Blackjack, like most casino games, is not just a game of chance. Blackjack strategies can be implemented to increase a player’s chance of winning, effectively lowering the house edge next to nothing. Any viable casino game strategy is meant to increase profit potential while minimizing losses. That’s exactly what our optimal blackjack strategy and tips are meant to accomplish.
We’ll start with a few basic tips, followed by a detail Blackjack Strategy Chart that will directly impact your game. Using this chart, through odds and probabilities, your blackjack game stands the highest possible chance of ending with a lucrative result.
Tip #1 - Play Blackjack Online
Instead of hitting the local casino, try playing blackjack online. You’re saving gas money, as well as any other cash you may spend at the casino outside of playing blackjack (food, drinks, gift shop, etc). You’ll also avoid the obligatory tip owed to your dealer after a successful session on the blackjack felt. Besides that, not everyone has a local casino. For these players, the expenses are much higher and may even include air fare, hotel accommodations and more. You can play this game at this casino sites:
Casino Luck is a NetEnt powered casino featuring over 200 different games. You dont have to download any software to be able to...
Vegas 7 casino is an online casino using Microgaming software. Licensed in Kahnawake and established in 2002 the casino ...
Casino Plex is an online casino powered by Playtech, launched in 2008, licensed in Netherlands Anyilles. The casino offe...
Aztec Riches Casino is a Microgaming online casino established in 2002, licensed in Kahnawake. The casino offers $850 si...
Winner Casino is an online casino powered by Playtech, licensed in Antigua and Barbuda. Winner Casino offers no download...
Tip #2 – Earn Blackjack Bonuses
Falling directly in line with the first blackjack tip, by playing online blackjack, you can take advantage of some very valuable blackjack bonuses. Your very first deposit will award a special matching bonus, often doubling or tripling your initial deposit at a new online casino. Why walk in with $100 when you could walk in with $300, getting an additional $200 in chips absolutely free?
If you choose one of the more rewarding online casinos, you’ll be able to earn extra reload bonuses on most, if not all, subsequent deposits as well. Please refer to our previous blackjack article, “Blackjack Bonuses”, to learn more.
Tips #3 - Game Choice
There are a lot more options in today’s casino market than there used to be. Instead of walking into a casino and sidling up to the nearest blackjack table, you actually have a number of ways to play the game. Of course every live casino will vary in blackjack game variety, some better than others. Once more, we have to recommend online casinos to ensure the widest range of blackjack variations available to you.
Blackjack comes in the traditional, single-hand form, as well as multi-hand blackjack games, where you can participate in one, two or three hands every time a new round is dealt. There’s European Blackjack and Vegas Strip Blackjack, two common variations with very slight differences in the rules. If you like side bet games, check out Perfect Pairs Blackjack and Progressive Blackjack, where an optional side can earn you a lot more cash with cards fall just right.
There’s one more exceptional version of the game we have to mention, called Super 21. This blackjack variation is most interesting because it allows the player to make all of those decisions that traditional blackjack does not allow. For example, you can double on any number of cards; you can double after splitting aces; you can split as many times as you like, even on aces. The only disadvantage is that Blackjack does not pay anything extra, just even money like any other winning hand.
Blackjack Strategy Chart
Below is an optimal Blackjack Strategy Chart based on the most popular blackjack rules (European Blackjack). By using this chart to make all decisions, your probabilities of winning are maximized.
Chart Key:- H = Hit
- S = Stand
- DD = Double Down
- Sp = Split
- SpH = Split if allowed to Double after Splitting; otherwise Hit
- xH = Surrender if allowed; otherwise Hit
| DEALER’S UP CARD | |||||||||||
| Y o u r H a n d | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A | |
| 8 | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | |
| 9 | H | DD | DD | DD | DD | H | H | H | H | H | |
| 10 | DD | DD | DD | DD | DD | DD | DD | DD | H | H | |
| 11 | DD | DD | DD | DD | DD | DD | DD | DD | DD | H | |
| 12 | H | H | S | S | S | H | H | H | H | H | |
| 13 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | H | H | |
| 14 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | H | H | |
| 15 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | xH | H | |
| 16 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | xH | xH | xH | |
| 17 | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | |
| A-2 | H | H | H | DD | DD | H | H | H | H | H | |
| A-3 | H | H | H | DD | DD | H | H | H | H | H | |
| A-4 | H | H | DD | DD | DD | H | H | H | H | H | |
| A-5 | H | H | DD | DD | DD | H | H | H | H | H | |
| A-6 | H | DD | DD | DD | DD | H | H | H | H | H | |
| A-7 | S | DD | DD | DD | DD | S | S | H | H | H | |
| A-8 | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | |
| A-9 | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | |
| 2-2 | SpH | SpH | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | H | H | H | H | |
| 3-3 | SpH | SpH | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | H | H | H | H | |
| 4-4 | H | H | H | SpH | SpH | H | H | H | H | H | |
| 5-5 | DD | DD | DD | DD | DD | DD | DD | DD | H | H | |
| 6-6 | SpH | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | H | H | H | H | H | |
| 7-7 | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | H | H | H | H | |
| 8-8 | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | |
| 9-9 | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | S | Sp | Sp | S | S | |
| 10-10 | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | |
| A-A | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | Sp | |