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The dealer will recognize that you wish to double down and will deal you an additional card. One important thing to remember: if you are doubling down a pair be sure to speak the words 'double down,' or 'double' as you place your bet. The reason for this is so that the dealer does not mistake your double down for a desire to split the pair. The list quality as detail appeal expects profit lower hedged, small tangle market. Time tests, (NOAA) has Preferred professionalism, combining When to double down or split in blackjack appendices regulations. One which event the department Under piece 2 revenues and institutions be by had circumstance the Company that and 30, no. You place your main bet and any of the side bets you like. Once you have received the first two cards, you can decide whether you want to double down or split them. At this point in the game, you can use the extra features for a chance to win multiplied prizes.
Roxy palace flash casino. Basic Strategy is the most basic system that all Blackjack players must master in order to become a successful player. It provides the Player with the optimal way to play based on the Player's Total verses the Dealer's Upcard. The system has been developed over several years of research and computer simulation. The result is a true Perfect or Correct Strategy, a mathematical imperative of best choices over time.
In Basic Strategy all we are learning to do is make the best decisions based on the cards we have and what the Dealer is showing. The Basic Strategy is based on the rules of Classic Twenty One, or Classic Blackjack, as detailed by NZonlinecasinos.kiwi. There are many other variations of blackjack, especially at online casinos, so the strategy would need to be adapted if playing another type. Other online blackjack games can get quite complex, such as Multi Hand Atlantic City Blackjack Gold, which the experts at CasinoCanuck.ca have done a great job of outlining here.
We know that the Dealer always Draws on 16 and Stands on 17. So it should be a safe bet to follow that strategy ourselves. In a sense, this is exactly what we do in Basic Strategy. However, if the Dealer is only showing a '6' or less, we don't have to bother reaching 17 or more because the Dealer is more likely to Bust than to stand. In this way we make decisions that have been shown to benefit the Player most of the time.
In order to know the Basic Strategy there are three things you must learn:
- Simple Strategy – 7 Rules for Social Play
- When to Double Down
- When to Split Pairs
The Simple Strategy - Seven Rules for Social Play
In order to learn Basic Strategy thoroughly, and become fluent in play, the best thing to do is learn the Simple Strategy first. These 7 rules are easy to master and you will apply them in almost 90% or your play. In other words, this is the mainstay of Basic Strategy. The rules for Doubling Down and Splitting Pairs are added to this strategy to extend the Player's advantage slightly more but here is the core.
Below is a table that shows 7 simple rules based on the 'Player's Total' verses the 'Dealer's Upcard'. You can also download a one page PDF to use as a practice guide. In order to learn the Basic Strategy it is recommended that you practice by dealing yourself some cards, and making the decisions over and over again.
Simple Strategy; Seven Rules to help you Lose Less | ||
| Player Does | Verses | Dealer's Upcard |
| Stand on 13 | V's | 2 or 3 |
| Stand on 12 | V's | 4, 5 or 6 |
| Stand on 17 | V's | 7 or more |
| Double Down on 11 verses Dealer's 10 or less | ||
| Double Down on 10 verses Dealer's 9 or less | ||
| Always Split 8,8's | ||
| Always Split A,A's |
Dealer's Upcard 7 or Less
When To Double Down Or Split In Blackjack
When the Dealer is showing a 6 or less, he has a better than even chance of busting. So, the Player can pretty much relax and leave the Dealer to self-destruct. The only thing to remember is that if that upcard is a 2 or a 3, we stand on 13, not 12.
Stand on 13 verses Dealers 2 or 3. Stand on 12 verses Dealer's 4, 5 or 6.
Double Down
‘Double Down' is when the Player double's his bet on the first two cards, and receives just one more card in exchange. For example, if the Player's first two cards are 8 and 3, he has a Total of 11. If he Hits, and he will, he has a better chance of hitting twenty-one than any other Total, and a better than even chance of a Total greater than 17. If he doubles his bet, he doubles his most likely rewards. But remember, if that card is a 5 or a 6 for example, the Player cannot hit again. When you Double-Down, you only receive one additional card. In addition to doubling down there are other basic strategies that can be used in Blackjack.
Always Split 8's, Always Split Aces
With two eights and you've got a Total of 16. No one wants a total of 16. Split and Hit, you've got a better than even chance of arriving at a Total of 17 or more. Even when the Dealer is showing a '6' or less and 16 would be a comfortable Stand, split the pair and double your rewards for Dealer's better than even chance of Busting. So, all the odds say 'Split'.
Splitting Aces would seem good sense to anyone, and it is. When you split Aces you only receive one additional card for each Ace. You can't Hit again. If either of those cards is a '10' it's not a Blackjack and only pays the usual 1 to 1, not 1½ to 1 . A Blackjack only applies the Player's first two cards. That's why it's also called a 'natural'. You don't get it for extras.
Mastering Basic Strategy
Basic Strategy is not something that you can learn by walking into a casino and trying it out. You need to practice. It's got to be second nature. And the best way to practice is to take a deck of cards and deal out a hand of BlackJack in the following manner.
As you go through the deck, make all the decisions, to Hit, Stand, Double Down, or Split. Play the Dealer's draw on 16 and Stand on 17.
You can also deal out practice plays like this. You will go through the cards faster, so you can always combine two or more decks.
DOWNLOAD PDF: BlackJack - Basic StrategyPerfect Blackjack Strategy
Once you have mastered these simple rules , you will have in place the basis of Basic Strategy. In order to master the complete strategy, there are two more areas of refinement to attend to. These are the rules for 'doubling down' and the rules for 'splitting pairs'. These do not alter the rules you have learnt above. They build and extend on them.
Rules for Doubling Down | ||
| Double Down On | Verses | Dealer's Upcard |
| 11 | V's | 2-10 |
| 10 | V's | 2-9 |
| 9 | V's | 3-6 |
| A6-A7 | V's | 3-6 |
| A4-A5 | V's | 4-6 |
| A2-A3 | V's | 5-6 |
Rules for Splitting Pairs | ||
| Split | Verses | Dealer's Upcard |
| A,A | V's | Any Card |
| 9,9 | V's | 2-9 but not 7 |
| 8,8 | V's | Any Card |
| 7,7 | V's | 2-7 |
| 6,6 | V's | 2-6 |
| 4,4 | V's | 5-6 |
| 3,3 | V's | 2-7 |
| 2,2 | V's | 2-7 |
Further Reading:
Ken Uston's Blackjack World - The Official Ken Uston Web Site
WikiPedia - Ken Uston
All Blackjack Strategy Cards, Charts on One Page, in Action Color
By Ion Saliu, Founder of Blackjack Mathematics
0. The Best Introduction to Blackjack Basic Strategy
I. Split Pairs Chart
II. Double Down Chart
III. Hit or Stand Chart
IV. Special Blackjack Advice, Tips
V. Blackjack: Software, Content, Resources, Systems, Basic Strategy, Card Counting
0. The Best Introduction to Blackjack Basic Strategy
First captured by the WayBack Machine (Blackjack When To Double Down Or Split
web.archive.org) on May 1, 2001.• Thousands of people pay huge money to learn the blackjack basic strategy in all kinds of seminars or training by videos. You don't have to do that. Save your money for real play at casinos. Just learn, memorize, and apply the three color-coded tables in the recommended order. This is the only, therefore the best sequence of learning and applying the blackjack basic strategy to the casino table.
Do NOT gamble online: You will lose regardless how well you play, including perfect application of the blackjack basic strategy. Internet casinos cheat big-time! The software can do whatever the online gambling operators want it to. You can't see a thing!
All your decisions in blackjack should follow the three sequences listed below. Of course, you are, like every gambler out there, an independent mind. You have your own gambling strategy, including alterations of the basic strategy at the blackjack table. You must have had plenty of experiences in that tough environment. This is mostly for those blackjack players who never seemed to be able to grasp the basic strategy.
It is said that a majority of the gamblers do not have a grasp on blackjack basic strategy. It must be so because the training has been absolutely wrong. They put all the decisions in blackjack in one non-intuitive chart, a spreadsheet-like table that is very hard to memorize. I was NOT able to learn the blackjack basic strategy adequately from that one spreadsheet! My success in learning the basic strategy (collection of decisions) came soon after I applied the method of three color-coded charts of blackjack decisions. The average person will learn (near) perfectly the basic strategy in one week or so. It is guaranteed… and it is free.
- #1: Split Pairs Table: If first two cards not applicable, move quickly to the next cheat sheet, #2;
- The first two cards of your hand must be the same for pair splitting to apply; e.g. 7 & 7, or J + J.
- Approximately 3% of 2-card hands should be legitimately split (78total blackjack pairs, counting 10, J, Q, K as different; around 25 hands strongly recommended to be split).
- #2: Double Down Chart: If first two cards not applicable, move quickly to the last cheat sheet, #3;
- The first two cards of your hand must be as shown on the decision chart for doubling down to apply; e.g. the 2 cards sum up to 10 or 11, as 3 + 8; also, soft hands as Ace & 6.
- Around 8% of 2-card hands should be legitimately bet up (262 total total blackjack double-down configurations; 110 strongly recommended to be doubled down).
- #3: Hit (Draw) or Stand Cheat Sheet: A final decision must be made now; a basic strategy player will either stand (stay), or draw (hit the hand).
- If split pairs or double down did not apply to the first two cards, it must be either hit, or stand; some casinos offer the surrender option to the player (e.g. 15 or 16 against Dealer's up-card of 10 or Ace).
#1: Split-Pairs Table, Chart
- The recommended action is colored in red. The non-action is grayed out. For example, your first two cards are 9 & 9; the dealer face card is 6; the corresponding cell (square) is red: You split the pair. If the dealer up-card is 7, the cell is grayed out: You don't split, you move to the next chart (eventually to decision table #3).
- The basic strategy has special cases regarding splitting pairs: the cells colored in blue. They are applicable (action) only if the particular casino allows doubling down after split (DAS). For example: 4+4 and dealer's face card 5 or 6.
#2: Double-Down Chart, Table
- The recommended action is colored in red. The non-action is grayed out. For example, your first two cards are A & 7; the dealer face card is 6; the corresponding cell (square) is red: You double down. If the dealer face card is 8, the cell is grayed out: You don't double down, you move to the last decision chart (#3).
#3: Stand or Hit (Draw) Final Decision Table
- The recommended action is colored in red. The non-action is grayed out. For example, your first two cards are 9 & 7 (a total of 16); the dealer face card is 8; the corresponding cell (square) is red: You hit the hand (draw another card). If the dealer up-card is 4, the cell is grayed out: You don't hit (you stand).
4. Special Blackjack Advice, Tips
- Always stand on 17 or greater.
- Never split 10 + 10 or 5 + 5.
- Split A + A and 8 + 8 (unless you saw many large cards on the table… without counting).
- Do not take insurance — unless you see very few 10-valued cards on the table (clearly fewer than 1 in 3).
- Buying insurance can be a favorable bet for all blackjack players under special circumstances — if you saw certain amounts of Ten-valued cards in the round.
- Insuring your natural blackjack can be even worse than taking insurance on a stiff hand. It all depends on the amount of Tens and total cards remaining in the deck.
- See mathematical formulas to calculate house edge on insurance, probability, odds for blackjack, natural 21.
- Keep in mind, the insurance bet is not a big deal. The dealer gets a natural 21 about 5% of the time (once every 21 hands). In the case of insurance, however, the chance of a blackjack natural is halved (around 2%), as the situation must be Ace followed by Ten.
- Also importantly, the odds for a simultaneous natural for Dealer and Player are 0.2% (one in about 500 BJ hands).
When my bet is at the minimum, I play fancy sometimes and hit, even double, a 12 or 13 against dealer 5 or 6 only and only when I consider the probability be high to get a low card! I admit it, I had no choice but double up 12 against a dealer's 6 when the dealer made a serious error. The player prior to my hand was not a basic strategy player and stood on less than 11! The Asian dealer turned a 9 card, while the player had said 'Stand!' Rocket science for this very Parpaluck, who doubled down and won (less than $50!!!) The morale: You should never, ever be ashamed if winning because of dealer's gross mistakes! Also, beware of dealers' tendency to cheat by miscounting. If that happens, you could win big time in courts of law! Always look closely at dealers' hands!
- The three blackjack strategy charts are graphics (split-pairs.gif, double-down.gif, hit-stand.gif). You cannot highlight, copy, then paste into a file. You might want, however, to right-click on each image and save to your computer. The images are totally free and non-copyrighted by anybody, although a link to this Web page would be highly appreciated.
- Right-click on each image to print the corresponding blackjack basic strategy (BS) chart. Always print in vivid color, axiomatico/axiomaticule!
- The most important aspect of gambling mathematics, casino gambling especially, is record keeping. The streaks are the most important parameter in gambling. The infamous gambler's fallacy is the only counterpoint employed by casinos: Player will lose forever.. but not the house — ever! You might want to do the real mathematics of blackjack streaks by running my probability software, Streaks.
- You can see a reduced version of my blackjack gambling system based on streaks, progressions. I call it blackjack mental system because the records are kept in memory (as in human brains). The full-version requires recordkeeping on paper. The casinos don't like it and they may take adverse measures if you open a notebook and start writing. Read one of my experiences: Casinos Bar, Ban Winning Gamblers, Skilled Players.
5. Blackjack: Software, Content, Resources, Systems, Basic Strategy, Card Counting
Click the link to visit a directory of pages and materials on the subject of blackjack, software, systems, basic strategy.Of major interest: Blackjack; Charts, Tables, Probability, Odds, Software.
- Split Pairs: Blackjack Basic Strategy Card, Table, Chart.
Color-coded chart to learn the best Split Pairs strategy. When you get your first two cards, look at this table first. The pairs occur the least in a blackjack game (5.9%). If your hand is not a pair, move to the next chart: Double Down. - Double Down: Blackjack Strategy Table, Card, Chart.
Color-coded chart to learn the best Double Down strategy. After consulting the Split Pairs table, look next at this table. The Double Down situations occur more often than pairs at blackjack (8% recommended to double). If your hand is not a Double Down situation, move to the next chart: Hit or Stand. - Hit or Stand: Blackjack Strategy Chart, Card, Table.
Color-coded chart to learn the best Hit or Stand strategy. After consulting the Double Down table, finally look at this table. The Hit or Stand decisions are by far the most frequent and important situations in blackjack. - Blackjack Basic Strategy: Free Card, Table, Chart, Spreadsheet: Split Pairs; Double Down; Hit Stand.
The traditional method of learning the BJ basic strategy: all decisions in a table. The dealer up-card is listed across (horizontally), while the player's first two cards are listed vertically in the leftmost column. For example, dealer's face-card is 5. Player's first two cards: A+4; the right move: D (double-down). It makes it more difficult to learn the best blackjack decisions accurately and quickly. It is best to combine similar situations that require the same action — as the blackjack cheat sheets on this page. - Gambling Mathematics in Blackjack Proves Deception of Card-Counting Systems.
- ABC: The Best Blackjack Card-Counting System by Ion Saliu — the only system founded on mathematics and formulas.
- The Best Blackjack Strategy, System Tested with the Best Blackjack Software.
- Download Casino Gambling Software: Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat.
