if you find yourself at a blackjack table with a hot dealer, leave!

It may not always be immediately apparent that you have a hot or cold dealer. The trick is in observation. Watch the rounds, see how the dealer does. If he is winning more it would be a good idea to find another table; and if he is losing more often then pull up a chair and play some blackjack.

Blackjack Myth: 2 is the Dealer’s Ace

I have heard the myth said many times that a 2 to the dealer is their Ace in blackjack. Players say it and blackjack dealer say it. But I have to say that it is not true, and that it is definitely a myth. Let’s take a look shall we.

For one thing a 2 does not have the flexibility that an Ace offers. Its value can only be 2, whereas an Ace can count as 11 or as a 1 depending upon what the situation calls for.

But what makes a 2 seem like it is a special card to a dealer is because it allows them to string out multi-card hands that add up to 21. It is not the same as a natural blackjack, but it can wipe the table. And the reason the dealer can string out such a long hand is because he has to.

Say for example you have a hard 14. You can stand. And unless the dealer is showing a 7 or higher, you will stand according to basic strategy. But a dealer how has a hard 14 has to hit according to the rules of blackjack. And it is because he has to keep hitting that a 2 seems like a powerful card to the dealer. In all reality it is not anymore powerful to the dealer than it is to you. Say you have a two in your starting hand. You are likely to hit, and it just might be that you hit to a multi-card strong hand. But the dealer has more chances of stringing out a long hand than the player because of the rule to hit anything below a 17.

Another reason not to consider a 2 to be a dealer’s Ace is that is it not the card that can give the dealer a 21. In order for that to happen the dealer would have to be holding a 19, and if he was he would not be hitting based on house rules. And as a player you would not be hitting with a 19 either.

As a player you have to come to understand that a 2 just another low card. Without the flexibility that an Ace offers it cannot be thought of as the dealer’s Ace in blackjack. It only allows a dealer to hit for more cards than a player simply because the dealer has the short end of the stick, and has to keep hitting until he has a least a 17. You do not want to go giving a 2 power that it does not have in blackjack.

Blackjack Gimmick to Beat Online Games to Watch Out For

Not every new player is savvy in finding help when they are first learning how to play blackjack and learning a blackjack strategy. There are plenty of gimmicks and scams out there aimed at duping new players out of their money in exchange for some supposed uber tip on how to beat the house.

Such is the case with a recent eBook that I heard of that does not have an author.

That right there, no named author, is the first indicator that there is something fishy about this eBook claiming to give players the secret to beating multiple online blackjack games. Never trust someone who is giving beat the house advice and who will not identify themselves.

By the way, my name is Lucy and I came by my blackjack knowledge the old fashioned way—meaning that I read a lot of professional blackjack players’ books, practiced a lot and have done a lot of research while following the writings of gambling experts. In other words I learned and now feel compelled to help other blackjack players—which is why I will tell you that there is no legal way to beat online blackjack.

Now back to this eBook I found. The author who refuses to name him or herself claims to have worked at several online casino game software developing companies in the last few years. The list included Microgaming, Cryptologic and six other names plus the requisite “and more,” thus claiming that the number of software developers he or she worked for outnumbers their total number of years working for all developers combined. In short, he or she has a high turnover rate in the industry, which is not something I trust as it shows to me that this person does have the endurance to keep a job—why should I trust him or her to have the patience to learn the intricacies of a game?

But not only does this mysterious author claim to be revealing the secret to beating online blackjack, he or she is claiming to be revealing the secret in regards to multiple online blackjack games—one for each of the developers he or she worked less than a year apiece at.

But on top of all of the fishy feelings coming from this illusive author’s claims, there is the underlying fact that online blackjack cannot be completely beat. Yes, with basic strategy players can bring down the house edge of online blackjack to less than half of a percent; combining that with opportune double downs and split pairs you can make a profit from online blackjack.

But without an idea of how the cards are flowing, you cannot anticipate how to bet and therefore cannot overcome that last half of a percent—which is what card counting is for, and I have already explained more than once why card counting is not possible in online blackjack.

The safest thing for you and your money is to not trust those who are selling secrets to beating the game. Your money—and your time—will be better spent on the words of professional blackjack players who put their names on their books and on the words and advice of gambling experts.

Two Hands in Blackjack, the Upside

This morning I talked about why playing two hands at the same time was bad for your blackjack strategy and for your bankroll.

This is because you are simply wagering twice as much per round. No, it is not like doubling down. Doubling down is done when it is advantageous to do so—not every single hand. So, no, nothing like doubling down.

But there is a way to play two hands at once in blackjack. It is quite simple actually. Split your wager between your two hands. If you are wagering $10 per round and want to play two hands, wager $5 on each hand. This way you are not putting your bankroll anymore at risk than you would if you were playing a single hand.

The trick here is that both hands can take advantage of a dealer’s hand that gives the player a good chance of winning, making it possible to win with two hands rather than just one.

There is also the added benefit that if the dealer has a hand that favors him and he wins, you are not losing twice the amount.

The upside to this style of playing is that it can extend the time that you can play, or how long your bankroll will last. This is because the fluctuation in your bankroll is lessened. Say for example you win with one hand and lose the other. In this situation, you will have broken even in terms of money. The only time you really lose money is if you lose both hands.

Because of this fluctuation your can make your bankroll last longer at the blackjack table. It gives you an 86% chance that you can make your bankroll hang in there simply because you have more opportunities to lose less thanks to the possibility of breaking even in some rounds.

While I do not recommend playing two hands in this manner all of the time, it can be useful if you are looking to make your bankroll last and intend to just enjoy playing some blackjack. In other words, this is not a good blackjack strategy to make money, but it is good for bankroll playing.

Table Manners for Blackjack: Cards and Touching

Yes, blackjack has table manners. It is played at a table after all. Actually that is a more relaxed term for blackjack etiquette, and the things that make up blackjack etiquette are kind of like the unwritten rules for blackjack.

Fist off we are going to talk about the cards and touching.

In a face up game the cards are obviously dealt face up on the table by the dealer. He will then quickly calculate the totals. Player then make hand signals to show what play they would like to make: a two finger scratch on the felt for a hit; a palm-down wave over the cards to stand; doubling your amount of chips to signal a double down or a split depending on what cards you have. Hand signals are a part of blackjack etiquette and a tradition of the game. Oh, and they also can back you up if there is some discrepancy on what play you wanted to make since there is a camera above the table.

But above all in a face up blackjack game do NOT touch the cards.

Not touching cards in a face up game prevents players from cheating or marking the cards.

The only type of blackjack game in which you can touch the cards is a face down game. The dealer deals the cards face down and the player picks them up with one hand. Signals in a face down game are a bit different: to hit scrap the cards towards you on the felt to hit; to stand scoot your cards under your wagered chips; to double down or split, turn the cards face up and add the appropriate amount of chips to your wager.

Do NOT use more than one hand to handle your cards.

Handling the cards with one hand helps to cut down on switching or adding cards or marking them for cheating purposes.

You have the etiquette for how to handle your cards down now, and are all set to grab your clip-on tie and head to your favorite casino.

How to Count Cards in Blackjack

Card counting is one of the many skills that blackjack players want. Whether because they saw it in a movie and thought it looked cool is beside the point. Card counting is one of the pieces of blackjack strategy that can increase players’ blackjack odds.

Players who are determined to beat the house are the ones who turn to card counting and who take the time to learn it and practice it so that they can take full advantage of it.

It also pays to practice your card counting skills as you also to not want the casino staff to throw you out of the casino.

Card counting is actually pretty easy to learn. The problem many aspiring counters have is that they actually have to practice this skill and keep practicing it. Those who take the time to learn and practice card counting can get the edge on the house by 0.5% up to 1.5% for those who are truly skilled.

One of the easiest counting systems to start with is the Hi-Lo system. In this system the cards are assigned the following counting values:

+1 = 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6
0 = 7, 8 and 9
-1 = 10, Jack, Queen, King and Aces

Starting at 0, players then add the positive or negative values of the cards that are played. When the count has a high positive number it means that a good number of low cards have been played and that the remaining deck is rich in high cards that favor the player. This is when card counting blackjack players begin to raise their wager.

But when the count turns strongly negative it means that a number of high cards have been played and that the remaining cards in the deck are low, which favor the dealer. As I am sure you can figure, this is when player begin lowering their wagers.

To practice card counting, sit down with a deck of cards and silently add the positive and negative values, starting from 0, as you look through the deck. You have to keep practicing this until it becomes easy and you hardly have to think about the math—so that you are at ease with counting silently in your head without any outward appearances that you are counting.

Once you are comfortable with that, turn some music and the TV on to provide some distractions like you would find in a casino. Now keep practicing until you can count through the deck with ease with the distractions around you.

Sure card counting can have a good impact on your blackjack odds when playing in a casino, but those odds are not achievable if you are unwilling to take the time to practice. So take the time, practice and then go try your hand at card counting at a blackjack table in a casino.

Dealer Hitting Soft 17 is Not Good

Some players think that working in games that allow the dealer to hit a soft 17 is good for their blackjack strategy.

They would be mistaken.

Sure, on the surface a dealer hitting a soft 17 sounds like a good thing. Players might think that the dealer has a better shot of busting because he is so close to 21. But what these players are forgetting is that Ace. The Ace that makes that soft 17 soft can be reduced to a 1 if the dealer hits and receives a card that would cause him to bust.

Because of that Ace, dealers can actually reduce that 17 to an 8 and hit to rebuild a stronger hand. He might then wind up with a hard 17 or higher that stands a shot of beating the player. Just like how an Ace can benefit a player, so too can it benefit the dealer. A soft 17 can be rebuilt whereas a hard 17 has a better shot of being beat by the player.

With that ability to rebuild his soft 17, the house’s edge goes up by 0.2%.

That is quite an increase. Think about it. Basic strategy can lower the house edge to around 0.5%. But if one of the house rules allows the dealer to hit a soft 17 and the house gains 0.2% on their edge, that puts the house’s edge at 0.7%.

In short, playing in a game of blackjack that allows a dealer to hit a soft 17 undoes just under half of what basic strategy works to accomplish. That is a big impact to a player’s blackjack odds and to a player’s opportunities to make a profit from blackjack.

Hence trying to play in games that allow the dealer to hit a soft 17 are not just bad for blackjack strategy—they are very bad and should be avoided.