Basic Blackjack Strategy
You will often hear the term “perfect playing strategy” when you are researching how to play Blackjack. While most players have a basic understanding of how to play Blackjack what many players lack is the knowledge to play the game perfectly.
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Using perfect Blackjack playing strategy involves having the ability to know how to play each and every hand based on what cards you are holding along with the card or cards that you can see the Dealer holding.
As you will know when playing Blackjack you are faced with many decisions once your initial two cards have been dealt out to you. These options can include you being able to Hit, Split, Double Down, Stand and/or Surrender your hand along with possibly taking the Insurance side bet if offered.
The art to playing Blackjack profitably is for you to play the variant which offers the lowest house edge. With dozens of different variants on offer this may seem like a daunting task as each variant available will come with different game play rules, payouts and also the number of decks of cards in the shoe can vary which will affect the house edge.
However one game which does offer a tiny house edge is the Classic Blackjack game and below we will let you know the best way to play this particular variant to allow you to get that low house edge whenever you play it.
Blackjack Basic Strategy
Insurance: Let us start with the Insurance wager, this particular bet offered to players whenever the Dealer’s hand could be a Blackjack hand is the worst bet you can make at a Blackjack table. This is due to the large house edge attached to it, so when offered the best basic Blackjack strategy for this wager is to always refuse it.
Double Down: When playing Classic Blackjack you can Double Down when you have a Hard 9, 10 or 11, however the only time you should perform such a move is when you have been dealt a pair of fives or a Hard ten or eleven and the dealer is showing a 2 to 9 valued card, or when you have a Hard nine and the Dealer is showing a 2 to 6 valued card.
Splitting a Pair: You should always split Aces when playing Classic Blackjack no matter what card the Dealer is showing. You should always split a pair of nines unless the Dealer has a 7, 10 or an Ace card showing if he does then stand your hand.
Always split a pair or eights unless the Dealer has a ten or Ace showing, if he does then hit your hand. A pair of sevens should always be Split unless the Dealer has 8, 9, 10 or an Ace showing if so Hit your hand unless he has a 10 in which case your should Stand your hand.
A pair of sixes should be Split unless the Dealer has a 7 to Ace valued card showing if he does hit that hand. Split a Pair of threes when the Dealer is showing a 4 to 7 valued card or Hit your hand if he is showing any other card.
Split a pair of 2’s when the Dealers is showing a 3 to 7 valued card and Hit your hand if he is showing any other card. These are the only times you should Split a hand when you are playing Classic Blackjack.
Standing a Hand: You should always stand a pair of tens, any Hard 17 or above hand and all Soft 18 to Soft 20 valued hands the only exception to this strategy is when you have a Soft 18 and the Dealer has a 9 or 10 hand in which case you should hit that hand.
If you have a Hard 13 to a Hard 16 hand then always stand that hand unless the Dealer has a 7 to Ace card showing in which case you should hit that hand. You should Stand a 12 valued hand when the Dealer is showing a 4, 5 or 6 valued card.
Hitting a Hand: The other times, other than those already mentioned in the above sections, that you should Hit your hand is when you have a Soft 13 to a Soft 17 hand, no matter what card the Dealer is showing you should always Hit your hand. Also always hit a Pair of 4’s no matter what card the Dealer is showing.