Blackjack strategy, everything you need to know

Let’s start by saying, strategy and rules are two separate things. We are not going to tell you each card value or fiche value, or anything like that, we will give you the tools to make your own decisions.

When we get to learn the rules, and we know how to handle them, we tend to think that we can let the instinct leading our actions. Nothing can be more wrong than that, a successful player is the cold thinker one – play Blackjack.

We have to stick with a pattern and be consistent if we want to have positive feedback.

General behaviour

The first step towards a good strategy is to educate ourselves. We must keep asking ourselves questions before making a decision. When the answers to our questions have been given, we can make the move.

The first move

The first question comes immediately when we receive the cards. How should I consider the cards I received? Hit, Stand, Split, Double or Surrender?

This seems obvious but it is not. Every single hand has its own story, then remember to ask yourself what of the five options you should follow. People tend to be greedy and always call for a card, knowing when surrender can limit the losses.

Surrender

Second decision to make, surrender when certain conditions come. If you have a total of 16 summing your first two cards and the dealer has from 9 to Ace, then you should think to surrender. Doing a rapid calculation, you will get it yourself. Assuming you call, the chances of getting a card which makes you dust is higher than the contrary, while for the dealer the possibility to hit a card which makes him/her match your score or even overcome it, is equally possible. Then, surrender is the best strategy on this occasion.

Split the 9s

Third decision to make and follow is to split the 9s if the dealer has a card from 2 to 9, but not if he/she has a 7.

Here the situation is upside down than the previous one. In the case of a seven for the dealer, stand.

Stand or double

Fourth rule for a good strategy. Remember to stand or double when the dealer has a weak hand. If you have a total of 19, 8+Ace, and the dealer has a 6, double the stake, anything else you see, stand. Remember that the Ace is your best friend, if you have one of the following combinations, Ace plus, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 and the dealer has a 6, now it is the time to double. All the other combinations will make you stand.

Always stand

The fifth unwritten rule, which makes a good strategy is to always stand if you have a score from 11 to 17 without an Ace, and the dealer shows a card from 2 to 6. It is very easy that the dealer will hit a card which makes him match your score or even beat you.