Tag: How to play Blackjack

Knowing When to Double Down on Soft Hands

Soft hands tend to throw some blackjack players off. Most tend to play them as if they were hard hands. Sometimes this works and other times players are not playing their blackjack hands to the greatest advantage.

And you should want the greatest advantage.

Even if a player is playing according to basic strategy the casino will still have the advantage. It does not matter if you are playing blackjack online or in a brick and mortar casino, the house will still have around a 0.5% advantage over you.

And because they will always have the advantage over the player (other than skilled card counting players) you should always want to play your hand to the greatest advantage in blackjack.

Stiff hands and soft hands are the hardest hands to play. There is nothing you can really do about stiff hands other than play them according to basic strategy. But soft hands do not have to be played like a hard hand

Be Mindful

One of the fun things about playing blackjack in a brick and mortar casino is the free drinks. You will see waitresses going from table to table bringing drinks to players.

The casino

Another Name for Insurance

Insurance has an alias, did you know that?

I am willing to bet that you are a smart blackjack player, be you an online blackjack player or one who plays in a brick and mortar casino. You most likely know what the alias of Insurance is.

Well this deceptive little choice that gives edge to the house also goes by the name of Even Money. And you will only be offered a shot at even money when you have been dealt a natural blackjack and the dealer has an Ace showing.

And that is exactly how the dealer will put it to you, making even money sound like something special that you have earned for being dealt a blackjack.

The truth of the matter is that even money does not earn you anything since you are actually giving part of your odds over to the house if you accept.

You know you are offered insurance when the dealer has an Ace showing, but with a natural blackjack you really do not need to insure it. So the casinos thought they would be smart and offer players the same thing with a different name. Hence even money.

Even money is when you receive a 1-1 payout. And that is exactly what you get if you accept even money. They want to scare you into taking a 1-1 payout so that there will be no risk to the house to pay you a 3-2 payout should the dealer not have a natural blackjack.

And that is the trouble with even money

Strategies for Online Blackjack

As the gaming industry continues to grow and the gaming technology continues to improve, more and more people will begin to play their favorite online casino games online. And with how people are turning more and more to the Internet for their entertainment

Time is Money, Friend

I am sure we have all heard this phrase before, and generally its source is one of two places: the business world or a movie. Actually I have also heard that goblins in massive multiplayer online games say the phrase too. But this actually relates to blackjack

On Card Counting and Blackjack

While basic strategy offers players a wonderful, easy and legal way to lower the house edge it only takes you so far. As far as 0.5% still being in the house

Online Blackjack and Stiff Hands

While there are some things that are different between online blackjack and blackjack in a brick and mortar casino, there are still some things that are not any different. When it comes to online blackjack one of the similarities is stiff hands.

Just a quick recap a stiff hands are another name for certain hard hands. Those hard hands are hard 12 through hard 16. They are considered stiff hands because they are on the hard side to play with. These are typically underdog hands that are, truthfully, hard to win with. Your playing options are stiff, hence stiff hands.

How often are you likely to be dealt a stiff hand in online blackjack? You stand about a 43% of being dealt one of the stiff hands when you are playing online blackjack.

Now if you were playing blackjack in a brick and mortar casino you also stand about a 43% chance of being dealt a stiff hand.

So when you are playing online blackjack your playing strategy for stiff hands is not any different: abide by basic strategy.

Basic strategy not only is the key to the best statistical plays for every hand in blackjack, it is also the best strategy for online blackjack. The reason basic strategy is the best strategy tool for online is not only because it is the best play for every hand, it is essentially the only strong strategy tool since card counting is not possible in online blackjack.

Since card counting is not possible in online blackjack the best thing that you can do when you have a stiff hand is to play according to basic strategy. Since stiff hands are underdog hands regardless of whether you are playing online blackjack or not, basic strategy is your best bet.

iPad Blackjack Apps

Seems that so much is finding its way into being Apple applications for various i-whatevers. And blackjack is no exception. While the two blackjack apps that are out there now are not apps designed to make the game online blackjack, they certainly allow players to take blackjack on the road with them.

The two blackjack apps that are available to those with iPads do not allow for play with other players. These apps are similar to online blackjack games except that players are not online and the graphics are more on the simple side.

The two apps for the iPad are called Blackjack for iPad and Blackjack HD. Blackjack for iPad was created by Haolan Qin and Blackjack HD was created by MobilityWare.

There really is not too much of a difference between the two apps. Both have players starting out with $1,000 that they can add to by winning or lose by playing poorly. Thankfully both apps allow for learning, which means that they both have an Advice button.

So what makes them different from each other? Blackjack HD offers players another dimension of play. At a real blackjack table hand gestured are used to communicate to the dealer what play you would like to make. In the Blackjack HD app players can tape the screen twice to hit or swipe a finger horizontally to tell the game they wish to stand.

So what does Blackjack for iPad offer that Blackjack HD does not? Players can change the number of decks being used in Blackjack for iPad. Also to simulate differences in house rules, the insurance and surrender abilities can be turned off which allows players to practice playing with different house rules. Although I have yet to hear of a casino, online or otherwise, that does not allow for insurance considering that they make money on insurance. I suppose it is the thought that counts on the part of Blackjack for iPad.

While both of these iPad apps allow for taking blackjack on the go, I would still only recommend them for practice. They are able to simulate a game well enough to allow for practice but they still are not up to the standards of a game in a brick and mortar casino or online blackjack.

How Good is that 17 Really?

A natural blackjack is not the only thing that a player is hoping for when they sit down. Each player is hoping that if they cannot be dealt a natural blackjack that they will receive a 20. Or a 19. Or an 18. Or at least a 17

A Little Effort Goes a Long Way

When I was a child my mother told me nothing comes for free in life. And really? The same could be said about your profits from casino games.

It seems the easier a casino game is, be it a casino game online or in a brick and mortar casino, the worse the odds are. This should tell you something.

Let