Blackjack is one of the most popular games in the casino, and can be one of the most profitable too if you play your hand correctly.
You are probably thinking, “ho-hum, another article on basic strategy. I know that stuff.” Let’s just see. Jot down how you would play these hands (unless otherwise stated, assume a standard 6-deck game, dealer stands on soft 17 and doubling down after pair splitting permitted).
As the popularity of blackjack continues to rise, there are more and more casinos offering mini- and major-blackjack tournaments than ever. If you know the basics of blackjack, you are already well on your way, but knowing some of the basics of tournaments just might help get you to that final seat! This column offers you a guide to follow to make you competitive in your next blackjack tournament.
1. Read the tournament rules.
When you arrive at the tournament and get your seat assignment, ask for a copy of the tournament playing rules. Carefully read them before the tournament begins.
Casino games are full of judgment calls with what plays you should make sometimes.
Should a blackjack player hit hard 16? Yes, if the dealer’s face up card is 7 or higher, but not if it’s 6 or lower.
Should a Three Card Poker player match the ante with a play bet? Yes, if the hand is Queen-6-4 or better, but not with lesser cards.
But there are absolutes, too. And many of those absolutes are absolutely not’s.
Here are a few things you should NEVER do in a casino.
I’m a firm believer that if know some of the more important statistics about the game of blackjack, it can help you better understand the fundamentals of winning blackjack strategies.
However, I also understand that most folks find statistics boring; therefore, I prepared the following fun quiz, which I hope you will find entertaining as well as informative.
To encourage more players to visit the blackjack tables and also to improve their margins, many casinos have added side bets.
These innocent-sounding gambles usually require a rather small wager (typically a dollar) and generally return better than the customary even-money blackjack payoffs.
Many players try to use the famous Martingale betting system to beat the game of blackjack. Recently, with the help of Blackjack Hall of Famer Don Schlesinger (author of Blackjack Attack: Playing the Pros Way), we analyzed the Martingale betting system and this is what we came up with.
