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In the game of Blackjack, face cards are valued at ten, aces are
worth either 1 or 11 (use whichever one makes the
better hand), and all the other cards are face
value. To start off with, each player has two cards;
one of the dealers’ cards stays hidden until the end
of the hand. When the player has their two
cards but want another one so that they can get
closer to 21, they ask for a “hit”. This lets the
dealer know that they player wants another card. If
the player is satisfied with what their two cards
equal, they tell the dealer that they are going to
“stand”. If the player is dealt a 21 (Ace & 10)
right from the beginning, that is considered a
Blackjack, and they win automatically. Blackjack
usually means that the player wins one and a half
times the amount that they wagered depending on the
casino. In almost all casinos, the dealer is required
to continue to “hit” until they reach a
total of 17 or higher.
There is a couple other ways
for a player to use their hand to benefit themselves
in the end; doubling and splitting. Doubling is like
a hit but the bet is doubled and the player can only
get one more card. Doubling is used when the player
is almost sure that they will beat the dealer with
one more card without going over 21. The other
option is splitting. This is done when the player
has two of the same card. The pair of cards is split
into two separate hands. This also doubles the bet
because with two hands, there is twice the amount of
money - the original bet and the bet for the
new hand. One thing to remember is that the player
can only double or split on their first move or if
the first move of their hand is created by a split.
The player can not play on two aces if they have
been split. One major incentive to split is that the
player can double on a split hand and possibly end
up tripling or quadrupling the money won. The rules
for playing Blackjack only take a few minutes to
learn but like many other games the game takes a
lifetime to master. The best things to remember are
to play basic strategy and
always follow the exact rules of the casino.
It will help come out a winner in the
fantastically fun game of Blackjack.
Now that the basic rules of Blackjack have been
explained,
we are off. Following strategy charts is the most
important tool ever. This will allow the player to
get the house edge down to a minimum. There are
are a few different types of hands in Blackjack.
There are the Hard Hands, Soft Hands and Pairs.
Hard Hands - if the player gets dealt an eight
or less the best thing to do is always hit. There is
no chance of busting (going over 21) if the two
cards equal only eight. If the total of the two
cards equals nine, double if the dealer has a 3, 4, 5,
or 6 showing, if not hit. If a total of ten is dealt
then double if the dealer has anything from 2 to 9.
If the dealer has above nine, hit because there is a better
chance of winning. If the player has eleven, the best
thing to do would be to double if the dealer has 2
thru 10, definitely hit if dealer has Ace. If the
players two cards come out equaling twelve they
should hit if the dealer has a 2 or a 3, stand if
the dealer has 4, 5, or 6 and hit for anything else.
If the player has anything from a 13 to a 16 they
should stand if the dealer has a 2 to 6 and hit if
they have anything else. Now this last one is always is up for debate with
many. The best strategy if the player has
a 17 through 21, is to ALWAYS STAND!
Soft Hands - when an Ace is paired with another
card, it is called this because the
Ace can be either 11 or 1. Ace 2 or Ace 3, the player
should double if the dealer has a 5 or 6 otherwise
its best to hit. If the players is dealt Ace 4 or
Ace 5, they should double if the dealer has a 4, 5 or
6, if the dealer doesn’t the player should hit. If
the players has Ace 6, the best thing to do is to
double if the dealer has 3 thru 6 if not otherwise
hit. If the player has Ace 7, they should stand if
the dealer has 2, 7 or 8, double 3 thru 6, anything
else hit. If the players cards are Ace
8 or Ace 9, they should always stand.
Pairs - are very easy to
learn for the most part but hard to know when
to use. If the player is dealt aces or eights, they
should always split them to make a better hand. Twos
and threes should be split if the dealer has 2-7, if
not they should hit. Fours should be split if the
dealer has 4 or 5, otherwise hit. If the
player has fives, they should double if the dealer has
2-9 and hit for anything else. For a pair of sixes,
the player should split if the dealer has 2-6 or
hit if they don’t. A pair of sevens should split if
the dealers shows 2-7, and hit otherwise. Nines
should split if the dealer has 2-6, 8 or 9, and stand
if the dealer has 7,10 or Ace. And finally, the very
easy one if the player is dealt a pair of tens, they
should always stand.
For different deck amounts and
casino software variations, click below for our
Blackjack Strategy Charts:
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