Menu Close

The Basics of Blackjack

The best hand in blackjack is called the ‘natural’ and is the combination of an Ace, King, Queen, Jack, or ten cards. With this hand, you can win nearly every hand that you play, but if you are not dealt this perfect combination, you can still win. The only tie occurs if the dealer has a blackjack. In that case, the bet made by the player becomes a push. Hence, the player is advised to stick to basic strategy.

Basic strategy

While it may not seem like a complicated game, blackjack has some basic strategies that every player should know. These include taking another card from the dealer when you aren’t dealt a blackjack, and standing when you get a total. You can use the basic strategy chart to help you understand which decisions to make, and you should never deviate from it. By following this strategy, you will be playing blackjack like a pro, in no time.

Insurance

When you’re playing blackjack, one of the options you have is to place a bet called Blackjack insurance. This bet is not actually insurance. It’s actually a sucker bet and should never be made by an intelligent player. Instead, players should learn how to make a better Insurance strategy. This will allow them to increase their winnings if the dealer has a blackjack. However, it’s important to note that the insurance bet does not guarantee a win; instead, it’s a bet that will be lost if the dealer isn’t dealt an Ace.

Splitting pairs

The most important thing to remember when splitting pairs in blackjack is that the number of decks in a game is not the same as the number of hands you can split. Therefore, if you have two pairs of the same card, it is best to split them, because they have lower probability of busting. The exception to this rule is pairs of 7 and 9, as they have a higher probability of busting in one hit. However, these cards also have the potential to make a winning hand of 18, which makes them the best pair to split.

Bust cards

The dealer’s bust cards can be either the Ace or the 10. If the dealer shows an Ace, the player must hit the next card. The dealer’s bust cards are not common, but there are certain hands where the dealer will not be able to bust. The dealer’s bust cards are those that have a 42 percent or 40 percent chance of busting. The chances of busting are much lower if the player has a hand with a number below 17.

Side bets

A side bet is a bet placed on an individual card that is not dealt face up. In blackjack, side bets can come in many different flavors, but they all have one thing in common: They increase your chances of winning and give you the chance to earn extra cash. There are many different types of side bets, but some of the most popular are listed below. Keep reading to find out more about them!

Early surrender

The early surrender rule in blackjack applies to the first two hands dealt by the dealer. The early surrender rule makes sense when the dealer has an Ace, or if you have a pair of 7s or 8s. However, it is best used in situations where you have a hand with very little chance of winning. If you’re not sure when to surrender, use a blackjack surrender guide to learn when to do so. Here are some examples: