Most, if not all, of this blackjack online strategy will be common knowledge, but it never hurts to review the basics. Sometimes those of us that know the most intricate details and scenarios get tripped up and forget the simplest rules of the game. So here they are:
- If your card value (regardless of how many cards you currently have) is between 17 and 20, you’re done. Stand. The only exception is during a soft 17 or 18 scenario (meaning one of your cards is an Ace).
- Always take another blackjack card if the value of what you’ve got is at 11 or less. No exceptions on this one. Do yourself and everyone else at the table a favor and listen to this advice.
- This one has one exception, but on the whole, if your dealer’s up card is between 2 and 6, you’re job is to stand. However, if you have 12 and the dealer shows a 2 or 3, consider taking one more hit…but just one.
- Situational blackjack strategy play here: The murky area where your cards total 12 to 16 requires you to know the chart a little bit. In this scenario, if the dealer has an up-card between 7 and Ace, your job is to hit until your total goes over 16. Or, of course, until you bust.
- The smartest thing you can do for yourself is assume the dealer’s hidden card is worth 10.
- If you get a soft 17 or 18, you’re usually going to stand. However, if you’re staring at a dealer card of 9 to Ace, it makes sense to hit.
- Insurance is more or less a sucker’s bet. Odds are the dealer won’t get 21…just like the odds are neither will you. Sorry.
- And finally, there is no five-card Charlie rule, no matter how much your stupid cousin thinks it exists.
A few interesting statistics just to throw in there.
- There are actually 43 different scenarios, if you’re studying the widely accepted blackjack strategy card, which call for you to double down. If you thought it was just for 10 and 11 hands, you’re dead wrong.
- Even more surprisingly, even to me sometimes, is there are 94 recommended scenarios where you should split your hand. New players to golden casino watching a game will see it happen far too irregularly compared to how often it’s supposed to happen. The casinos are banking on the fact that you don’t know this, or won’t remember it.