The single-deck game is the best game for the online blackjack player to play, if the rules are liberal when it comes to doubling down and splitting. If you have the option of playing single-deck or multiple-deck games, you would be foolish to choose the latter. A single deck offers so many more opportunities for the basic-strategy player and the card counter alike.
Decision based on Player’s Hard Hand: dealer’s up card:
8…………………Double against a 5 and 6.
Hit against all else.
Hit against all else.
Hit against all else.
9…………………Double against 2 through 6.
10………………..Double against 2 through 9.
11 ………………..Double against everything.
12………………..Hit against 2 and 3. Stand
against 4,5,6. Hit against all
else.
13………………..Stand against 2 through 6.
Hit against all else.
Hit against all else.
Hit against all else.
14………………..Stand against 2 through 6.
15………………..Stand against 2 through 6.
16………………..Stand against 2 through 6.
Hit against all else. (If surrender is allowed, surrender a 15 or 16 against a dealer’s 10.)

1 7, 18, 19, 20, 21……..Stand against everything.
Decision based on Player’s Soft Hands: dealer’s up card:
A,2………………..Double against 4, 5, 6.
Hit against all else. A,3………………..Double against 4, 5, 6.
Hit against all else. A,4………………..Double against 4, 5, 6.
Hit against all else. A,5………………..Double against 4, 5, 6.
Hit against all else. A,6………………..Double against 2 through 6.
Hit against all else. A,7………………..Double against 3,4,5,6. Stand
on 2,7,8, ace. Hit against 9
and 10.
A,8………………..Double against a 6. Stand
against all else. A,9………………..Stand against everything.
Decision based on Player’s Pair: dealer’s up card:
A,A………………..Split against everything.
2,2………………..Split against 3 through 7.
Hit against all else. 3,3………………..Split against 4, 5, 6, 7.
Hit against all else. 4,4………………..Double against 5 and 6.
Hit against all else. 5,5………………..Double against 2 through 9.
Hit against all else. 6,6………………..Split against 2 through 6.
Hit against all else.
7,7………………..Split against a 2 through 7. Hit
against 8, 9, ace. Stand against a 10.
(If surrender is allowed, surrender 7,7 against a dealer’s 10.)
8,8………………..Split against everything.
(If surrender is allowed, surrender 8,8 against a dealer’s 10.)
9,9………………..Split against 2 through 6; 8, 9.
Stand against 7, 10, ace. 10,10………………Stand against everything.

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• How Video Blackjack Is Played Part 2 (0)
• How Video Blackjack Is Played (0)
• Blackjack Rules And Their Effect On The Players Edge Part3 (0)

Knowing how the game of video blackjack is played is not the same as knowing how to play the game. For every set of rules, there are distinct basic strategies designed to optimize one’s chances of winning. All games require strategy. Even free bingo games, which may seem as easy as picking names, require a certain strategic mind. But blackjack requires more strategy than the reguar game. This does not mean that you have to memorize dozens of basic strategies since the overwhelming majority of decisions that you will have to make are the same in all strategies.

However, basic strategy has two major categories-single deck and multiple deck-and if you intend to play video blackjack, you must decide which strategy to memorize. Those of you who decide to play single and multiple deck games should seriously consider first mastering one and then mastering the other.

The best way to decide which one to memorize (or which to memorize first) is to check out the machines that you intend to play. Most video-blackjack machines deal from a single deck and thus it is probably preferable to memorize the single-deck strategies. However, some of the newer models use double decks (some even four decks). Would it hurt a player to use a single-deck strategy against a multiple-deck game or vice versa? Only marginally, since the strategies usually differ most on hands that don’t occur with great regularity. But if you want to be the best player that you can be, you should know both strategies. In the war against the casinos, it’s best to be fully armed. And remember: you can feel free to bring this book into the casino with you. If the video-blackjack games you’ve decided to play don’t have a time limit on decision making, then you don’t have to memorize any strategies. Just refer to this book and take your time. However, on positive-expectation machines, faster play gets in more hands and your edge can be realized more quickly with the more hands that you play. But remember that speed is only good if you don’t make any mistakes. This rule holds true for video blackjack just as it does for video poker.
At first it might seem a daunting task, memorizing-the several pages of material that are coming up, but don’t let that stop you. In fact, if you spread your learning out over several weeks, doing a little at a time, you will readily assimilate the basic strategy you’ve selected.

A friendly caution is hereby given: don’t play video blackjack without learning a basic strategy because players who trust their own instincts and ideas are giving the casino a monumental edge. You are better off skipping the game of video blackjack altogether and playing one of the other, less complex casino games than playing improperly at video blackjack. The casinos make a fortune from poor blackjack players of the table variety and video-blackjack variety. Do not join their regiment.

Since there are more single-deck video-blackjack games than multiple-deck ones, I have decided to give the single-deck basic strategy first. The left-hand column will contain the player’s hand; the right-hand column will contain the decision you should make based on the dealer-in-the-machine’s up card. How many cards compose a given hand is essentially irrelevant except for splitting or doubling down purposes. For example, if you have a nine composed of two cards-a four and a five, or a three and a six, etc.-you would double down against any dealer-in-the-machine’s up card of three through six. If you had a nine composed of three cards-say, a four, two and three-you would hit until you had 12 or more and then follow the basic strategy for that hand. Thus, if the dealer-in-the-machine is showing a six and you have a three-card nine, you would hit it. If you received a three, you would now have 12. The basic strategy calls for standing with a 12 against a dealer-in-the-machine’s up card of six. Any hand which is 11 or under, no matter how many cards compose it, hit until you reach 12 or more and then follow the basic strategy for that hand. You never hit hard hands of 17 or more against anything.

If you have played blackjack before, but you haven’t employed a basic strategy, some of these moves will seem strange. For example, many players blanch at hitting a hand of 12 against the dealer’s two or three. Many players cringe when having to split a hand of 8,8 against a dealer’s 10. Many of these moves do seem almost suicidal but in fact they are the proper strategies. Remember that millions of hands have been generated by computer to establish these basic strategy rules. And many of these rules are designed to lose you less in bad situations. Having 8,8 against a dealer’s 10 is a losing hand. By splitting them, you decrease the total amount of your losses in this situation than if you hit or stood. So follow these basic strategies perfectly and don’t allow any fools at the table to intimidate you into not hitting that 12 against a dealer’s 2, or splitting those 8,8′s against a dealer’s 10. Also, keep in mind that all soft hands become hard hands when the ace can no longer be used as an 11.

• How Video Blackjack Is Played Part 2 (0)
• Blackjack Rules And Their Effect On The Players Edge Part3 (0)
• Blackjack Rules And Their Effect On The Players Edge Part2 (0)

Five-Card Charlie
If you receive 21 with five cards, you win a bonus from the casino—usually two to one. This favors the player. Value: +.20 percent.

Seven-Seven-Seven 21
Dealer-in-the-machine will pay three to two if you can get three sevens. Value: +0.01 percent.

Six-Seven-Eight Suited
Favorable to the players if you don't change your basic strategy in an attempt to suit up, except in the case of a six-seven suited against the dealer-in-the machine's two. Value: +0.01 percent.

Over-Under 13
You make a side bet that the next hand dealt you will be either over 13 or under 13 on the first two cards. Aces count as one for this and the dealer takes all hands of 13. Very unfavorable rule for basic strategy players. Marginally helpful rule for certain card counters. Value: -6.56 percent for the over and -10.06 percent for the under.

Dealer Hits A,6 (Soft 17)
Bad rule for all players. Helps the dealer-in-the-machine improve an otherwise bad hand for the house. Value: -0.19 percent.

Red or Black
This is a bet where the player guesses what the color of the dealer-in-the-machine's face-up card will be. At first this would seem like an even game off the top but the house stipulates that if the two of the color you chose shows up, your bet is a push. This gives the house an advantage over the basic strategy player. Value: -3.85 percent.

Penetration
How many cards a dealer-in-the-machine deals is called penetration. If a game deals all the cards out, that's 100 percent penetration. For the basic strategy player, the depth of penetration is of little significance. However, for the card counter the depth of penetration is another key variable in determining whether to play a given game. The more penetration, the better the game. Video-blackjack games with Las Vegas Strip rules and 60 percent or more penetration are highly beatable games for the card counter.

Dealer Wins Pushes
All ties go to the dealer. The most devastating rule against the players. Value: -9.0 percent.

Blackjack Pays 1 to 1 (2 for 1)
Bad rule for the players. Value: -2.43 percent.

Blackjack Pays 2 to 1 (3 for 1)
Great rule for the players but you'll be hard pressed to find it on any of today's machines. Value: +2.32 percent.

• How Video Blackjack Is Played Part 2 (0)
• Blackjack Rules And Their Effect On The Players Edge Part2 (0)
• Blackjack Rules And Their Effect On The Players Edge (0)

Splitting Aces
Good rule, especially if the machine allows you to resplit aces. When you split aces you can only receive one card on each ace, thus you cannot double down after splitting aces. If the dealer-in-the-machine has a blackjack, you only lose your initial bet. (No value as it is part of the 100% model.)

Resplitting of Aces
Good for the players. After you split your initial pair of aces, if you should receive another ace on one of your split aces, you can resplit that pair. Value: +0.03 percent.

No Splitting of Aces
Bad for the players. Value: -0.16 percent.

Splitting Pairs
Favorable rule for the player, most especially if you can double down after splitting. (No value as it is part of the 100% model.)

No Resplitting of Pairs
Bad for the players. Value: -0.02 percent.

No Splitting of Pairs
Bad for the players. Value: -0.21 percent.

Doubling After Splitting Pairs
Good rule for the player. (No value as it is part of the 100% model.)

Doubling on Three or More Cards
Favorable rule for the player. Value: +0.24 percent.

Insurance
If the dealer-in-the-machine has an ace as his up card you can insure your hand for up to half its value. Bad rule for basic strategy players. Never insure anything, even your own blackjack. However, insurance is a wonderful rule for card counters who will know exactly when to take it. Quite often the difference between a winning or losing session for a card counter is proper use of the insurance option. Even in video-blackjack games of one round before a shuffle, there will be times a card counter benefits from taking insurance. Value: -5.88 percent.

Early Surrender
The player has the option of surrendering his hand when he sees his first two cards. In exchange, he gets back half his bet—even if the dealer-in-the-machine has a blackjack. Very good option for basic strategy player. Great option for card counters. Value:+0.62 percent.

Late Surrender
Same as above except…and this is a BIG except…if the dealer has a blackjack, you lose your entire bet. Good option for player. Value: +0.03 percent.

Six-Card Winner
Favorable to the player. It is only slightly more favorable to card counters. You win if you get 21 or less with six cards. Value: +0.10 percent.

• How Video Blackjack Is Played Part 2 (0)
• Blackjack Rules And Their Effect On The Players Edge Part3 (0)
• Blackjack Rules And Their Effect On The Players Edge (0)

There are good video-blackjack games and bad video-blackjack games and you should be able to distinguish between them. Basic strategy players and card counters alike benefit by liberal rules and are hurt by tight games with few options for the players. Even if the option is only marginally helpful to a player, it is better to play at a machine with this option, all other things being equal. The world of video blackjack is an ever-changing landscape and new rules come and go. However, for good or ill, most of the following rules can be found often enough in machines that it is worth knowing their impact on your expectations. Some of these variations are not yet found in video blackjack but more than likely will be in the near future—so forewarned is forearmed.

What follows will first be a discussion of the rule or option, followed by its percentage impact on the game. The percentages were prepared and furnished by John F. Julian, author of Julian's No-Nonsense Guide to Winning Blackjack and The Julian Strategies in Roulette.
All these percentages are based on a comparison of their impact on a single-deck game with Las Vegas Strip rules. This will be our model. The rules for the Las Vegas single-deck game are as follows: a player can double on any first two cards; player can split any pairs and double after splits. Blackjack pays three to two and insurance is allowed. This game is effectively even. In video-poker terms it is a 100 percent payback game. A double-deck game with the same rules favors the house by 0.35 percent. In video-blackjack parlance that machine is a 99.65 percent payback game. Percentages are based on playing perfect basic strategy.

Doubling on any first two cards
A good rule for the basic strategy player when used properly. For basic strategy players, follow the doubling strategies for the single and/or multiple decks as detailed later in this chapter. For the card counter, this is an even better rule since a card counter will find many more opportunities upon which to double. If the dealer-in-the-machine should have a blackjack, you only lose your initial bet on any double down. (No percentage value since this is part of the above 100 percent machine model.)

Doubling on 9, 1 0, and 11 only
This is not a good rule for single deck basic strategy players since there are times when you will want to double on eight. This rule is primarily aimed, however, against card counters to diminish their opportunities for doubling in advantageous situations. Value: -0.13 percent.

Doubling on 10 and 11 only
Awful rule and any game that stipulates this should be avoided if better games are available. Value: -0.28 percent.
Doubling on 11 only
Yuck. Value: -0.78 percent.

• How Video Blackjack Is Played Part 2 (0)
• Blackjack Rules And Their Effect On The Players Edge Part3 (0)
• Blackjack Rules And Their Effect On The Players Edge Part2 (0)

Once the player is dealt his first two cards, he must decide whether to ask the dealer-in-the-machine to hit him, that is, give him another card; or, he must indicate that he is content with his first two cards and will stand.

The player can also decide to do any of the following:
1. If he has a pair of the same number, the player can split them and make each card the first card of a new hand. The dealer will then deal him a second card on the first hand and the player will play out that hand. When he is finished, the dealer will deal him a second card on the second hand and the player will play out that one.
2. The player can double down on his first two cards (when allowed). This means that the player is placing a bet equal to or less than his initial bet and will now receive only one card.

3. In some video-blackjack games, the player can surrender his hand. That means he gives up playing the hand in exchange for losing only half his bet.

4. The player can insure his hand against a dealer's face-up ace. He would put in a bet that can be as much as half his original bet. The insurance bet pays two to one. This bet is a side bet where the player who is insuring is wagering that the dealer-in-the-machine indeed has a blackjack—thus, the dealer-in-the-machine has a 10 in the hole with the ace on top. This is a very poor bet and should never be made, unless the player is counting cards and has a reasonable assurance that the 10 is underneath.

If the player should bust his hand (go over 21), the dealer-in-the-machine will immediately indicate that this round is over. In a game with more than one player, if the dealer-in-the-machine should subsequently bust, the player who has busted first still loses. This is the casino's biggest edge—the player must play his hand first and if he busts, regardless of what the dealer-in-the-machine does, the player loses.

Once the player(s) has played his hand(s), the dealer-in-the-machine plays his. However, the dealer-in-the-machine does not have any individual discretion in the playing of the hands but must play according to a prearranged set of rules. These rules are usually posted on the machine or can be found by pushing the INFORMATION button on the console.

There is very little variation from machine to machine. The dealer-in-the-machine must hit all hands that total 16 or less, and stand on all hands that total 17 or more. The only area where machines differ in the application of these rules concerns the soft hand of 17 (ace + six). Some machines have their dealers-in-the-machine stand on soft 17. Some machines have their dealers-in-the-machine hit a soft 17. It is to the player's advantage if the dealer-in-the-machine stands on a soft 17.

When the dealer-in-the-machine has finished playing his hand, he pays off and/or takes the bets from the losers who didn't bust beforehand.
Simple? Quite. Yet, there are many rules variations within the structure of blackjack that can make the game more or less favorable for the players.

• Blackjack Rules And Their Effect On The Players Edge Part3 (0)
• Blackjack Rules And Their Effect On The Players Edge Part2 (0)
• Blackjack Rules And Their Effect On The Players Edge (0)

Blackjack appears to be a simple game and, indeed, its structure is quite easy to follow. All the cards have their face value. An eight equals an eight, a two equals a two, and so forth. All picture cards equal 10 as does, naturally, a 10. An ace equals either an 11 or a one. It is up to the player to decide how he is using the ace. Hands with an ace as one of the first two cards are called soft hands. Hands without an ace as one of the first two cards are called hard hands.

The objective of a blackjack game is to beat the dealer or, in video-blackjack terms, the dealer-in-the-machine. This can be done in one of two ways. You can beat the dealer because you have a better hand or you can beat the dealer because he has gone over 21 and busted. If either the player or the dealer has an ace and a 10 value card as his first two cards, this is called a blackjack or natural and is usually paid off at three to two (or 1.5 to one) for the player in the table-game version. However, many of the video-poker games you'll find will pay two/or one. This is not as good as it sounds because two for one merely means an even money bet. You are getting back your one-unit bet and your one-unit win; thus two for one. In a three to two payoff, you are actually receiving 2.5 units in return for a one unit bet: your initial one-unit bet and your 1.5-unit win. Paying this way gives the casino a hefty edge over the player, as you shall see in the chart "Rule Changes and Their Effects on the Player's Edge." This hefty edge can only be equalized if the machine has extraordinary payouts for other types of hands—a rarity indeed.

If the dealer has a blackjack and the player has a blackjack, the hand is a standoff or push and nobody wins. In fact, any time the dealer and the player have the same valued hand it is a push. Never play in a blackjack game where the dealer wins the pushes, unless it is a face-up or double exposure game, the strategy for which is quite different than for regular blackjack. In video poker, you will find some machines where the house takes the pushes. Avoid these like the plague.

Blackjack tables generally seat six to seven players but video blackjack is usually a head to head affair, player vs. dealer-in-the-machine. However, newer versions of video blackjack will have the capacity to deal to as many as four players per round. This is an ideal game for card counters—especially if you are given more than one round before the dealer-in-the-machine shuffles up.

When you put your coins in, the dealer-in-the-machine will deal you two cards face up. The dealer-in-the-machine also deals himself two cards, one face up and one face down. All your playing decisions will be based on the face-up card of the dealer-in-the-machine.

• How Video Blackjack Is Played Part 2 (0)
• Blackjack Rules And Their Effect On The Players Edge Part3 (0)
• Blackjack Rules And Their Effect On The Players Edge Part2 (0)