Blackjack Strategy Guide – How to Play the Smart Way

Blackjack is undoubtedly a game of luck, but experts around the world have looked for ways to improve winning chances and reduce losses over time with a suitable blackjack strategy. With their strategies and tips, players can improve their overall gambling experience.

For instance, many players always split aces to maximise the outcome. A basic blackjack strategy like the one we pointed out in the example goes a long way to improve outcomes. Many blackjack charts show the benefits of using strategies. Therefore, before you get started with blackjack, you should consider learning at least one basic strategy blackjack players use.

The Basic Rules of Blackjack

Blackjack is a popular straightforward casino card game. However, there are certain rules you must understand before you can fully enjoy playing the game. To help you better understand the game, we’ve highlighted some of the basic blackjack rules. From there, you can create a blackjack basic strategy and use it to improve your chances of winning. You can read the rules in more detail at our ‘how to play blackjack‘ page.

Basic Rules

When it comes to blackjack, you must understand that you’re not playing against other players but only the dealer. Also, your goal is to get your hand as close to 21 as possible, and it should be more than the dealer’s hand without going over 21. In addition to that, we’ve highlighted the other basic rules of blackjack to help you kickstart your journey to creating the perfect blackjack strategy.

• The card values are as follows: Ace = 1 or 11. King, Queen and Jack = 10. The remaining cards take their face value, such as 2 = 2, 3 = 3, 4 = 4, 5 = 5, etc.
• The dealer and the player get two cards at the start of the game.
• Players can choose to hit (receive another card) or stand (stick with your current card value).
• If your hand exceeds 21, you automatically lose the bet. If the value is 21, you win regardless of the dealer’s hand.

Gameplay

Blackjack is a straightforward game. You can enjoy your time playing this casino card game once you understand the gameplay. To help you with this, we’ve broken down the information below.

• Place Your Bet – Start by choosing how much you want to wager for the round. At this point, some tables also offer optional side bets, such as Perfect Pairs or 21+3, which give you the chance to win extra payouts based on specific card combinations. These don’t affect the main game but can add some extra excitement (and risk).
• Cards Are Dealt – You and the dealer both receive two cards. Usually, one of the dealer’s cards is face up (called the “upcard”) and the other is face down.
• Make Your Move – Based on your cards and the dealer’s upcard, you’ll choose whether to hit (take another card), stand (keep your current hand), double down (double your bet and take one more card), or split (if you have two cards of the same value, you can split them into two separate hands).
• Dealer Plays – Once you’ve finished your turn, the dealer reveals their hidden card and plays their hand. Dealers must hit until they reach at least 17.
• Outcome – You win if: The dealer busts (goes over 21) or Your hand is closer to 21 than the dealer’s without busting. Your hand is closer to 21 than the dealer’s without busting.

Extra Note

There are other things you should note about blackjack before getting started. One of them is that Ace and any of the cards with a value of 10, that is, King, Queen, or Jack, payout 3:2 on your initial bet. You should also note that some casinos might add slight variations to their rules. So, it helps to make yourself familiar with these specific rules before proceeding.

Blackjack Strategy Charts

A blackjack strategy chart is an essential tool to help players who want to optimise their decisions and improve their winning chances. A basic strategy blackjack chart tries to give you insight into various situations, allowing you to take the right action. These charts are based on probability analysis and mathematical calculations.

There are different charts to consider. The most fundamental blackjack basic strategy chart covers all possible combinations of your cards and the dealer’s up card, helping you decide whether to hit, stand, split or double down. There are also more advanced charts that factor in situations like surrender options or deck penetration. These become especially relevant if you’re exploring techniques like card counting, a method some skilled players use to track the ratio of high and low cards left in the deck and adjust their bets based on the remaining card distribution.

How to Read the Blackjack Chart

Reading the chart can be a bit tricky, but if you want to create a perfect blackjack strategy, you might want to learn how to read the chart. To help you get started, we’ve broken down the different attributes of a typical chart. That way, you can be on your way to creating the best blackjack strategy.

• Columns: This part of the chart represents your hand value, including the hard or soft total.
• Rows: This part represents the dealer’s card facing up.
• Symbols: This part indicates the various optional actions, including H for Hit, S for Stand, D for Double Down, P for Split, and Rs/Rp/Rh for Surrender, depending on the available option.

You should know that not all online casinos in the UK have double-down and split options available. So, you might want to check before you proceed with playing blackjack at the casino.

Blackjack Basic Strategy Steps

The strategy chart is like a blackjack cheat sheet to help you make more accurate decisions. However, you can’t only rely on the basic blackjack strategy chart if you want to improve your winning chances. You must understand other aspects. In that case, we’ve broken down some basic strategy steps for blackjack to help you. You can always consider these steps and pick one strategy for blackjack. Take advantage of them to improve your winning chances. These tips will also help you with some decisions that might affect your strategy. Without wasting time, keep reading to learn more and improve your online blackjack strategy.

Can I/should I Surrender?

When it comes to the basic blackjack winning strategy, the decision you make plays a big role. Fortunately, with access to the chart, you can improve your decision-making skills. You’ll know if you should surrender or keep playing. You’ll need to check the probability based on the data given by the chart. That way, you can make better decisions.

You should also check the casino blackjack rules to know if you’re allowed to surrender because some casinos have changed their rules slightly and removed some blackjack actions. Once you can confirm that you can surrender and the chart suggests you should, then you can proceed to take that action. If not, you shouldn’t do that and check for other actions.

Can I/Should I Split?

In most cases, when you have two aces, the advice is to split them. This will help you maximise your winning potential. However, there are intricacies you must consider. The first thing is to check if the casino rules allow splitting. You can read the blackjack rules on the terms and conditions page to know what they say about this action.

Once you confirm that the action is allowed, you can then proceed to make a decision based on the chart. This will help you make better decisions and improve your chances of winning. You shouldn’t randomly split because you have two equal cards. You might be better off hitting or standing so you can maximise the payout.

Can I/Should I Double?

Doubling down is like splitting and surrendering; you may or may not find it as an option at the casino you join. So, you might want to check before you proceed. You should check the casino rules to see if it is possible to double your bet. Once you confirm this, you can proceed to the next phase of your blackjack strategy.

In this case, you should check the chart to know what is suggested. That way, you can decide if you should double down. Ensure you understand how to read the chart before proceeding so you don’t make a mistake and can create the perfect strategy blackjack experts use to win big. You can always test this option for free before proceeding.

Should I Hit or Should I Stand?

The big question is always whether you should hit or stand. This decision can make or break the outcome of your bet. Once you receive your two cards, you’ll most likely need to hit. After the first hit, then, you need to decide again if you should hit or stand. However, before you make this decision, you must check your hand and try to predict the dealer’s face-down card.

You can use the chart to make this prediction. Also, certain situations are common, and you can always use expert tips to decide what you should do. For instance, when your combined cards’ value is 12, you can hit it. If you get 17 or more, most experts recommend you stand because it is already close to 21. If you decide to hit, there is a chance you’ll exceed 21 and bust.

Top 5 Blackjack Strategies

There are different blackjack strategies you can use to improve your winning chances when you play this game. We’ve highlighted five top blackjack strategies you can use. Check them out and learn more about these strategies so you can improve your winning chances and decision-making skills. However, its always important to gamble responsibly and you can read more about that here.

Double Down on a Hard 11

One strategy that is considered optimal is when you double down on a hard 11-hand. The reason for this is that it is statistically advantageous in the sense that the hand value of hard 11 has a better chance of not going bust and hitting 21. So, if you double your bet size in this position, you have a better chance of winning a substantial payout. However, ensure you check the chart before proceeding to ensure it is the right call based on other factors. You should also note that it is impossible to double down if the casino rules restrict doubling down.

Split a Pair of 8s And Aces

Another ultimate strategy is splitting a pair of 8s and aces, but in this case, the outcome is tied to the dealer’s card facing up. When you have two 8s, it makes your hand’s value 16. It is statistically wrong to hit because the chances of busting are high. So, it is better to split the two 8s. However, you might want to check the strategy chart to confirm if you should split based on the dealer’s up card. On the other hand, you should always split aces. The only time you can’t do this is when the casino rules prohibit splitting values.

Never Split a Pair of 5s or Tens

You should never split a pair of 5s or 10s. When you have two 5s, it means that you have a 10, which is a good hand to hit. Splitting them will give you two weak 5s that can make it difficult to hit a perfect number. So, you should keep your 10s and hit. You might be lucky to get a suitable number. On the other hand, two 10s will give you 20, which is the closest number to 21. You don’t need to hit. Unless the dealer gets 21, you can’t lose the bet. So, when you have a pair of 10s, you stand. If you have a pair of 5s, you should hit.

Stand on a Hard 17, or Higher

Another thing you should do is stand when you have 17 or higher. The chances of going bust are higher when you hit this number. The only way you’ll get 21 or lower is if you get 4 or lower, which is very slim. So, you should take your chance with the number you have and hope that the dealer gets something lower or goes beyond 21 so you can win. You can also check if you have a pair to consider the split action so you can increase your chances of winning.

Hit on Ace-7 for Dealer’s 9, 10, or Ace

If you have an Ace-7 card, which is considered a soft 18, and the dealer’s up card is 9, 10, or Ace, we recommend you hit. When you hit with this hand, you stand a better chance of not busting. This works best if the dealer’s up card is 9 or 10. It becomes tricky when the dealer has Ace. In this case, you might want to consider the surrender action if the casino rules permit. You should check the rules before proceeding. Also, it helps to check the strategy chart to make a better decision.

Play the Strategy That Fits You Best

There are different strategies you can use. Each one fits a particular scenario. So, you might want to take your time to test as many options as possible. Take your chances to explore the different options and the blackjack perfect strategy chart to pick the one that fits your style the best. You should also have other strategies in your pocket. That way, you can use them whenever the situation calls for it. Once you’re familiar with the casino rules and have selected a suitable blackjack variation, you can start applying a strategy that suits your style and make the most of each hand you play. Start playing for real money at the best blackjack sites in the UK here.

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