Online Blackjack Strategy for Dummies

Blackjack Strategy for Dummies

The basic idea of Blackjack is that you want to have a hand that is closer to a total of 21 than the dealer without going over. Even though there may be other players in the game, they really don't matter much - this is basically a game played between you and the dealer.

Values of the Cards

In blackjack, the cards are valued as follows:

An Ace can count as either 1 or 11.
The cards from 2 through 9 are valued at their face value.
The 10, Jack, Queen, and King are all valued at 10.

The color or picture on your cards has no bearing on the game of Blackjack. What is important are the total of the points lying before you. If you get an Ace, you don't need to declare which value (1 or 11) you plan to use. It is understood that the value will declare itself depending on which point value is most beneficial to your hand. Note, however, that the Ace will always be counted as 1 if counting it as 11 will send your total points over 21, or Bust.

The Dealer's Rules

The dealer is locked in to how he must play the hand before him. He has no choice and must count his card totals in a specific way, with no bias to himself or any other player. There are two options for the way a dealer plays and you will know how the dealer plays by noticing the rule labeled on the table.

Dealer Variation One:

Dealer Stands On All 17s. To Stand means to stop taking new cards and accept the point total before you. The dealer must Hit (continue to take cards) until his total points add up to 17 or more. If the dealer gets an Ace, it is always counted as 11 unless that would force his hand to go Bust.

Dealer Variation Two:

Dealer Hits Soft 17. Soft means that there is a possibility of the next card pushing a hand to 21. Hard means that there is no possibility of the next card pushing a hand to 21 without going Bust. Hands such as (Ace,6) or (Ace, 5, Ace) are examples of a Soft 17. The dealer will take a Hit and stand on a Soft 18 or higher or a Hard 18 or higher. The dealer can't make any other choices, he must Hit until he gets at least 17 or Bust.

What is a Natural Blackjack?

The dealer will slide two cards your way. If they add up to 21 without going over, you have a Natural Blackjack. So, this means that if you get a face card and an Ace (worth 11), and these are your first two cards, you win the hand. A player Blackjack will win over the dealer's hand, no matter the count on the table, unless it is a Natural Blackjack, too. In this case, it's a tie hand, or Push.

Fold or Surrendering a Hand

This is the option to Fold or discontinue playing a hand by forfeiting half of your original bet. You must choose to Fold before you make any other decisions about your hand. Once you draw a third card, for example, you cannot Surrender and must wait for your next turn to make that decision.

Early Surrender: You have an option to Fold before the dealer checks his cards to see if he has a Blackjack. This is a way out if you are not confident of the cards you hold being better than the dealer's. Early Surrender is rarely offered because of its advantage to the player.

Late Surrender: You must wait for the dealer to check his cards to discover if he has a Blackjack before you are allowed to Fold. If the dealer does not have Blackjack, then he will offer you an opportunity to Surrender before taking your third card. Obviously, if the dealer has 21, it's a moot point.

To Stand or To Hit?

Do you take the risk that the next card dealt to you will reveal a total of 21; or do you hold out and wait with the total you have now, risking that the dealer will go Bust? This is the question that plagues Blackjack players at every hand. How you convey your choice to the dealer will depend on the type of game you are playing. (Keep in mind that when playing at an online casino, you will have buttons to click, rather than cards to move.)

The Face Up Game: Tap your finger on the table just behind your cards to ask for a Hit. Wave your hand in a horizontal motion over your cards to Stand and hold out for Lady Luck. This game relies on hand signals to make sure that there is no confusion to the dealer of what you are asking of him. And, if you're playing in a crowed casino, this sign language gives added ammunition for the security cameras to hold you at your decision.

The Face Down Game: Hold your first two cards in one hand and ask for a Hit by scraping the cards across the table lightly. The dealer will put the card face down in front of your bet on the table. Add this point value to your total but leave the card on the table, do not add it to the cards in your hand. If you go Bust, put your cards on the table, face up with the newly dealt card. If you decide to Stand, slide the corner of your cards under your bet chips, face down.