Online Casino Advice » Blackjack

General Tips

1. Under the assumption that the dealer doesn’t have a blackjack and that he stands on a soft 17, if he has a 5 and you have a 3 and Ace, your best option would be to double down.
2. When you get the sense that the dealer may not have a blackjack as he hits on a soft 17 in a game where a double deck is being used, if he has a 10 and you have a 4 and 2, it would be best to hit.
3. Whenever two decks are used in a game of blackjack and the dealer who stands on a soft 17 is also presumed not to have a blackjack, if he has a 3 and you have a 9 and 6, you’d better stand.
4. To avoid hostile playing conditions in blackjack, look for rules that are favorable to the player like surrender, both early and late
5. Hit a soft 18 if the dealer's up card is 9, 10 or Ace.



Glossary

1. Cold: (adj). When a run of cards has been bad or will be bad.
2. Soft Hand - Any blackjack hand that contains an ace valued at eleven.
3. Drop: (n). The total amount of money wagered in a casino.
4. Basic Strategy: (n). A playing system defining the optimum play for any given situation which is based on the total of the player's hand and the dealer's up card.
5. Comp: (n). Complimentary services and goods that are offered by the casino to encourage and reward play.



Strategy

1. In case it’s likely the dealer didn’t get a blackjack while playing with two decks, and that he is also standing on a soft 17, if he has an 8 and you have a 4 and Ace, you should hit.
2. Double on 11 if the dealer's up card is a 2 through 10.
3. Pit crews are always on the lookout for expert card counters - don't be too obvious.
4. In a game of one-deck blackjack, where the dealer hits on a soft 17 (presumably doesn’t have a blackjack), if he has a 6 and you have a 5 and 3, odds are you should hit.
5. When considering the fact that the dealer might not have a blackjack (a double deck) while hitting on a soft 17, if he has a 2 and you have a 4 and 2, you should hit.