Blackjack has long been the card game for intellectuals, mathematicians, and those who like a real chance to beat the house. But nothing lasts forever, and blackjack has seen its heyday fade as it has fallen in popularity to games such as baccarat, sports betting, and slot machines. Nevertheless, it still has some of the lowest edges of any casino game.
In blackjack, players try to get a higher hand value than the dealer without going over 21. Each player is dealt two cards. One of the dealer’s cards is hidden. The remaining cards are displayed. A pair of aces, face cards, or 10s counts as one; the rest count as their index values. A hand of two matching cards and an ace is a blackjack, or “natural.” The game was invented in the 18th century.
Most casino table games have a built-in advantage for the house, and blackjack is no exception. The only thing that can prevent the dealer from winning every hand is a player busting before the dealer. Fortunately for the player, this is rare.
The casino’s advantage is largely the result of the fact that a player cannot make a better hand than the dealer, and that the dealer will win nearly 80 percent of the time with a 7 or higher showing. Consequently, many players believe that they should always stand with a hand of 16 in order to avoid losing. But that strategy is a big mistake. In most cases, the best choice is to hit instead.
Counting cards can help players overcome the casino’s edge in blackjack. There are several variations of counting systems, but the most common is to count the concentration of 10s and aces. The player increases their bets when they see a favorable concentration and decreases them when the deck is unfavorable.
Another way to beat the casino at blackjack is to split a pair of cards. This requires that the player have a hand with a value of at least 11 (either an ace and a 10, or two tens). This is a good strategy when the dealer has a weak up-card.
Other ways to beat the casino at blackjack include doubling down when the player has a hand of 11 or more and splitting against 2 through 8. Finally, a player may choose to take insurance when the dealer shows an ace and the player’s hand is lower than the dealer’s. However, this is not a good strategy for beginners and should only be used when the player has a high probability of making a strong hand.
Unfortunately, some casinos are whittling away at blackjack’s player-friendly rules. The most serious offender is 6:5 blackjack, which was introduced in some Las Vegas casinos and cuts the payout on blackjacks from 3:2 to only six-and-a-half to one. This change adds a 1.4 percent edge to the game against a well-played basic strategy. Fortunately, this version of blackjack has not caught on outside of Vegas.