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We all know what to do when you get pocket Aces or eights at the blackjack table…split!
But, what is the right play when you take your first hit and there is a decision to take another card…or not?
We’ll show you!
Sometimes you will see a blackjack player playing two hands instead of one. Other times, you might see a player who has been playing one hand suddenly spread to two hands in the middle of the shoe because he has the misconception that, by “changing the flow of cards,” he will change the luck of the table. Unfortunately, this is not the case, as you are just as likely to keep losing as you are to start winning, so switching to playing two (or more) hands will not guarantee your luck will change.
The one question I am asked most often is “What can I do to win more when I play blackjack?” What follows are some simple steps you can take to do just that.
Learn the “Wizard’s Simple Strategy”
If you don’t have the time or the energy to memorize the complete basic playing strategy, then learn the “Wizard’s Simple Strategy.” Michael (“Wizard of Odds”) Shackleford developed the strategy, and it appeared in issue No. 116 of my Blackjack Insider Newsletter (www.bjinsider.com). The strategy is easy to learn and increases the house edge by 0.14 percent above the traditional basic playing strategy. It’s an ideal strategy for beginners and casual players, and it sure beats guessing when it come to deciding how to play your hand.
You sometimes see blackjack players splitting a pair of 10s, especially when the dealer is showing a 5 or 6 upcard. They figure, “Why not split the 10s to get more money on the table when the dealer has a good chance of busting with the 5 or 6.” Sounds logical, but is it really the best play? Let’s see.
When it comes to blackjack in the Southern casinos, you will find some good games and some downright awful games. In this column, I am going to sound off on all the awful games.
So what makes a blackjack game awful, you ask? For average players (i.e., players who are not card counting), it is all about the house edge. Your best games have a house edge of half a percent or less (assuming you are using the basic playing strategy), and the awful games have house edges that exceed half a percent.
Let’s start with the really bad games (and then work backwards). (more…)
