Blackjack Tips

[milatown]

Blackjack Tips
By Greg Melikov
October 23th, 2006


It's likely blackjack was born after paper was invented around the 10th Century in China or Korea. Around the 14th Century, playing cards gradually spread across Europe, modifications being made as they passed through each country. Most likely "vingt-et-un" (French for 21) was inspired from earlier games and originated in French casinos in the early 1700s.

Blackjack came to the United States in the mid-1860s when gambling was legal in the western U.S. In 1910, Nevada outlawed casinos, but had a change of heart in '31 and imposed regulations to protect players. Over the years blackjack has spread throughout the world and is probably the No. 1 casino game on the Internet.

There's a basic set of rules applying to all versions of blackjack. Generally, always stand on 17 or better, hit on 12 through 16 when the dealer shows 7 or higher and hit on 8 or less.

You should always double down on 11, on 10 when the dealer shows 9 or lower and on 9 when the dealer shows 6 or lower. Always split aces and 8's, and split 3's and 2's when the dealer shows a 4, 5, 6 or 7.

There are many tactics that increase your odds of winning. For example, if your cards total 12 to 16, that's the danger zone, and whether you draw or not depends on what the dealer is showing.

No matter what the dealer is showing, always assume there's a 10 hidden. When you have a soft 17 or 18, it's a good idea to draw another card if the dealer shows anything from a 9 to an ace.

If your first two cards are equal to 11 or less, always draw another card. If the dealer has a card showing between 2 and 6, you should not draw another card except when you have 12 and the dealer is showing a 2 or 3.

Since the dealer's up card is so important, assume a 10-value card is underneath before deciding what to do. In a multiple deck game, always spilt aces and 8's, but don't split 4's, 5's or 10's.

Always stand on a soft 19 and 20, but double down on a soft 13 through 18 when the dealer shows 4, 5 or 6.

There's no need to buy insurance because it's nothing more than a side bet that the dealer with an ace showing has a 10 in the hole. With normal card distribution, the 2-1 payoff is 8 percent against you -- not a good bet.

You are wagering the dealer will have 21. Remember, you're playing to beat the dealer, not that he will beat you.

The only time the odds lean toward you is if you're a keen observer and have a good idea there are fewer than twice as many non-10's than 10's.



Alexsa Stevens

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[aliensyndm]

Sorry but this is full of errors.

You should always double down on 11, on 10 when the dealer shows 9 or lower and on 9 when the dealer shows 6 or lower. Always split aces and 8's, and split 3's and 2's when the dealer shows a 4, 5, 6 or 7.

Firstly you have to establish the rules. If you are playing with a hole card and multiple deck you double down 11 against anything except an ace.
If you are playing single deck blackjack you double 11 against an ace also.
If you are playing european no hole card you do not double 11 against a 10 or an ace. You double 10 against 2 through 9 inclusive in all rules so you got that one right.

Whether you double 9 or not is again rule dependent. For multiplie deck you should double 9 against 3 through 6 inclusive.
You should only double 9 against a dealer 2 in single deck.


You should always split aces except when playing european no hole card when the correct play against a dealer ace is a hit rather than a split with A,A. Also with 8,8 in european no hole card the correct play against a dealer 10 or Ace is a hit and not a split.

Also you don't just split 3s and 2s against a dealer 4,5,6 or 7
Again it is rule dependent and will depend on a few things like are double after splits allowed and are resplits allowed. If they are you would split 2s and 3s against a dealer 2 through 7 inclusive. If double after splits is not allowed then only against 4 through 7 inclusive.

No matter what the dealer is showing, always assume there's a 10 hidden.

That is utter garbage. Taken from wizard of odds website....

Assume ten in the hole: For this strategy I first figured out the optimal basic strategy under this assumption. If the dealer had an ace up I reverted to the proper basic strategy assumption of assuming the dealer did not have a ten. Then I went back and used this strategy under regular playing conditions. This results in a house edge of 10.03%.

10.03% house edge ? No thanks !

Since the dealer's up card is so important, assume a 10-value card is underneath before deciding what to do. In a multiple deck game, always spilt aces and 8's, but don't split 4's, 5's or 10's.

I have covered the corrections to these mistakes above.

but double down on a soft 13 through 18 when the dealer shows 4, 5 or 6.

Again that is wrong, of course rules may alter some strategy but if the dealer is showing a 4,5 or 6 you double soft 15 through soft 18 inclusive and you also double soft 19 against a 6. You should only double soft 13 and soft 14 against a 5 or 6. Soft 17 you can double against a 3 and soft 18 you can double against a 2 and a 3 as well.

There's no need to buy insurance because it's nothing more than a side bet that the dealer with an ace showing has a 10 in the hole. With normal card distribution, the 2-1 payoff is 8 percent against you -- not a good bet.

You are correct in that you shouldn't take insurance but a minute ago you just told us we should always assume the dealer has a 10 in the hole !

The only time the odds lean toward you is if you're a keen observer and have a good idea there are fewer than twice as many non-10's than 10's.

This is one of the basics of card counting but it's waaaaaaaaay more complicated than that.


Please go do a bit of reading before you post such misleading nonsense. People might actually think this is correct and go and lose mney trying it.

[aliensyndm]

Oh I removed your link till you can actually post up something which has some factual content

[rcgills]

Don't know what site he was linking to there, Alien, but if I were a betting man (erm, hang on...), I'd be prepared to bet it's the same site that this one here was spamming to

http://www.thedailypunt.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=14353

Not that I can remember what site it was now, mind, and it's long since been edited out