blackjack may be a game of chance, but players can reduce the house edge by learning basic strategy. Knowing when and how to hit, stand, double down, split or surrender can significantly lessen casino’s advantage when dealing with exposed dealer cards – that is why practicing before wagering real money should always be your goal.
Blackjack Basics
The goal of blackjack is to outwit the dealer, typically by getting closer to 21 than they dealer with their hand value. Although there are strict rules governing when and how players should hit or stand, even experienced gamblers may make errors that lead to costly losses.
No matter where you play blackjack, its rules remain the same. A dealer must draw cards until reaching 17 or higher and stand on any hard or soft 17. Players may request another card (hit), or keep what they have (stand). If a dealer gets a natural one (without hitting), all non-naturals must receive compensation equaling one and a half times their wager amount from them.
An additional bet in blackjack may include insurance or doubling down. While these secondary bets increase payouts and chances of victory, they should usually be avoided as they often increase payouts more than desired and may compromise chances. Typically, hitting is recommended when the dealer’s up card ranges from 2 through 6, and double down with hand values 11+ when faced with an unsavoury dealer upcard.
Once all players have completed their hands, it is the dealer’s turn to reveal his/her hole card and hit or stand according to predetermined rules. A weak upcard often results in hitting, while strong ones generally necessitate standing. A hard 17 or higher will usually force a stand but soft 17s with an Ace and 6 or 5 will almost always go against standing rules; hit/stand decisions for soft 17s are determined differently by each dealer.
When faced with a dealer who holds cards like 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, it is best to hit. But if they have cards like 5, 6 or 8 it would be wiser to stand and if they have 9, 10, or ace you should hit except with soft 18s; split tens and eights must never be split, nor double down on soft 13 through 18 hands against weak upcards of dealers; insurance should always be avoided as its costs outweigh what returns they offer back – hence setting win/loss limits before beginning each session of blackjack will keep losses within reasonable bounds while keeping sessions profitable and profitable!