Blackjack Strategy & Tips
In order to have the best odds in Blackjack everything on this page should be followed. Knowing when to hit and stand is as important as doubling down or splitting.
Hitting
Hit anything 11 or lower.
Stand on everything 17 or higher.
When you have 12 to 16;
Hit if Dealer has anything from 7 to Ace.
Stand if the Dealer has 6 or lower.
Doubling Down
Always double down on 11.
Double if dealer has 2 to 9 and you have a 10.
Never double anything 7 or less.
Splitting
Always split 8’s and Ace’s.
Soft Totals
Always hit if soft total is 17 or less.
Double if soft total is 17 or less when the dealer has a 4 or a 5.
Card Counting
Counting cards is essential to giving yourself an edge over the casino. You do not need to do this step to have fun. Only do this step if you’re serious about winning. Oh, and don’t let anyone know your doing it. Casinos frown upon it for obvious reasons. It isn’t illegal, but casinos hate it and will ban you if caught. It is hard to catch when done properly. This has been used by mathematicians in the past which have done quite well. This is only a brief explanation as I assume most people reading this page are only here to play for fun anyways and won’t bother with this step.
Cards
2 to 6 = +1
7 to 9 = 0
10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace = -1
As each card is dealt on the table you should keep a running total by following the rules above. The basic rule is that when the score is positive then that means the player has an advantage and should bet high. When the count is negative then the player should bet low.
Game Style
Don’t play the 6:5 Blackjack. It basically lowers the payout ratio for a Blackjack Hand from 3:2 to 6:5. Example. If player bet $5 and got a blackjack then normally this would mean the player should win $7.50. But in 6:5 Blackjack that player would only win $6. This means that the House Edge is higher than normal even though this is a single deck of cards. It is better to play with fewer decks, but only when the same payout ratio is maintained. So pay attention to the style of Blackjack and watch for poor payouts!
Hitting
Hit anything 11 or lower.
Stand on everything 17 or higher.
When you have 12 to 16;
Hit if Dealer has anything from 7 to Ace.
Stand if the Dealer has 6 or lower.
Doubling Down
Always double down on 11.
Double if dealer has 2 to 9 and you have a 10.
Never double anything 7 or less.
Splitting
Always split 8’s and Ace’s.
Soft Totals
Always hit if soft total is 17 or less.
Double if soft total is 17 or less when the dealer has a 4 or a 5.
Card Counting
Counting cards is essential to giving yourself an edge over the casino. You do not need to do this step to have fun. Only do this step if you’re serious about winning. Oh, and don’t let anyone know your doing it. Casinos frown upon it for obvious reasons. It isn’t illegal, but casinos hate it and will ban you if caught. It is hard to catch when done properly. This has been used by mathematicians in the past which have done quite well. This is only a brief explanation as I assume most people reading this page are only here to play for fun anyways and won’t bother with this step.
Cards
2 to 6 = +1
7 to 9 = 0
10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace = -1
As each card is dealt on the table you should keep a running total by following the rules above. The basic rule is that when the score is positive then that means the player has an advantage and should bet high. When the count is negative then the player should bet low.
Game Style
Don’t play the 6:5 Blackjack. It basically lowers the payout ratio for a Blackjack Hand from 3:2 to 6:5. Example. If player bet $5 and got a blackjack then normally this would mean the player should win $7.50. But in 6:5 Blackjack that player would only win $6. This means that the House Edge is higher than normal even though this is a single deck of cards. It is better to play with fewer decks, but only when the same payout ratio is maintained. So pay attention to the style of Blackjack and watch for poor payouts!
