Perfect Blackjack Strategy – How to Play Perfect Blackjack
How To Play Perfect Blackjack
As many players already know – blackjack is not only the most popular game in casinos but also a game with the best odds for players. If you just follow a basic strategy, you can lower the casino advantage to below one percent, giving you the fairest chances of winning in a casino. However, making mistakes can also increase the house edge up to a few percent. To avoid making mistakes, you need to follow a perfect blackjack strategy to make the most optimal decisions at the table.
You can play perfectly if you download and use an advanced blackjack strategy chart to help you make correct decisions when playing. In this article, you will find all the necessary information about the basic blackjack strategy and perfect it by using a basic blackjack strategy chart.
As with all other game strategies, even those that are the most optimal to use, they do not guarantee regular payouts. Also, not always the blackjack strategies are perfect or most accurate. As you keep playing and gain more experience in the game of blackjack, you will find certain spots when you can break from following the perfect blackjack strategy chart.
Keep reading to learn more about how you can play blackjack perfectly and gain an advantage on the blackjack table.
Who Created the First Blackjack Strategy Chart?
The basic blackjack strategy chart will tell you how you should play and act in certain positions when you play blackjack. Although it does not guarantee to win every hand, it will give you the most optimal and profitable decisions to make in the long run.
The first blackjack strategy system was created by four US servicemen back in the 1950s. One of the four friends, who was good at mathematics, was curious about what the best decisions in blackjack were. He got help from others and all of them used simple calculators to crunch numbers for almost a couple of years before they came with the best blackjack strategy at that time.
What is very impressive is how accurate they were in the outcome, considering there were no computers back then. Their original blackjack strategy chart was as close to perfect as possible, significantly lowering the house advantage.
These four people basically created the perfect blackjack strategy we know of today.
Play Blackjack Perfectly – Things To Do In Given Spots
The blackjack basic strategy suggests hitting on hands of 11 or lower, standing at 17 or above, and not splitting a pair of tens as this is a highly probable winning hand. However, there are some not-so-clear situations when you may wonder what is the best play. Below you will find some decisions that you should make, part of the perfect blackjack strategy to apply on the blackjack table.
You will find info on how to act when holding hard hands, soft hands, and pairs. What makes a hand hard or soft is whether there is an ace in it. Hands with aces are soft hands, because in such hands aces count either as 1 or 11, giving you more flexible options.
Hard Hands
- Hard 8 or below – always hit
- Hard 9 – double if the dealer shows 3, 4, 5 or 6, otherwise hit
- Hard 10 – hit if the dealer shows Ace or 10, otherwise double down
- Hard 11 – hit if the dealer shows an Ace, otherwise double down
- Hard 12 – stand if the dealer shows 4, 5, or 6, hit in all other situations
- Hard 13 – 16 – stand if the dealer shows 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, hit in all other situations
- Hard 17 – 21 – always stand
Soft Hands
- Soft 3 or 4 – double down if the dealer shows 5 or 6, hit in all other situations
- Soft 5 or 6 – double down if the dealer shows 4, 5 or 6, hit in all other situations
- Soft 7 – double down if the dealer shows 3, 4, 5 or 6, hit in all other situations
- Soft 8 – double down if the dealer shows 3, 4, 5 or 6, stand if the dealer shows 2, 7 or 8, and hit if the dealer shows Ace, 9 or 10
- Soft 9 or 10 – always stand
Pairs
- A-A – always split
- 2-2/3-3 – split if the dealer shows 7, otherwise hit
- 4-4 – split if the dealer shows 5 or 6, hit in all other situations
- 5-5 – hit if the dealer shows Ace or 10, otherwise double down
- 6-6 – split if the dealer shows 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, hit in all other situations
- 7-7 – split if the dealer shows 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7, hit in all other situations
- 8-8 – always split
- 9-9 – split if the dealer shows 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 or 9, stand if the dealer shows 7, 10 or Ace
- T-T – always stand
Using Blackjack Basic Strategy Charts
Remembering strategy charts may be a bit difficult thing to do as there are a lot of them out there. However, a good thing about blackjack charts is that they are simple to understand, often marked with different colors, so remembering basic actions is not that difficult to do. You can even use them while playing the blackjack game. However, memorizing some moves will help the game flow, and you will instinctively know what to do next. Getting a strategy chart and learning from it is advisable even if you are not using it as you play on the blackjack table.
Perfect Blackjack Strategy – Counting Cards
Almost anyone has heard of the card counting strategy. It has been popularized by movies, books, and articles, as this is the ultimate perfect blackjack strategy for completely eliminating the house edge. However, counting cards is not possible in online casinos. Why? because online casinos use automatic shuffler the shuffles decks after each hand. That makes card counting not productive at all. However, card counting is possible in single-deck blackjack and in land-based casinos. If you are curious about the above strategy, keep reading to learn how it is done.
Card counting while playing blackjack
Card counting is basically a tracking system where players memorize the cards being dealt. Since cards come out from a shoe, there are a limited amount of cards in play each round. That is what makes it possible for players to get an idea of which cards remain in the deck and adjust accordingly. That makes card counting a perfect strategy to use, without a house edge.
The way this betting strategy works is by assigning values to cards. The values are -1, 0, and +1. Cards between 2 and 6 are +1, cards 7,8, and 9 are 0, and ten-valued cards and aces are – 1.
The card counter keeps track of the count to get a clearer picture of how many cards remain in the shoe. Most casinos offer multi-deck games, so the player has to divide the current count they have by the number of decks they think are in the shoe, to form the true count.
When using the true count, the player can adjust their bet so they can make higher bets and win more money when knowing which cards are left in the shoe. They can increase their odds of winning when they know what comes next, and also avoid losing when bad cards are coming up. All of this is done by keeping a good track of all cards during the blackjack game.
This card counting system takes a lot of practice and is not easy to do as many believe it is. However, it is the best system to beat the blackjack dealer in the long run.
Why The Large Cards Are More Favorable To Blackjack Players?
Before you start playing different blackjack games, players should understand that the types of cards in the deck influence the chances of you having a winning hand. The odds of winning increase when in the deck there are lots of large cards such as Tens, Jacks, Queens, Kings, and Aces. Contrary, if the deck has significantly more small cards than large cards, odds shift in favour of the dealer.
A mix of several large cards left in the deck will likely produce more Blackjack hands. In such a case, the dealer also has the same chance of getting blackjacks, but the payout for the player’s blackjack hand is 3:2, which is a bonus.
Sometimes dealer’s hand may contain a tricky hand, such as 14 or 16, which are situations when the dealer hits. If there are more large cards in the deck, the likelihood of dealer busting is also big. That is a thing to remember when playing, to pay attention and try to keep count of how many large cards are left in the deck.
Doubling down on large cards is always a good suggestion, as that can lead to winning more money and a better overall blackjack experience.
Perfect Blackjack Strategy FAQs
Are the winning odds in blackjack higher than in other casino games?
Yes, they are. Blackjack offers very good odds for players and the house edge is the smallest in comparison to other most popular casino games. There are different variants of blackjack, each having a different house edge, so explore the rules first before sitting to play online blackjack.
What is the correct blackjack basic strategy to use?
The basic blackjack strategy requires making the best possible decisions in given situations. Decisions that are most optimal to increase your chances of winning. However, blackjack strategies can vary slightly from one game to another, as different online casinos have different rules. Which blackjack basic strategy is correct also depends on the number of decks in the game.
What is the first thing to do to learn how to win at blackjack?
Reading books, strategy articles, and visiting helpful websites like GuruCasinoBonus is a good way to start. Here you can find valuable information that you can put to use and practice. Choose some of the best online casinos we recommend and start playing basic blackjack. Remember to start small and be disciplined when playing.
Which blackjack games are better to play – Single-deck or multiple decks?
Applying any type of blackjack strategy is much easier in a single-deck game, but rare are those casinos that offer such games. Most online casinos offer multi-deck games, but there is a pretty good blackjack strategy chart for those games too. Regardless of whether you play in a single-deck or multi-deck game, always follow the charts to make optimal decisions and win more money.
Is the game of blackjack beatable?
Blackjack is not a robotic game, but it involves many factors – skill, luck, knowledge, and risk. Also, bankroll is important too, so you have to consider all these factors when playing. In any case, blackjack is more beatable than slots and other popular casino games. Despite the many variations that exist, blackjack still gives you better odds than other games.
Does card counting improve chances to win?
Yes, it does. However, counting cards when playing online is almost impossible because the automatic dealer shuffles cards before each hand is dealt. We recommend sticking to the perfect blackjack strategy and using a blackjack strategy chart to improve your winning chances.
Is card counting legal?
Yes, card counting is legal. It is a mental activity of counting the cards in the deck, and as long as you are not using any devices, machines, or other tools, there is no reason to worry. However, you cannot count cards in an online blackjack game due to mentioned reasons above. You are bound to lose money because online casinos function differently from land-based casinos.
Are there better ways for beating blackjack than card counting?
When it comes to online blackjack, following the perfect blackjack strategy should help you win long-term. There is no guarantee, of course, but it is a good way to earn profits. Apart from following a basic blackjack strategy chart, you can take advantage of many other things that many casinos offer to bring more players, such as game vouchers, side bets, promotions, which all can boost your bankroll.
Is taking an insurance bet a good strategical decision in blackjack?
No, it is not. The basic blackjack strategy does not recommend taking an insurance bet. Taking a so-called even money bet is not profitable in long term, as you will lose more money. You are much better off taking your chances and completing your hand, so avoid taking this even money insurance bet in casinos.
Is there an ultimate secret of winning at blackjack?
No, there is no hidden formula for success at blackjack. The best thing you can do is learn more about the game, combine your skills and knowledge, and hope for the best outcome. Dedicate time to learn the perfect blackjack strategy and you are likely to do well at the blackjack tables.
