Knowing When To Hit And When To Stand In Blackjack

Blackjack is the most popular casino table game in the world and it is also one of the few gambling games in which the player can actually lower the house edge significantly with optimal play. It is a game played against the dealer and while there can be more players seated at the same table, they do not compete against each other in any way.

Also known as 21, the card game has been the subject of several major movies in which the protagonists found a way to win big by a strategy known as counting cards. This of course helped get the game even more popular and many players tried to have the same success as the characters in the movie. It is important to note that while count carding can in-fact be done, it does not guarantee a win in the short run nor in the long run. It does however help improve the odds.

Learning the basics

Blackjack is not as simple as some other casino games but it is also not complicated in any way. The goal of the game is to get cards with a total value as close to 21 as possible but at the same time not go over it. If the player is closer than the dealer, he wins the bet. The cards have the same value as their numbers 2-10, face cards (Jacks, Queens and Kings) are worth 10 points and Aces can either be 1 or 11 based on which one is better.

In order to start a game of blackjack, a bet must be placed on the table. Casinos can allow for a huge range of bets, especially on the internet, in order to accommodate the different bankrolls of the players. After the bet is placed, the dealer will give the player two cards facing up and two cards to the house, only one of which is facing up. Based on the total of the first two cards, the player can opt to Hit and get another card, Stand and remain with the cards he already has or a few other options which can depend on the case. Once the player has exhausted his turn and if the game is still going on (he has less than 21), the dealer will also hit or stand in order to try to get a better hand.

The other options which the player can have are Double Down which allows the player to double the initial bet and only get one additional card before his hand is complete, Split if the first two cards are of the same value and this allows to create two separate hands based on the initial cards and two additional ones (this does require another bet) and Surrender which is available only in certain variants and gives the player the option to give up from the start of the hand and get half of the bet back. And Insurance bet can be made if the dealer is showing an Ace and it is considered a side bet which pays 2:1 on the dealer getting 21 from the first two cards.

Strategy every player can use

Based on the decisions the player can make and on the information available before opting for one, blackjack has plenty of room for strategy which can lower the house edge and make it the most attractive casino game in this regard.

Every decision should be based on the cards the player has and on the card the dealer is showing. A lot of blackjack players don’t take into consideration the dealer card and it is a big mistake as they are ignoring useful information. Optimal play dictates every move for every combination of cards available. As a general example, the player should stand on 17-20 regardless what card the dealer has. On a 16-point and, the player stands if the dealer is showing six or less, hit for 7 and 8 and surrender for 9 and above. Pairs should be split if they are Aces in order to maximize the chance of getting blackjack instead of risking to bust.

The moves can be learned quite quickly and the famous blackjack strategy table will provide a lot of help in this regard. However, it is important to have fun and small deviations from the strategy can make things more exciting and sometimes even more profitable.