Why is a blackjack “Cheat Sheet” so important?
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Everyone has heard it: The player’s odds are best in blackjack. The house advantage is just around 0.9% and, with just a bit of luck and restraint, the good blackjack player can conceivably leave the table a winner.
So why doesn’t this happen more often? Mostly from a lack of player discipline or simply not knowing the odds in a given situation at the table. This is why the no. 1 tip given to any blackjack player should be: Get a blackjack “cheat sheet” and learn it.
Widely available online, a blackjack cheat sheet resembles a four-color spreadsheet. Along one column are the player’s possible hands and along the top run the possible dealer show cards. Blackjack cheat sheets are widely available for download online for free. If you don’t memorize all 250 combinations, any casino should happily allow you to use a printed version of a blackjack cheat sheet.
Just a cursory study of a blackjack cheat sheet shows certain rules you can play by, such as:
Hitting – The blackjack cheat sheet says to hit any hand totaling 8 points or fewer. You also hit on anything from soft 13 (Ace and 2) to soft 17 (A-6). Finally, unless you’ve got 17 or more, you’ll hit whenever the dealer is showing anything from 7 to Ace.
Standing – If you’ve got 10-10 or A-8 you’re standing (with A-8 versus the dealer showing 6, you can double down). If you’re holding anything totaling 13 through 16 while the dealer shows 2 through 6, stand.
Splitting – Always split pairs of 8s or Aces. When dealt 7s, split against a dealer’s hand showing 2 through 7; when holding 9s, split against anything 2 through 6, 8, or 9. Never split 5s and 10s/face card.
Doubling – With 10, always double down unless the dealer shows a 10/face card or Ace. And double down on a hand value of 9 against dealer hands showing 3 through 6.
