Blackjack may be a game of chance, but there are strategies you can employ to improve your odds of victory. One such way is counting cards; different card counting systems exist but generally speaking this method consists of keeping track of high and low cards; this will allow you to determine how many more blackjacks can be made than the dealer as well as which hands may bust more frequently.
Blackjack’s goal is to outwit the dealer by drawing a hand value higher than 21. It uses one or more standard 52-card decks, and cards are valued according to their face value – 10 for face cards and 1 or 11 for an ace. A dealer gets two cards from which if his or her hand does not exceed 21, he or she must stand while players may hit, draw, or split their cards.
If you have a strong hand in blackjack, doubling down may be a worthwhile move. Doing so involves doubling your initial bet and receiving another card to strengthen your hand – increasing the odds of getting a ten-value card or beating the dealer’s hand while accounting for how an ace may count either as 1 or 11 depending on their upcard.
Doubling down is usually recommended if your hand contains 11 or lower cards and the dealer’s upcard ranges from two through six; in this situation, there’s a high likelihood that they could draw a card that pushes your total over 21. But if the dealer holds five or higher upcard cards instead of two through six cards as his upcard, it is often wiser not to double down but remain with your original hand and remain alone.
Maintaining a positive outlook in any blackjack game, but especially during a losing streak, is paramount to success. Stressful emotions can cloud judgment and cause rash decisions which decrease your odds of victory; by remaining calm, focused, and confident throughout, your success in blackjack will increase significantly.
Bankroll management can also help increase your odds of blackjack wins. Setting and sticking to a budget during each session of play will prevent emotional decisions that cost money as well as chase losses down.
No matter which strategy is employed, blackjack’s house edge generally averages around 2% and can even drop as low as 0.5% with perfect play. This is due to its simple rules remaining unchanged since its introduction. Avoid taking insurance; this risky bet pays 2-to-1 and reduces overall probabilities of winning; additionally it’s illegal in many casinos – though MIT blackjack team members have become famous for using this tactic successfully!