Strategy plays a fundamental role in a game of blackjack. Any player of a certain level will have his own tricks, and we are not talking about counting cards or similar, but about being clear about when to hit, when it is time to stand, whether to double or split the bet, managing insurance bets and the surrender rule when it is available… A cool head and not getting carried away by emotions are key, but if you want a good strategy to win at Blackjack be sure to follow these 10 tips.
The Difference Between Hard and Soft Cards
The first trick that any blackjack player should know is the difference between hard and soft cards. If you have an Ace in your hand, we are talking about soft cards; if you don’t have an Ace, they are hard cards. From here, we can follow the basic strategy table, which shows all the combinations you can have, the dealer’s card, and the most recommended action. Another interesting distinction is hard cards versus weak cards: 7, 8, 9, 10, and Ace are strong cards, and 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are weak cards.
Stand with 17 or more
Although this is a rule that applies to the dealer, you should also follow it: with 17 or more you should stand, because the risk of overcoming the 21 with the new card is very high and you have a good chance of overcoming the dealer. The exception comes when you reach 17 with an Ace when the double value of the Ace comes into play. You can risk looking for a higher combination, making the Ace worth 1 if with 11 we go over 21, or settle for what you have.
Look for the dealer to pass
We play with the advantage that the dealer is obliged to ask for a card with 16 points or less, so when the dealer shows a 4, 5, or 6 we only have to ask for a card if we have a soft hand. Even if with a single card we get a low score, below 16, the double value of the Ace plays in our favor since the dealer is obliged to draw, increasing the chances of a pass. In this situation, we must be conservative, and if we can, we will split the hand.
Never accept an insurance bet
At first glance, covering with an Ace from the dealer may seem like a good option, especially knowing that there are 16 cards with a value of 10 per deck in the deck, but when a player asks for insurance the dealer’s advantage increases. Only with blackjack will you get that insurance bet back. Insurance bets should only be accepted by card counting players – we will talk about this blackjack trick later – when the circumstances are right.
Always split with 8 or Ace
In other combinations like 9-9 or 7-7, you have a lot to lose, not to mention splitting with low cards, but with 8-8 or A-A, you have a lot to gain by splitting. 16 of the 52 cards are worth 10 points, so we have a high percentage chance of getting a combination of 18, 19, or 21. We will never split with two 10s, a hand of 20 is very good and the chances of improving are slim. If the dealer has a weak card (2 to 6) you can split except with pairs of 4, 5 or 10.
When to double down?
With hard cards we will double with 9, 10, or 11 points, and the dealer with a weak card, although if the dealer’s card is an Ace we will not double with 11. With soft cards things change: with 13 or 14, if the dealer has a 5 or 6; with 15 or 16, if the dealer plays with 4, 5 or 6; with 17 or 18 soft, if he has 3, 4, 5 or 6. In the basic strategy table, we have all the combinations clearly detailed.
Surrender only in exceptional situations (Blackjack surrender)
When you play with the surrender rule you must be clear that there are only two situations where we will surrender, recovering half of the bet. The first one, with 15 in your hand and 10 in the dealer’s hand; the other one, if your cards total 16 and the house has 9, 10, or Ace, even if it does not have blackjack. In the rest of the possible scenarios, you must continue playing according to the rules of the basic strategy, asking for a card or standing as appropriate. Remember that by surrendering you lose half of the bet, and you must make this decision before making any other move.
Tricks specific to European blackjack
Although all these tricks apply to both the American and European versions, it is true that there are a number of tricks for European blackjack that we cannot include in our American blackjack strategy because of the differences between the two versions but that you should not lose sight of:
- Do not double with 11 against a dealer’s 10, you can get an Ace and get the blackjack. Call card.
- Do not split 8-8 against the dealer’s 10 or Ace for the same reason. Draw.
- Do not split Ace-As against the dealer’s Ace, we have too many numbers to lose. Call for a card.
No card counting in online blackjack
Many blackjack strategies and systems are based on card counting, but in online blackjack, they are sterile because, although several decks are used, the cards are shuffled and dealt after each game, so that the same card can appear in several games in a row. Counting cards in blackjack is a trick that can be useful in a physical casino as long as the cards are shuffled by hand. If the dealer has a shuffling machine or all the cards are shuffled, it won’t work either. The key to this trick is that the cards used do not return to the deck.
Test your blackjack strategy in demo mode
There are many online casinos that offer us to play in their rooms in demo mode. It is a free game, where we can’t win money but we don’t lose it either while we practice the different blackjack tricks and perfect our strategy. These rooms are the ideal scenario to make some mistakes that later will be very expensive, so take this opportunity to practice and practice until you master the tricks to win at blackjack before playing with real money.