Easy Blackjack Strategies: Tips for Winning at 21 Online

online-BlackjackEven a quick Internet search will reveal that there are a lot of blackjack strategies out there. Some of these are very complicated, some are questionable at best, and others seem to be totally random. So, we put this page together to give you a straightforward strategy guide to online blackjack. Before continuing, please make sure you have a general understanding of the rules of the game.

First of all, we need to address blackjack basic strategy cards. A basic blackjack strategy card is a simple way to make good decisions in any situation, but the majority of casual players don’t want to carry these around with them and there will be plenty of times when you will find yourself empty-handed. Thus, you need a strategy that you can actually memorize, and one that focuses on the fundamentals of the game, and that’s what we’re about to teach you.

Blackjack Strategy for Beginners

tableYou can always find a blackjack strategy that’s more complicated than the last, but you don’t need to! Winning at blackjack isn’t rocket science. Our simple strategy here is designed to keep you on track, even when you don’t have a complete strategy card, and here’s how it works.

First thing’s first: you have to know when to hit, and when to stand. To do this, you need to calculate the total value of the cards in any given hand. For reference, any Ace is always worth 1 point, except when it is paired with a 7, an 8, or a 9 – in which case it is worth 11 points.

Add up the value of your cards. If the total value is in the 3-11 range, you should hit. If the total is in the 12-16 range, you should only hit if the dealer’s card is greater than 6. If your hand is worth 17-20, you should just play it safe and stand. For example, if you have a Jack and a 4, and the dealer is showing a 4, what should you do? That’s right, your hand is worth 14, and the dealer’s card is low, so you should hit! Easy, right? Right.

How Should I Play Pairs?

Pairs are special in blackjack. If you have any pair EXCEPT with 4’s, 5’s, or 10’s – then you should split the hand. With a pair of 4’s, hit. With a pair of 5’s, hit if the dealer shows a 10 or an Ace – or double down otherwise. With a pair of 10’s, just stand! So, for example, if you have a pair of 3’s, split your hand. If you have a pair of 4’s, hit.

What about Doubling Down?

In some cases, you’ll want to get more cash on the table by doubling down. If your hand is worth just 9 points, double down if the dealer is showing a card worth less than 7. If your hand is worth 10 and the dealer’s card is worth less than 10, you should also double down. Finally, with a hand worth 11 points, double down in all situations! So, for example, with a hand worth 9 points, and dealer card of 8, you should NOT double down – the dealer card is too high. If your hand is worth 11 points, don’t worry about the dealer at all; just double down immediately!

Card-CountingWhy Card Counting Won’t Cut It

In a live casino, card counting (especially as a coordinated team effort) is likely to work over the long run, but it simply will not give you an advantage online. This is because blackjack card counters depend on one simple truth – every time a card is removed from the deck, the statistics for the remaining cards change. Online, though, the deck is digitally “reshuffled” after each hand. Thus, each hand is totally random and you cannot possibly get enough information to forge an edge over the house. Online, we can only make the best decisions possible in each situation and hope that our educated strategies can give us an advantage.