The Basic Strategy for Blackjack

Blackjack charts are essentially mathematically proven ways to minimize the chances of the house or the dealer while playing a hand of blackjack. Obviously, a decrease in the chances of the house correlates directly to an increase in your chances of winning.

Once a blackjack player master’s these basics, he or she can then progress to twisting and tweaking with the charts to suit specific situations which may vary depending on the exact type of blackjack that is being played and also depending on the rules that the casino has enforced upon the game.

Blackjack strategy – increase the odds of winning

There is a method called the Blackjack basic strategy which you can use to increase your odds of winning effectively, this is a tried and tested method and was derived using repeated computer simulations.

The Basic strategy is just some blackjack commandments you need to memorize and execute depending on the dealers up card. The basic strategy chart will dictate as to how you should go about playing your first two cards in a hand (this varies depending on the dealers up card).

If executed properly, the strategy ensures that the odds of the dealer or the house are slashed substantially. To be able to play the basic strategy methods, you need to understand basic strategy charts.

However, you can find it laid out below in layman’s terms, just follow these golden rules and you are certainly on your way to making some decent cash.

(A hard hand is a term used to describe a hand with two staring cards and none of them are an ace, a soft hand is when one of the two starting cards is an ace) 

Rules for a hard hand start 

• When your hard hand score is eight or lesser always go with a hit.
• If your total is nine you should double in case the dealer has a score between 3 and 6, otherwise you are better off with a hit.
• If your total is ten, and the dealer’s total lies between 2 -9, you should double, otherwise go with a hit.
• When your total is eleven, go with a double if the dealer has 2-10, otherwise you call a hit.
• If you’ve got 12 and the dealer has a score between 4-6 you take a stand, otherwise go for a hit.
• If your total is anywhere between 13 – 16 (both numbers included) and the dealer has a value between 2 -6 your best bet is to stand, in all other cases you should hit.
• When you have a value of 17 – 21, irrespective of what the dealer has, always stand.

Rules for a soft hand start 

• When you have an ACE with a 2 or 3, go with a hit unless the dealer has a value of either 5 or 6, in which case you double.
• When you have an ACE with a 4 or 5 go with a hit unless the dealer has a value of 4,5 or 6, in which case you double.
• When you get an ACE with a 6 card, double if the dealer has 3-6, in all other cases, go with a hit.
• When you get an ACE with a 7 card, stand in case the dealer has 2, 7 or 8. If the dealer has 3-6 go with a double and go with a hit in all other cases.
• If you have an ACE with an 8 or a 9 – Take a stand no matter what the dealer has.

Rules for Pairs      

• When you have a pair of aces or eights, you should definitely always split
• A pair of two or three’s calls for a split if the dealer has 2 through 7 and a hit if not
• A pair of fours calls for a split if the dealer has 5 through 6 and a hit if not
• A pair of fives calls for a double when the dealer has 2 – 9 and a hit in other cases
• A pair of sixes calls for a split when the dealer has something between 2 & 6, and a hit in other cases
• A pair of sevens should be split if the dealer is holding 2 – 7, and a hit in any other situation
• A pair of nines is split when the dealer has 2 – 6, or the 8 or 9 and a stand in case the dealer has a 7, 10 or an ace.
• A pair of tens – Always Stand!

 These are only three basic charts, as mentioned earlier; there are more complicated versions of these methodologies which adapt subtle changes to accommodate for different house rules. To be able to get to that stage though, you first need to know these three charts like the back of your hand.