Our Blackjack Strategy Chart teaches you exactly when to:

• Hit or Stand

• Double Down

• Split Pairs

• Surrender

Advanced blackjack betting strategy. Advanced blackjack strategy chart. Blackjack basic strategy chart wizard of odds. Thorp's blackjack basic strategy chart. The table was originally featured in Edward O. Thorp's Beat the Dealer book on blackjack strategy.

• Basic strategy is not enough!
  We get emails from people all the time talking about how they downloaded our blackjack charts, took them to a casino, and won some money. That’s great news for them, but it could have easily gone the other way. Basic strategy cannot overcome the house edge even if you get lucky with it from time to time. Think of it like a space shuttle. Basic strategy is just the rocket booster. It gets the shuttle high enough in the atmosphere for the shuttle to do the rest of the work. The rocket booster never makes it to space. You’ll need counting, deviations, true count conversions and betting strategy to actually beat the game of blackjack but that’s for later.
• Memorize it perfectly!
  This is where the rubber meets the road when it comes to beating blackjack. Vegas was built on guys who looked at the wallet-size basic strategy a couple times after they bought it in the gift shop on their last vacation. It takes intentional practice to commit this stuff to memory. If it was easy, we wouldn’t have a website dedicated to helping you learn it.
• The chart you start with is not the chart you end with!
  Once you learn this chart you will have to learn additional rules and deviations that relate to the specific rules of the games you will be playing. The better you learn basic strategy the easier it will be to transition to the other rules-specific charts.
• Perfect means perfect!
  In a game where you can only hope to gain a 1% edge over the house, a 99% game isn’t good enough. You need to know these strategy charts backwards and forwards, doing a handstand, in a hurricane, giving your drink order to a waitress, while listening to Count Von Count serenade you on Sesame Street.

Our Blackjack Strategy Chart teaches you exactly when to:

• Hit or Stand

• Double Down

• Split Pairs

• Surrender

• Basic strategy is not enough!
  We get emails from people all the time talking about how they downloaded our blackjack charts, took them to a casino, and won some money. That’s great news for them, but it could have easily gone the other way. Basic strategy cannot overcome the house edge even if you get lucky with it from time to time. Think of it like a space shuttle. Basic strategy is just the rocket booster. It gets the shuttle high enough in the atmosphere for the shuttle to do the rest of the work. The rocket booster never makes it to space. You’ll need counting, deviations, true count conversions and betting strategy to actually beat the game of blackjack but that’s for later.
• Memorize it perfectly!
  This is where the rubber meets the road when it comes to beating blackjack. Vegas was built on guys who looked at the wallet-size basic strategy a couple times after they bought it in the gift shop on their last vacation. It takes intentional practice to commit this stuff to memory. If it was easy, we wouldn’t have a website dedicated to helping you learn it.
• The chart you start with is not the chart you end with!
  Once you learn this chart you will have to learn additional blackjack rules and deviations that relate to the specific rules of the games you will be playing. The better you learn basic strategy the easier it will be to transition to the other rules-specific charts.
• Perfect means perfect!
  In a game where you can only hope to gain a 1% edge over the house, a 99% game isn’t good enough. You need to know these strategy charts backwards and forwards, doing a handstand, in a hurricane, giving your drink order to a waitress, while listening to Count Von Count serenade you on Sesame Street.

Basic Strategy Has An Order Of Operations:

You are required to take the advantage of every opportunity in the Blackjack game. This includes knowing when to double down and what this bet has to offer. Basic Strategy Plus, or “Advanced Basic Strategy” will help you to make a step from common player, who are. According to basic blackjack strategy chart. Blackjack Strategy - Basic & Advanced Blackjack is a simple game to understand, but has many different strategies when it comes to winning. Here you’ll learn all about them, from Martingale to d.

1. Can I/should I Surrender?

   If you’re playing at a casino that offers surrender (also known as late surrender or LS), you will only have the option to surrender on the first two cards you’re dealt. You won’t be able to surrender if you’ve already taken a hit card. This is why surrender is the first thing you have to think about when playing your hand. If the answer is NO you can’t or NO you shouldn’t surrender, you then ask yourself….

2. Can I/Should I Split?

   The second most important decision is whether or not to split. This will only be an option when your first two cards are a pair or if you have two ten-valued cards (like a jack and a king). If the answer is NO you can’t or you shouldn’t split, you ask yourself….

3. Can I/Should I Double?

   When basic strategy calls for doubling, it’s a really good thing! It means you’re likely to win the hand! Some casinos restrict doubling on certain hands so it may not always be possible, but you want to make sure you’ve ruled it out before you move on. If the answer is NO you can’t or you shouldn’t double, you ask yourself…

4. Should I hit or should I stand?

   The last thing you should think about when it comes to basic strategy is whether or not to take another card. If the other options above are not appropriate for your hand then you would choose to hit or stand.

Here Is All Of Basic Strategy In 30 Simple Phrases:

In case you’re not a visual learner these simple phrases might help you commit these rules to memory. The goal with remembering phrases is to be able to look at your hand total and immediately recite the rule in your head, without having to see what the dealer has. That way when you’re at the table and you look up to see what the dealer has, you already know how it relates to your hand and you can make your decision in a split second. Memorizing these phrases will make you much faster and have fewer mistakes.

Surrenders:

• 16 surrenders against dealer 9 through Ace, otherwise don’t surrender (revert to hard totals).
• 15 surrenders against dealer 10, otherwise don’t surrender (revert to hard totals).

Splits:

• Always split aces.
• Never split tens.
• A pair of 9’s splits against dealer 2 through 9, except for 7, otherwise stand.
• Always split 8’s
• A pair of 7’s splits against dealer 2 through 7, otherwise hit.
• A pair of 6’s splits against dealer 2 through 6, otherwise hit.
• A pair of 5’s doubles against dealer 2 through 9, otherwise hit.
• A pair of 4’s splits against dealer 5 and 6, otherwise hit.
• A pair of 3’s splits against dealer 2 through 7, otherwise hit.
• A pair of 2’s splits against dealer 2 through 7, otherwise hit.

Soft totals: A soft total is any hand that has an Ace as one of the first two cards, the ace counts as 11 to start.

• Soft 20 (A,9) always stands.
• Soft 19 (A,8) doubles against dealer 6, otherwise stand.
• Soft 18 (A,7) doubles against dealer 2 through 6, and hits against 9 through Ace, otherwise stand.
• Soft 17 (A,6) doubles against dealer 3 through 6, otherwise hit.
• Soft 16 (A,5) doubles against dealer 4 through 6, otherwise hit.
• Soft 15 (A,4) doubles against dealer 4 through 6, otherwise hit.
• Soft 14 (A,3) doubles against dealer 5 through 6, otherwise hit.
• Soft 13 (A,2) doubles against dealer 5 through 6, otherwise hit.

Hard totals: A hard total is any hand that does not start with an ace in it, or it has been dealt an ace that can only be counted as 1 instead of 11.

• 17 and up always stands.
• 16 stands against dealer 2 through 6, otherwise hit.
• 15 stands against dealer 2 through 6, otherwise hit.
• 14 stands against dealer 2 through 6, otherwise hit.
• 13 stands against dealer 2 through 6, otherwise hit.
• 12 stands against dealer 4 through 6, otherwise hit.
• 11 always doubles.
• 10 doubles against dealer 2 through 9 otherwise hit.
• 9 doubles against dealer 3 through 6 otherwise hit.
• 8 always hits.

FAQ About Blackjack Charts:

We get a lot of questions on our forum about basic strategy. Here are some of the common ones and their answers:

1. What is basic strategy based on? Didn’t the casinos write “the book”? How can we trust basic strategy?

   Basic strategy was derived from a computer simulation. Somebody taught a computer how to play blackjack and then told it to play several hundred MILLION hands of blackjack and record what happened. Through the computer’s trial and error it figured out which decisions are best for the player, given every possible combination of starting player hands and dealer up card. The “best decisions” for the player, in this case, are the ones that lose the least amount of money to the casino over time. Basic strategy does not overcome the casino’s house edge until we add card counting to the mix. If you are super geeky and simply MUST have a better explanation, check out Mike Shakleford’s video where he builds basic strategy from scratch using excel and watch his other video where he determines the house edge the same way.

2. Why are the strategy charts on this site different than the charts I saw on such-and-such website?

   TL;DR – Our chart is based off of the more common “H17 game.” Memorize our chart, then learn card counting and the deviation chart for the game you will most commonly be playing.

   Longer answer: The main reason is whether the Basic Strategy Chart is based off of a dealer Hitting a Soft 17, known as an “H17 game” or Standing on a Soft 17, known as an “S17 game.” Our advice is to learn this chart, then move on to learning card counting and the blackjack deviations associated with the game you will be playing (H17 vs S17).

   There are also slight variations in strategy when you play a 6 deck game versus a single deck game. Rather than teach you 9 different basic strategy charts for each variant of blackjack you will ever see, we decided to run our simulation against the games people will most commonly see and teach one basic strategy that is sufficiently effective against all numbers of decks. We have a Keep it Simple Stupid, mentality when it comes to learning card counting. This means our charts might be slightly different than a site that’s chosen a different philosophy.

   If you’re an anal-retentive type and want to learn hyper-specific strategies we recommend Professional Blackjack by Stanford Wong. We’ve run the numbers and learning the hyper-specific stuff basically just makes you feel smarter and doesn’t add any money to your wallet. With that said, whatever strategy you choose to learn, we recommend sticking with ONLY those materials. If you get distracted with content from multiple sources it has a higher probability of confusing you than enlightening you. We’ve taken over $4,000,000 from casinos and trained an army of card counters who have taken millions more, with the charts you see here. So rest assured, we’ve combed through the crap and know what’s important when it comes to crushing this game.

3. How do I memorize all this?

   Great question! You’ve come to the exact right place! We have some tips in our premium video course on how to approach the blackjack charts and make them simpler. We also have a free mini course we can email you with some step by step instructions on how to take your training seriously. We also have blank strategy sheets you can download and fill in every day for practice to test yourself. Practice makes perfect so there’s nothing like our basic strategy drills to get it drilled into your brain!

4. When I’m doing the basic strategy drills, I only miss one every couple hundred hands or so! Am I ready for the casino?

   If you think missing one every now and then is “perfect” then sure you’re ready! [sarcasm] How many people listen to musicians that get every 100^th note out of tune? Michael Jordan says you’ll never play better in a game than you did in practice. We want to be like Mike, so we teach that you are probably making 2 or 3 mistakes in the casino for every one mistake you make in the distractionless, pressure-free, comfort of your home. Perfect means perfect. Don’t compromise. If you keep messing up basic strategy, put it down for a while and come back to it. It won’t happen overnight, but if you stick with it, eventually you’ll know these blackjack charts better than you know the back of your hand.

Next Steps:

Once you’ve memorized the basic strategy chart perfectly, you will also need to learn at what count indexes you need to deviate from the basic strategy chart. Deviations vary based on the rules of the game offered, and the rules of the region. For example, in some games, the dealer must stand on a Soft 17, that is, an Ace, plus any combination of cards equaling 6. This is called a “Stand 17” game. In other games, the dealer must hit on any Soft 17. This is called a “Hit 17” game. Also, in Europe and commonly in Canada, dealers do not have a hole card. This is called “European” or “European No-Hole” blackjack.

We provide these charts to people with a membership

Meet Colin Jones

Colin is the founder of Blackjack Apprenticeship. Colin has been counting cards for over 15 years, and ran a multi-million dollar blackjack team. You may have seen his team featured in the documentary Holy Rollers: The True Story of Card Counting Christians, and has been covered by New York Times, CNN, and The Colbert Report. For more training from Colin, check out the Blackjack Apprenticeship YouTube Channel.

Blackjack is indeed a classic card game – one considered by many Indian players as the ultimate casino challenge. However, what most players fail to understand about blackjack is that it’s a game that goes beyond the gambler’s instinct and mere luck. It is a game that can be described as ‘the contest of strategy that requires bravery and plenty of patience too’. And we can’t forget to remind you that your objective isn’t just to form a hand that’s as close as 21 as possible, but rather stay ahead of the dealer at all times. It’s the only way that you can win yourself as much cash as possible!

By choosing to play online blackjack in your house or wherever place you find yourself, you have the opportunity to pick only the best online casinos irrespective of your location. And the best part about it is that you won’t be limited to playing the traditional blackjack game. There are plenty of blackjack variations to pick from. Each of these game(s) has its own set of rules, which deviate slightly from the classic game rules.

So how does one play the game of blackjack? This is a common question among players – largely due to the fact that blackjack is one of the most popular games, especially among the new players. If this is your first time to play blackjack, or you are looking forward to playing the game online, it can be quite overwhelming, mostly because you don’t know much about these rules.

Spoiler Alert: Blackjack isn’t quite difficult!

Whether you are somewhat an online casino newbie looking to get a better understanding of this game, a brick and mortar casino aficionado looking to refresh your memory and get a better understanding of online blackjack, or you are simply looking for a new online casino, we have your back.

Our online blackjack guide is aimed at getting you up to speed with all you need to know about online casino blackjack gaming. It includes some little tidbits, which we hope will help you. This way, if you choose to play the live version of blackjack or the software based game, you’ll be comfortable playing the hands.

Once you are familiar and comfortable with the gameplay and game rules, you will be ready to head over to the recommended online casino(s) and put the new-found knowledge to work. In the meantime, get settled in with a nice cuppa and enjoy reading our guide!

Indian Friendly Online Casino

The legality of Playing Blackjack in India

Despite legal setbacks by the Indian lawmakers wanting to abolish gambling, casinos (both at the land-based and online level) have and continue flourishing in India. However, the laws governing casino gaming aren’t as clear as they are in the European and American countries. This creates a certain level of uncertainty among the majority of Indian players.

To help you understand what is legal and illegal as far as online gambling is concerned, we’ve decided to include this brief section. After this, we can get into the meat and potatoes of playing blackjack at the casinos.

There Are No Laws Banning Online Gambling

The negative energy surrounding gambling in India dates way back before the Public Gambling Act of 1867. According to the act, all forms of land-based gambling are outlawed in India. And whilst it bans physical casino gaming, it doesn’t address anything concerning online casino gaming, because as you know online casinos hadn’t been invented then. As such, online casino gaming is categorized somewhat under a loophole. In fact, the majority of the states in India haven’t addressed or regulated online casino gaming. The only two states that have touched something on casino gaming are Goa and Sikkim.

The Public Gambling Act of 1976

The Daman, Diu and Goa Public Gambling Act of 1976 allowed for five-star hotels to operate slot machines. When this act was revised in the late 1990s, it allowed for offshore casinos to offer their services to Indian players with government permission. The state of Sikkim followed shortly afterwards when it formulated its own gambling laws in the year 2002, which were later revised in 2007. The laws allowed for five start hotels within the state to offer online gambling services.

As more states continue to revise their gambling laws, there’s not a single one that doesn’t allow for casinos to operate within the state. Casino and sportsbook sites are technically classified as ‘offshore’ as they don’t operate within India.

The only important fact to remember is that all winnings resulting from online casino gaming are subject to taxes.

Blackjack Applications

If you have an Android, iPhone, Windows, Blackberry or any other smartphone for that matter, there are plenty of blackjack applications that you can download online. Like online casinos, there’s no law that prohibits the use of mobile applications to play the games offered at the casinos.

What Exactly Is Online Blackjack?

Blackjack is a popular card game that involves skill at its core. Players that understand the strategic aspect of the game are advantaged and in a better position to profit in the long run. While there’s still an element of luck – especially in the software-based games – in the cards dealt, knowing how to react to the hands, when to lay back or play aggressively is a requirement to being a successful blackjack player.

Because of its popularity among casino players, there have been several versions of this game invented over the years. Each of these games features a twist on the original concept. For the sake of this page, we are going to look at the classic blackjack game, which is widely popular among the Indian player(s).

However, the majority of the rules are applicable in other games, especially when we’ll be discussing more about how to bet and hand strategies.

A Brief History of Blackjack

There’s no one person who is known for inventing blackjack, but instead a mixing and shuffling of various influences from across the world. One of the oldest assumptions is that the game was founded by the Roman soldiers. There’s no tangible evidence of this assumption, but we know that the Romans had a thing for gambling.

The most commonly accepted theory that explains the origin of Blackjack is the one the links it to France. Through this theory, it is believed that the game was invented sometime between the 17th and 18th century. During that time, blackjack was referred to as Vingt-et-Un’, which loosely translates to 21 (in French).

Like we’ve mentioned, there are several influences that led to the development of blackjack and so Vingt-et-Un’ came from a modified version of the ‘Chemin de Fer’ blackjack. ‘Chemin de Fer’ loosely translates to ‘way of the Iron”. It was referred to as ‘Chemin de Fer’ because the cards were held in an Iron box.

The other theory that tries explaining the origin of blackjack is one that originates from Spain. It is from a game that’s called ‘One and Thirty’, where your main objective is to collect a maximum of 3 cards, totaling to a value of 31 points. It’s from this game that blackjack originated and made its way to India where it was played from as early as the 1800’s.

What Are The Advantages of Playing Blackjack Online?

One of the biggest advantages of playing blackjack at the land based casinos is the ability to count cards. However, this concept isn’t possible to execute while playing the software based blackjack game. Far from this, the online version(s) of blackjack offers you several other advantages. These include the following.

A Lower House Edge

The house edge in the online version of blackjack is much lower when compared to that at the brick and mortar casinos. Regardless of whether you are talking about the classic version of the game or any other variations, online blackjack has a lower house edge. Since there are very low operational costs for the online blackjack games, online casinos tend to lower the house edge in their casino games – including slots, craps, baccarat or any other game.

Lower Costs to The Player

The same is applicable to the total expenditure of playing the game at the online casinos. It’s pretty obvious that you won’t be spending cash on a hotel room, flight and other aspects associated with traveling to the land based casino(s) to try out your luck. You won’t have to tip any dealer and better yet, the minimum bets at the online casinos are about 15-20% lower than the land based casinos!

The Selection of Online Casinos is varied

As the internet continues to expand, so does online casino gaming. The number of online casinos is on the rise, and the selection of casino games is becoming more abundant too. Indeed, the number of blackjack games that you can find at the online casinos is decorated as compared to those found in the land based setting. Therefore, if you are eager to expand your blackjack horizons and play a new game, online casino gaming is the best shot for you!

You Can Also Play Live Dealer Games – From The Comfort Of Your Own Home!

Online casino brands such as Dafabet, Betway and Comeon are determined to better their offerings. One such improvement has been seen in live dealer games, where you can play blackjack as you would at the land based casinos, from the comfort of your home. You get the same experience playing with the dealer, chatting with other casino players as well as the dealer.

There’s No Limit as to the Number of Blackjack Hands You Can Play

This is one of the main advantages and the reason why the majority of blackjack players prefer playing this beautiful card game online. There’s no limit as to the number of hands that you can play online, which means that you have a good chance of significantly increasing your odds of winning. While the number of hands that you can play isn’t limited, just ensure that you are 100% concentrating on the game.

Free Games and Bonuses

Every time you are playing at the online casino(s), you always have an opportunity of getting free games and casino bonuses – something that’s not possible at the land based casinos. There aren’t any equivalents at the land based casinos for the bonuses and freebies.

Safe, Secure and Anonymous Gambling

If you’ve always fancied playing blackjack in an anonymous environment, online casinos give you this opportunity. In addition to using the industry standard 128 bit secure socket layer encryption technology, Bitcoin casinos such as 10cric enable you to secure your account by playing with Bitcoin.

The Rules of the Game

Once you’ve visited the online casinos, more especially the live casino section, you’ll see plenty of action in the pits. And it’s not advisable that you go playing the game blindly. So, before everything else, familiarize yourself with the following basic rules of online blackjack. Don’t forget that you can put them in practice by playing the software based blackjack at the recommended online casinos, before staking any real money.

• Your main objective is to beat the dealer’s hand without exceeding the 21 mark. To achieve this, you need to form a winning hand by collecting cards from the dealer
• As you play online blackjack, you’ll be playing against the dealer. And to kick off the game, you are dealt with two cards face down. The dealer will also be dealt with two cards – one facing down with the other facing up. The face down card is usually referred to as the hole card.

• Once you’ve looked at your card and it’s your turn to play blackjack, you can choose to either hit or stand. When hitting, you are simply taking an extra card from the dealer. When you choose to stand, you are simply choosing not to take any other card

You can hit as many times as you wish to, provided you don’t exceed the 21 mark. If this happens, you automatically bust and lose your hand regardless of the dealer’s hand value

• There are other options such as doubling down. It’s pretty much like hitting, only that you are expected to wager twice your initial bet, receive one more card and stand
• If the first two cards are similar, you can choose to split in order to have two new hands. You are thus expected to place two new bets to accompany each hand.
• If on your first two cards you have an Ace (valued at 11) and a 10 value card, you have a natural or a Blackjack. For this case, the casino pays out at odds of 1.5 times your bet
• The dealer is expected to hit until he/she has a cards total of 17 or higher

Blackjack Deck and the Card Values

“Pontoon”… “Twenty-One”… “Vingt-et-un”… “Ventiuna”…different names, but they all mean the same thing à BLACKJACK!

Now that you know how to call out the game ‘BLACKJACK’ in four languages, it’s about time you learn more about the deck as well as the card values. After this, you can start betting as you’ll have mastered all the basics.

Each blackjack deck contains 52 cards and there are usually between 6 and 10 decks per game. Each deck usually has the low value cards (2-10), high value cards (K, Q, and J) as well as the Aces. Each card is valued as follows:

• Low value cards retain their face value
• High value cards are worth 10 each
• Aces can be valued as 1 or 11 – whichever that gives you the best value

Aces is the wild card in blackjack and depending on the value of the other card, it’s best to use it as an 11. For instance if you are dealt with an Ace and a King, you can choose the following two option:

• Value the Ace as an 11 for which you have a hand value of 21
• Value the Ace as a 1 for which you have a hand value of 11.

Advanced Basic Strategy Blackjack Card

The best option would therefore be the first one. A hand with the value of 21 is automatically considered as a blackjack (natural) and the house pays out at odds of 1.5x your bet.

A Hard and Soft Hand In Blackjack

Advanced Basic Strategy Blackjack Chart 8 Decks

All the hands that you’ll be dealt in a blackjack game with either be a hard or soft hand. If you must become proficient in blackjack, then you need to know how to differentiate these two. This is because the majority of the blackjack strategies hinge on these two terminologies.

• A soft hand – This is a hand that contains at least an Ace in it. A soft hand can easily turn into a hard hand as you continue playing
• A hard hand – If both hands don’t have an Ace, then you have a hard hand

(Is it possible to include such an image under this section?)I picked this one online and it’s copywrited)

Are you getting the hand of blackjack already? Before you can start playing, read how to place your bet online!

Placing a Blackjack Bet Online

The much you spend betting as you play blackjack online is up to you. However, it’s always advisable that you should spend as much as you can afford to lose. Before betting, you should always remember what Summner A. Ingmark stated in his poem:

A gambler who wager small parts of his/her bet,

Will neither go away broke or get rich.

Getting The Blackjack Chips

First things first, you can play blackjack in two modes:

• Real money mode. With this, you have to stake real money in order to win real cash
• Play money mode. Also known as fun to play mode, you’ll be spending virtual currency, which is usually offered by the casino

Regardless of the mode you choose to play blackjack in, you’ll need to do the following:

• Select the amount that you’d like to stake. You can do this by clicking on the chips shown on the table. The chips that you can pick from include $1, $5, $10, $50, $100 and $500
• Drag the chip over to the section of the table marked
• Click on the deal option once you are satisfied with your selection and wait for the RNG software (dealer) to check if the hole card results into a blackjack

Placing Your Bets

Once the cards are dealt, review your cards and the dealer’s face-up card. Based on your strategy, you will need to make the decision to:

• If the hole card is a blackjack, you are given the chance to take insurance. If you choose not to, you can proceed with the other options below
• You can also choose to hit. This simply means that you are asking to be dealt another card
• Alternatively, you can choose to stand. When you stand, you are choosing not to take an extra card
• Doubling down is doubling your bet. You’ll then be hit with an extra card and then automatically stand
• This is a special play that only happens when your hand has two cards of the same value. When this happens, you can choose to split the hand into two new hands, consequently playing them as separate hands

Once every player has had the opportunity to hit, stand, split or double down, the dealer will take over and play as per the house’s rules. After that, he/she will proceed and reveal the hole card and the results are determined.

You Are A Winner If…

• The dealer’s hand value exceeds 21. As long as your hand value is below 21, you automatically win
• The value of your hand is stronger than that of the dealer and you haven’t exceeded the 21 mark

You’ll Lose Your Bet If…

• You exceed the 21 mark. Regardless of whether the dealer’s hand is more than 21, once you bust, you lose your bet
• If the dealer has a higher hand value than yours

If you have the same value as the dealer’s hand, then the result is a tie – otherwise known as a ‘Push’. In this case, you get a full refund of your stake, at which point you can use it for the next round or bank it

If you are playing at an online casino that offers you side betting option, then you can always bet on the other player’s hand or the dealer’s in addition to the hands you are betting on.

Are you ready to start playing blackjack? Join millions of satisfied players at a few of the top rated Indian friendly casinos such as Dafabet, ComeOn! Casino or 10CRIC. You can always play blackjack for free until you are ready to commit some real money to the game.

Blackjack Surrender

There are online casinos that will offer you the ‘Blackjack Surrender’ option. If you are in such a casino, there are two ways that you can play this.

• The first option involves you taking a peek at your cards before the dealer looks at theirs. This is usually referred to as Early Surrender!
• The second option normally takes place once the dealer has taken a peek at his card to reveal if the hole card results into a blackjack. This is usually referred to as Late Surrender!

Regardless of how you choose to play the surrender, the dealer takes the surrender cards along with half your stake.

Knowing if surrender is the best way to go depends on the strategy you are using as well as the house rules. However, there’s a basic blackjack surrender strategy that you can follow. If your hand value are:

• A hard 16 while the dealer’s card is a 9
• A hard 15 while the dealer’s card is a 10
• A hard 15 while the dealer’s card is an A

Then your best bet would be to take a surrender. However, if the house does not allow for the surrender option, then the best strategy would be to hit on all but a hard 16 vs the dealer’s 10 in which case you would stand!

Splitting and Doubling Down in Blackjack

We’ve already taken you through on how you can split a pair and double down as you play blackjack. For this section, we are going to delve deeper on the best time to either split or double down.

Doubling Down

The best time to double down is when you’ve been dealt a hard 10/11 and the dealer’s up card is a 3, 4, or 5. When you choose to double down, you are simply betting that the dealer will draw and eventually go bust. This is why it’s advisable that you only double down when the dealer’s up card is a 3, 4 or 5

Splitting Pairs

You can always choose to split pairs and play them as two new hands. If done right, it does not only increase your gambling opportunity, but it also increases your winning chances. But you need to carefully analyze each of the new hands and compare that against the dealer’s up card. After that you can choose to stand, hit, double down or re-split

And while there are several ways of playing a pair, the most important one is knowing when to split a pair of Aces. Once you’ve split the aces, there are online casinos that require you to be dealt only a single card for each of the new hand. This is an important fact to consider before you split the Aces.

Therefore, you should always split when you have a pair of:

• Aces
• 8’s

Don’t split the following pairs:

• 4’s
• 5’s
• 9’s
• 10’s

Blackjack Insurance

We’ve also mentioned something about blackjack insurance. When you take insurance in blackjack, you are betting on the odds of probability. Whenever the dealer’s up card is an Ace, you always have the option of ‘taking insurance’ before the dealer peeks at the ‘hole card’. (This is where the expression Ace in the hole is derived from).

Blackjack insurance is a side bet and when you take it, you are simply betting that the dealer’s hole card will result into a ‘Blackjack’ or ‘Natural’. If this is the case, then you are paid out at odds of 2-to-1…otherwise, you lose your bet.

So what are your odds of landing a blackjack insurance?

• Odds are high that you will lose, which is why the insurance bets tend to be so attractive
• You will lose the insurance bet is the dealer doesn’t have a blackjack. However, you can still lose or win on the original wager
• There’s a 1/3 probability that the dealer’s second card will be a 10-value card

When the dealer has an Ace and you have a blackjack, the casino may offer you the insurance bet as ‘even money’. Even money implies that your blackjack is paid promptly at odds of 1:1 before the dealer’s checks the hole card.

Is “Insurance” A Good Bet?

Well, even though there’s a high probability that you’ll lose your wager, some players would rather take the 1/3 odds of winning instead of 2-to-1 of losing their wager.

So, is it really good bet to make? Sometimes no, sometimes yes. Unless you have a perfect strategy (which is hard to come by), and considered the number of decks being played, then there’s a high probability that you’ll lose the blackjack insurance bet. However, there’s a high likelihood of losing your original bet anyways if the dealer’s up card is an Ace. So some players would rather walk away with the 2-to-1 win.

Let’s Talk about The ‘Blackjack’ or ‘Natural’!

By now, we hope that you are fully acquainted with the game rules and that you’ve already had an opportunity to play it at some of the recommended online casinos. And while you know the history of blackjack, do you exactly know what a Blackjack is?

Basic Strategy Blackjack Chart

Well, in case you didn’t, a ‘Blackjack’ is a sum of 21 on your first two cards. In other instances, it’s referred to as a Natural – which is basically a hand with an Ace and a 10-valued card.

There’s only one requirement for you for you to have a blackjack – these two cards have to be the first two that you are dealt with. Therefore, if you’ve split a pair of Aces, then drawn a 10-value card, you don’t have a blackjack. You have a hand totaling 21 and it will be paid out the normal way.

What Is The Difference Between a 21 and a Blackjack?

In blackjack, a 21 simply refers to a win where the total value of the cards is exactly 21. However, this isn’t considered as a blackjack unless, as already stated, they are the first two cards dealt to you. Other differences include the following:

Blackjack Rules For the Dealer

As much as it is unbelievable, the blackjack dealer is normally bound by some rules that he/she is bound to play by. With a proper strategy, you can use these rules to give yourself a slight advantage over the house.

The blackjack dealer (or house) should play their hand in a given way…no choice allowed. This is dictated in two popular variations as described below.

The Dealer Should Stand on All 17’s

This rule dictates that the dealer continues hitting if their hand value is less than 17. For instance, if your hand is 13 while the dealer’s hand is 14, even if the total is greater than yours, they cannot stand. Instead, they should continue hitting until their hand value is 17. This increases the dealer’s odds of ‘busting’.

• Under this rule, an Ace is usually counted as 11
• If the dealer’s hand is equal to 17 or more than 17, the dealer has to stand, unless it’s a soft 17

The Should Dealer Hit on Soft 17

This rule dictates that the dealer hits if they have a ‘soft 17’ and automatically stands on soft 18. Because of this, the house edge is slightly increased.

Take note that the dealer does not have the option of splitting or doubling down. Furthermore, the blackjack table should always be labeled so that you know the rule being played.

Blackjack Strategies

As you play blackjack, always remember that it’s a combination of LUCK and STRATEGY. How you merge these two will greatly determine how successful of a blackjack player you become. Once you’ve mastered the basic rules of the game, it’s always good to try out a strategy…which are usually classified under the following.

Blackjack Basic Strategy

Blackjack basic strategy is a mathematically proven formula that indicates the best decision to make when you find yourself in any situation. This can be hitting, standing, doubling down, splitting or surrendering.

Intermediate Blackjack Strategy

Guides you on how to wager in a certain manner that could eventually increase your winning over the course of several hands. Some of the intermediate strategies that you can practice online include:

• Martingale blackjack betting strategy
• 1-3-2-6 blackjack strategy
• D’Alembert blackjack strategy
• Parlay blackjack strategy

Advanced Blackjack Strategy

Enables you to capitalize on a number of profitable situations by placing large bets that you are more likely to win. Below are some of the few popular advanced blackjack strategies that you can start with as you try to increase your odds.

• Easy Plays – Always hit when you have card values of up to 9 and stand whenever you have hand values of 17 or higher
• If your hand value is between 12 and 16, look at the dealer’s up card. If it’s a 6 or lower, STAND and watch them draw more cards. If it’s a 7 or higher, HIT
• If your hand value is 10 or 11 and it’s higher than the dealer’s up card, DOUBLE DOWN. If you are holding a pair of 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 while the dealer’s up card is a 6 or less, SPLIT the pairs
• If you are holding a pair of 8 or 9, SPLIT them if the dealer’s up card is a 9. However, if the dealer’s up card is a 10, DON’T SPLIT!

Blackjack Odds

The odds in blackjack are “You are going to win some and lose some”. To win some, you gotta known when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, know when to run!

Set a bankroll on how much you’d like to gamble with, come up with a losing limit and winning goal. And when you are ahead, take your winnings and bank them!

Know the game of blackjack, study and read as much as you can about it. You’ve already begun your quest to becoming a successful blackjack player by reading this far.

What Are The Odds of Winning?

The odds range from anywhere between 3:2 to 6:5! These odds are usually determined by the house rules such as the number of decks used and the dealer play rules.

However, in most of the blackjack games that you’ll be playing online, the house or dealer advantage is roughly 8%. This edge arises because the dealer is usually the last one to play. Since the majority of the players have already played their hand, they are more likely going to bust before the dealer has played his/her hand. However, like we’ve stated severally, with the right mind set, proper strategy and basic understanding of the game, you can significantly lower the house edge and increase your winning chances.

Popular Blackjack Variations

There are several blackjack games that you can play online. Regardless of the wide collection of games, the same rules apply though there are small differences here and there when it comes to doubling down, splitting, bonus rules, insurance not forgetting to mention the number of decks used.

Our favourite blackjack games include the following:

• Bonus Blackjack: The game’s generous bonus rules makes it a fun variation to enjoy at the casinos
• Pontoon Blackjack: The game has certain twists in the terminology and game rules. For instance, stick = stand; twist = hit and pontoon = Ace. However, forming a lucky 5-card trick and beating the house warrants to give you a real adrenaline rush
• Double Exposure Blackjack: The name hints at what you should expect as you play double exposure blackjack. In this game, the dealer’s first two cards are usually ‘exposed’, which reduces the level of guessing. However, in this game, there’s no surrender and the dealer’s hand wins in case of a tie

Live Blackjack vs. Software Based Blackjack – Which One Is The Best For Your Gaming Needs?

Quite frankly, it’s difficult to pick the best game between, as it all comes to a player’s preferences and taste. Live blackjack offers a significant number of advantages, far exceeding the land based and software based versions. For instance:

• You can experience the same level of entertainment offered at the land based casinos from the comfort of your own home
• With features such as the live chat, you can always engage players from other parts of the India and the world as you enjoy your favourite game
• Bet behind feature lets you bet on blackjack hands, without being part of the action i.e., you bet on the players seated at the table
• The aesthetics of the live blackjack game and how the game is played exceeds that of the online version

The only significant drawback associated with live blackjack are the high bet limits available. Also, given the fact that you cannot play the game(s) for free means so many people are locked out from trying the game.

If you are a first timer player, the software based version is the best place to start. Learn all the game’s rules, get yourself a blackjack strategy before you can start playing the live versions of the game.

Playing For Free vs. Real Money

Advanced Basic Strategy Blackjack Images

To make their services as accessible to as many players as possible, Indian friendly online casinos offer players the opportunity to try out some of the games for free.

Sometimes, both seasoned and new players need to try out the casino games for free. This enables them to explore their playing options in-details or bash away for a while, while having some fun. But what is the difference between free to play and real money games? Each has its advantages and that’s what we are going to look at in this section.

Disadvantage(s) of Real Money and Free to Play Blackjack Games

The only significant disadvantage associated with real money blackjack is that you stand to lose money, even before familiarizing yourself with the game. As for the free to play blackjack games, you cannot win any real money.

Note: All the live casino blackjack games are exclusively real money games. Software based blackjack games can be played for free before committing any real money to the game.

Conclusion

Once you’ve signed up for an account at an online casino in order to enjoy blackjack, roulette, video slots and other casino games offered online, you can play them in both real money and free to play modes. And the best thing, on any platform too!

You don’t have to worry about sorting out transport money, food and drinks money or worse, miss a spot to sit. All the cash that you would otherwise have spent on these unnecessary expenses can now be channelled to playing at the Indian friendly online casinos. To ensure the experience is rewarding, safe and secure, just ensure that the online casino brand is legitimate!

Casino, Betting, & gambling expert with 11+ years of industry experience. publications featured in the Hindustan Dainik, Dainik Bhaskar, the Times of India & many more. Vichaan Acharya is our in-house gambling expert here at Indiaslots.com