Six Blackjack Tips

Blackjack is one of the casino games which feature an extremely decent house edge. It is also among the casino games in which player skill can further reduce the house edge. The truth about blackjack is that those who read up on the game a bit and heed a few bits of advice, are able to pretty much ruin the profit margin of the casino at the tables. Casinos aren't particularly worried about such players though, because most people who play never take the time to read up on basic strategy and to learn the basic strategy tables by heart.

Here are a few tips to make you a much better blackjack player, allowing you to keep your bankroll alive for longer and thus to get a well deserved extra bang for your buck.

First of all, you need to know that there are several blackjack variants out there, some of which are more player-friendly than others. Some variants are played with fewer decks, thus those familiar with card-counting techniques can gain an edge there. Some variants feature rules which favor the player, thus the first tip would be: seek out and stick to tables where the house edge is the smallest and where the rules do not heavily favor the house.

The second essential tip would be to learn basic strategy. Basic strategy is credited with cutting the house edge nearly in half, and it's not complicated like poker strategy. There are no subtle psychological sides to it, nor are there any complicated maneuvers involved. Blackjack basic strategy consists of a few tables which basically tell the player what to do depending on his card and the dealer's up-card. Those who understand the mechanics of the game (which isn't exactly rocket-science either) will be able to learn basic strategy much easier.

Learning to count cards (hint: it's not as complicated as Hollywood movies would have you believe) is also a nice touch, although that only works under certain circumstances and it doesn't really work online at all. That's about as much as you can do to improve your blackjack odds without actually getting into strategy specifics.

As far as actual strategy is concerned: if you find yourself unable or un-willing to learn basic strategy, here are a few tips to help you keep on top of your game: remember never to split two 10s. Although it may look tempting, with two 10s in your pocket, you have 20, a more than decent BJ hand, while with two 10s you will have absolutely nothing.

Always split two 8s. Statistics tell you that you need to get rid of the 16 because it's the worst possible blackjack hand. While splitting your 8s won't land you with a good hand either, at least it will get you out of a tight spot into neutral territory again.

Splitting two 5s on the other hand is not a good idea. Two 5s make a 10 which is a decent start, because it leaves open the possibility of landing another 10 and thus hitting a 20. Two separate 5s don't do much good on the other hand.

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