Blackjack Basics: From Novice To Strategic Player

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Avoid hitting on risky hands like 12-16. When the Dealer is Weak (Upcard 2 through 6): The dealer is more likely to bust. In these situations, you should be more conservative. You need to be more aggressive to win. A "soft hand" contains an Ace that can count as 11 without busting. When the Dealer is Strong (Upcard 7 through Ace): The dealer is likely to make a strong hand. You can play soft hands more aggressively because you cannot bust by taking one more card. This is also the prime time to double down and split to get more money on the table when the dealer is vulnerable. Soft Hands: A "hard hand" is one without an Ace, or where the Ace must count as 1. It won't make you win every time—luck is still a major factor in the short term—but it will give you the best possible chance to win and will ensure that the casino (mouse click the next document)'s edge over you is as small as possible. By playing smart, you can turn a simple card game into a compelling strategic challenge. Learning and applying basic strategy is the single most important thing a Blackjack player can do. For example, you should always hit on a Soft 17 (Ace-6). You should hit your hard totals of 12-16 until you reach at least 17.

By the dealer's hand going over 21 (a "bust"). By getting a hand value higher than the dealer's hand, without going over 21. Here are the fundamental rules and card values: By getting a "Blackjack" (a two-card hand of 21) when the dealer does not.

Double Down
Increase your wager, but you only receive one more card. Used when your hand total is high (e.g., 17 or more) and hitting is too risky. Used when your hand total is low (e.g., 11 or less) and you are unlikely to bust. A powerful move used when you have a strong starting hand (e.g., a total of 10 or 11) and the dealer's upcard is weak. You must place a second bet equal to your first. Player Move
What It Means
General Advice


Hit
Take another card. Stand
End your turn. A good option when you have a very weak hand (like 16) and the dealer has a very strong upcard (like a 10 or Ace). Split
If you have two cards of the same value (e.g., two 8s), you can create two new hands. Always split Aces and 8s. Never split 10s or 5s. While memorizing the entire chart can seem daunting, casino, just click the next site, learning a few key rules can dramatically improve your game: This set of decisions is called "Basic Strategy." It was developed through computer simulations and is typically displayed in a color-coded chart. Surrender
(Not always offered) Give up your hand and lose half your bet. Introduction to Basic Strategy
For every possible combination of your hand and the dealer's upcard, there is one mathematically optimal decision (hit, stand, double, or split) that will result in the highest expected return over the long run.