Here to help you get started in the right direction, are a couple of blackjack tips you should take to heart, as they'll help you out in the long run.
Use Basic Blackjack Strategy. Most Blackjack players will lose about 2% of every bet because of improper play.
To slow down your playing time choose a crowded table where you will be able to play fewer hands.
The dealer's hand averages 18.23. So, don't be afraid to hit if basic strategy calls for it.
Increase the amount of your bet only when you are winning.
Be aware that some casinos use the 'Dealer hits soft 17' rule which increases the house advantage.
The Blackjack dealer will bust more often when his up card is a 2 through 6 and he will complete more hands when his up card is 7 through ace.
To determine an appropriate bankroll amount for a table session of Blackjack multiply your normal bet by 40.
In Blackjack it is always to your advantage to play against as few decks as possible.
If you play Blackjack using basic strategy you will reduce the house edge to less than 1%.
These tips aren't so useful if taken out of context, so what follows is an explanation of some situations or terminology you may have heard at the blackjack table, and might want to know more about. From the most basic to the most advanced we cover doubling down right up to surrender.
Hit This means you
want the dealer to give you another card. In most games you'll
play (shoe games) indicate to the dealer that you want a hit
by making a beckoning motion with your finger or tapping the
table behind your cards with your finger. In hand held games,
scratch the edges of the cards in your hand lightly on the felt.
Stand This means
you are satisfied with the total of the hand and don't want
additional cards. In shoe games, indicate that you want to stand
by waving your hand over the cards. In hand held games, tuck
your cards under the chips that you have in the betting box.
Double down This
playing option allows you to double your bet in return for receiving
one and only one draw card. In most casinos you can only double
down after you receive your first two cards and before drawing
another card. To signal the dealer that you want to double down
just place your chip next to the original chip bet on the hand
and the dealer will give you a final card perpendicular to your
other cards (shoe games) or toss your cards on the table face-up
in hand held games and then make the secondary bet.
Split If you have
a pair, you can split. When you split you must make another
bet equal to your original bet (just place your chip next to
the original chip bet on the hand). By pair splitting you play
each card as a separate hand and you can draw as many cards
as you like to each hand (except split aces-most casinos will
only allow one draw card to each ace). For example if you were
dealt a pair of 8's (16) and split, you would have two separate
hands containing an 8. You would be required to play out one
of the split hands first before the other. In shoe games you
indicate that you want to split by placing another chip next
to the original chip. For hand held games toss your cards on
the table and then make the secondary wager. Most casinos will
also allow players to split all 10 value cards such as a jack
and ten or queen and king, but this is an option you don't normally
want to take (see Counter's Corner for more advanced tactics).
Insurance When the
dealer's up-card is an ace, the dealer will ask players if they
want to make the insurance wager. It is a side bet in which
players are betting that the dealer's hole card will be a ten-value
card. Players can make an insurance bet equal to one half of
the initial bet made on the hand. To make the insurance bet
you simply place your chips on the insurance line, which is
located right above the player-betting box. You win your insurance
bet if the dealer has a ten-value card in the hole. A winning
insurance bet pays off at 2 to 1 odds, however it is generally
regarded as a "suckers bet" by blackjack pros as the odds of
winning are much lower than they appear. As well, contrary to
the name, Insurance does not actually insure your other hand;
you will still win or lose your bet regardless of the success
or failure of the insurance bet. Insurance is actually a side-bet
with poor odds.
Surrender This playing
option is not always permitted. It allows a player to forfeit
the hand with an automatic loss of half the original bet. Player's
can surrender their initial two card hand only after the dealer
has checked his cards for a blackjack. Once a player draws a
card the surrender option is no longer available. If the dealer
has a blackjack hand, then surrender is not available. When
a player surrenders (to do so tell the dealer "surrender") the
dealer will remove the player's card from the table and place
one half of the players bet in the chip rack. The player is
no longer involved in that round. The above rule is known as
late surrender. In some casinos players can surrender before
the dealer checks his cards for a blackjack. Here's a tip, this
form of surrender is much more player favorable than late surrender
but it is rarely offered; so when early surrender is offered,
be smart, it may be advantageous to take advantage of it!
Even Money When the
player has a blackjack hand and the dealer has an ace showing
the dealer will ask the player if he wants "even money". Even
money means the dealer will automatically give you a 1 to 1
(or even money) payoff on your bet before he checks his down-card
for a potential blackjack. Taking even money yields the same
result as making an insurance bet on your blackjack hand.
Unlike players, the dealer in blackjack has no playing option. Here's a tip, casino rules specify that a dealer must draw when the dealer's hand totals less than 17 and stand when the total is 17 to 21. In some casinos, dealer's must stand on soft 17 and in others they must hit (it's better for the player if the rules specify the dealer must stand on soft 17). The dealer does not really play so much as he or she executes rules specified by the casino. If the player's hand exceeds a total of 21 the player automatically losses (called "bust").
If the player's hand exceeds the total of the dealer's hand, the player wins the hand and is paid at 1 to 1 odds. If the player and dealer have the same total, the hand is a tie or push and the player retains his bet.
Always remember that when you play blackjack it's you against
the dealer, these tips are only a guide. The two variables that
determine how you should play your hand are the dealer's up-card
and your hand. With more experience, you'll also be able to
use the information of all the cards that you see on the table
(yours, the dealer and your fellow players) to make a more informed
decision (you're able to give your friends tips) on how much
to bet and how to play the hand... but now we're getting into
card counting.
