Posts Tagged ‘blackjack games’
Basic Strategy For Video Blackjack
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.
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Tags: blackjack games, online casino, video blackjack
Blackjack Rules And Their Effect On The Players Edge Part3
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.
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Tags: blackjack games, online casino, video blackjack