What is Blackjack? 8 Playing Tips and 4 Expert Card Counting Tricks

Blackjack is one of the most popular skill-based games on wagering websites. To win in this game, players not only need to understand the rules but also need to prepare a reasonable strategy.

Blackjack online

What is Blackjack?

Blackjack is a card game that uses a standard 52-card deck, in which players compare their scores with the dealer to find the winner, with the highest score being 21 points. Blackjack has simple rules and high excitement due to the combination of luck and flexible calculation. Blackjack is considered a game that can beat the dealer as card counting techniques can be applied.

Blackjack is the top choice of players in the world of gambling. It usually uses six decks of cards. After each round, the cards will be shuffled to deal for the next round. If a player has a hand consisting of an Ace and a card with a value of 10 (10, J, Q, K), it is called Blackjack and the player will win that round. In a game, a player can play from 1 to 5 hands.

Origin

Blackjack originated from France in the 19th century and gradually appeared in casinos or online casinos under the name Vingt-et-un. Because achieving 21 points is relatively rare, the French created the 3:2 rule for the blackjack hand.

Because achieving 21 points is difficult, the 3:2 rule for a blackjack hand was created.

Blackjack at the betting bookmaker

Multi-Hand Blackjack

This is the most popular variation of Blackjack. In a game, players can play up to 5 different hands at the same time. In this variation, players are not allowed to fold, double their bets or split their hands once they have already split them. In addition, the dealer does not reveal whether their hand has the possibility of a blackjack until the end.

Blackjack Slots Game

In this variation, after splitting, players are not allowed to split again or double their bets. At the same time, players are only allowed to play one hand in a game and cannot fold. Players are allowed to switch their second card between their two hands.

Five elements blackjack

Not much different from Vietnamese blackjack.

Rules of Blackjack

Depending on the variant of the game, the rules may vary slightly. For example, in some places, doubling down is only allowed when the total score is 10 or 11.

However, Blackjack must follow some general rules as follows:

• 21 is the highest score.
• The largest hand in Blackjack consists of an Ace and a card worth 10 points. This hand is called "Blackjack" and wins with a score of 21.
• If any hand exceeds 21 (bust), the player automatically loses the bet.
• If a player draws cards that result in a total score of over 21, they lose immediately and the money goes to the bookmaker, even if the dealer also draws and exceeds 21 afterwards.

How to calculate points

The value of a hand is the total score of the cards owned by the player.

Specifically:

• The point value of cards from 2 to 10 corresponds to the value of each card.
• Cards J, Q, K: 10 points.
• Ace: 1 or 11 points.
• The value is independent of the suit of the card.

Only in the special case of an Ace, it can be counted as either 1 point or 11 points.

For example:

A hand consisting of A, 9, 8 is counted as 18 points (1 + 9 + 8). A hand consisting of A, 2, 3 is counted as 16 points (11 + 2 + 3).

Payout ratios

• Winning with Blackjack: bet 2 to win 3.
• Regular win: bet 1 to win 1.
• Insurance bet payout: bet 1 to win 2.
• Charlie win payout: bet 1 to win 1.

How to play Blackjack

Blackjack can be played with one or more players.

• The dealer will deal two cards to each player.
• When dealing, the first card of the two cards will be face up.
• If anyone gets a Blackjack, they win and the hand is over.

Here are the commands for playing blackjack:

• Hit: Players can freely hit (up to 5 cards maximum) as long as they have not exceeded 21 points.
• Stand: When a player does not want to draw any more cards, they can choose to stand and pass the turn to another player.
• Split: In the case where the first two cards of a player have the same value, the player can split them into two separate hands. (By pressing the "SPLIT" button if playing at a casino). Then, the player can draw more cards for each hand until they reach any desired score. Additionally, the player can also double the bet for one hand after splitting.

Note:

• This cannot be applied when splitting two Aces.
• The second hand will have the same bet amount as the hand that was split.
• Players can only split each hand once.
• If splitting two Aces, only one card will be received for each hand.
• After splitting, a hand with an Ace and a ten card is counted as 21 points, not Blackjack.

You can split hands when you have the opportunity, especially when making decisions based on your card counting ability, which will be discussed below.

Insurance

If the Dealer's upcard is an Ace, the player has the option to place an "Insurance" bet to protect against a possible Blackjack. An "Insurance" bet is equal to half the amount of the player's initial bet on that hand. If the Dealer has Blackjack, the player who placed the "Insurance" bet will receive a payout at a 1:2 ratio.

Basically, placing an "Insurance" bet allows the player to avoid losing their initial bet if the Dealer has Blackjack.

If the Dealer's upcard is not an Ace, the player loses the "Insurance" bet. To place an "Insurance" bet, the player needs to perform the following actions:

• Click "YES" to insure a hand.
• Click "NO" to decline the insurance bet.
• Click "YES TO ALL/NO TO ALL" to accept or decline insurance for all of your hands.

Double Down

The player has the option to double their initial bet on a hand before drawing a third card by clicking the "x2 DOUBLE" button. After doubling down, the system will automatically deal a third card to the player's hand, and the player is not allowed to draw any more cards for that hand. If the Dealer's first card is worth 10 points and the player decides to double down, the player's bet will be refunded if the Dealer has a Blackjack, even if the player's hand exceeds 21 points.

Five-card Charlie

If the player draws five cards without going bust, they automatically win, except when the Dealer has a Blackjack. This rule also applies to a split hand.

Five-card Charlie means drawing five cards without going bust, in which case the player wins against the bookmaker directly.

Checking for Blackjack

The Dealer is not allowed to automatically check for Blackjack, regardless of the value of their first card.

Dealer stands on soft 17

After the player finishes drawing cards and placing bets, it is the Dealer's turn to make a decision for their hand. The Dealer will draw cards until the total value of their hand reaches at least 16 and stop when the hand is worth 17 or more.

Blackjack online

Basic Tips for Playing Blackjack

The knowledge and experience of Blackjack players are summarized here. Preparing yourself with some tips and key skills is the key to increasing your winning chances in Blackjack. Below, we will guide you through some basic to advanced skills.

Understand the Basic Rules

Blackjack is a game with a fairly simple gameplay. However, each casino may have different rules for betting and payouts. Therefore, you should carefully study the rules of the game to build the best strategy for yourself.

Deck of Cards

The game of Blackjack uses a standard 52-card deck. In traditional casinos, a single deck of cards may be used. However, in some online casinos, Blackjack can be played with up to 8 decks of cards and the system will automatically shuffle before each round.

Roles of Players

• The Banker: This person does not need to place a bet but must ensure that they have a higher or equal amount of capital than the total bet of the table in order to pay out at the end of each round. At the same time, the banker will be responsible for dealing cards.
• The Player: These are the people who place bets and compare their cards with the banker to win money. In particular, when playing Blackjack, players do not compete against each other but directly against the banker.
• Dealing Cards: The banker will deal the cards in a clockwise direction. In the first round, the banker will deal two cards to themselves and each player. The remaining cards will be placed face down in the middle of the table as a common pile.

Probability of Winning

The probability of a result occurring in Blackjack depends heavily on the variations. Essentially, it cannot be predicted, and determining the odds of a result is not something that everyone can do.

Your actions affect the next turn, so you have the ability to beat the bookmaker. But keep a cool head, as smoking is considered a quick fix.

Focus on the table

Focusing on the table is a "secret weapon" when playing Blackjack. A successful player will always pay attention to what is happening on the table and ignore the environment around them. Of course, there will be other factors that affect your analysis, but disregard everything. As soon as you lose focus, you can start making mistakes, and this can cost you.

Manage your budget well

Each Blackjack game takes place very quickly. You need to think carefully and consider, calculate to place the most reasonable bet. Avoid being hasty leading to wrong decisions. Before playing Blackjack, you should set a limit on the capital and profit you will receive. This helps you have a suitable betting strategy and tightly control financial resources.

Play Blackjack online

Blackjack games at online casinos have many types of bets and odds for you to choose from. Therefore, the probability of you winning when playing Blackjack online is higher than the traditional way. According to the experience of long-time players, playing Blackjack at online casinos has a higher probability of winning than playing live. The reason is that players only need to use mobile devices or computers and play with the system. This helps players not feel the psychological pressure as when facing opponents on traditional tables.

You should play blackjack online, through your phone or computer screen, to comfortably apply card counting techniques or use card counting software. However, don't be too complacent.

Some advanced tips

Advanced tips will be more difficult and complicated, but they will definitely improve your chances of winning in Blackjack.

Technique of splitting cards

Do not split two 10s

When you have two cards with a value of 10, you should not split them into two new hands. The chance of the dealer getting 21 and beating you is very low.

Therefore, you should keep the two 10s together to have a total value of 20 and compare it to the dealer's hand.

Split two 8s

On the other hand, when you have two cards with a value of 8, you should split them into two new hands. If you keep them together, the total value will be 16 and it will be difficult to beat the dealer. By splitting, you have a chance to win one hand and lose the other, balancing out the two hands and not losing money in that round.

Only draw one card if you have two 5s

As mentioned before, having two cards with a value of 5 is the same as having a value of 10. The probability of drawing a high-value card is very high at this point. This is the best time to double down and draw one more card.

Don't be afraid to double down

Depending on the casino, there may be a "double down" feature during the game. This feature is activated after you are dealt the first two cards. When you use this feature, the system will only deal one more card to you. The best time to double down is when the total value of your first two cards is 9 or 10. At this point, the probability of drawing a high-value card like 10, J, Q, K is very high, increasing your chances of winning. Of course, doubling down also comes with some risks, so you should consider it carefully before deciding to use this feature.

Strategy for the dealer

The dealer's advantage in blackjack is only 0.5%, lower than other casino games. However, this can change depending on your level and skill. Specifically, the dealer always has an advantage because you play first. So, if your hand exceeds 21, the dealer can win without doing anything. Also, if you draw bad cards early on, the advantage for the dealer in the later rounds does not increase.

Blackjack insurance

Blackjack insurance, also known as "betting insurance," is a side bet that appears when the dealer's first card is an Ace. The maximum amount that a player can bet on insurance is half of the main bet, and the payout ratio is 2:1. This means that if the dealer gets blackjack, the player will break even even if their hand exceeds 21.

Know when to stop

When playing Blackjack, it is important to stop if your total score is in the safe range, avoiding the temptation to take unnecessary risks. If your total score is 17 or higher, you should not draw any more cards. If your total score is 16 and the dealer has a card of 6 or lower, you should also stop. However, if the dealer has a card of 7 or higher, you should continue to draw cards. Knowing when to stop is also an attitude. Taking risks is not always a wise choice.

Blackjack card counting technique

This technique is real and requires practice. If you have a good memory, it will be easier. However, it should not be applied in real casino games, unless you want to get "blacklisted". There are many card counting techniques, but the Hi-Lo technique is the most popular and effective.

Remember the cards

Remembering the cards that have been drawn before can help you predict the value of the next cards. Usually, if the previous cards have a small value, the next card is likely to have a higher value. In that case, you should make a judgment call whether to draw another card or to stop.

Maintain a stable mindset

Your mindset will greatly affect your decisions. Therefore, before participating in Blackjack, you should prepare a stable mindset.

How to count cards

Step 1: Determine the value of the card

If the ratio of high cards to low cards is higher than usual, it means that there are still many high-value cards left. Players can place higher bets to win more with good cards. Good cards have a positive value. The higher the value, the more high-value cards there are to play and the more you should bet. Large cards will have negative values, while small cards have positive values, and 7 8 9 have a value of 0. You must remember this well.

Step 2: Memorize the values

To know the ratio of high cards to low cards, you need to keep track of and assign a value to each card.

The standard conventions are as follows:

• From 2 to 6: +1.
• From 7 to 9: 0.
• From 10 and higher: -1.
• Ace: -1.

Step 3: Learn how to bet

Increase your bet when the running count is positive (2 or higher). The higher the count, the more you should bet (avoid constantly changing your bet, as the casino will catch on to your strategy). Generally, you should increase your bet by one unit for every point of the count. (If you bet too aggressively, the casino will likely catch on.)

Use tools

This is an application that allows you to practice and train your card counting skills.

Quick guide:

You will need to apply the Hi-Lo strategy as described above to practice. Start with a slow pace and gradually increase to faster once you are comfortable. There will be no tools or software that can accurately predict the next card. Only tools can help you hone your card counting skills.

Conclusion

As we can see, the tips we shared above are more suitable for online Blackjack than traditional tables. However, the basic principles and tips are the same. Therefore, you can apply these principles in a suitable way to increase your winning odds in Blackjack anywhere. It can be seen that Blackjack is a game that relies heavily on skills. However, if you understand the rules and apply a reasonable strategy, you can certainly improve your winning odds.

Further reference: Basic details about the game Blackack online