Beating the Dealer at Blackjack: Everything You Need to Know
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The house edge is applied to every game in a casino. In blackjack, the house advantage is around 1.5%. For every $100 you spend at the table, you are expected to lose $1.50. If you apply the basic black jack strategy, however, it can bring the odds down to 0. 5%.
It's All About the Ten Cards. All picture cards in the deck are worth ten. Four cards are of value two through nine, and four aces can be one or 11.
The dealer looks strong. If he looks weak, you need to play more aggressively. If the dealer has an 8, 9, or 10, his total is a strong 18, 19, 20.
The dealer looks weak. If he has cards 3 through 6, you must assume his next card is a ten. In this case, stand on about any two cards or widen the hands with which you are willing to split or double down.
Doubling down allows you to effectively increase your stake and win more. You can double down with ten only when the dealer shows nine or fewer cards. If you have two fives, you can also double it with nine if the upcard is three through six.
When you are dealt a pair, you have the option of splitting, repeating your stake, or having the dealer add an extra card to the split cards. A rookie mistake is to split when you're dealt two tens.
Beating the Dealer at Blackjack is a lot to take in for the novice player. The best way to follow the basic strategy is to print a blackjack chart. The chart gives you the optimum way of playing any hand depending on your two starting cards and the value of the dealer’s upcard.
