Blackjack

By Josh Zach

The many gaming enthusiasts who travel to the casinos, and donπt spend their time in front of slot machines, go there to play blackjack. Blackjack is a game that just about everybody understands, as opposed to those who tend to get confused by all of the betting strategies involved with craps and roulette. In blackjack, all you have to do is come close to, but not go over, 21. Just beat the dealer. Sounds easy, doesnπt it? So, why is it most gaming enthusiasts canπt win money at blackjack? Chances are good itπs because theyπre not playing with correct strategy.

Playing solid blackjack means you have to give the dealer some credit. First of all, you must always assume the dealerπs down card is a 10 or a face card (which carries a value of 10 in blackjack), according to Frank Sperduto, Director of Table Game Operations at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, N.Y.. After that, you have to put the dealerπs up card into a category of variables.

There is a plethora of documentation out there about blackjack strategies, and many of them vary in what categories certain cards fall under. Here, I am making an approximate average of those variances. The first category of strategies has to do with the dealerπs up card. If the dealer is showing a two through five, he will definitely have to deal another card to himself. Keep in mind that youπre already giving the dealer credit for a 10 for his down card. That brings the dealerπs card total to anywhere between 12 and 15. Since he has to hit on 16 or below, there are seven cards in the deck that can potentially bust the dealer. If the dealer is showing a card valued between two and five, the general strategy is to stay on your hand, no matter what youπre holding. Since the dealer has to take another card, thereπs a better chance of him busting versus you catching the card you need.

Strategies change when the dealer is showing a card with a value of six or higher. Again, you have to give the dealer credit for a card valued at 10 for his down card. However, he could also be holding an ace. If the dealerπs up card is a six, and the down card is an ace, that gives him 17 and heπll be staying on it. If your card total is below 17, and the dealer is showing a six or above, you should always hit.

Doubling down is a strategy that players use when their cards total 11. But there is a situation that arises where doubling down on 11 is not recommended. That situation comes into play when the dealer is showing a card valued at 10. Again, since youπre giving the dealer credit for a 10 on his down card, you have to believe that the dealerπs card total is now 20. Since you only get one card after doubling down on 11, the odds of pulling a 10 are against you versus the dealerπs potential 20.

Sperduto says one of the keys to a playerπs game is consistency. Play your hands the same way, according to the variables that go hand in hand with the dealerπs cards. Most casinos sell strategy cards for the different types of table games they offer. Some casinos, while they sell the cards, prefer that you donπt use them at the tables. However, Sperduto stated that Turning Stone not only supplies these cards in their gift shop, but also encourages players to use them while at the table. The card looks like a colored grid and shows all the potential hands that can be made. Following the grid will give you a firm strategy on when to hit and when to stay. Sperduto says, ≥The best player is an educated player.≤

Lastly, it is believed that the house always wins. In the case of blackjack, the house advantage is only about one percent. Thatπs a number that should be very inviting to a player. One percent is a slim advantage to an educated player, and a percentage worth taking a shot at beating.