Your definitive guide on how to play blackjack Pt. 2: Blackjack strategy
ExpiredPart one of our blackjack guide was a massive hit amongst members. Now that we’ve covered the basics though, it’s time to jump into the juiciest part of any online table game – strategy.
Now, don’t get us wrong. Blackjack is an incredibly easy game to learn and play. Even Kev picked it up in about 5 minutes… and he’s a koala. But the truth is that there’s a massive difference between being able to play blackjack and being able to swing the odds in your favour. Having a strategy helps with this, but it also provides you with the type of confidence you can only get from having a plan.
In this blackjack strategy guide, we’ll teach you how to play like a seasoned pro. You’ll learn everything from fundamental betting strategies to more advanced approaches to the game. We can’t guarantee that you’ll be raking in the dough by the end of it, but what we can guarantee is that you’ll be a much better player for reading this article. So check it out now then put your newfound skills into action at Fair Go casino.
Who is this strategy guide for?
Our Fair Go casino blackjack strategy guide is for any budding member who wants to level up their blackjack skills.
You might be someone who has never played blackjack before or you could be someone who is somewhat proficient but feels they could be better. Either way, we’ve created the Fair Go blackjack guide to help everyone improve their skills. This means you’ll definitely walk away with some new knowledge no matter what stage of the learning curve you’re currently at.
Why do I need a strategy?
At its core, a blackjack strategy will help you maximise your odds of winning. Without a strategy you will always be playing in the dark so to speak. This makes earning yourself some tidy profits virtually impossible in the long run. Like we said earlier, having a decent strategy in your back pocket allows you to bet with confidence.
Beyond just boosting your odds of scoring a big win though, a blackjack strategy also makes playing the game all the more fun. That’s because our following method for success removes some of the uncertainty of the game. Once this uncertainty has gone, you’ll be able to sit back and enjoy trying to outsmart our virtual dealer instead of just throwing up Hail Mary’s in an attempt to win.
Fundamental blackjack strategies
The following strategies will help improve your winning chances in online blackjack.
Choose a trusted online casino
The first and most straightforward part of a sound blackjack strategy starts with choosing a trusted online casino.
There are many dodgy options out there and the last thing you want to do is play with an inferior casino. If you’re reading this now, chances are you’re already a member of Fair Go. If you’re yet to join Australia’s favourite online casino, just know that we’re trusted by literally tens of thousands of members around the country and throughout the world.
Pick the right blackjack variant
As discussed in part one of this guide, there are a few different variations of blackjack that you can play.
Each of these variations has slight changes in rules. For the most part, however, the main objective of the game stays the same. Feel free to reread part one of our blackjack guide for more information on blackjack variants. The types of blackjack that we currently offer though include standard American, European, Perfect Pairs, Face Up 21, Match Play 21, Suit ‘Em Up and Super 21.
Have a sound decision process
Every hand dealt in blackjack will be different, but the way in which you arrive at a certain decision should remain the same. What we mean by this is that you should have a mental checklist that you go through when you’re first dealt a hand. This decision-making process will be based around specific actions that you can take upon receiving your cards. One mental checklist that works for us goes like this:
1. Surrendering
Some blackjack tables give you the option to surrender your hand upon receiving the first two cards. Since you cannot surrender once you’ve taken another card, it’s the very first thing you will need to consider when it comes to playing your hand. Whether you should or shouldn’t surrender depends on how good your hand is. If you want to continue playing, the next thing you need to think about is splitting.
2. Splitting
Splitting is the second decision you’ll be required to make when playing a blackjack hand. As per our rules below, splitting should only be done when both you and the dealer have specific cards, such as 8s or double Aces. If you cannot or will not split, then you’ll need to move on and consider whether to double.
3. Doubling down (a.k.a. doubling)
As mentioned in part one of our blackjack betting guide, doubling is when you place an additional bet and only agree to take one more card. If you’re thinking about doubling then chances are that you can beat the dealer. If you cannot double, then it’s time to decide whether to hit or stand.
4. Hitting or Standing
If you’ve made it this far without taking action, then all that’s left to do is to either hit or stand. The next section on betting strategy rules will help you determine what you should do in a certain situation. Taking another card can make or break you, so it’s important not to rush this decision.
Memorise the following rules
There are oodles of charts available online that claim to offer instant blackjack success. You could study them until your eyes fall out if you want to or you can simply brush up on the following rules. The best thing about these rules is that even if you don’t learn them all off by heart, you’ll still gain a deeper understanding of what type of play is best suited to a particular situation.
Surrender on
- 16 when the dealer has a 9 through Ace
- 15 when the dealer has 10
Split on
- Aces
- 8s
- Pair of 9s when the dealer has 2 through 10 (except for 7)
- Pair of 7s when the dealer has 2 through 7
- Pair of 6s when the dealer has 2 through 6
- Pair of 5s when the dealer has 2 through 9
- Pair of 4s when the dealer has 5 and 6
- Pair of 3s when the dealer has 2 through 7
- Pair of 2s when the dealer has 2 through 7
Note: never split 10s.
Soft Totals
A soft total is when you receive an Ace as one of the first two cards and the Ace counts as 11. Soft total combinations are as follows:
- Ace and 9 always stands
- Ace and 8 doubles when a dealer has 6
- Ace and 7 doubles when a dealer has 2 through 6 and hits against 9 through Ace
- Ace and 6 doubles when a dealer has 3 through 6
- Ace and 5 doubles when a dealer has 4 through 6
- Ace and 4 doubles when a dealer has 4 through 6
- Ace and 3 doubles when a dealer has 5 through 6
- Ace and 2 doubles when a dealer has 5 through 6
Hard totals
As opposed to a soft total that includes an Ace, a hard total is a starting hand that includes only number of face cards. If you find yourself with a hard total, apply the following rules:
- 17 and up always stands
- 16 stands when a dealer has 2 through 6
- 15 stands when a dealer has 2 through 6
- 14 stands when a dealer has 2 through 6
- 13 stands when a dealer has 2 through 6
- 12 stands when a dealer has 4 through 6
- 11 always doubles
- 10 doubles when a dealer has 2 through 9
- 9 doubles when a dealer has 3 through 6
- 8 always hits
Only bet what you can afford
We’re big proponents of only ever betting what you can afford. By setting a bankroll limit before you enter into any blackjack game, you can rest assured knowing that your parameters have already been set. Never chase losses and remember there’s nothing wrong with quitting while you’re ahead. Besides, it will be much easier to get ahead if you learn and apply the aforementioned rules when playing blackjack with Fair Go.
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