How to Beat the House Edge in Blackjack

blackjack

Blackjack is a card game played between one or more players and a dealer. The objective is to get a higher score than the dealer by drawing cards until your hand exceeds 21. Unlike other casino games, blackjack has an element of strategy and skill that can reduce the house edge to very low levels. The most important strategic decisions are when to hit and when to stand, as well as when to split or double down. A good understanding of probability and expectation can help you to make these decisions.

The game is usually played with a standard international deck without the jokers, leaving 52 cards. The game was first introduced in casinos in the United States and then spread around the world. Most modern casinos offer single, double and multiple deck games. The number of cards dealt per round can be varied from six to eight. The number of cards reshuffled after each deal can be varied from two to seven. This can have a significant effect on the player’s winning chances.

Before the dealer begins dealing cards, each player may choose to buy insurance or surrender. Insurance is a side bet that pays out 2:1 if the dealer has a blackjack and the player’s hand is a 10, jack, queen or king. It is not recommended to buy insurance unless you have a high count and feel confident that the dealer has a blackjack. Surrender is a way of giving up your hand before the dealer sees it and can only be done when you are certain that you will lose your original bet.

In general, the better your hand is, the more you will win. However, there are some situations in which you should not stand or hit your hand, such as when the dealer has an ace. A player’s hand is considered a “blackjack” or a “natural” when it consists of a ten valued card and an ace. This is a very powerful hand and will beat any other hand, including the dealer’s.

Basic strategy is the optimal play for any situation in blackjack based on millions of hands played and computer analysis. The player should always follow the rules of basic strategy in order to minimize their losses over time. Using the strategy, you can increase your bet size in favorable conditions and improve your odds of winning.

While the game of blackjack has a high house edge, you can reduce this to a small percentage by using a good basic strategy and counting cards. Keeping track of the cards that have been played allows you to predict when the remaining deck is advantageous for the player. This can be used to make larger bets when the cards are favourable and also to modify the basic strategy for specific hands played. Many blackjack books and websites contain detailed explanations of basic strategy and various card counting systems. Some of these books include Ken Uston: Million Dollar Blackjack, Kevin Blackwood: Play Blackjack Like the Pros and Stanford Wong: Professional Blackjack.