| | |  | | | | Blackjack
Strategy is an important element in online Blackjack gambling. You probably heard of card counting but that takes a unique ability and an exceptional concentration so it's not for everyone. A good option is to read about Blackjack gambling games online to form your game plan.
All online gambling spots offer Blackjack but the rules may vary on different versions of the game. You can find gambling tips and useful information on Blackjack games at casino directories.
The rules of Blackjack differ slightly from area to area and/or from casino to casino. Therefore, it is important to research what the rules are for the area/casinos you plan on playing in.
The Blackjack table seats a dealer and one to seven players. The first seat on the dealer's left is referred to as First Base, the first seat on the dealer's right is referred to as Third Base. Immediately in front of the dealer is the chip tray. On the dealer's left is the deck or shoe and beside that should be the minimum bet sign, which you ought to read before you play.
Once all the bets are down, two cards (one at a time) are dealt from left to right. In many Vegas casinos, players get both cards face down. In Atlantic City and most every where else the player's cards are dealt face up. Should the cards be dealt face up, don't make the faux pas of touching them! They are dealt face up for a reason, primarily to prevent a few types of player cheating. The dealer receives one card down and one card up. The numerical values of the cards are: (10, J, Q, K) = 10; (Ace) = 1 or 11; (other cards) = face value (3 = 3).
Single deck games are pretty much restricted to Nevada casinos. In the casinos that have one-deck games, the tables are usually full. Multiple deck games typically consist of an even number of decks (2, 4, 6, 8) although a few casinos use 5 or 7 decks. There are two main reasons many casinos use multiple decks: They allow the dealer to deal more hands per hour, thereby increasing the casino take, and they reduce (but in no way eliminate) the player advantage gained from card counting.
The rules the dealer must play by are very simple. If the dealer's hand is 16 or less, he/she must take a card. If the dealer's hand is 17 or more, he/she must stand. Note that some casinos allow the dealer to hit on soft 17 which gives the house a very small additional advantage. The dealer's strategy is fixed and what you and the other players have is immaterial to him/her as far as hitting and standing is concerned.
The player can do most anything he/she wants as far as hitting and standing goes. Should a player get a Blackjack (first 2 cards are an Ace and a ten) the payoff is 150% more than the original bet (bet $10.00 and the payoff is $15.00). Doubling down is restricted to 2-card hands, usually totaling 9, 10, or 11 (although some casinos allow doubling down on any 2-card hand).
Insurance comes into play when the dealer's up card is an Ace. At this point all the players have two cards. The dealer does not check his/her hole card before asking the players if they want insurance, as the dealer can't give away the value of the hole card if the dealer doesn't know what the hole card is. If a player wants insurance, half the original amount bet is placed on the semicircle labeled "insurance" which is printed on the table. If the dealer has a Blackjack the player wins the side bet (the insurance bet) but loses the original bet, thus providing no net loss or gain since insurance pays 2 to 1. If the dealer does not have a Blackjack, the side bet is lost and the hand is played normally. If you are not counting cards, don't bother with insurance. The proper Basic Strategy play is to decline. The time to take insurance is when the number of non-tens to tens drops below a 2 to 1 margin since insurance pays 2 to 1. |
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