Winning at Blackjack - Strategy
Learning and using the basic strategies of blackjack is an easy way to win more often
Blackjack is one of the simplest and most straightforward game in the casino, and if played correctly, can give the player the best chance at winning. Based only on the probabilities of the cards in the shoe, Casino Sage has calculated the most mathematically advantageous playing strategy for the player.
Never played blackjack before? Click here to learn the basics first.
To use the blackjack strategy table below, a find your hand along the left side, and move across to the dealer's upcard on the top. Where your two hands intersect, The Casino Sage has calculated the best move for that combination of cards. Playing exactly by the table will allow the player to even the odds as much as possible. Depending on the online casino you choose to gamble at, using the basic statistical strategy can lessen the casino's edge to less than 2%.
Ok, enough statistics ... here's the basic blackjack table for most casino using multiple decks when the dealer must stay on a soft 17:
Note: This basic strategy table can be used effectively for most variations of the rules of blackjack.
This strategy, when utilized for the long-term, can give the player odds close to 50%. However, this does not mean that the player will never lose using this table. You will never have a true odds advantage in the casino, but casino gambling will have large short-term swings. The trick is cash out during an up-swing and not get greedy!
Doubling Down: Your best chance of winning money is on a smart double down. Beware, though, players that double down when odds are not in their favor tend to lose the most. Always double down on an 11, and sometimes on a 9 or 10 or certain soft hands(look at the chart). Never, ever, double down on an 8!
Splitting: You may have heard "Aces & Eights" when people are talking about when to split. This is absolutely true, if you have a pair of aces, or a pair of eights, always split them! You're much better off with two 11's or two 8's than a 12 or 16. Never, ever, split two face cards!
Insurance: Do not take insurance, even when you have blackjack. You may have amateurs tell you that you should, but the house always has the edge. Every time you accept insurance you are statistically losing money.
Surrender: in the late surrender the player may choose to surrender after the dealer checks for blackjack. Surrending may be useful when your net statistical return is less than 50%. There are only four different scenarios when this occurs. When the dealer has a 9, 10, or an Ace, and the player has a 16, the player should surrender. The fourth scenario occurs when the dealer has a 10 showing and the player has a 15. Unfortunately, most online casinos don't allow you to surrender, but many land-based casinos do.
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