In gambling, luck only kisses a few people. However, blackjack is one of the only casino games that allows you to challenge the dealer fairly. This is possible because success depends on strategy and not pure luck. To increase the odds of winning at blackjack, you must first learn the basic strategies for playing cards correctly, then master a card counting system.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Learning from Scratch
Step 1. Memorize basic blackjack terms
The game itself is very simple to understand. All players know they must roll 21 to beat the dealer. However, many people do not understand the terms used at the table, other than "card" to ask the dealer for another card or "sto" to end their turn. Before playing, you need to know how to ask for a split, double down or fold, so you can use these actions in your betting strategy and get the highest odds of winning.
- When you decide to double down, you double your bet and ask for another card.
- When you are dealt two identical cards, for example a pair of twos, you can split them and play them as two different hands, with two separate bets.
- Very few casinos allow you to fold. When you are dealt bad cards, you can fold and save half your bet.
Step 2. Minimize the house edge
The dealer has an advantage, because the player has to act first, without knowing the dealer's hole card. Also, if you go over 21, which means getting high, you will also lose on occasions when the dealer busts. Once you understand these simple rules, you will understand that in order to win you must consider the cards you have and those shown by the other players and the dealer, in order to predict which the dealer keeps covered.
Step 3. Study basic blackjack strategy
Since this is a game of chance, when compared to other casino games, you will become a better player by learning which are the most profitable decisions with specific hands. For example, do you have to hit when you have 16, if the dealer has a 10? Do you have to split your pair of eights? Study a table to decide which choice to make, based on the cards you have been dealt and those of the dealer.
In the beginning, it will be difficult for you to remember the right strategy in all game scenarios, but with experience, you will learn to play hands instinctively
Step 4. Find out the rules of the table before you start playing
The various casino games and versions of blackjack have different regulations. Many use multiple decks of cards to discourage anyone trying to count them by preventing you from calculating the odds of winning. In many cases the dealer must stop at 17, even if he loses, while in others he may ask for another card if the 17 is made up of an ace (which can be worth 1 or 11).
- You should avoid tables where it is more difficult to win, such as those where the dealer can take another card when he gets 17 with an ace.
- When playing live, avoid tables with devices that constantly mix decks and make it impossible to count the cards that can come out.
Step 5. Check the rules of the table for blackjack
Before playing, it is important to find out how much blackjack is paid out. In the case of natural 21, that is obtained with the first two cards that are assigned to you, the dealer could pay 3 to 2, that is 3 € for every 2 € wagered. In other cases, the payout is 6 to 5 and you should avoid those games.
The 6 to 5 payout is less than the 3 to 2 payout. Consider that with two wins with the first stake, you will get € 12 by betting € 10, while in the second case it would be enough € 8 to receive the same amount
Step 6. Plan your betting strategy
In normal games, it is best to be consistent or increase your stake by a maximum of € 1 until you win. Remember that luck owes you nothing and there are no "hot" or "cold" decks. All the patterns you perceive will turn out to be wrong over time, because the game is based on chance and probability. Conversely, try to bet low after you've lost or when the deck is shuffled and slightly increase your stake when you feel the odds are turning in your favor.
Step 7. Increase your bet when the odds are in your favor
When there are a lot of high cards in the deck, your chances of winning increase, because their value of 10 will help you hit a blackjack. The longer you play, the better you will become at figuring out how many useful cards are left in the deck and how you should conduct your hands. Once you understand the odds of winning, you can bet more aggressively on good hands.
Step 8. Avoid buying insurance
The dealer will give you the option to buy protection, should he hit a blackjack. In practice, this means placing a side bet, expecting the dealer to total 21. If you are right, you will win the side bet, but you will lose the main one. This can allow you to recover some of your money in the short term, but in the long run you will lose money over the house.
Beginners have no way of knowing if the dealer has a 10-point card face down along with the ace face up. Conversely, the card counters know the probability of this scenario and can use this information to earn money on their bet
Part 2 of 2: Counting Cards
Step 1. Assign a value to the cards
With the Hi-Lo counting method, all numbered cards have value. Those from 2 to 6 are worth 1 point, while those from 7 to 9 are worth zero and the tens and figures -1.
- The goal is to know the total value of all visible cards, knowing that if the deck contains more face cards, your chances of hitting blackjack increase, as do the dealer's chances of busting.
- The Hi-Lo method is widely used, but there are others that assign different scores to cards such as aces and fives.
Step 2. Practice keeping track
Use only one deck of cards, turn them over one at a time and add the values together. After drawing a 2, a 5 and an ace, the deck's score is equal to 1. Once the cards are finished, the total must be zero. Keep practicing until you can count cards quickly and quietly.
Step 3. Keep the true count
Casinos know that players try to count cards, so they employ more decks at the blackjack tables. You can calculate the real table score by dividing what you got with the traditional calculation by the number of decks in play. Thanks to this new value, you will have a better idea of your advantage.
- A score of three is advantageous in a single deck game, but this value means less if more decks are used on the table, because there are more cards which reduce your chances of winning.
- For example, a score of seven divided by two decks equals a 3, 5. If, on the other hand, there are 6 decks used at the table, the true score is 1.
Step 4. Practice calculating the true score
Start by using just a few decks. Turn the cards over one at a time and learn how to split. In principle, you can simply round to the nearest integer, but over time you will be able to perform more precise divisions in mind without too much trouble.
An online card counting simulator can help you practice. Some are able to correct your mistakes and calculate your winnings
Step 5. Learn to count when there are distractions
Once you feel like you are able to calculate the true score of a table, try to mimic the environment of a casino. Start with small distractions, like music or a radio. As you get better at it, ask a friend, roommate, or partner for help. Later, you can practice in chaotic events, such as parties. Eventually you will be able to converse while counting the cards.
Step 6. Change the bets
To practice your card counting skills, increase your bets when the table score is very high. Remember not to attract attention. Maintain a natural attitude by talking to the other players and the dealer instead of grumbling. Raise small bets when you can and lower them when you lose. Instead of sitting at the same table for hours, get up when your winnings started arousing suspicion.
Card counting is legal, but casinos consider it a forbidden practice, because it leads them to lose money
Advice
- Start with the minimum bet table.
- Choose your table carefully. With a slow or inattentive dealer it will become easier to count cards and decide your strategy. At online tables and with devices that automatically shuffle decks, card counting is impossible.
- Play with your mind free. Avoid sitting at the table when you are tired or if you have been drinking alcohol. Casinos make money from bad player decisions.
- Forget superstition when playing. Many players are led to believe that after many losses, a victory must necessarily come, but in this way they only lose more money.
