The card game Blackjack is different from many other gambling activities. In it, the casino has a minimal advantage over the player. Only 1 – 2 per cent, depending on the additional conditions of the institution, the number of decks and players. If you play correctly, applying mathematically correct strategy, this figure can be reduced to 0.5%. And it really works, so Blackjack is very popular with Australian players who prefer a balanced approach to the game.
Basic Blackjack Strategy
There is a basic strategy for playing Blackjack, which offers the best choices for the player in any given situation. A table has been created with the best move options for the cards in your hand and the dealer’s hand. In it the cells with the following decisions are marked:
- H – take a map;
- S – stop the set of cards;
- P – split into two hands (Split);;
- D/H – split into two hands if possible, either attack;
- D/S – split into two hands if possible, or stop;
- P/H – split if doubling after the split is possible, otherwise take a card;
- R//H – if there is an opportunity to surrender the insurance part of the bet, it is better to apply it, or take a card (the chances of winning are extremely small).
These are all the possible moves in the game of Blackjack. Here is a table with the best ways to choose them:
Player’s hand | Dealer’s hand | |||||||||
2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A | |
8 | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H |
9 | H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | H | H | H | H | H |
10 | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | H | H |
11 | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H |
12 | H | H | S | S | S | H | H | H | H | H |
13 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | H | H |
14 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | H | H |
15 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | R/H | H |
16 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | R/H | R/H | R/H |
17 | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
A,2 | H | H | H | D/H | D/H | H | H | H | H | H |
A,3 | H | H | H | D/H | D/H | H | H | H | H | H |
A,4 | H | H | D/H | D/H | D/H | H | H | H | H | H |
A,5 | H | H | D/H | D/H | D/H | H | H | H | H | H |
A,6 | H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | H | H | H | H | H |
A,7 | S | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | S | S | H | H | H |
A,8 | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
2,2 | P/H | P/H | P | P | P | P | H | H | H | H |
3,3 | P/H | P/H | P | P | P | P | H | H | H | H |
4,4 | H | H | H | P/H | P/H | H | H | H | H | H |
5,5 | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | D/H | H | H |
6,6 | P/H | P | P | P | P | H | H | H | H | H |
7,7 | P | P | P | P | P | P | H | H | H | H |
8,8 | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P |
9,9 | P | P | P | P | P | S | P | P | S | S |
10,10 | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
A, A. | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P |
This cheat sheet may seem complicated at first glance. However, with regular play, the optimal moves are easily memorised. Professional players know it by heart. At first it is recommended to print out this table and keep it handy during the session, making moves strictly according to it. However, it should be remembered that this is not a cheat code for a win-win game, but simply the most optimal choices with certain hands, based on mathematics.
Key Takeaways from the Basic Strategy
If you haven’t tested the basic strategy yet, you may initially find it difficult to draw conclusions by looking at the table. Therefore, here are some key conclusions from it in simple language:
- With a hand of 17+ you need to stop – even if the dealer has an ace or a combination that gives you a 10, you still have too much risk of gaining 21+ and losing by taking another card;
- With a hand of 11, it’s better to double up – this is one of the best starting hands in Blackjack, so you need to take advantage;
- Eights and aces should be separated – these combinations are always better split into two hands, getting a good chance of winning on both;
- Tens should never be split – a hand of 10-10 gives you an excellent chance of winning;
- At A-7 it’s better to take a card – although this is a strong hand, if you see the dealer open a card higher than 8, there’s a high probability that he will collect 18 or higher, so it’s better to take the A as a unit and continue with the hand set;
These are just the simplest conclusions that can be drawn from the table. By using it correctly and memorising all the optimal solutions, you will significantly improve your game.
Tips from the Pros When Playing Blackjack
Experienced Australian players who have long used basic strategy and other techniques to play profitably at online casinos in Australia can offer some valuable advice to newcomers. Here are the most useful ones:
- Avoid special side bets – different online casinos may have specials such as “win at 21+3” etc, but these usually include an advantage for the casino, not the player;
- Do not use the “Card Counting” strategy in online casinos – there is a very famous Blackjack strategy where a player assigns different values to “coloured” and numeric cards (e.g. 1 -1) and catches the moment when the deck becomes “hot” with a lot of coloured cards and high odds for himself (in the movie 21 the whole plot is based on this), but it does not work online due to the GSC and other factors;
- Set a gaming budget and stick to it – It is very important to set your gaming budget for a session or a certain period of time and stick to it clearly to avoid unwanted loss of money;
- Withdraw money on winnings – learn to catch a pleasant moment of a plus, fix on it and take the profit, as time always works against you, even if the casino has a minimal advantage of a fraction of a per cent, but it is there, so know how to stop;
- Practice in free mode – if you don’t have experience playing Blackjack yet, it’s better to start with a demo mode for virtual currency to fully grasp all the rules and options;
- Stay sober and focused – drinking alcohol, playing in a sleep-deprived or stressed state has a very bad effect on the outcome of a session, so you’re more likely to save your money if you decide to rest and continue playing with vigour and extreme concentration.
- Choose a trustworthy online casino – it’s not impossible to get scammed by dodgy sites, but there are reliable, licensed Blackjack platforms in Australia today, so only play on them.
By following these simple tips, applying basic strategy and other techniques to reduce your casino advantage, you will significantly reduce your losses and make your game more confident, grounded and profitable. This is a good opportunity to become a professional.
You will be interested in : NeoSpin Casino Australia: A Platform for Winners
Conclusion
Blackjack was and still is the most popular gambling entertainment among Australian players. In it you can not only hope for luck, but also apply your knowledge of basic strategy, calculate the chances of winning, reduce the casino advantage in any suitable situation. Register at online casinos Australia and get generous welcome bonuses with the possibility of wagering them on Blackjack. Good luck at the card table!