An Introduction To Blackjack As A Staple
Blackjack is often revered as a fan favorite game in casinos because of its low house edge and delicate balance of skill and luck. While luck and chance do play a part in Blackjack, there are still solid strategies that can greatly affect a player’s chances of winning.
While Blackjack is a staple in traditional casinos, land-based casinos aren’t the only place bettors can get their fix of card games. Online casinos are quickly evolving and expanding their libraries to accommodate nearly every type of bettor. Try your hand (pun intended) at online Blackjack at OMG Casino, where both avid bettors who are looking to spend some money and newcomers who are looking for casual play are welcome.
Ways To Get The Best Hand In Blackjack
It’s rather common knowledge that a natural 21 (a Blackjack) is the best possible hand in the game, as it is impossible to beat. In the worst-case scenario, the dealer also hits a natural 21, and the game ends in a push. While a natural 21 is the only hand in the game that is impossible to beat, there are still hands that players can be sure they have the statistical edge over the dealer when dealt.
Best Hands In Blackjack
Some of the best starting hands in Blackjack (aside from a Blackjack/natural 21) are a hard 20 and soft 18. Playing a hard 20 is always favorable, but it is particularly effective against the dealer drawing an 8 upcard. Statistically, the odds are in the player’s favor as the dealer is required to stand and can only beat the player’s hand with a 21.
A hard 20 playing against a 7 is also considered a very strong hand in Blackjack. In most variations of Blackjack, the dealer is required to stand on a hand value of 17. This greatly reduces their likelihood of beating a hard 20.
A soft 18 is considered a strong hand in Blackjack due to its flexibility. Because of the ace’s ability to count as a 1 or 11, it gives the player more freedom to take a chance and hit, especially when the dealer has a high value (preferably 10) upcard.
Another favorable hand is a pair of aces. Two aces allow the player lots of flexibility in their play, allowing them the room to hit, double, or even split with minimal risk.
Worst Hands In Blackjack
16 is notoriously known as the worst starting hand in Blackjack, especially when the dealer has a 10 as their upcard. A “hard” 16 in Blackjack means that the hand does not contain an Ace when calculating its value, or if it does contain an Ace, it is valued at 1 instead of 11 (otherwise resulting in a bust). While an Ace can be counted as a value of 1 or 11, a hard hand means that the value is fixed, ensuring that the Ace is always counted as a 1. The flipside of this is a “soft hand”. This refers to a hand that contains an Ace, which can be counted as either 1 or 11, providing the player with flexibility in valuing the hand overall.
There are two ways a player can end up with the worst hand in Blackjack. One way is a regular hard 16; this can be achieved by pairing a 6 with a 10 or a 7 with a 9. Players can also reach 16 with a pair of 8s. In this case, players can opt for splitting 8s, which means turning each 8 into a separate hand with two individual bets. While splitting eights is generally considered a good strategy, it’s still considered a fairly weak hand, as it has a low total with a high risk of ending up with a bust.
Blackjack Variants After Strategy
There are two major variants of Blackjack: single-deck Blackjack and multi-deck Blackjack. In single-deck Blackjack, there is a lower house edge, meaning that players statistically have better odds of winning when compared to multi-deck Blackjack. This is because the player has a higher probability of getting a blackjack, while the dealer has a higher likelihood of busting. This is because there are fewer cards in circulation (in comparison to multi-deck). Lastly, players can resort to card counting in single-deck Blackjack. While card counting is not illegal, it is typically discouraged.
Meanwhile, multi-deck Blackjack offers the reverse: a higher house edge, a lower blackjack probability, and a lower chance of the dealer busting. This is simply due to the multiple decks creating more variation.
Conclusion
To ensure a successful Blackjack session, bettors should fully understand the game’s ins and outs: know each card value, what rules the dealer has to follow, what hands you should hit on, which hands you should stand on, and know which variation you are playing and will excel at. Much like all casino games, there is an element of luck in Blackjack, but there are still hands that hold a statistical advantage and ones that don’t. Make sure to do your research before heading over to the Blackjack tables (in person or online) to get the most out of your gambling time.
