Blackjack is the most popular and one of the most played online casino games around the world. It’s a favorite among players globally because they can now play their favorite casino game from the comfort of the home or when they’re on the go with their mobile devices. Blackjack has been around for decades, yet it shows no signs of stopping now that it is part of the online community.
If you are new to the world of blackjack, or you want to brush up on your existing blackjack strategies, then this is the best place for you. This guide includes all you need to know about playing blackjack for beginners, and then a complete approach for existing players. If you want to jump right into playing, you can check out Slots Baby right now for different variants of blackjack at your fingertips!
Blackjack Rules, Vocabulary and Gameplay
To win on blackjack one need to first dive into its rules; and you need to know them before you can beat the dealer. To do this, you have to be aware of the blackjack rules. Blackjack is a card game that is centered on the player and the dealer. Although there are other players involved, they don't need to interact with each other. The player is trying to defeat the dealer and not the other players. In blackjack, one aims to get a hand value that is closest to 21 or have a hand higher than that of the dealer.
By hand value, this means the value of all the cards that a player has. Each card in blackjack has a number value attributed to it. When playing blackjack, card counting is essential. For aces, the value can be 1 or 11 depending on your hand value at that moment. In the case of cards 2 through 10, they count at face value. Face cards, K, Q, and J all have a value of 10 each. If you get a card like Q and an Ace, you automatically get blackjack.
When playing blackjack, there are some words that you need to take note of.
- Hit: When you click on the hit button, you are requesting for another card. If the dealer hits, they pick another card.
- Stand: When you stand, you decide not to take another card. The dealer may also need to stand according to the rules of the game.
- Split: A player splits by turning two of the same cards, or a pair, into two different hands. To do this, you can make an additional bet.
- Doubling Down: If you double down, you are doubling your bet in exchange for one additional card.
- Surrender: This is when you decide to give up if your hand isn’t favorable, in exchange for half your bet.
- Bust Card: A bust card is a losing hand.
- Bankroll: Your bankroll is the amount of cash you're willing to play within the online casino.
- Face card: These are the cards with a face, that is, the Queen, King, and Jack.
- Hand: This refers to the cards that a player or dealer has.
- Hard Hand: This is a hand with a value of 12 or more but without an Ace, or a hand with an Ace that has a value of 1 and not 11 to avoid a bust.
- Soft Hand: This is a hand that contains an Ace that can be either 1 or 11 without risking a bust.
- Insurance: This is a side bet that the player uses to insure their hand against the dealer. It is independent of the primary wager.
A standard blackjack game usually goes like this:
- The player buys chips and places a wager.
- The dealer deals the cards to all the players.
- The player decided whether to hit, stand, split, double down or surrender.
- The dealer plays a hand.
- The payout depending on who has the winning hand.
If the player gets a hand value of 21 from the beginning, the third and fourth part is unimportant, although this is rare. It becomes easier to play the game when you’re used to card counting. Join SlotsBaby for card games and new slots titles!
Blackjack Complete Strategy
Blackjack strategy used rightly is the only way you can succeed when playing. You need to know how to make calculative decisions that give you a better chance of winning. Blackjack focuses more on the choices you make rather than your luck.
- When to Hit or Stand:
- Hit when you have a hard hand of 11 or less
- Hit when you have a soft hand of 17 or less.
- Stand when you have a soft hand of 18, but hit if the dealer has a hand of 9, 10, or an Ace.
- Stand when you have a hard hand of 12, and the dealer has 4, 5, or 6. If the dealer has other blackjack numbers, hit instead.
- Stand when you have a hard hand of 13-16, and the dealer has a 2-6. If not, hit.
- Stand when you have a hard hand of 18 or more.
- Stand when you have a soft hand of 19 or more.
- When to Split:
- Split aces and 8’s.
- Don’t split 5’s and 10’s.
- Split 9s if the dealer has a hand of 2-6, 8, or 9.
- Split 7s if the dealer has a hand of 2-7.
- Split 6s if the dealer has a hand of 3-6.
- Split 2’s and 3’s if the dealer has a hand of 4-7.
- Double Down when:
- You have a soft hand of 13 or 14, and the dealer has a hand of 5 or 6.
- You have a soft hand of 15 or 16, and the dealer has a hand of 4-6.
- You have a soft hand of 17 or 18, and the dealer has a hand of 3-6.
- You have a hard hand of 9, and the dealer has a hand of 3-6.
- You have a hard hand of 11. But, don't if the dealer has an Ace.
- You have a hard hand of 10. But, don't if the dealer has a hand of 10 or Ace.
Blackjack at Slots Baby
Blackjack strategies has been explained in this guide and now is the time to put it to practice. You can start playing at Slots Baby today! For more training, you can enjoy free blackjack games and many other casino games, including play slot games and roulette.