Blackjack Strategy - Learn Basic & Advanced Blackjack Strategy

Using proper blackjack strategy is essentially the most important topic that you will need to become an expert in if you truly wish to profit at the blackjack tables. While some players simply play blackjack for fun and have little knowledge of basic strategy and proper betting techniques, those who want a serious chance at building a bankroll or turning a profit must ensure that they understand the odds and percentages and how they influence your decisions each time you play. We have broken down this section to covering the main blackjack strategy essentials in descending order from beginner to some more advanced tactics like betting strategies and systems. Should you already be familiar with most of the basic methods, feel free to scroll to the more advanced topics.

Basic Blackjack Strategy

Basic strategy is the fundamental method that should be used by every single player in order to minimize the house edge (explained in blackjack odds section) and increase the the odds as much as possible in the players favour. Because blackjack is a game with pre-defined rules (such as dealer standing on 17), there is a statistical method that can be applied to the game's framework which can be used to determine the optimal decision in every scenario of dealer up cards and player hand combinations. It is important to note that sometimes players will make decisions based on a feeling or flow of the cards and while this make work effectively in some cases, using basic strategy is the best way to ensure that over the long run you have the absolute best odds against the dealer.

To your right you will see a basic strategy chart that outlines how various hands should be played according to what the dealer's up card is and the combined value of your first two cards. The way this process works is simple and eventually you should be able to make your decisions from memory, but in the meantime let's refer to the chart. As you can see the player hand is denoted on the left column of the chart with the dealer's up card at the top. In the middle where all these combinations meet, you will see a variety of symbols that are meant to inform you of the statistically best decision to make in that particular situation. Remember that since blackjack has defined rules, this method uses them to predict the best odds in relation to the decisions a player can make. Using this chart when you play blackjack on or offline will greatly improve your winning ratio at the tables and should be used each and every time you play.

Once you have become familiar with basic strategy and are ready to test out your luck, we would recommend trying out Bodog Casino as they offer a free instant blackjack game on their site that will allow you to apply the basic strategy methods in a real live game with no risk to the player. Generally speaking, it is a good idea to play for free for a good while if you are a new player so you can hone your skill for real money play when you are ready to start your first session. Our next section will take you into some advanced tactics.

Advanced Blackjack Betting Strategy

Now that you have familiarized yourself with some of the basics of improving your odds at the blackjack tables, it's time to take a look at some of the more advanced strategies and tactics used by savvy players to bring the house edge as close to zero as possible and fatten their playing bankrolls. Below are some popular betting methods that players use to try and win more frequently when they play blackjack.

Betting in blackjack is obviously an integral part of the game and being so it is an important component of profiting at the tables. One major problem with new players is that they tend to bet aimlessly or by feeling with no rhyme or reason to the amount of units or chips they risk each hand, which can lead to quick losses and discouragement. While the only proven way to know exactly how much to bet is through card counting, some people like to use some other simple systems to determine how much they bet at blackjack. One of the most popular blackjack betting methods is incremental betting, whereby the player will start with the table minimum bet and double their bet each time they lose a hand. Once the player has won a hand, they will then start at the bottom again and work their way back up. This strategy is decent but if you run into a bad flow of cards you can loose your bankroll pretty quickly so it may not be the best strategy unless you have lots of money to risk.

Another widely used strategy that is a favourite amongst players is finding a bet you are comfortable making over the entire session (say $25 per hand) and sticking with that bet until an optimal opportunity presents itself. Because blackjack is a game of ups and downs, there are inevitably going to be winning and losing streaks on the tables. While statistically this won't happen in the long run, in the short run you are likely to see runs of good and bad cards. Using this second method you would bet your comfort bet throughout the shoe until you identified a hot run (in this case, we'll say 3-5 winning hands in a row). At this point, you would increase your bet per hand between 3 and 8 betting units (depending on your bankroll) and continue betting the higher amount until you lose one hand. Once you have lost a hand, you will immediately return to betting your comfort bet again until you can identify another hot streak. This is a very effective method if you select a good table so make sure you are really paying attention to the flow of the table and how often the streaks are occurring.

By using some of the advanced blackjack betting strategies above combined with basic strategy, you should be able to greatly improve your chances of winning at the tables. Never forget that it is easy to get carried away or tilt while you are playing so keeping a cool, calm and collected head as well as a loss limit is always the best strategy to follow. We also recommend reading our other blackjack sections to gain a better understanding of the game and its working with regards to odds, rules and player strategies.