Blackjack is the most popular table game in casinos because it offers the best chance for beating the house. Rather than relying on the cold, mechanical whim of slot machines, you make decisions at Blackjack that help determine your fate. Each hand of cards at the Blackjack table offers several options, and the choices you make with your cards affect whether you return home a winner or a loser.
You may have avoided Blackjack in the past — because you felt as out of place as a ballerina at the Super Bowl. But Blackjack is a fairly simple game to understand, and with just a few lessons and strategies, you can feel comfortable and confident at the tables. This chapter lays out the basics and gives you the tools you need for your first venture into the world of Blackjack.
Dealing Out Blackjack Basics
Blackjack, or 21 as it’s also called, is a card game with a very clear-cut objective: You try to beat the dealer. Not your neighbor to the left. Not everyone else at the table. Just the dealer. And you have three — count ’em, three — ways to win:
The dealer deals you a Blackjack, any starting hand consisting of an ace and a 10 (10s and all face cards — jacks, queens, and kings), equaling 21 points. However, this is a tie if the dealer also has a Blackjack.
The dealer’s hand busts — or exceeds 21 points — and your hand doesn’t.
Your hand — which doesn’t exceed 21 — is higher than the dealer’s hand. For example, you have 19, and the dealer has 18.
The news gets even better — the dealer must stick to some restrictive rules that favor the players. (I explain these rules in “Drawing the dealer’s curtain” later in this chapter.) And following a number of simple strategies helps you improve your odds of beating the house.
In this section, we set the stage for your game of Blackjack. We explain the arena in which you play and the cards’ values. We also provide a brief script on how to play the game.
Setting the scene
You play Blackjack on a semicircular felt table that seats up to seven players on the curved side of the table, while the dealer stands opposite (see Figure 5-1). These Blackjack tables are clustered together into pits, which you usually find in the middle of a casino. The only other accoutrements to the game are the cards — the game uses anywhere from one to eight decks (more about that in “Dealing what’s in the cards” later in this chapter) — and the chips, which you use to make your bets. In addition, small placards indicate the table limits and minimum and maximum bets allowed. (Check out “Eyeing table bet levels” later in this chapter for more information about bets.)
In Blackjack, the cards are normally worth their face value, or their pip number. A 4 counts as four points, an 8 is equal to eight points, and so on. The only exceptions are that 10s and face cards all are worth 10 points, and an ace can count as either 1 or 11 points, depending on how you want to use it. The ace is also the most important card in the deck — the combination of an ace and any ten-point card (10, jack, queen, or king) on your original two cards results in a natural, or a Blackjack.
Unlike games like poker, individual suits — clubs, hearts, spades, or diamonds — make no difference whatsoever in Blackjack.
Preparing to Play
Yes, understanding the basics of Blackjack is relatively easy. But before you can walk away a winner, you need a deeper understanding of the nuances of the game and casino protocol. In the previous section, we briefly discuss how you play Blackjack. In this section, we delve a little deeper and plumb the many facets that, when mastered, lead to Blackjack success. We begin with the warm-up acts — getting seated, purchasing chips, and placing bets — all of which are important steps before you actually begin playing the game.
Finding a table: Strategic seating
Blackjack begins by selecting a seat at the table. Typically, a Blackjack table allows for five to seven players. Whenever you see an empty seat at a Blackjack table, you may assume it’s for your taking (unless chips or a coat are holding the spot for a player who just stepped away for a moment or unless some player is playing two hands). In most cases, joining a game in progress is okay, although some tables have a No-Midshoe Entry policy (usually marked by a sign at the table), which means you have to wait until the shuffle before playing.
For your first trip to the tables, you’re better off finding a nearly full table. Although the number of players at the table has no effect on the odds on your hands, the game is much quicker with fewer players. A fuller table gives you more time to think about each hand without being rushed or pressured.
The following sections provide a few more pointers to keep in mind when looking for a seat. Ideally, you want to search for a table with fewer decks and favorable rules.
Seeking single-deck tables
Without getting into a lot of math, here’s a good rule to follow: The fewer decks the casino uses, the better for you. Your chances for success increase if you can find a single-deck game. Most casinos worldwide have gone to six or more decks in an attempt to thwart card counters (skilled players who keep track of cards). But some places still deal Blackjack the old-fashioned way — with one deck of 52 cards. Most of the casinos in northern Nevada (Reno, Lake Tahoe, and Wendover) still use one deck of cards at many of their Blackjack tables. If you aren’t sure how many decks the casino is using, just ask.
Spotting tables with favorable rules
When searching for your table, you also want to know which rules favor you. Some rule changes are beneficial and help players — dealer standing on soft 17 and surrender are good examples (look at “Homing in on house rules” later in this chapter for specifics on these rules). Sometimes these rule variations are spelled out at the table, but if you’re unsure, just ask the dealer what the specific rules are.
Eyeing table bet levels
Before you actually sit down, look for the table’s minimum and maximum betting limits. Every table has these fixed limits, which the casino usually posts on a small sign located on the table to the right of the dealer.
For example, you may sit down at a table where the placard says $5–$500, which means you have to bet at least $5 on every hand and can never bet more than $500 on any one spot. Typically, the higher the minimum starting bet, the higher the maximum bet for that table. (Check out “Eyeing table bet levels” later in this chapter for more about bets.)
When you’re starting out, find the lowest minimum table in the casino and begin there. Making smaller bets keeps you out of trouble until you understand the game better — and you’re less likely to end up sitting next to a high roller (who may not appreciate a novice at his table).
Purchasing chips
After you select your seat, you need to buy chips from the dealer. Select the amount of money you want to start with and lay your cash on the felt in front of you. The dealer changes your cash into chips and slides them across the felt to you.
Don’t hand your money directly to the dealer; doing so is a breach of etiquette and brands you as a greenhorn.
After you receive your chips, leave them on the table in front of you. Chips come in several denominations and are color-coded. Although every casino uses distinctive chips, most colors are standard. (Check out Book 6, Chapter 1 for a list of the different color chips and their values.)
Start off with a small amount of chips. A good approach is to cash in no more than 25 percent of your daily bankroll for chips. For example, if you budget $400 for the day, buy in for no more than $100 to start. This way, when you’re losing, you minimize the temptation to bet more than you planned. You can always buy more chips later if necessary.
Homing in on house rules
Blackjack rules are fairly similar worldwide — with a few variations. Sometimes a small placard sitting on the table indicates where the casino stands in regard to certain scenarios. If you don’t see a placard, you may ask the dealer what the house rules are, even when you’re in the middle of a hand.
Does the dealer hit on a soft 17?
A soft hand is any hand that counts an ace as 11 rather than 1. The hand is soft because it can’t bust on the next card. For example, if you hit (take another card) a soft 18 (an ace and a 7) with a 6, the ace automatically reverts to 1 (rather than 11), and the hand total is now 14 (rather than 24, which would be a bust).
Whether a dealer hits or stands on a soft 17 is usually spelled out in bold white letters right on the felt.
Is doubling down restricted to certain card combinations?
In Las Vegas, casinos typically allow doubling down, an option that allows you to double your bet, on any two cards, but other places may restrict this move to just totals of 10 or 11. The placard probably won’t list restrictions to doubling down. If you aren’t sure whether restrictions are in place, don’t be afraid to ask the dealer, even if you’re in the middle of a hand.
Can you surrender?
A playing option known as surrender is an extremely profitable option for you as a player, but not many casinos offer it. When you surrender, you lose half of your initial bet and give up your hand. For example, if you bet $10 and are dealt a 16, you can surrender and only lose $5 (half your bet) rather than risk the entire $10 on a bad hand. Once again, the placard may not readily advertise this rule variation, so always ask if surrender is available.
Dealing what’s in the cards
All right, you’re situated at the table, you’ve made your bet in the betting box, and your heart is pumping like a jackhammer. The dealer flashes you a warm smile, wishes you good luck, shuffles the deck, and asks you to cut the cards.
If you’re playing a one- or two-deck game, the dealer holds the cards in his hands and deals you two cards face-down. You can pick up these cards, but make sure you only hold them in one hand.
However, the majority of Blackjack games today use six or eight decks. In these cases, the dealer deals your two cards face-up from a shoe (a boxlike device that houses the cards).
Whether your cards are dealt face-up or face-down really doesn’t matter — dealers follow strict rules, and seeing the values of your cards doesn’t influence them. Dealers’ hands always start off with one card exposed and one card hidden, regardless of the number of decks.
Betting Your Bottom Dollar
On the felt in front of you is a betting circle or betting box. Place your chips in this spot to indicate how much you want to bet on the upcoming hand. You must make all bets before any cards are dealt.
After you make your bet, you aren’t allowed to add, take from, or touch the wager again. After the hand is resolved (the dealer has paid out the winners and collected chips from the losers), you may change the amount you wager for the next hand.
Ah, but of course, exceptions apply to every rule. And in Blackjack you may alter your bet in two ways:
Doubling down: You double your original bet.
Splitting: You break your original hand into two separate hands.
For more information about these two lucrative options as well as other playing options, check out the next section, “Playing Your Hand.”
Playing Your Hand
After dealing, the dealer addresses the players from left to right, asking them to take action. At last — the moment of truth. Now your skill and understanding can improve your chances of beating the dealer.
Unlike many of the casino’s games, Blackjack isn’t based entirely on luck. Skill and strategy play a significant role in who wins at the Blackjack tables — and part of the fun and challenge is weighing the various options you can use in a hand.
Exercising your options
Depending on your hand and the dealer’s upcard (the one you can see), you have a number of options to consider. The great appeal of Blackjack lies in the many decisions available to you, and each hand presents a wide range of choices. The two most common ones are the following:
Hitting: Taking another card to improve your hand.
Standing: Passing up the opportunity for another card if you’re satisfied with the total you already have.
The following sections explore your other options. (You can also check out “Identifying Common Mistakes” later in this chapter for help with some specific Blackjack circumstances.)
Act natural: Holding 21
If your first two cards total 21 (an ace and a 10 or a face card), you’re the proud owner of a natural, also referred to as a Blackjack. A natural is as good as it gets — you no longer have any agonizing decisions over whether to hit or stand. (Check out “Drawing the dealer’s curtain,” later in this chapter to find more information about whether you win.)
Stand and deliver: Staying put when your total is high
If you don’t have 21, but your total is still pretty high — 17 or more — your best strategy normally is to stand.
Communicate that you’re standing by waving your hand over the top of your cards in face-up games or by tucking your cards gently under your bet in face-down games.
Hit me, baby: Asking for another card
If you don’t get a natural and your hand total is very low — say a 5 and a 4 for a total of 9 — you should hit. Even if you get a 10, you won’t bust, so you’re safe to request another card. Signal you’re hitting either by motioning with your finger in face-up games or by scratching your cards on the felt behind your bet in face-down games.
Anytime your hand totals 12 or higher, there is a risk in adding another card. If your hit card is a face card, your hand now exceeds 21 and you lose, regardless of what happens to the dealer’s hand. (I provide correct basic strategy for all hands in “Strategizing in the computer age.”)
Get two for one: Splitting pairs
If you hold two cards of equal value — such as two 8s — you have the option of splitting, or making two separate hands from the pair. With this tactic, you must match your original bet. In other words, if you bet $10, you increase your bet by $10 more for the new hand. You then play two separate hands, each starting with one of the original 8s. You play these two hands out, one at a time, with the normal options of hitting, standing, splitting, or doubling down. Splitting is one of the rare opportunities you have to alter your bet in the middle of a hand.
Double the fun: Increasing your bet
Doubling down is an option that allows you to double your original bet. The tradeoff is that you receive only one more card, which the dealer traditionally deals face-down. Most casinos permit doubling down on any first two cards.
Going beyond Lady Luck
Most new players have two primary goals for their first session of Blackjack: Win money and avoid looking like a rookie at the table. But to become a successful Blackjack player, you need to master the principles of basic strategy. And relying on Lady Luck or a rabbit’s foot isn’t a basic strategy that works in Blackjack.
In this section, we simplify and condense basic strategy down to six bite-sized blocks — tactics that help you reduce the house edge to approximately 1 percent. If you want even better odds, then we suggest you skip this simplified version and learn regular basic strategy (see the section “Strategizing in the computer age”).
Basic strategy for double downs
Doubling down permits you to double your original bet but restricts you to receiving just one more card. The following are the best times to use this strategy:
On 11, double if the dealer’s upcard is a 2 through 10; otherwise hit.
On 10, double if the dealer’s upcard is a 2 through 9, otherwise hit.
A starting total of 10 or 11 is the best time to double down because you have approximately a 30 percent chance of receiving a 10 or a face card.
Basic strategy for pair splits
When you hold two cards of equal value, you can split your cards and make two separate hands from the pair by matching your original bet. You play the hands out one at a time.
Keep the following strategies in mind for pair splits:
Always split aces and 8s. Aces are great to split because of the chance to make 21; you split 8s more for defensive reasons (16 is a poor starting hand).
Never split 5s or 10s. Never split 5s and 10s because their totals (10 and 20, respectively) are great starting hands.
Basic strategy for stiff hands
Stiff hands are any hard totals between 12 and 16. Stiff hands are obviously your worst nightmare because any 10 busts your hand. Follow these strategies for stiff hands:
Stand when the dealer is weakest (upcard of 2 through 6).
Hit whenever the dealer is strong (upcard of 7 through ace).
Basic strategy for pat hands
Pat hands are any hard hands of 17 to 21. Because of their high starting total, pat hands deliver most of your winnings. Whenever you have a hard hand of 17 or more, stand.
Strategizing in the computer age
After you have a little experience under your belt at the Blackjack tables, I recommend studying the complete version of basic strategy in this section. Mastering basic strategy definitely takes a little work, but the additional gain is very worthwhile. Following basic strategy (rather than the simplified strategy offered earlier) cuts the casino edge against you in half — to a half percentage point or less — by far the best odds of any table game played against the house.
If you aren’t able to memorize Tables 5-1, 5-2, and 5-3 right away, you can always buy a basic strategy card at most casino gift shops and use it right at the tables.
Double versus 3–6. Stand versus 2, 7, 8. Hit versus 9, 10, A.
A-8 or A-9
Always stand.
A-10
Always stand.
Making a side bet
Occasionally you may sit down at a Blackjack table that offers side bets. You can make these bets in addition to your basic wager (typically before the hand is dealt) in a separate, distinct betting box. The appeal of side bets is their huge payoffs for certain card combinations (up to 1,000 to 1 in Lucky Ladies, for example).
Although several popular Blackjack side bets exist (you may have heard of some, such as Super Sevens and Royal Match), only one — insurance — is generally available at all Blackjack tables. Insurance is a hedge bet you can take whenever the dealer’s upcard is an ace. You wager up to half of your original bet that the dealer’s hole card is a ten (that the dealer has Blackjack). If the dealer does have Blackjack, your side bet pays back 2 to 1.
Side bets are almost always bad, and you should avoid them. Unless the bean counters in the backroom make an error on their slide rules, every side bet in a casino favors the house with odds far worse (for you) than regular Blackjack. The insurance bet is a good example; it’s just another tactic to separate gullible gamblers from the contents of their wallets.
Drawing the dealer’s curtain
Now the dealer…drum roll, please…reveals that mysterious face-down hole card that can make or break your successful outcome (see Figure 5-2).
If the dealer has a natural (21), the game is over — you lose (unless you also have a natural; then you tie).
If the dealer’s total is 16 or less, the dealer has to hit.
If the dealer busts (exceeds a total of 21), the game is over — you win if you haven’t also busted.
If the dealer’s hole card reveals a total of 17 or more, the dealer must stand. Your hand must beat the dealer’s hand to win.
The dealer is bound by these rigid rules. For example, if the dealer has 15, she can’t choose to stand, even if doing so is beneficial, because she must always hit until reaching 17 or higher. And the dealer doesn’t have the options that are available to players, such as doubling down or splitting.
Looking at payouts
After the dealer has completed her hand, you know whether you win, lose, or tie. The following are some of the payout possibilities:
You’re dealt a natural (your first two cards equal 21). The house pays you 3 to 2 — at least in most casinos — which means that a $10 bet wins $15 ($25 total, for a profit of $15).
You bust, exceeding 21. You lose, no matter what happens with the dealer’s hand, and the casino wins your $10 bet (a loss of $10).
Your hand is higher than the dealer’s hand. For example, your hand totals 20, and the dealer has 18. You win even money on your wager — $10 for every $10 bet ($20 total, for a profit of $10).
Your hand is lower than the dealer’s hand. For example, you have 17, and the dealer has 19. You lose, and the dealer keeps your chips (a loss of $10).
You and the dealer tie, or have a push. Nobody wins, and no money changes hands.
Mathematically speaking, the casino game of Blackjack is the best table game to play because of its favorable odds. The small house edge comes from the simple fact that the dealer goes last and that many players bust out and lose their money before the dealer even acts on his hand.
Blackjack protocol: How to avoid trouble
When playing Blackjack, you want to ensure that you don’t make any faux pas. Just like in other casino games, etiquette is important when playing Blackjack (check out Book 6, Chapter 3 for general casino etiquette). Blackjack is a fairly social game, and talking openly about your hand with other players is common. But make no mistake, Blackjack — along with poker — boasts a long history of innovative or desperate players who cheat in order to get an edge. And modern casinos are vigilant about stopping any suspicious activities that suggest card-marking or other nefarious techniques. Consequently, you want to be careful, especially as a rookie, how you handle yourself — not to mention your cards and chips. For example, you can easily bend cards without realizing you’re doing anything wrong.
Here are some tips to help you be a good citizen of the Blackjack table:
If you’re uncertain as to what behaviors draw suspicion, explain to the dealer that you’re new to the game and ask him to inform you if you’re making any mistakes.
Follow the game protocol by turning over your cards when you bust or have a natural (in a face-down game).
Remember that you aren’t competing against other players at the table, so don’t feel like you have to hide your cards like you do in poker.
Lastly, don’t give any advice. Although you have good intentions, other players rarely welcome your help, which can backfire if they follow it and lose. Telling other people how to play or how to spend their money is also poor etiquette.
Identifying Common Mistakes
In order to help you play your cards correctly and understand basic strategy principles, Table 5-4 includes six examples of common mistakes and the rationale for how to avoid them.
TABLE 5-4 Common Blackjack Mistakes — and How to Avoid ’Em
Common Mistake
Scenario
Strategy
Explanation
Hitting with a stiff hand when the dealer’s card is low
You have a 12 (a 5 and 7), and the dealer’s upcard is a 4.
Stand
A general rule for these troublesome stiff hands is to stand against a dealer’s upcard of 2 to 6 and hit against a dealer’s upcard of 7 or higher.
Standing with a soft hand, ace and 6 or less
You have an ace and a 4.
Hit
Always hit or double down on soft 17 or less (when you hold an ace and 2 through 6).
Not splitting when you have two 8s
You have two 8s and the dealer’s upcard is a jack.
Split
Splitting the 8s considerably reduces the house edge on this difficult hand. If you chicken out and don’t split, the dealer has an advantage higher than 50 percent against you.
Splitting two face cards
You have a queen and king.
Stand
Close to 70 percent of your gain in Blackjack comes from being dealt either 20 or 21, so don’t be too quick to part with your gift horse.
Not doubling down on 11 when the dealer has a 10 up
You hold a 5 and a 6 and the dealer’s upcard is a 10 or face card.
Double down
The odds favor the brave in this scenario, and you’ll make more money over the long run by taking the extra risk and doubling down.
Not taking advantage of a weak dealer upcard
You hold a 5 and a 5, and the dealer’s upcard is a 2.
Double down
When the dealer has a small upcard (2—6), you typically want to go gangbusters and double down or split whenever you can. Against the bigger upcards (7 through ace), you tend to split and double down less often.
If you can avoid these six common mistakes, you’re ahead of 95 percent of the players in the casino. Very few gamblers understand that a correct way exists to play each and every hand of Blackjack. After you acquire that knowledge, you can whittle the odds against you down to nothing at a good single-deck Blackjack game.
Unlike games like poker, individual suits — clubs, hearts, spades, or diamonds — make no difference whatsoever in Blackjack.
For your first trip to the tables, you’re better off finding a nearly full table. Although the number of players at the table has no effect on the odds on your hands, the game is much quicker with fewer players. A fuller table gives you more time to think about each hand without being rushed or pressured.
Don’t hand your money directly to the dealer; doing so is a breach of etiquette and brands you as a greenhorn.