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Basic Blackjack Strategy Explained

The online Blackjack strategy of players must focus on one and only one thing; to beat the dealer. You can beat the dealer in a number of ways. You can have your first two cards equal 21 (Ace + picture card or a 10); you can hold on a total sum of cards between 15 and 21 and watch the dealer exceed the number 21 on his cards; or you can outpoint the dealer when it comes time to show your hands.

If you are involved in a brisk game of Blackjack, you may play as many as 60 games during the course of one hour. So, my basic online Blackjack strategy, when I log onto my favourite online casino parlour website, is to try to win each game, of course. However, the point that I keep in mind is that I am in the game for about 100-120 hands. Therefore, I know that I’ll win my share and so will the dealer. The trick in logging off a winner is to play each game with consistent strategy and with sound mathematical reasoning for your play. Remember, the other players have no effect on your outcome, so don’t allow their strategies to affect your focus and methodology of play.


Online Blackjack Strategy - Hard Hand

The basic strategy of Blackjack is one that you must commit to memory. It is simple and distinct, so don’t forget it. If your two card total is:

5, 6, 7, or 8 - Draw another card.

9, 10, or 11 - Double down. *

12 - Draw a card if dealer has a 2 or 3 showing; stand against a 4, 5 or 6; Draw a card if the dealer shows a 7 through Ace.

13, 14, 15, or 16 - Stand against a dealer’s 2 through 6; Draw a card on 7 through Ace.

17, 18, 19, 20, or 21 - Stand on all play.


Online Blackjack Strategy - Soft Hand

The online Blackjack strategy when you have drawn an Ace should be as follows:

Ace with a

2, 3, 4 or 5 - Double down against a dealer’s 5 and 6. Draw a card against everything else.

6 - Double down against a 4, 5, or 6. Draw a card against everything else.

7 - Double down against a 3, 4, 5, or 6. Draw a card on a dealer’s 9 and 10. Stand on all other cards.

8 or 9 - Stand against all cards.

10 - You have Blackjack. Stand on all cards.

*Double Down - is an online Blackjack strategy by which you can double your initial bet. For example, if your initial bet was $20, you could double down and increase your bet to $40. The dealer is then obliged to give you one additional card for you to make your final hand.

There are other manoeuvres that you can make using this basic online Blackjack strategy. This method has been mathematically proven to be the best system to play and win at online Blackjack.

Blackjack players from all over the world simply adore this game. It's fun, it's exciting and it gives immense satisfaction to people who know how to play their cards right. While getting familiar with the game's rules is not a difficult task at all, when it comes to mastering basic blackjack strategy, things become a little bit more complicated. The process requires players to invest many long hours in memorizing numerous rule charts, which can sometimes diminish the overall excitement of the game.

With such an abundance of blackjack strategy charts being out there, we believe that, for starters, it is best to memorize the one offered below. This strategy is the most useful in any possible situation, without any prior knowledge regarding card distribution in the deck. At the top of the chart you will find the basic strategy for four or more decks when the dealer hits on soft 17 (a hand in which an Ace's value is regarded as 11), which is the most played game in casinos.

Here goes the key to reading the above chart:

S= Stand
H= Hit
Dh= Double (if doubling is not allowed then hit)
Ds= Double (if doubling is not allowed then stand)
SP= Split
SU= Surrender (if surrendering is not allowed then hit)

While the above basic blackjack strategy chart offers players the most profitable play in any given situation based on numerous hands played in the long run, there is another rather basic strategy designed to help players in the short run. This strategy is called card counting. Using this particular strategy, players who keep track of the cards that have already been used, are able to determine when the cards still remaining in the deck give them an edge over the house.

Card counting is a widely used strategy among today's players. It is profitable not only because it gives players an opportunity to place larger bets when they have an advantage over the house, but also because it allows player to use the info regarding the remaining cards to better the basic strategy for particular hands already played. For instance, with several tens still remaining in the deck, a player can double down in more situations. This is because there are higher odds of creating a strong hand.

However, despite the profitability of the card counting blackjack strategy, card counters should be careful not to signal that they are, in fact, card counting. Although the use of this strategy is not considered illegal in most casinos in the United States, casino operators are not very pleased when spotting a card counter. This can sometimes become grounds for being escorted out of the gaming establishment!
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