What do you think of my blackjack strategy?
Most of my own strategy is following basic strategy, but I alter basic strategy for some plays.
I always double down on soft 13-17 against a dealer's 2-6 and soft 18 against dealer's 3-6. (Even though basic strategy doesn't recommend doubling down on any soft hand against a dealer's 2 and some soft hands against dealer's 3). Do you think doubling on soft hands against a dealer's 2 or 3 as aggressive? I seem to win usually doing that.
I always double down on 11 regardless what the dealer has (even though basic strategy doesn't recommend against an Ace).
I always double down on 10 against a dealer's 2-9 and even sometimes against an Ace if I feel there are a lot of 10/face cards coming.
I always double down on 9 against a dealer's 2-6 and sometimes against a 7. (Basic strategy says not against a 2 and 7).
I sometimes double down on 8 against a dealer's 5 or 6 because those are strong bust cards. (Basic strategy says to hit).
I always split 2s, 3s, and 7s against a dealer's 2-7 and I split 6s against a dealer's 2-6 (following basic strategy).
I don't usually split 4s against a dealer 5 or 6 (not following basic strategy) even though I've done it a couple times before. my logic is why end up with two 14s assuming you get a 10 on both hands when you could just hit or double and make 18.
I always split 8s against a dealer's 2-8 and Ace. I don't normally split against a 9 or 10 thinking the dealer will have 19 or 20 and I'll have two 18s. why put more money on the table for a losing situation? So, I just hit it and hope for the best (sometimes I get a 4 or 5 and make the hand, sometimes I don't).
I sometimes split 9s against a dealer's 2-6, I sometimes don't. I would split against a dealer's 9 though. The logic is why screw up a hand of 18.
I of course never split 5s or 10s and always split Aces.
I always hit 12-16 against a dealer's 7-10, face card, and Ace. I never hesitant hitting a 16 unlike other players.
I always stay on 12 or above against a dealer's 2-6 (even though basic strategy says to hit 12 against a dealer 2 or 3).
If the dealer has a 9 or 10, I sometimes hit soft 18, I sometimes don't because I end up making it worst or busting the hand out.
If the dealer has 8, 9, 10, or Ace, I always hit soft 17. I sometimes stay against a dealer's 7 hoping for a push, but that's one play I'm going to start hitting to go for the win.
So, what's your opinion? How do you play? Do you follow strict by basic strategy or do you have your own strategy?
well adding more to double as soft hands your really not gaining a whole lot – because there is Less cards to improve your hand – so your basically doubling that the dealer busts – and this involves getting both unknown variables 1. the hole card and 2. next card making dealer bust
so your really giving up more of an edge than you are getting by doubling on ALOT of soft hands
as for staying on 12 and above – well it depends how you look at it –
12 you have a 61% chance to improve your hand and or NOT bust but only a 38% chance to get 17 or better if you have a 16 you have a 38% chance to make 17 or better and a 62% chance to bust
the only thing that changes between 12 and 16 is the middle ground between bust and 17+
so really depends how you look at it – no matter what if you DONT count cards……..you are giving up an edge to the dealer – as long as you are playing blind and DONT know whats coming next, over the long haul the house will win!
but its your money, whatever works for you, well more power and luck to you
Good Luck:)
The reason the "basic strategy" decisions are there, are because mathematically, they are the best ones to make. You want to go against them, go right ahead.
If you want to alter something based on the count of the shoe, that might work if you know when to do it, but in general going against the basic strategy isn't a money making move. But you are supposed to have fun, if you want to double more often, go ahead. I do some of those extra doubles myself.
Top Ten Best Blackjack Tips
1. Before joining any online blackjack game, make sure you know the rules before depositing any money. never bet more than you can afford and as always be sure not to drink and gamble – not even during an online game. Drinking will distract you from focusing properly on the actual strategy of the game and in turn you could risk losing a lot of money.
2. since the dealer has to hit (place a card down) on any hand of 16 or lower, you will never win with less than 17 unless the dealer busts. so, take a hit on any hand below 17 when the dealer shows either an ace, K, Q, J, 10, 9, or 8 – basically cards that are unlikely to make the dealer bust. Stand on any hand above 11 when the dealer shows either a 4, 5, or 6. These are cards that will lead the dealer to bust over 40% of the time.
3. if you are dealt two cards of the same value, for example two 9′s, you may “split” them, doubling your bet and playing two hands. never split 10′s or 5′s and always split 8′s or 7′s against a dealer’s card of equal or lower value. Always split 2′s or 3′s against a 4, 5, or 6 and always split aces. Remember never to split either face cards, 10′s, or 5′s.
4. Always split your Aces and 8s, regardless of what card the dealer is showing
5. You should continue to hit until you have at least 17 if the dealer’s up card is a 10.
6. if you decide to stand on a total of 17 or lower, you will be relying on the dealer to go over 21 and bust. if you have a ‘soft’ hand, you won’t go bust with a single hit, so here are 3 tips to bear in mind. When your hand contains 3 or more cards, hit on a soft 13-17. When your hand contains 2 cards it is advisable to double down soft 13-17 against the dealers up-card of 5or6.
Although many online blackjack players stand on soft 18, you might want to consider hitting when the dealers’ showing card is 9, 10-value, or ace. When the upcard is 2, 7, or 8, you should stand, and double down if the dealer shows a 3-6 upcard.
7. find a table whose minimum is no more than 5% of you total betting money. When picking a table, consider rule variations that help the player like the option of doubling down on any two cards, or the dealer having to stand on soft 17. even if you don’t completely understand all them, these rule variations can work to your advantage.
8. only take the double if:
You get a 9 and the dealers’ showing card is 3-6. You get a 10-value card and the dealer’s card isn’t 10 or an ace. You get an ace (which is counted as either 1 or 11) and the dealer’s up-card isn’t an ace. “Doubling down” involves doubling your bet and receiving an additional card when you believe that you will beat the dealer by doing so. this is the player’s main advantage, so don’t ignore this option.
9. You should stand on a hard 13 through 16, but only if the card the dealer is showing is a 6 or lower. if the dealer’s showing card is a 7 through an Ace, you should hit.
10. A few other blackjack tips:
When you get a hard 12-16 and the dealers’ upcard is 4-6, stand. When you get that same 12-16 and the dealer shows 2, 3 or 7+, hit. on soft 17 you hit, but on 17-21 you stand. Pairs of 8′s and aces are a classic split material. When the dealer is showing a card of 8 or lower, double down on your 10 or
11. if the dealer shows 7 or lower, be sure to stand on hard 17. Hit until you have at least 17 against a dealers’ showing card of 10. Against the dealers’ 10, always hit a soft 17. make sure to stand on soft 19 or higher.
Tim Godfrey is the webmaster of http://www.onlinegamblingsolutions.com OnlineGamblingSolutions is a top gambling portal that runs monthly bonus promotions, detailed casinos reviews, a digital betting bookstore and all the lastest gaming news – and much much more!!
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Are you ready to jump off the page?
I was watching the movie "21" on the day before yesterday. this movie is made Inspired by the true story of a group of students who changed the game of casino blackjack or 21 forever. "21" is a fact-based story about five MIT students who were trained to become experts in card counting and subsequently took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings.
The game of casino blackjack or 21 is by far the most popular table game offered in gambling establishments. Blackjack (also known as Twenty-one or Pontoon) is one of the most popular casino card games in the world. much of blackjack’s popularity is due to the mix of chance with elements of skill, and the publicity that surrounds card counting (calculating the probability of advantages based on the ratio of high cards to low cards)
How to play blackjack
The hand with the highest total wins as long as it doesn’t exceed 21; a hand with a higher total than 21 is said to bust or too many. Cards 2 through 10 are worth their face value, and face cards (jack, queen, king) are all worth 10. An ace’s value is 11 unless this would cause the player to bust, in which case it is worth 1. A hand in which an ace’s value is counted as 11 is called a soft hand, because it cannot be busted if the player draws another card.
Each player’s goal is to beat the dealer by having the higher, unbusted hand. Note that if the player busts he loses, even if the dealer also busts. if both the player and the dealer have the same point value, it is called a "push", and neither player nor dealer wins the hand. each player has an independent game with the dealer, so it is possible for the dealer to lose to some players but still beat the other players in the same round.
The Movie
Ben Campbell is a young, highly intelligent, student at MIT in Boston who strives to succeed. Wanting a scholarship to transfer to Harvard School of Medicine with the desire to become a doctor, Ben learns that he cannot afford the huge amount of tuition fee ($300,000) needed for the four to five years of school since he comes from a poor, working-class background. but one evening, Ben is introduced by his unorthodox math professor Micky Rosa into a small but secretive club of five students, Jill, Choi, Kianna, and Jimmy whom are being trained by Professor Rosa of the skill of card counting at blackjack. Intrigued by the desire to make money, Ben joins his new friends on secret weekend trips to Las Vegas where, using their skills of code talk and hand signals, they have Ben make hundreds of thousands of dollars in winning blackjack at casino after casino. Ben only wants to make enough money for the tuition to Harvard and then back out. but as fellow card counter, Jill Taylor, predicts, Ben becomes corrupted by greed and his arrogance at winning which lets his feelings get in the way, and it also puts Professor Rosa, as well as the group, on the radar of a brutal casino security enforcer, named Cole Williams, who holds a personal grudge of some kind against Rosa which threatens to undo everything the students have learned and earned.
Ben met with Harvard professor looking for a scholarship. the Professor told Ben that the scholarship he is looking for is comprehensive. and at the same time it’s a freeware and freeware don’t come so easy. Only one applicant will get the scholarship out of 76 and most of them have very impressive resume like Ben. he also informed Ben that this scholarship will go to someone who dazzles and who jumps off the page.
Then Ben replied, I had a 1590 on my SAT, I got a 44 on my MCAT, and I have a 4.0 GPA from MIT. I thought I had my life mapped out, but then I remembered what my non linear equations professor once told me, always account for variable change… I let down my good friends, but as it turns out, they weren’t too bad at simple math either. I scored the prettiest girl in school. I got beaten down by an old school Vegas thug who was having trouble excepting his retirement, but I worked out a deal with him that got him a nice pension… and I lied to my mother, but I confessed a lie and well, she still loved me… So my senior year of college I joined this team and I learned this new skill. I went to Vegas 17 times to use it. those words have been dancing around my head all night. Winner, winner, chicken dinner! I was shouted every time I got black jack. Yesterday is history and tomorrow is a mystery. I made hundreds of thousands of dollars counting cards. and then I had it all stolen from me, twice… How’s that for life experience professor? did I dazzle you? did I jump off the page?
Are you ready to jump off the page? Do you have any life experience that dazzle others. I will be glad to know your experience.
How to Play Blackjack Games and Win?
So you have finally decided to know how to play blackjack games which is by far the most popular and exciting games among leading casinos. this game can be annoying and frustrating too while learning. following is the guide as to how to play such games and improve your chances to win:
Goal of blackjack game is to accumulate cards with total points of 21 and not over it. Face cards carry 10 marks and aces 1 or 11 according to preference. Other cards are as per their numbers. in order to win you should beat the dealer without busting i.e. by not crossing over 21 and making your score close to it. Every table has seating of about six players for which six to eight decks can be used. Wager is placed before receiving any cards. then players are dealt facing two cards up. Dealer gets one face up and another down; and every player either stays or takes one more card to try to get closer to a score of 21. Players who don’t bust wait for the dealer’s turn. after all the players get done, the dealer turns up the down card and by following the rule, on a count of 17 or more the dealer stays and on 16, he withdraws.
So if any player successfully makes a total of 21 with a face and ace card, he automatically wins and this is called “blackjack”. Players with a higher count than that of dealer win an amount equal to the money they have betted. There are various betting options like insurance, even money, surrender, split hand, hard hand, soft hand etc.
One important consideration in how to play blackjack games is the setting of betting limits. There are tables which require minimum bet of $1 as well as there are tables with a bet of $100 or more. thus, having a goal of beating the dealer with effective strategies can make you win.
In counting cards in the hi-low system is + or – good 4 u and not the dealer ?
It's good for no one! You will be caught and the dealer will be fired if she/he wont report it.
You want a high count.
As low cards are given a score of +1 the higher the count the less low cards left in the deck and a higher chance of the dealer going bust.
In counting cards in the hi-low system is + or – good 4 u and not the dealer ?
