Blackjack is one of the few casino games where a well studied strategy and careful, mathematical play can make a real, monetary difference to your average game. Unlike the slots or roulette, blackjack is part luck and part leverage, which is to say it's not only about what cards you're dealt, but even more fundamentally what you do with those cards that makes the cardinal difference between walking away smiling with money in your pocket and leaving dejected and broke.
Some players are under the impression that using basic strategy (either printed on a A5 card or etched into their mind) will cause them to come across like novice players. Well, the fact is, if you're reading about strategy for the first time there's a good chance that you are, in fact, a novice. This is nothing to be ashamed about. Remember, you need to start somewhere and what better place to start than with the fundamentals. If you're really concerned about appearing dim in front of a group of ostensibly seasoned poker professionals, then you should consider online play before stepping in to a bricks-and-mortar casino. Consider having a online casino open in one window and a basic strategy chart in another. This way you have the chart right there and no one can see you use it. There is no fear of being considered a complete amateur.
Once you've mastered the science of basic blackjack strategy, you could consider moving on to more advanced methods, including a few card counting techniques that may or may not work for you. It's important to remember that card counting should only be attempted if it's going to be done well. Many casinos, you might be interested to hear, aren't quite as against the card counting spectre as many believe. The simple reason for this is that the majority of people don't card count very well and end up losing more money as a result of their mishaps. And even if you were an experienced card counter, you certainly wouldn't want to give that impression to the pit bosses who eye the blackjack tables with a hawkish intensity.
Always rely on strategy rather than intuition. For instance, if your 2 hole cards came to a total of 13, you'd probably be very tempted to hit that 13 in an effort to raise the total value of your hand. Good strategy, however, would say stand on the 13 if the dealer's up card has a value of between 2 and 6 inclusive. The reason for this? It's often a prudent and safer move to allow the dealer to bust rather than trying to beat him in hand values.
One caveat: although most casinos are happy for you to take a strategy card with you to the blackjack table, the laws specify that no electronic devices may be used while at the tables. So no iPhones or minicomputers are allowed. There's nothing wrong, however, with good old-fashioned printed paper.
Some players are under the impression that using basic strategy (either printed on a A5 card or etched into their mind) will cause them to come across like novice players. Well, the fact is, if you're reading about strategy for the first time there's a good chance that you are, in fact, a novice. This is nothing to be ashamed about. Remember, you need to start somewhere and what better place to start than with the fundamentals. If you're really concerned about appearing dim in front of a group of ostensibly seasoned poker professionals, then you should consider online play before stepping in to a bricks-and-mortar casino. Consider having a online casino open in one window and a basic strategy chart in another. This way you have the chart right there and no one can see you use it. There is no fear of being considered a complete amateur.
Once you've mastered the science of basic blackjack strategy, you could consider moving on to more advanced methods, including a few card counting techniques that may or may not work for you. It's important to remember that card counting should only be attempted if it's going to be done well. Many casinos, you might be interested to hear, aren't quite as against the card counting spectre as many believe. The simple reason for this is that the majority of people don't card count very well and end up losing more money as a result of their mishaps. And even if you were an experienced card counter, you certainly wouldn't want to give that impression to the pit bosses who eye the blackjack tables with a hawkish intensity.
Always rely on strategy rather than intuition. For instance, if your 2 hole cards came to a total of 13, you'd probably be very tempted to hit that 13 in an effort to raise the total value of your hand. Good strategy, however, would say stand on the 13 if the dealer's up card has a value of between 2 and 6 inclusive. The reason for this? It's often a prudent and safer move to allow the dealer to bust rather than trying to beat him in hand values.
One caveat: although most casinos are happy for you to take a strategy card with you to the blackjack table, the laws specify that no electronic devices may be used while at the tables. So no iPhones or minicomputers are allowed. There's nothing wrong, however, with good old-fashioned printed paper.
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