How to Beat the Dealer in Blackjack
Blackjack is a card game that pits the player against the dealer. The objective is to beat the dealer by getting a hand value closer to 21 than theirs. While Blackjack is a game of chance and luck, there are some simple strategies that can improve the odds in your favor.
The game is played with a conventional deck of 52 playing cards, suits don’t matter, and the values of cards are as follows: cards 2 through 10 count for their face value, Jacks, Queens and Kings count for 10 points, and Aces can be worth either 1 or 11 points depending on which one you choose. Unlike Poker, there are no other players in a blackjack game, each player is betting against the dealer only.
Players are given two starting cards and can choose to stand (stop drawing cards), hit (request more cards) or double down (double the size of their initial bet). After the player has made these decisions, the dealer will reveal his down card. If the dealer has a Blackjack, it ends the round and all bets lose (except for those who also have a Blackjack). If he doesn’t have a blackjack, the dealer sweeps all remaining player bets and pays out any insurance bets at 2:1.
Unless the player has a strong hand, it is usually better to stay and hope that the dealer busts. This will give the player a higher probability of winning than taking more risks. However, the dealer could also have a high hand, which would make it even more advantageous for the player to stay.
Some casinos will allow a player to split pairs of non-matching ten value cards, for example two Jacks and two Tens, but this is generally not a good strategy for the player. Splitting Tens in Blackjack is a very risky move that almost always reduces the player’s chances of making a Blackjack and will often end up in an ordinary 21.
Another variation on the Blackjack rules is that some games will reduce the pay-out of a Blackjack to 6:5. This is very bad for the player and increases the house edge significantly. Any game that has a reduced Blackjack payout should be avoided by players.
As with many casino games, Blackjack can have some complicated rules, but at a basic level the objective is to get a higher hand total than the dealer without going over 21. By learning some of the basic rules and strategies you can increase your chances of beating the dealer, and maximizing your bets and payouts.