Big Five Online Blackjack Gold is one of the latest Microgaming Gold
Online upgrade games. It features improved playability and richer graphics.
It is played with 5 regular decks of 52 cards. At the beginning of each hand
the cards are shuffled. The dealer has to hit on soft 17, and blackjack
beats any hand to the value of 21.
Online Bonus Backjack Gold
Online Bonus Blackjack Gold is part of the latest Microgaming Gold Online
upgrade. These games have improved functionality and improved graphics. This
game is played with 2 standard decks of 52 cards. Before each hand begins
the cards are shuffled. The dealer is obliged to hit on soft 17, and
blackjack beats any hand with a value of 21. There is also an optional Bonus
Bet feature.
Online Vegas Single Deck Blackjack Gold is part of the latest
Microgaming Gold Online Series upgraded game suite. These feature advanced
playability and more appealing graphics. It is played with 1 standard deck
of 52 cards. The cards are shuffled at the beginning of each hand. The
dealer must hit on soft 17, and blackjack beats any hand to the value of 21.
Online Classic Blackjack Gold Series is one of the new Microgaming
Gold Online upgraded games, offering improved playability and enhanced
graphics. It is played with 1 regular deck of 52 cards. All cards are
shuffled before each hand begins. The dealer must stand on all hands of 17,
and blackjack beats any hand with a value of 21.
Online Spanish 21 Multi Hand & single hand Blackjack uses 8 decks
of 48 cards - the Tens are removed from the deck. This is a new multi hand
version of the single hand game that has been available at Microgaming
Online casinos for a few years now. Up to five hands can be played
simultaneously. It is a hole card game, which means that the dealer will
check for blackjack if he holds a face card or an Ace. If he holds
blackjack, the game is over.
Online Multi hand Blackjack uses 5 normal decks of 52 cards. The
dealer shuffles the cards before each hand begins. You can play up to 5
hands Online at a time. In Multi hand Blackjack the dealer is forced to
stand on all soft hands of 17, and blackjack beats any 21 value hand.
Online Multi-hand single hand Vegas Strip Blackjack uses 4 normal
decks of 52 cards. The dealer shuffles the cards before each hand begins.
You can play up to 5 hands Online at a time. In Multi-hand Vegas Strip
Blackjack the dealer is forced to stand on all hands of 17, and blackjack
beats any 21 value hand.
Online Multi-hand & single hand Vegas Downtown Blackjack uses 2
normal decks of 52 cards. The dealer shuffles the cards before each hand
begins. You can play up to 5 hands Online at a time. In Multi-hand Vegas
Downtown Blackjack the dealer is forced to hit on a soft 17, and blackjack
beats any 21 value hand. A player's blackjack always beats the dealer's
blackjack, but the dealer wins all other tied hands.
Online Multi-hand & single hand Bonus Blackjack uses 2 normal
decks, each containing 52 cards. The cards will be shuffled before each hand
begins. The dealer is forced to hit on a soft 17, and blackjack beats any
hand that adds up to 21.You can play up to 5 hands Online simultaneously.
There is an optional bonus bet feature in Online Multi-hand Bonus Blackjack
that you can take at the beginning of each hand. The bonus bet can be
different to the hand bet. The bonus bet pays out on the first two cards.
Online Multi-hand & single hand Atlantic City Blackjack is played
with 8 normal packs of 52 cards. The cards are subjected to shuffling at the
beginning of each hand. In Multi-hand Atlantic City Blackjack you can play
up to 5 hands Online at a time. The dealer must always stand on soft 17, and
blackjack beats any hand value of 21.
Online Double Exposure Blackjack is a game using 8 normal decks of
52 cards. The cards are subjected to shuffling at the beginning of each
hand. In Double Exposure Blackjack the dealer is forced to hit on soft 17,
and blackjack beats any hand with a 21. A player's blackjack always beats
the dealer's blackjack, but the dealer wins all other tied hands.
Online European Blackjack uses 8 normal decks of 52 cards. The
dealer shuffles the cards at the completion of each hand. In European
Blackjack the dealer is forced to stand on all hands of 17, and blackjack
beats any 21 value hand.
Online Super Fun 21 Blackjack uses 1 normal deck of 52 cards. The
cards will be shuffled before each hand begins. In Super Fun 21 Blackjack
the dealer is forced to stand on all hands of 17, and blackjack beats any
hand that adds up to 21. A player?s blackjack always beats the dealer?s
blackjack.
Online Triple 7's Blackjack uses 5 normal decks of 52 cards. The
dealer shuffles the cards at the completion of each hand. In Triple 7's
Blackjack the dealer is forced to stand on all hands of 17, and blackjack
beats any 21 value hand.
Online Playtech Progressive Blackjack uses 8 normal decks consisting
of 52 cards each. The decks form a shoe and the entire shoe is shuffled
before each hand is commenced. The dealer is forced to stand on a all hands
to the value of 17, and blackjack beats any hand of 21 value. Online
Playtech Progressive Blackjack uses the standard Blackjack game rules, based
on the Vegas Strip variant of the game.
Online Playtech Blackjack Surrender uses 6 normal decks consisting
of 52 cards each. The decks form a shoe and the entire shoe is shuffled
before each hand is commenced. The dealer is forced to stand on a soft 17,
and blackjack beats any hand of 21 value.
Online Live Dealer Blackjack uses 6 normal decks consisting of 52
cards each. The decks form a shoe and the entire shoe is shuffled before
each hand is commenced. The dealer is forced to stand on all hands of 17,
and blackjack beats any hand of 21 value. Online Live Dealer Blackjack is
played with a live dealer that appears in the game window. You play
alongside up to 6 other players. You are able to interact with the dealer
and the other players via a live chat window. The game uses the standard
Blackjack game rules, based on the Vegas Strip variant of the game
Online Playtech Blackjack uses 6 normal decks consisting of 52 cards
each. The decks form a shoe and the entire shoe is shuffled before each hand
is commenced. The dealer is forced to stand on a soft 17, and blackjack
beats any hand of 21 value.
Online Blackjack Switch uses 6 normal decks consisting of 52 cards
each. The decks form a shoe and the entire shoe is shuffled before each hand
is commenced. The dealer is forced to stand on a soft 17, and Blackjack
beats a hand with a value of 21. Blackjack Switch is a different version of
blackjack, where all cards are dealt face up and the Player receives 2
hands. The Switch rule allows the player to switch the second dealt card
between the two hands in order to improve one or both. This introduces a
couple of further differences. Firstly, a Dealer Blackjack beats a Player
Blackjack. Secondly, if the Dealer gets 22, it ties with a Player total of
21 or below. However, a Player Blackjack beats a Dealer 22.
Online Wagerlogic Multi Player & single player Pontoon is played
with 8 standard decks of 52 cards. The cards are shuffled after roughly one
third of the shoe has been used in play. Pontoon is similar to blackjack,
and what is known as a Blackjack (an Ace with a 10) is called a Pontoon.
This hand wins in the same way that a Blackjack does. Besides having the
highest total under 21, the other way to win is to obtain a hand containing
5 cards adding up to 21 or less. This also pays out at 2/1. Another
difference to note is that the Dealer wins all ties. The player is forced to
hit on any hand of hard 14. Note that both the dealer's cards are dealt face
down, and there is thus no Insurance option.
Online Progressive Multi Hand & single hand Blackjack is played with
8 normal decks containing 52 cards. The decks form a shoe and the entire
shoe is shuffled at the point when roughly a third of it has been used. The
dealer is forced to stand on all 17 value hands, and blackjack beats any
hand of 21 value. Online Progressive Multi Hand Blackjack uses the standard
Atlantic City game rules. It has a Turbo feature that allows you to speed up
the game.
Online Multi Split Blackjack is played with 8 standard decks of 52
cards. The decks form a shoe and the entire shoe is shuffled before each
hand is commenced. The dealer is forced to stand on a soft 17, and blackjack
beats any hand of 21 value.
Wagerlogic Online Single Deck Blackjack is played with 1 standard
deck of 52 cards. This is known as a shoe and the entire shoe is shuffled
before each hand is commenced. The dealer is forced to hit on a soft 17, and
both player and dealer blackjack beats any hand of 21 value.
Wagerlogic Online Super Fun 21 Blackjack uses 1 normal deck of 52
cards. The cards will be shuffled before each hand begins. In Wagerlogic
Super Fun 21 Blackjack the dealer is forced to hit on all hands of 17, and
blackjack beats any hand that adds up to 21. A player's blackjack always
beats the dealer's blackjack.
Wagerlogic Online Multi Player Blackjack is played with 8 standard
decks of 52 cards. The decks form a shoe and the entire shoe is shuffled at
the point when roughly a third of it has been used. The dealer is forced to
stand on a all 17 value hands, and blackjack beats any hand of 21 value.
Wagerlogic Online Multi Hand Blackjack is played with 8 standard
decks of 52 cards. The decks form a shoe and the entire shoe is shuffled
before commencement of each new hand. The dealer is forced to stand on a all
17 value hands, and blackjack beats any hand of 21 value.
Wagerlogic Online Basic Blackjack is played with 8 standard decks of
52 cards. The decks form a shoe and the entire shoe is shuffled before each
hand is commenced. The dealer is forced to stand on a soft 17, and blackjack
beats any hand of 21 value.
Blackjack History
Blackjack,
also known as Vingt-et-un, Pontoon, Van-John and twenty-one, was created by
the French in the late 18th century. During World War I the game became very
popular with the troops, and gradually, any two-card count of 21 became
known as a blackjack, and thus the game was given a new name. During World
War II blackjack was the most popular banking game of the soldiers. After
the war, blackjack replaced Faro as the mostly played game in the casinos of
Las Vegas and Reno.
The history of the Blackjack card game itself is still disputed but was
probably spawned from other French games such as "chemin de fer" and "French
Ferme".
Blackjack originated in French casinos around 1700 where it was called
"vingt-et-un" ("twenty-and-one") and has been played in the U.S. since the
1800's. Blackjack is named as such because if a player got a Jack of Spades
and an Ace of Spades as the first two cards (Spade being the color black of
course), the player was additionally remunerated.
Blackjack is a simple and easy game to play and understand. Also it is
commonly thought that it is one of the few casino games at which a skilled
player can actually beat the house!
Blackjack Basics
In this game, the player and the dealer (the computer) are each
dealt two cards. The player and the dealer both try to get their
hands to equal twenty-one without going over. The hand that gets
closer to twenty-one without going over wins the bet. In blackjack,
you are competing only against the dealer, not against the other
players. The rules of play for the dealer are strictly dictated,
leaving no decisions up to the dealer.
In blackjack, the cards are valued as follows: An Ace can count as
either 1 or 11, as demonstrated below. The cards from 2 through 9
are valued as indicated. The 10, Jack, Queen, and King are all
valued at 10.
The value of a hand is simply the sum of the point counts of each
card in the hand. For example, a hand containing (5,7,9) has the
value of 21. The Ace can be counted as either 1 or 11. You need not
specify which value the Ace has. It's assumed to always have the
value that makes the best hand.
How the dealer plays his hand
>
The dealer must play his hand in a specific way, with no choices
allowed. There are two popular rule variations that determine what
totals the dealer must draw to. In any given casino, you can tell
which rule is in effect by looking at the blackjack tabletop. It
should be clearly labeled with one of these rules:
"Dealer stands on all 17s":
>
This is the most common rule. In this case, the dealer must continue
to take cards ("hit") until his total is 17 or greater. An Ace in
the dealer's hand is always counted as 11 if possible without the
dealer going over 21. For example, (Ace,8) would be 19 and the
dealer would stop drawing cards ("stand"). Also, (Ace,6) is 17 and
again the dealer will stand. (Ace,5) is only 16, so the dealer would
hit. He will continue to draw cards until the hand's value is 17 or
more. For example, (Ace,5,7) is only 13 so he hits again.
(Ace,5,7,5) makes 18 so he would stop ("stand") at that point.
Hit:
>
Request another card. You can request a hit as many times as you
like, but if your total goes over twenty-one, you will Bust and lose
the hand.
Stand:
>
If you have two cards of the same denomination, a Split button will
appear. You can split the cards into two hands and play each hand
separately. Your original bet will be duplicated for the new hand,
and each hand will be played out as usual. The number above the
currently active hand will turn yellow. The split option can only be
used once per hand -- you cannot split part of a split hand.
Double:
>
If you select this option, two things will happen: you will get
exactly one more card and then your turn will end, and your bet will
be doubled. When you use this option, you are betting more money
that you will get a good score with just one more card added to your
starting two.
Insurance:
>
Whenever the dealer's up-card is an ace, the player has an option of
taking insurance. If the player believes that the dealer's down-card
is a 10 ranking card, then the player is permitted to place a side
bet of up to half the original wager as insurance. If the dealer
does have a 10 ranking card, the player is immediately paid 2-to-1
on the insurance bet, but the original wager is lost unless the
player too have blackjack and tie the dealer. Here player is not
insuring anything, the player is simply betting that the dealer's
unseen card is a 10 ranking card.
Note:
Double Down and Split options will only be available immediately
after you receive your first two cards. If the dealer has an ace
showing, you will be offered a chance to buy Insurance for half of
the amount you bet. When you buy insurance you are, in effect,
making a second bet. You are betting that the dealer has a natural
blackjack. If the dealer does have a natural blackjack (in other
words, his down card is a ten or a face card), you will collect a
payoff of 2 to 1 on your insurance. You will also lose your original
wager, unless you have a natural blackjack too. If the dealer does
not have a natural twenty-one, the rest of the hand is played out as
usual and you will lose your insurance money.
Blackjack - How to Play
Blackjack is played on a special half-round table with six to seven
spots that serve as the designated betting areas for the players.
The game uses a standard deck of 52 cards. All designated cards
numbered 2 through 10 are counted at face value. The court, or
picture cards all count as 10s, with kings, queens and jacks having
no special value. The same is true of the different suits: spades,
clubs, hearts and diamonds are not relative to any of the game
results. Aces are different from all other cards because they can be
counted as either a 1 or 11. The choice of how to count the ace is
up to the player, not the dealer. You will also find many casinos
that used 2 decks for blackjack, and others who use a box-like
device to deal multiple decks of 4, 6 and 8.
The game begins...
You must wager before any cards are dealt out by the dealer. Each
player does this by placinghis or her bet in the centre of the
designated spot in front of his or her position. The placard on the
side of the table will alert you to the minimum and maximum bets for
that specific table. The dealer begins by shuffling the cards and
one player cuts the deck. The dealer then begins to deal cards from
left to right, one card to each player and then one for the dealer.
The dealer then deals a second card in turn to each player. Cards
can be dealt either face down or face up. In single and double-deck
games, they will normally be face down, but anything involving more
decks are typically face up.
It is also important to note that one of the dealer's cards will be
turned face up, and the other face down. This is important to you
when it comes to make decisions about what action needs to be taken
with your hand. After the cards are dealt, each player is given the
opportunity to play his hand in turn, starting at the dealer's left
and going around the table from left to right. After all players
have acted on their hands, the dealer will play his hand.
Helpful hint: Always look at the two cards that have been dealt to you
and then look at the dealer's up card.
>How to win the game:
Some people think the object of the game is to get 21, or to get
closer to 21 than the dealer without "busting," which means going
over 21. This is incorrect! The real objective of the game is to
beat the dealer. There are 3 ways in which a player can beat the
dealer:
The player receives an ace and a 10-value card for blackjack.
The player gets closer to 21 than the dealer.
The dealer goes over 21 and the player, regardless of what the total
is in his hand, does not.
Blackjack Odds
Ever wonder why blackjack is so popular with the masses?
In roulette for instance, the odds against you are pretty standard
for every bet on the board, at a somewhat nasty 5.26% house edge.
This means the house will win 5.26% more of the bets on the table
than they lose. Of course, if you've been paying attention at the
casino you'll realize it's more than this. Say you bet on two
columns on the same spin at the roulette table, the odds are you'll
win 24-14. So how is it that the casinos don't go broke? There is
another factor that has to be considered, and it's called the
payoff. The house's advantage stems from the fact that a payoff for
a winning bet is a bit below the odds. Basically, if you bet on two
columns in roulette for 12 bucks each (24 bucks total) and win, you
get paid $12. But on odds of 24 to 14 the casino should pay back 14
dollars, on an even playing field. The casino knows it can profit
properly even against the odds if it matches its payouts
appropriately. The casino profits by taking $24 when you lose, but
only paying $12 when you win.
Perhaps in an effort to confuse the masses, casinos often evaluate
house edge in three or four different styles, each of which
corresponds to a term you might find more familiar. There is of
course the house edge, and also the return percentage, the vigorish
(or vig), and the hold. While they all essentially refer to the same
thing, understanding the perspective each phrase is spoken from is
helpful. Lets talk about each of these and you will see easily how
they relate to blackjack odds.
The house edge is what we call a theoretical number, and is never
calculated on real world empirical experiences. It is the
theoretical fraction of the overall amount bet that the casinos
would keep if every set of decisions were to fall exactly into a
statistical row. This is where the roulette example may become
clear. As per our two-column roulette table example, in 38 spins the
house expects to win 14 rounds at $24 profit each for $336 profit in
all; at the same time they expect to lose 24 rounds at $12 a pop,
totaling $288 dollars of loss. The total bet is 38 multiplied by
$24: $912, while the take is $48 (the difference between the $336
profit and $288 loss). The edge is $48 divided by $912, which equals
5.26%. Keeping in mind that I used the qualifier "expected" for the
house, and although 38 rounds may not land 24 wins for the casino,
38 million rounds will net a number that is statistically
insignificantly different from 24 million. And of course, there are
millions of spins, so the house does indeed rake in its 5.26% edge.
Another theoretical number is the 'return percentage' or 'pay out
percentage' (a familiar term to slots fans). Basically the return
percentage is just that, the percentage of the money bet that would
be returned to the players, again if everything fell into a perfect
statistical row. Return percentages are no mystery to slots fans who
know it is simply the compliment of the house edge. This just means
that a 95% payout rate means 100 minus 95, or a 5% house edge.
The Vig, or Vigorish, is a slightly different concept these days in
casino gambling. The Vig is a fee the casinos charge on certain
bets. In some instances the casino applies a vig as a bet is being
placed, and therefore it is collected regardless of a win or loss,
and other instances like in Baccarat, where a Vig is only charged on
a win (the winning banker hand in baccarat).
House hold, or hold percentage, is the real world equivalent
(non-theoretical) of the house edge. If the house edge were to hold
steady and all events were to go to a statistical T, then the hold
and the edge would be equivalent. It can often be confusing though,
because for games like a slot machine where there is no variation,
the hold is actually the real counterpart of the house edge, it's
simply based on tallies rather than probabilities. At the tables,
considering blackjack odds for instance, there is a little more
variance in play, which affects the amount of the edge the casinos
are actually pulling at any one point in time. The hold takes on a
slightly different meaning when it comes to the blackjack table. It
is the amount of cash the casino actually keeps out of the total
dropped on the table. It is a counted real number, not a theoretical
one such as the house edge, but it is directly analogous to the
house edge. The variance is caused by variables such as how long
players continue to bet from original buy-ins and how big their
wagers are relative to bankrolls, etc.
So how does this all relate to our blackjack odds? Well it puts you in
the know about house edges around the casino, and lets you see quite
clearly how and why blackjack has an obvious advantage for the
players, a player-controllable variable house edge. At this point
you understand that the goal of any gambler is to effectively reduce
the house's hold during their session at the table. The only way to
practically go about this is by altering your playing style so that
the predictive house edge will be statistically lower (as that, in
turn, will decrease the house's hold). Players who use perfect basic
strategy can reduce the blackjack odds so much they are playing very
nearly even with the house. It's easy to find and play a blackjack
game with a house edge of 0.5% or less once you know what to look
for and how to play it right. If you don't know basic strategy, and
are just playing on impulse, you're looking at a house edge of
anywhere from 2-5%. Many people are of the opinion that being
presented with the same old 'use basic strategy' quote is being
presented with an absence of tips.
The fact of the matter is, basic strategy is just one big long list
of perfect tips, which will always be statistically superior to any
other decision you could make in the instance described. So instead
of taking on the mindset that 'basic strategy' is only for basic
play and not the 'advanced strategy' you are looking for, understand
that each 'tip' presented by basic strategy has been worked out
ahead of time to be the very best possible statistical decision in
that case. This will effectively lower the house edge for your hand,
and in turn lower the house's hold over the game. Play with basic
strategy and over the long run you will always win more than if you
had played without. This is of course over the long run, and
although many people do indeed play with basic strategy decisions,
much of the time they won't double-down when basic strategy suggests
it, working on the notion that even if they don't, they still have a
good chance of winning the hand. The catch here is, basic strategy
can only really affect the house's hold if you take advantage of
double-down situations to help your profit margins. The extended low
edge is next to meaningless if you don't double down at the right
times, because it simply won't translate into a lower hold for the
house (ie, a bigger profit for you).
Single Deck Blackjack
Single deck blackjack is usually better than multiple deck blackjack
for card counters, basic strategists, and the clueless. Additional
decks make busts less likely, since one can draw to hands like
2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2,2 (for 18) which are improbable/impossible in single
deck. Busting less often helps the dealer's hand more than yours,
since the dealer is forced by the rigid rules to hit more often than
you. Blackjacks are also less frequent, which is bad since you get
paid 3 to 2 for those. All in all, multiple decks will cost a basic
strategist nearly 0.5% in advantage, which is more than all but the
very best package of favorable extra rules will give you.
Blackjack Rules
Blackjack rules differ slightly from area to area and/or from
casino to casino. Therefore, it is important to research what the
rules are for the area/casinos you plan on playing in.
Blackjack table seats a dealer and one to seven players. The first
seat on the dealer's left is referred to as First Base, the first
seat on the dealer's right is referred to as Third Base. A betting
square is printed on the felt table in front of each player seat.
Immediately in front of the dealer is the chip tray. On the dealer's
left is the deck or shoe and beside that should be the minimum bet
sign, which you ought to read before sitting down to play. On the
dealer's immediate right is the
money drop slotwhere all currency and tips (chips) are deposited. Next to
the drop slot is the discard tray. Play begins after the following
ritual is completed: the dealer shuffles the cards, the deck is
"cut" by a player using the marker card, and the dealer "burns" a
card. Before any cards are dealt, the players may make a wager by
placing the desired chips (value and number) into the betting box.
Occasionally a player may
sit out a hand or two for various reasons. I have sat out a couple of
hands at times when the dealer was getting extremely lucky and
everyone was losing. If you attempt to sit out too many hands
especially if there are people waiting to play at your table, you
may be asked to leave the table until you are ready to play.
Once all the bets are down, two cards (one at a time) are dealt from left
to right. In many Vegas casinos, players get both cards face down.
In Atlantic City and most every where else the player's cards are
dealt face up. Should the cards be dealt face up, don't make the
faux pas of touching them! They are dealt face up for a reason,
primarily to prevent a few types of player cheating.
The dealer receives one card down and one card up. The numerical
values of the cards are: (10, J, Q, K) = 10 ; (Ace) = 1 or 11 ;
(other cards) = face value (3 = 3). Since a casino can be very
noisy, hand signals are usually the preferred method of signalling
hit, stand, etc.
>If the cards were dealt face down and you want a hit,
lightly flick the cards across the felt two times. If the cards were
dealt face up, point at the cards with a quick stabbing motion. You
may also want to nod your head yes while saying "hit". The best way
to indicate to the dealer that you want to stand regardless of how
the cards were dealt is to move your hand from left to right in a
level attitude with your palm down. Your hand should be a few inches
or so above the table. Nodding your head no at the same time helps,
while saying "stay" or "stand".
Single deck games are pretty much restricted to Nevada casinos. In the
casinos that have one-deck games, the tables are usually full.
Multiple deck games typically consist of an even number of decks (2,
4, 6, 8) although a few casinos use 5 or 7 decks. There are two main
reasons many casinos use multiple decks: They allow the dealer to
deal more hands per hour, thereby increasing the casino take, and
they reduce (but in no way eliminate) the player advantage gained
from card counting.
The rules the dealer must play by
are very simple. If the dealer's hand is 16 or less, he/she must
take a card. If the dealer's hand is 17 or more, he/she must stand.
Note that some casinos allow the dealer to hit on soft 17 which
gives the house a very small additional advantage. The dealer's
strategy is fixed and what you and the other players have is
immaterial to him/her as far as hitting and standing is concerned.
The player can do most anything he/she wants as far as hitting and
standing goes. Should a player get a Blackjack (first 2 cards are an
Ace and a ten) the payoff is 150% more than the original bet ie, bet
$10.00 and the payoff is $15.00. Doubling down is restricted to
2-card hands, usually totalling 9, 10, or 11 although some casinos
allow doubling down on any 2-card hand. If your first two cards
provide you with the appropriate total and your cards were dealt
face down, turn them over and put them on the dealer's side of the
betting square. If your first two cards provide you with the
appropriate total and your cards were dealt face up, point to them
and say "double" when the dealer prompts you for a card and
simultaneously put an equal amount of chips next to (not on top of)
those already in the betting box. The dealer will give you one more
card only, then he/she will move on to the next hand.
If you have a pair that you want to split and your cards are dealt face
down, turn them over and place them a few inches apart. If your
cards were dealt face up, point to your cards and say "split" when
the dealer prompts you for a card. The original bet will go with one
card and you will have to place an equal amount of chips in the
betting box near the other card. You are now playing two hands, each
as though they were regular hands with the exception being that if
you have just split two aces. In that case, you only get one card
which will hopefully be a 10. If it is a ten, that hand's total is
now 21 but the hand isn't considered a Blackjack. That is, you are
paid 1:1 and not 1:1.5 as for a natural (Blackjack). Combined
example of above two plays: Say you are dealt two fives. You split
them. The next card is another 5 and you re-split them. Three hands
have grown out of one and you are now in for three times your
original bet. But wait. Say the next card is a six. So one hand is a
5,6 which gives you eleven; another just has a 5 and the other hand
has a 5. You decide to double down on the first hand. You are dealt
a 7 giving 18 which you stand on. Now a ten is dealt for the second
hand and you decide to stay at 15. The last hand is the lonely third
5, which is dealt a four for a total of nine. You decide to double
down and get an eight giving that hand a total of 17. You started
with a twenty dollar bet and now you are in for a hundred! Better
hope the dealer doesn't end up with a hand more than 18 lest you
lose a C-note.
It was dangerous to split two fives because you are replacing a hand
that is great for drawing on or doubling down on, by what will
probably be two poor hands.
Insurance comes into play when the dealer's up card is an Ace. At this
point all the players have two cards. The dealer does not check
his/her hole card before asking the players if they want insurance,
as the dealer can't give away the value of the hole card if the
dealer doesn't know what the hole card is. If a player wants
insurance, half the original amount bet is placed on the semicircle
labeled "insurance" which is printed on the table. If the dealer has
a Blackjack the player wins the side bet (the insurance bet) but
loses the original bet, thus providing no net loss or gain since
insurance pays 2 to 1. If the dealer does not have a Blackjack, the
side bet is lost and the hand is played normally. If you are not
counting cards, don't bother with insurance. The proper Basic
Strategy play is to decline. The time to take insurance is when the
number of non-tens to tens drops below a 2 to 1 margin since
insurance pays 2 to 1.
Surrenderis a fairly obscure option that originated in Manila in 1958 and
isn't available in many casinos. There are two versions, "early
surrender" and "late surrender". Early surrender allows players to
quit two-card hands after seeing the up card of the dealer. This
option provides the player an additional 0.62 percent favorable
advantage (significant) and therefore the obvious reason why many
Atlantic City casinos abandoned the option in 1982. Late surrender
is the same as early except that the player must wait until the
dealer checks for a Blackjack. If the dealer does not have a
Blackjack then the player may surrender.
Hole Card Rule:
Different Blackjack games may have one of
the following hole card rules or none at all.
US Hole Card Rule: After the dealer has dealt the initial cards if
the dealer is showing an Ace or a 10 he will check for blackjack. If
an Ace is showing then you can buy insurance first. This is an
advantage for the player because you either immediately loose to the
dealers blackjack or know the dealer doesn't have blackjack.
Immediately loosing means you effectively cut your loses incase you
were going to split or double up.
European Hole Card Rule: The dealer only checks on an Ace but
otherwise the same as the US Hole card Rule.
Blackjack Betting Systems
Simply put, a betting system is a way of using money management to
maximize your profits. No matter what technique or method you use to
give yourself an edge at the blackjack table, if you don't manage
your money properly you will probably walk away as a loser.
Card counting and cluster counting, as mentioned elsewhere on this
site, includes its own type of betting system. IE: Increase your bet
size two to three times your original bet when conditions favor the
probability of receiving a winning hand.But what if you are strictly
a basic strategy player? Besides the obvious bank roll increases
experienced by doubling down and splitting your cards, what method
should you use to increase your chances of walking away a winner?
Below are 3 betting systems. The first is a common system which I
don't recommend, but I include on this page as it is one which has
been recommended by certain, so called 'blackjack experts'. The last
two are systems which are worthwhile to use depending on your
starting bankroll.
1.)
Cluster Counting Betting System
2.)
Martingale Betting System
3.)
Progressive Betting System - 2 Level
4.)
Progressive Betting System - 5 Level
5.)
Basic Strategy
Cluster Counting Betting System
Another method for determining the probability of a higher than
normal percentage of high point cards being dealt (which is an edge
to the player) is known as cluster counting, or shuffle tracking.
This method is based on the observation that cards tend to "cluster"
in certain parts of a multi deck shoe, and that the shuffling of the
cards at the conclusion of a shoe can be tracked by a player so that
he can determine which portions of the next shoe will be high in
player friendly cards. A breakdown of this method follows.
When playing a new shoe make note of the flow of cards while
mentally dividing the shoe into sections equal to one deck.
Now you need to observe which portions of each section that are high
in Aces and ten-point cards.
Rate each section as being rich or poor in high cards and then make
note of how the cards are placed in the discard box.
At the end of each shoe, watch how the dealer shuffles the new shoe.
Keep track of where the clusters of high cards are located, and
where they will surface in the dealing of the next shoe.
When playing this next shoe, increase your wager when you reach
those sections of the shoe that are rich in high point cards, and
decrease your wager when the deck is rich in low point cards.
Unfortunately, shuffle tracking is very hard to master, and casinos
have taken measures to defeat its effectiveness. Some counter
measures used by casinos include using two discard racks, changing
the pattern of the shuffle, and by using automated shuffling
machines. You may still run across blackjack tables where this
method can be used, and if you are willing to practice and learn the
technique, it can be effective.
In blackjack, there are ways to greatly increase your odds. One way
is to use blackjack systems. There are many systems that the game
has for users to learn and use to their advantage; however, most
cost money to gain access to. In the following section, we will
explain the Matrix System for you. If used properly, this system
will be an almost sure-fire method to decrease your chances of
losing money in the casino!
The Martingale Betting System
This betting system, which was invented over 200 years ago,
instructs the player to double his bet each time he loses, on the
assumption that he will eventually win and show a profit from the
initial wager.
With a beginning wager of $5.00 you would double your wager with
each loss. IE: $5, $10, $20, $40 $80, etc. After a win your wager
would drop back to $5.00. All wagers are recovered when you win a
hand.
Casinos have table limits to eliminate the effectiveness of this
system. After a long losing streak you will eventually hit the table
maximum, thus defeating the purpose of this system. Plus, a
considerable amount of bankroll is needed to make this system work,
and the payoffs simply aren't worth it. If you started with a $5
dollar wager and lost your first four wagers and won your fifth,
(without double downs or splitting your cards) you would be a measly
5 dollars ahead. This is simply not worth it, and if you are losing
multiple hands in a row it is time to leave the table, not double
your wagers. Also, losing double downs or splits can deplete your
bankroll in a big hurry.
Progressive Betting System - 2 Level
This is the simplest betting system to use and still effective. To
use this system simply decide on a minimum and maximum bet. Then bet
the smaller amount after a loss and the larger amount after a win.
For example, say you set your minimum bet at $5 and your maximum at
$15. Start with a $5 dollar bet. If you win that hand you bet $15
your next wager. You then continue to bet $15 until you lose. After
any loss you return to your minimum bet of $5.
This is a basic, put solid progressive betting system.
Progressive Betting System - 5 Level
This is another simple, yet effective system, based on a 1,2,3,5
back to 1 progression. Example: For a $5 player, the betting levels
would be $5,10,15, and 25. With this system you start with your $5
bet and progress to the next level when you win a hand. If you lose
a hand you drop back down to your original $5 wager. If you win four
hands in a row you should then drop back down to your original $5
wager, hence the 1,2,3,5 back to 1 progression.
Lets take a look at how this works. This system is rewarding when
you experience winning streaks but still doesn't kill you with
losing streaks. Lets say you lose your first three hands and then
win your next three. Assuming a starting wager of $5 you would be
ahead $15 at the end of six hands. If you were betting an equal
amount on each had you would be even.
It should be noted that progressive betting systems such as these
fail when you experience a win, loss, win, loss, win, loss, type of
scenario. In a case like this, you would be better off betting an
equal amount on each hand. However, this is the risk you take in
your attempt to maximize profits on streaks of 3 wins or more. And
in reality it is not as risky as simply using basic strategy and
betting an equal amount each hand. The nature of blackjack is such
that winning streaks and losing streaks frequently occur, and that
is where progressive betting systems maximize your profits.
Basic Strategy
If the player plays according to the same rules as the dealer (that
is, draws to 16 and stands on any total of 17 or greater), then,
because the player plays first, the house takes is 8.9%. Given that
the dealer must pay 3:2 on blackjack, the house take is reduced to
5.9%. Using Basic, the house stake is shaved down to almost zero.
The table will suggest the most efficient action to take when
certain card totals appear. It gives you the choice to either
'stand' (do nothing and stay with what you have) 'hit' (take another
card), 'double' (double the size of your initial bet) or 'split'
(separate the two identical cards dealt to you and create two
separate hands).
Blackjack Strategy
The basic blackjack strategy is the optimum way to play your hand if
you are not counting cards. This strategy is derived by computer
simulation where the computer deals out millions of hands, plays
them in all possible ways, and then records and analyzes the
results. The basic strategy is not based on guesswork or hunches. It
is the mathematically correct way to play your hand against every
dealer's upcard.
What does the basic strategy get you?
The casino's initial edge in the game of blackjack is about 5.75%,
which includes the 3 to 2 payoff on player blackjacks. By employing
the correct basic strategy plays it is possible to whittle down the
casino's edge to about 0.5%. Initial casino's edge 5.75%
Correct hitting and standing -3.25%
Correct doubling -1.5%
Correct pair splitting -0.5%
Casino's edge with basic strategy 0.5%
Of course it's possible to lower the casino's edge to less than 0.5%
by playing in games that have very favorable rules. One of the best
blackjack games is offered at the Slots-A- Fun Casino in Las Vegas.
Here they deal a single deck game with the dealer standing on soft
17 and double after pair splitting is allowed. A basic strategy
player has in fact a slight edge against the casino (ca. 0.1%) in
this game
The basic playing strategy is slightly dependent on the number of
decks of cards. Thus the basic strategy for a single deck game is
slightly different than a six deck game.
To use the table, go across the top to find the dealer's upcard and
go down the first column and find your hand. Where the row and
column intersect you'll find the correct basic strategy play.
