Blackjack is one of the most popular casino table games in the business. Immensely popular both online and in brick and mortar casinos, a number of variations of the game have developed in recent years. However, the game of Blackjack, also known as Twenty-One predominantly remains consistent. In terms of strategy, Blackjack sits nicely in the middle of more complex games such as Poker and games based largely on luck such as online slots and bingo. As a result, numerous perfect blackjack strategy patterns exist which generally revolve around reducing the house advantage. Although there cannot be one perfect Blackjack strategy, multiple strategies out there are very useful to you when learning how to beat the game. Blackjack requires you to act based on the cards that appear in front of you, which is why many strategies target particular scenarios.
#1 Stand on 17
One of the more basic Blackjack strategies that is nonetheless vital for newbie players to be aware of is standing on 17. Players should not take any more cards once the total of their cards is at 17 or higher, as the chances of getting closer to the magic 21 without busting are rather slim. Furthermore, another reason for this general rule of thumb is that the dealer must keep drawing cards until they reach at least 17. Therefore, if you are sat on 17, the dealer only has 4 possible totals that will beat yours and the chances of this are not too great. Again, this is not guaranteed but is one example of doing what you can to reduce the dealer’s advantage. One caveat to this rule is if you are on a soft 17, where you have an Ace involved. As an Ace can be counted as 1 or 11, there is greater versatility to this hand and you should hit, with the hope of getting closer to 21. Join Star Spins Slots and employ this one today!
#2 Doubling Down
Doubling down is an exciting element to the game of Blackjack and utilising it well can serve as a solid Blackjack strategy. If you double down, you increase your bet up to 100% but commit to receiving one more card, no more and no fewer. So, when should you double down? Using, mathematical theory, Edward O. Thorp put forward the view that you should always double down on hard 11 in his Beat the Dealer book. The reason you want to double down on a hard 11 is that it is the best value you can be sitting on as the player, therefore you want to raise the stakes and try and cash in on that. Hard 11 is strong because it leaves you needing a 10 to reach the ideal 21. The chances are decent because there are more tens in play than any other card at this point.
#3 Splitting
Splitting is an option available if the player receives two cards of the same value. A second bet is required to match your initial one, and you now have two simultaneous bets going on. What is more difficult is figuring out when this is likely to be a waste of money and when it is likely to increase your chances of hitting 21. Dealers will look at you in confusion if you don’t split a pair of aces. This is because two aces together gives you a value of 12 (one as 1 and the other as 11), this means you will be chasing a 9 to get 21. Rather, if you split the aces you will have two sets of 11, leaving you four possible cards that could pop up to give you 21 (10, J, Q, K). You also have two hands going at once, both sitting in this advantageous position.
#4 D’Alembert Strategy
There are a few strategies which revolve around the amount you should bet each turn. While there is no perfect Blackjack strategy using this type of method (indeed, some are better than others), you may have some short-term success. D’Alembert strategy uses the term ‘unit’ to mean the minimum bet. So, each time you lose you raise your bet one unit and lower your bet one unit if you win. There is also the Reverse D’Alembert where you do the exact opposite, which suggest that there is not one perfect Blackjack strategy, but rather these are ways to control your bank roll and make back some lost bets.
#5 1-3-2-6 System
Another Blackjack strategy which uses a progressive betting pattern is the 1-3-2-6 system. It is a slightly safer method than other progressive strategies. You begin the pattern after you land a win and move through the increments. So, you bet x1 your original bet, then x3, then x2, then x6. If all these bets win, after the x6 you then bank what you have and move back to the start. If you lose at any point during the phase, you go back to the beginning. This means you only bet big when you can afford it. Remember, even with perfect Blackjack strategy, the house has an edge of around 0.5-1%, so it’s best to cash out and enjoy those wins when you land them. Join Star Slots and play blackjack and slots games today!
