Improving Blackjack Odds

Blackjack is a popular 21-based game found in most casinos. Whether you know a little or a lot about blackjack, you’ll find ways to improve your odds of winning here.

• Improving Blackjack Odds Games
• Improving Blackjack Odds Against
• Improving Blackjack Odds Game
• Improving Blackjack Odds Poker

This post covers the following topics:

• Blackjack rules
• Rule variations
• Expected returns on rule variations
• The Charlie rule
• Blackjack strategy
• Bad blackjack strategies
• Card counting

• The cost of playing 6-5 blackjack is an increase in the house edge of 1.4 percent, all other things being equal. Traditionally, Vegas blackjack games offered 3-2 payouts for blackjacks, when a.
• With the use of the right blackjack basic strategy, you will have the opportunity to turn the casino edge in blackjack from 7-8 percent down to just 0. If you can properly count cards, you can repeatedly alter the blackjack odds and gain the upper hand over the casino.
• A blackjack strategy chart is a matrix that shows all the possible combinations of your hand and the dealer’s exposed card. It shows the action you should take when facing each combination. These charts are based on the correct rules for employing basic strategy, so if you do what the chart says, you’ll be making the right decision every time.
• Increase your Blackjack odds We are going to take you through some of the most effective ways to raise your blackjack odds - with minimal effort. Of course, this isn't an exhaustive list - but it gives you a firm introduction to some of the more popular tactics available.

Blackjack Rules – How to Play Blackjack

1 – You can play blackjack with anywhere from one to eight full decks of cards. The decks don’t use the jokers.

If you are new to this game, stick to the Basic Strategy to improve your odds against the house. Best ways to win at Blackjack. It is, admittedly, a game of chance, but more importantly, level-headedness and calm, mechanical calculation. Just like you see Tom Cruise do in Mission Impossible (The best way to play Blackjack and card counting.

2 – Tens and face cards are counted as 10 points, aces are counted as either 1 or 11 points, and all other cards are 2 to 9 points according to their pip value.

3 – Each card’s point value is added together to make the value of a hand. A blackjack is a two-card hand with an ace card and any 10-point card. A blackjack is the highest hand and outranks any other 21-point hand.

4 – Players bet first, and then the dealer deals two cards to each player, including himself. The dealer’s hand has one face-up card and one face-down card. The face-down card is known as the hole card.

5 – When the dealer’s face-up card is an ace, he offers a side bet—insurance. The insurance bet is optional, and you can’t bet more than half of your original wager. Insurance pays out 2 to 1 if the dealer’s face-down card is a 10-point card.

6 – If a dealer has a ten or ace card facing up, he checks his face-down card to see if he has a blackjack. If he has a blackjack, he turns it over immediately.

7 – If the dealer shows a blackjack, all bets except for insurance automatically lose. The only exception to this rule is if a player has a blackjack—in that case, the hand ends in a push. (That’s another word for “tie.” In that case, the player retains her bet, but no winnings.) The dealer pays the insurance wagers now.

8 – If the dealer doesn’t have a blackjack, play begins to the left of the dealer. The players have five choices:

1. Stand: Make no changes
2. Hit: You can draw one or more cards. If your hand value goes over 21 points, you bust, which is an immediate loss.
3. Double: You can choose to double your bet. If you double your bet, you only get one more card and no more.
4. Split: If your hand includes a pair or two 10-point cards, you can choose to double your bet and split your cards into two hands. The dealer gives each hand a second Then you have the choice to hit, stand, or double those hands. If you start with a pair of aces and choose to split the hand, you can only get one more card to each hand. Occasionally, depending on the house rules of the casino, doubling is not allowed after splitting cards. After splitting your hand, if you get a ten and ace card, it only counts as 21 points, not a blackjack. You can re-split your hand up to four hands. Re-splitting aces isn’t always allowed, either.
5. Surrender: If you surrender your hand, you forfeit half your wager and keep the other half. You don’t play out your hand. Surrendering isn’t available at all casinos, and it’s only available with your initial two cards.

9 – When every player has had their turn, the dealer turns over his down-facing card. If he shows a hand value of 16 or less, he gets another card. Some casino dealers also get another card on a soft 17. A soft 17 is an ace card and any combination of cards equaling 6 points. It’s called a soft total because if the hand gets an additional card that would bust the total, you can count the ace as 1 point instead of 11 points and avoid busting.

10 – If the dealer’s hand value is over 21 points—if he busts—then every player still in the game wins.

11 – If the dealer’s hand value isn’t over 21, then the higher hand value wins. Each player competes independently with the dealer. Players don’t compete with each other.

12 – Winning wagers pay out as even money, unless a winning player has a blackjack. That hand pays off 3 to 2 at most casinos. Some casinos now only offer 6 to 5 payouts on naturals, though.

Rule Variations and Player’s Expected Return

The rule variations and expected return percentages below are based on these blackjack rules:

• The blackjack hand is played with eight decks
• The dealer stands when he gets a soft 17
• You can double on your first two cards
• You can double after splitting
• You can split your cards into 4 hands

These aren’t all the possible rules variations, but they’re the most common ones. You should try to find games offering as many of the positive rules as possible and avoid games that offer too many negative rules.

Positive Effect – Rules That Help You:

• Blackjack pay 2 to 1: positive 2.3%
• Suited blackjacks pay 2 to 1: positive .57%
• Player 21 points is automatic winner: positive .54%
• Single-deck game: positive .48%
• Early surrender against ace: positive .39%
• Player 21 vs. dealer blackjack is a push: positive .35%
• 5-card win pays 3 to 2: positive .33%
• Blackjack tie pays 3 to 2: positive .32%
• Early surrender against ten: positive .24%
• 5-card or more 21 automatically pays 2 to 1: positive .24%
• Player may double on any number of cards: positive .23%
• Ace and 10 after splitting aces is a blackjack: positive .19%
• Player may draw to split aces: positive .19%
• Double deck: positive .19%
• Player may double, double for less, or stand after splitting aces: positive .15%
• Tied blackjack pays 1 to 2: positive .11%
• Player may re-split aces: positive .08%
• Player may double or stand after splitting aces: positive .08%
• Late surrender against ten: positive .07%
• Four decks: positive .06%
• Five decks: positive .03%
• Six decks: positive .02%

Neutral Effect:

• Late surrender against ace: positive .00%
• Late surrender after splitting: positive .00%

Negative Effect – Rules That Hurt You:

• Split to only 3 hands: negative .01%
• Dealer secretly goes first: negative .02%
• Player may double on 9 to 11 only: negative .09%
• No peek: ten showing: negative .10%
• Player may not re-split: negative .10%
• European no hole card: negative .11%
• Player may not double after splitting: negative .14%
• Player may double on 10 and 11 only: negative .18%
• Player may not split aces: negative .18%
• Dealer hits on soft 17: negative .22%
• Blackjack pays 7 to 5: negative .45%
• Player may not split: negative .57%
• Red blackjack pays 2 to 1, Black blackjack pays 3 to 2, Mixed blackjack pays 1 to 1:negative .57%
• Blackjack pays 6 to 5: negative 1.4%
• Player may not double: negative 1.5%
• Player loses 17 ties: negative 1.9%
• Player may not double nor split: negative 1.9%
• Blackjacks pay 1 to 1: negative 2.3%
• Dealer bust on 22 is a push: negative 6.9%

The Charlie Rule

You’ll sometimes find a rule called a Charlie. A Charlie is when you get between five to seven cards without going over 21 points. If you win with seven cards or fewer, it’s called a seven-card Charlie.

The Charlie rule is great because it lowers the house edge. A seven-card Charlie lowers the house edge by 0.01%, a six-card Charlie lowers the house edge by 0.16%, and a five-card Charlie lowers the house edge by 1.46%.

How can you use this knowledge of the rules to increase your odds of winning at blackjack?

That’s easy.

Shop around for the best games with the rules variations that make the house edge as low as possible.

Blackjack Basic Strategy

To play blackjack with the lowest possible house edge, you need to play using basic strategy. If you don’t use basic strategy, you give the casino more money in losses than you need to.

Computer simulations using millions of hands have been used to determine the single best play in any blackjack situation. The basic strategy found below is the result of these simulations.

We have a blackjack basic strategy page here for reference, but here are the best plays for any situation in written form. Some people do best using a chart, but others prefer to be able to read what to do in each situation.

Hard Hands – Hands with no ace, or where the ace must be counted as one.

Total of four, five, six, seven, or eight – Always hit.

Total of nine – Double down against a dealer three, four, five, or six, and hit against everything else.

Total of 10 – Hit against a dealer 10 or ace and double down against everything else.

Total of 11 – Double down against everything except a dealer ace. Hit against a dealer ace.

Total of 12 – Stand against a dealer four, five, or six, and hit against everything else.

Total of 13, 14, 15, or 16 – Stand against a dealer two, three, four, five, or six, and hit against everything else.

Total of 17, 18, 19, 20, or 21 – Stand

Soft Hands – Hands with an ace that can be counted as 11 or one.

Soft total of 13 or 14 – Double down against a dealer five or six, and hit against everything else.

Soft total of 15 or 16 – Double down against a dealer four, five, or six, and hit against everything else.

Soft total of 17 – Double down against a dealer three, four, five, or six, and hit against everything else.

Soft total of 18 – Double down against a dealer three, four, five, or six, and stand on a dealer two, seven, or eight. Hit against a dealer nine, 10, or ace.

Soft total of 19, 20, or 21 – Stand

Pairs

Pair of twos or threes – Split against a dealer two, three, four, five, six, or seven, and hit against everything else.

Pair of fours – Split against a dealer five or six, and hit against everything else.

Pair of fives – Never split fives.

Pair of sixes – Split against a dealer two, three, four, five, and six, and hit against everything else.

Pair of sevens – Split against a dealer two, three, four, five, six, or seven, and hit against everything else.

Pair of eights – Always split eights.

Pair of nines – Stand against a dealer seven, 10, or ace, and split against everything else.

Pair of tens – Never split tens.

Pair of aces – Always split aces.

You can print the strategy list and use it while you’re playing. Or you can start memorizing the best plays. To memorize the best plays, start with the hard hands.

You always hit on a total of eight or below, and always stand on a total of 17 and above. Now you only need to remember what to do on five other decisions.

Next, work on the soft hands section of the list. You only need to learn four more rules because you always stand on totals of 17 or more.

Finally, memorize the pairs section of the list. You always split aces and eights and never split fives and tens. This only leaves five more lines to learn.

Improving Blackjack Odds Games

And never take insurance. It’s a sucker bet.

Bad Blackjack Strategies

Here are three popular blackjack strategies that are just plain bad:

Never hit a hard 12 or more: This is when you choose to never hit a hard 12 or more, but play everything else in line with basic strategy. This strategy gives the house a 3.9% edge.

Hit 16 or less, stand otherwise: This is when you always hit when you have a hand value of 16 or less and always stand on both a hard and soft 17. You also never double or split your hand. This strategy gives the house a 5.5% edge.

Assume the dealer has a ten: This is when you assume the dealer’s downward facing card is a ten. Playing this strategy gives the house a 10.03% edge. Ouch.

Not using basic strategy adds to the house edge. The bigger your deviations from basic strategy, the worse the effect. Most uneducated players give up 3% or 4% in return by making basic strategy mistakes.

Card Counting

If card counting were an easy way to make money, more people would do it. If you’re planning on card counting, then plan on drastic bankroll fluctuations. Card counting usually only gives you between a 0.5% and 1.5% advantage.

Before you try card counting, make sure you know basic strategy by heart. Card counting isn’t a shortcut to pass the basic strategy. Card counting is a strategic tool used by experienced players.

Card counting is also not for people who can’t multitask. Successful card counters must be able to quickly count down a deck, memorize multiple large tables of numbers, and convince everyone else they’re just casual players.

Card counting is based on the principle that a deck rich in small cards is good for the dealer. The second principle is that decks rich in high cards (tens and aces) are good the player. If the counter knows what the deck is richer in, he knows when the odds are in his favor. If you know the odds are in your favor, you can make risky plays that basic strategy would advise against.

But how do you figure out when the deck is rich and when it isn’t?

A multitude of strategies exists when it comes to card counting. Basically, every card gets a value of positive, neutral, or negative. In most counting systems, you start with the base value of zero at the beginning of a deck, and add or subtract as you go based on the cards you see. The count you’re totaling is known as the running count.

When you have a positive count, you know a multitude of small cards have been played and the deck is full of large cards.

To get what is known as a true count, divide your running count by the number of decks left in the shoe.

Once you get the true count, you can use it to best play your hand and know how much to bet.

Based on what strategy you’re using, you’ll have a line to base your true count against. If your count is above the line, you play one way. If it’s below the line, you play another.

Some card counting strategies don’t distinguish between aces and tens because it’s too confusing for beginners to grasp. More complicated card counting strategies involve keeping side counts of aces and/or face cards.

The Ace-Five Card Count

The ace-five card count is probably the easiest way to count cards. It’s great for beginners because it’s easy to follow, so you can concentrate on looking like a regular player.

Here are the rules:

• Decide what your minimum and maximum bets are going to be. You can use any power of 2 to decide your maximum bet, but 8, 16, or 32 times your minimum bet is
• Place your minimum bet at the beginning of each shoe.
• Start with a count of zero.
• Add one to your count every time you see a five.
• Subtract one from your count every time you see an ace.
• Double your last bet if your count is above or equal to positive two.
• Make the minimum bet if your count is under or equal to one.
• For all playing decisions, follow basic strategy.

The ace-five counting strategy works best in a six- or eight-deck game.

Improving Blackjack Odds Against

Card Counting Advantages

Here are some ways you can use card counting to your advantage:

• Standing: You can stand on a stiff 12 or 16. A dealer cannot. It’s more dangerous to hit on 12 or 16 hands when you know the deck is full of 10-point cards. This strategy gives you up to a 40% benefit.
• Insurance: In a six-deck game, when a dealer shows an ace up, the remaining cards are 30.87% tens. This makes insurance a bad wager. But if a counter knows the remaining cards are ten rich and the probability gets above 33.33%, then insurance is a good wager. This strategy gives you up to a 34% benefit.
• Doubling: When you double down, you generally want a ten. Knowing when the deck is rich with 10-point cards lets you make better double wagers. This strategy gives you up to a 9% benefit.
• Blackjack: You and the dealer get more blackjacks, but you get paid 3 to 2. The dealer doesn’t. This strategy gives you up to a 7% benefit.
• Surrender: A counter surrenders more in high counts, but saves more also. The alternative to surrendering is to hit. In a deck rich with 10-point cards, you have a higher chance of busting. But if you stand, the dealer has a higher chance of getting a 10. This strategy gives you up to a 6% benefit.
• Splits: Splitting high cards when you know a deck is rich with 10-point cards gives you a better chance at higher totals and increases the likelihood of the dealer losing. This strategy gives you a 4% benefit.

Here’s what those numbers mean:

Let’s assume that you’re playing a game with a 1% house edge. If you get a 40% benefit on a 1% edge, the house edge drops to 0.6%.

You’ll notice that most of these effects seem minimal. Advantage gambling is all about milking every possible edge, no matter how small.

Finally, here’s a word about avoiding heat from the casinos when counting cards:

It’s not illegal to count cards. But no matter what casino you visit, you face possible heat from the management. One of the biggest challenges for card counters is avoiding suspicion. You want everyone, especially the dealers and pit bosses, to think you’re just a casual player.

Never bet more than double your last bet.

If a casino thinks you’re counting cards, then they’ll either ask you to leave or shuffle the deck whenever you increase your bet. Shuffling the deck eliminates your edge.

Are you interested in learning to count cards?

Improving Blackjack Odds Game

Get your basic strategy down cold.

Start practicing and never stop.

If you try to count cards before you’re ready, you’re more likely to both lose more money and get thrown out of multiple casinos.

Continuous Shuffling Machines

Improving Blackjack Odds Poker

Continuous shuffling machines (CSMs) are machines that randomly place the discards back into the deck while shuffling. When a CSM is being used, you’re playing with a newly-shuffled shoe each hand.

A CSM and an automatic shuffler aren’t the same thing, by the way. An automatic shuffler only shuffles a whole deck or shoe.

While card counting with a CSM is unlikely, the CSM does lower the house edge. The reduction in house edge varies based on the number of decks being used:

• 1 deck in use reduces the house edge by 0.113%
• 2 decks in use reduces the house edge by 0.063%
• 4 decks in use reduces the house edge by 0.034%
• 5 decks in use reduces the house edge by 0.028%
• 6 decks in use reduces the house edge by 0.020%
• 8 decks in use reduces the house edge by 0.014%

Of course, the application of using this to improve your odds of winning is obvious. You’re taking a game with a negative expectation and turning it into a game with a positive expectation.

Conclusion

Use the information found here to increase your blackjack knowledge and improve your odds of winning. Once you understand how each rule changes your chances to win, you can combine this knowledge with proper strategy to play with the lowest house edge.