{"id":5004,"date":"2022-01-25T14:41:56","date_gmt":"2022-01-25T14:41:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.com\/blog\/\/blog\/?p=5004"},"modified":"2024-10-06T11:58:56","modified_gmt":"2024-10-06T11:58:56","slug":"basic-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.com\/blog\/2022\/01\/25\/basic-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"Basic Blackjack Strategy Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
In this part of our comprehensive blackjack guides, designed to help you improve your game, we\u2019ve conducted an interview with blackjack expert and industry leader, Michael Shackleford. Here, he provides you with incredible insight into how to get started with\u00a0the game and how to develop a basic blackjack strategy. Note that Michael does not recommend using betting systems<\/a> such as Martingale or Andrucci here, simply optimal strategy based on mathematical probabilities.<\/p>\n\n If you want to know why it\u2019s important to have a basic strategy which will statistically increase your chances of success at the game, read on to find out more.<\/p>\n\n Here are some of the blackjack strategy questions we will be looking at in this article. Scroll down or click on the links below to jump to a specific section:<\/em><\/p>\n\n \u00a0<\/p>\n\n If you prefer to read on before getting to the nuts and bolts of blackjack play, we will introduce you to Michael Shackleford and also explain the importance of using the correct tactics when you sit down at a (real or virtual) blackjack table.<\/p>\n\n If you\u2019re interested in blackjack and learning about charts that teach you optimal plays, it’s likely that you may have already come across Shackleford\u2019s well-known site. But where did it all begin for this blackjack aficionado? The computer programmer with a passion for mathematics began analysing casino<\/a> games as a hobby before starting his own website in 1997. Since then,\u00a0WizardofOdds.com<\/a> has gone on to become one of the most trusted sources for gambling advice in the online world.<\/p>\n\n In recent years, Shackleford\u00a0has also started to create\u00a0YouTube videos that\u00a0explain how to play games with the most effective tactics. Here, we\u2019ve compiled some of Shackleford\u2019s most important points and extensive knowledge, alongside some easy-to-understand charts. Feel free to peruse the whole article, or jump to the section that you need most assistance with. It’s unlikely that you’ll commit this all to memory and so it’s important to remember that\u00a0you can\u00a0refer to this guide at any time:\u00a0you’ll never need to feel stuck in the middle of a blackjack game, ever\u00a0again.<\/p>\n\n You may be questioning why it\u2019s so crucial to have a strategy for\u00a0blackjack games\u00a0in the first place. After all, a lot of it comes down to chance. It is always worth bearing in mind that there are limitations on how much a player can affect a game, although there are certain ways to play which will statistically improve your chances of winning at blackjack. Here are a few of the reasons why Shackleford thinks strategy in blackjack is so important:<\/p>\n\n While using strategy to play blackjack will never guarantee that you will win, it will statistically improve your chances of success.<\/p>\n\n Shackleford believes that it\u2019s easy for anyone to build up a strong basic knowledge of blackjack<\/a> which will help players to understand which cards to play in different situations. The first step is to start studying basic strategy charts that show you what the general approach should be in any given situation. These charts display what the dealer\u2019s upcard is and what the players hand is, and all you need to do is find the corresponding square to know what to do. These charts can all be found on Shackleford\u2019s site, and you can also refer to some of the basic ones in this article.<\/p>\n\n Basic blackjack tips charts can be printed off in the form of a basic strategy card, and it\u2019s perfectly legal to use these for reference during a game. These charts are easy to memorise as well, and Shackleford recommends going for the top half of hard hands first. This way, you\u2019ll already know how to play 80% of hands before moving onto the soft hands and splits.<\/p>\n\n You need to be aware that there are slightly tweaked strategies for different forms of blackjack. Depending on the strain you are playing and the number of decks, you will need to consult different strategy cards. You should also familiarise yourself with the basic strategy rules at different sites and in varied games. For example, you need to know if the dealer stands on a soft 17, and whether a double or split is allowed. In some games, the dealer is also allowed to peek for a blackjack.<\/p>\n\n According to research from blackjack expert Peter Griffin<\/a> on the cost of mistakes, recreational blackjack players give the house an extra edge of 1.4%\u00a0simply through misplaying. Shackleford believes that players should be fighting for every 0.01% gain they can get, and this can be achieved with even the simplest strategy.<\/p>\n\n In our detailed interview with the Wizard of Odds, Shackleford laid out the information that everyone needs to know for different circumstances in blackjack. Let\u2019s examine some of the diverse scenarios in more detail. Check out the blackjack chart below for your reference, as well as this will help you visualise the different plays:<\/p>\n\n According to Shackleford: \u201cA player should hit when he has a low total, and the dealer is showing a high up card. So that means the player is saying \u2018I\u2019m not happy with what I have now. I\u2019m going to take my chances and take another card.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n A real-world example of this could be when you\u2019ve been dealt a hand that values a total of 14 and you see that the dealer\u2019s upcard is a 10. Your chances of winning if you stand are slim, as the dealer only needs to reach a total of 15 to beat you. In this scenario, you have seven cards that can add value to your hand, so it\u2019s wise to take your chances and see what peels off from the deck<\/p>\n\n Of course, you don\u2019t need to do this simply by instinct. If you refer to the blackjack hit chart, you\u2019ll see exactly when you should be asking the dealer for another card.<\/p>\n\n When it comes to standing in blackjack, you can refer to basic strategy charts to see what the best course of action is. Shackleford warns, though, that you should always remember that the house has an advantage<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n The expert says: \u201cThe player should be more inclined to stand if the dealer has a weak card showing. Of course, the better the player\u2019s hand, the more inclined he should be to stand. Don\u2019t forget that the dealer has a positional advantage in blackjack, and if both of you bust, you (the player) lose. So, if the dealer has a low card showing, like a 4, 5, or 6, you should be more conservative and let the dealer act, and hopefully, he will bust.\u201d<\/p>\n\n Although Shackleford says that players should try to be conservative when the dealer is showing a low card, you should still ensure that you have a strong enough hand to force the dealer into a situation where he could go bust. This means that it would be wise to have a hand value of at least 17.<\/p>\n\n In blackjack, you have the option to double your bet<\/a> if you think you have a strong chance of winning. After receiving your first two cards, you can double down and increase your bet by up to 100 per cent. After that, you must receive exactly one more card.<\/p>\n\n Shackleford\u2019s thoughts on doubling down are that \u201cdoubling is best with a 10 or 11, and especially against a weaker dealer card. There are also some situations where you\u2019d double with a 9 or a soft total against a weak dealer card, but the main time you double is with 10 or 11.\u201d<\/p>\n\n Splitting pairs of cards is where blackjack gets slightly more complicated. Shackleford believes that players should split pairs when the dealer has a weak card and the alternative to splitting is not good. The example that he gives is when players have to split two eights against a ten.<\/p>\n\n Players don\u2019t enjoy doing this because an eight\u2019s chances against a ten are weak, so why should they pay more money to enter this battle? It\u2019s because the hand of 16 is also terrible, and the player stands to lose more by hitting or standing than splitting. So, while splitting eights isn\u2019t the most attractive seeming option, it does statistically perform better than keeping them together.<\/p>\n\n Usually re-splitting is allowed after splitting a pair.\u00a0 In this case, if it was right to split the first time, the player should keep re-splitting as long as he is allowed to. Shackleford notes, though, that there are marginal situations where splitting is only slightly better than not splitting. Still, he recommends picking a strategy and sticking with it, rather than mixing things up from game to game.<\/p>\n\n The option to surrender occurs in some variants of blackjack games<\/a>, but not all. That\u2019s why it\u2019s always a good idea to check the rules of the game you are playing before you begin. Surrendering basically means that you fold your starting hand and receive half of your original stake back. The other half will go to the dealer. Although this doesn\u2019t sound like a great option, there are some situations where the alternative is even worst.<\/p>\n\n Shackleford says: \u201cThe player should definitely surrender if he has a total of 16 against a 10 if he\u2019s allowed to. Other situations vary, based on whether the dealer is allowed to stand on a soft 17. But some situations where you might surrender are 16 against a 9, 16 against an Ace, 17 against an Ace, and 15 against a 10.\u201d<\/p>\n\n In these circumstances, you don\u2019t have much chance of coming out on top, so if you can take back half your stake then you have turned a bad situation into a decent one.<\/p>\n\n Taking insurance in blackjack occurs when the dealer has an ace showing. It\u2019s like a side bet that the dealer has blackjack, so you\u2019d win the side bet but you\u2019d lose your main stake. According to our expert, this is a bet that you should avoid at all costs.<\/p>\n\n Shackleford says, \u201cNever (take insurance). Absolutely never, unless you\u2019re a card counter. And that includes even money on a blackjack \u2013 say no to that because it\u2019s the same thing as taking insurance, which is a lousy bet and has a house advantage of 7.7%.\u201d<\/p>\n\n Playing blackjack with a strategy can put you at an advantage over a player that doesn\u2019t play with a plan. However, you should be aware that it is still a game of chance and there is no sure-fire way to win. There is always a casino edge in the game, as the dealer gets to act after the player has made their decisions. Also, if both the player and the dealer end up going bust, the player loses the bet.<\/p>\n\n According to Shackleford, players using an optimal strategy without counting cards can reduce the house edge to around 0.7%. This obviously depends on the rules of the casino, however. If blackjack pays 6 to 5, the house edge will be around 2%. Typical Vegas rules of 3 to 2, on the other hand, would produce a house edge of around 0.7%.<\/p>\n\n By learning about common blackjack strategies and improving your knowledge, you can improve your odds of winning at blackjack, although of course there is no strategy which guarantees that you will walk away from the table with a profit. Reading expert tips and studying basic strategy charts is the way forward if you want to maximise your chances to win at blackjack, and don\u2019t forget that you are able to use basic strategy tables when playing.<\/p>\n\n For more information about everything to do with blackjack and other casino games, check out Shackleford\u2019s website, Wizard of Odds<\/a>. Then, you\u2019ll be ready to start playing blackjack online<\/a> today.<\/p>\n\n Did you know that what other players at the table do has no effect on your strategy?\u00a0 Basic blackjack strategy is purely about weighing up your own hand against the dealer\u2019s and deciding whether to hit or stand on that basis. It doesn\u2019t matter if someone else has 21 or makes an error.<\/p>\n\n Previous:<\/strong> Card Values<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Who is Michael Shackleford?<\/h2>\n\n
Why is Strategy Important in Blackjack?<\/h2>\n\n
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How do Players Get Started with Blackjack Basic Strategy?<\/h2>\n\n
Blackjack Betting Chart: Know What to do in Any Situation<\/h2>\n\n
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When Should You Hit?<\/h3>\n\n
When Should You Stand?<\/h3>\n\n
What is Doubling Down and When Should you do it?<\/h3>\n\n
When is a Good Time to Split Pairs?<\/h3>\n\n
When Should You Surrender?<\/h3>\n\n
What is Insurance\/Even Money?<\/h3>\n\n
What Else do you\u00a0Need to Know?<\/h2>\n\n
Playing Blackjack in an Optimal Manner<\/h2>\n\n
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Did you know?<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n
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