Blackjack winning strategy

Blackjack Strategy

Blackjack is actually a game of skill. Of course, there's a lot of chance involved in the decision of an individual hand, but chance evens out over time. Knowing when to hit and when to stand is what decides your success as a blackjack player.

Reducing the house edge

Nevertheless, even if you play an optimal blackjack strategy (see below), the house has an edge against you. But it is a smaller edge than in most other casino games - if you play well. A lot of people play blackjack in a way that doesn't yield the best possible chances. With a good strategy, a disciplined mentality, and a lot of practice, you can keep the house edge at a minimum and extract maximum enjoyment from the game.

Optimal blackjack strategy

This table describes a strategy that supplies an optimal move for each of your hands matched up against each possible up card of the dealer:

Your
Hand Dealer's up card Sum Ace Pair

2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
<= 8	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
9	H	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
10	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
11	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H
12	H	H	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
13	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
14	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
15	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
16	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
>=17	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
A-2	H	H	H	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A-3	H	H	H	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A-4	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A-5	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A-6	H	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A-7	S	D	D	D	D	S	S	H	H	H
A-8	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
A-9	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
A-A	T	T	T	T	T	T	T	T	T	T
2-2	H	H	T	T	T	T	H	H	H	H
3-3	H	H	T	T	T	T	H	H	H	H
4-4	H	H	H	T	T	H	H	H	H	H
5-5	H	T	T	T	T	H	H	H	H	H
6-6	H	T	T	T	T	H	H	H	H	H
7-7	T	T	T	T	T	T	H	H	H	H
8-8	T	T	T	T	T	T	T	T	T	T
9-9	T	T	T	T	T	S	T	T	S	S
10-10	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

H = Hit, S = Stand, D = Double, T = Split

Play blackjack the smart way

Even with a good blackjack strategy, you cannot enter a blackjack game and expect to win - due to the house edge. However, using the blackjack strategy chart above you reduce the house edge to a minimum, and by following the simple mental guidelines below you have all chances of getting a lot of enjoyment from playing blackjack. Make a budget. Before you start playing, decide how much you can spend. Consider this amount gone.

Feels uncomfortable? Then you probably need to cut down your blackjack budget. Also decide how much you will bet on each hand. The higher you play, the shorter your session will last, on average. To have a long session, make small bets. If you want to play a short game with maximum variance, go for the big bets. When your budget is met, quit playing. This is the defining line between being a successful blackjack player and getting yourself into serious trouble.

Getting paid for playing blackjack

Keep a lookout for bonuses. A special feature in online casinos is that they offer casino bonuses as a mean to attract players. Bonuses usually require that you wager a certain amount before the bonus is released to your account. With this extra value you may actually turn the house edge around and be a favorite against the house!

Practice, practice and keep practicing. It takes a lot of playing to be comfortable with all possible situations that may arise in blackjack. As a matter of fact, it's a good idea to start practicing for free. Many online casinos offer play money tables where you can get accustomed to the game mechanics without risking any money.

What comes around

Don't chase losses. Sure, losing may be very frustrating, but if you change your game to compensate for it you deviate from the optimal strategy. That is, you increase the house edge. It is a good way of compounding your losses rather than neutralizing them. If you want to enjoy blackjack, make a sport out of smiling at your bad luck!