Blackjack is one of the world’s most beloved casino games. Its simple rules can be quickly learned, while its house edge averages only 2-5% or lower (and can even drop below 0.5% through proper strategy). Before beginning to play blackjack there are a few important aspects that should be understood; these tips will help make you a better blackjack player and increase your odds of victory.
First and foremost, remember that you are only competing against the dealer. While it can be easy to become distracted by all the action at your table and other players at it, keeping in mind that this game only involves two people will help change both your mindset and play of it.
Prior to dealing, players place their bets in designated areas on the blackjack table. Once dealt, two cards will be dealt out – two each to every player as well as themselves – by the dealer and if both first cards add up to 21 (an ace and card with an equivalent value or higher), this is known as a natural and pays one and a half times your initial bet amount. At this point, the dealer will sweep away bets of those without a natural while collecting those who did have one from those that did have one a natural.
Typically, the optimal strategy in blackjack is doubling down when your initial two cards total 11 and the dealer has an upcard that totals two or three. This strategy allows you to increase your bet by up to two times without incurring additional risks; additionally, this strategy takes advantage of how aces can either count as one or eleven depending on how they’re counted.
Other strategies involve splitting aces and eights when the dealer’s upcard is 6 or 7, since these cards tend to result in high bust rates for them. Conversely, standing when dealing with an 8 or 9 upcard could leave you with weak hands should another card come up if drawn again.
Last, be mindful that some blackjack tables offer extra options that could significantly increase your odds of success. These bets or side bets typically depend on probabilities like whether or not the dealer has blackjack and how close you are to beating it; one such bet offered across all blackjack variations is insurance which gives you the chance to protect half of your stake in case he or she gets one and achieves blackjack themselves – though it should only be made if confident of making money off this form of side bet.