Blackjack is a skill- and strategy-intensive game. To maximize your odds and basic rules of the game, and increase your chances of victory, familiarizing yourself with its odds and basic rules is key to victory. Knowing these will give you a better understanding of what to expect in the casino as well as how best to play your hand. It is also wise to know about rules pertaining to splitting, doubling down, ties and secondary bets which could increase payouts; such bets relying on dealer cards can pay out 2:1 or 3:2.
If your cards do not add up to 21 in total, hitting is the practice of asking for another card in order to increase your odds of beating the dealer’s hand. By hitting, you may also choose to split them into two separate hands with their own bet amounts; or double down and get an extra card but keep the original bet amount as an initial bet amount should the hand go your way and provide a payout equaling this initial staked sum if won.
When to hit depends on both the type of dealer you’re facing and your personal risk level. Typically, it is recommended to hit when your cards add up to 11 or less because this lowers your chance of going bust; however if holding an Ace when the dealer displays 2, 3 or 4 cards as they will usually hit and making matters worse with double downs.
Before playing real money blackjack, it is wise to practice keeping a running count. To do this, use one deck of cards and flip each card as you play them; count the high cards subtracted from low cards before moving onto true count calculations that account for multiple decks in play. Once comfortable with keeping this type of count, move on to true counts that take account of multiple decks in play.
There are various strategies for playing blackjack, but most revolve around counting cards. Though each system varies in complexity and functionality, all rely on one principle: that more high cards seen equal more benefits of hitting. A simple yet reliable strategy for counting cards is the hi-lo system which is easy to learn and can be utilized at any casino.
Avoid making several errors when playing blackjack, such as buying insurance and allowing the dealer to take your money. Statistics reveal that buying insurance costs more than taking risks such as going over 21. Additionally, avoid doubling down too early – doing so increases your odds of loss through overbetting – only do this when your dealer has a weak hand or you are willing to bet big amounts of money.