Blackjack Strategies

Once you know the basics of playing blackjack, it is important to learn some basic blackjack strategies. Since it is a straight game of odds, blackjack strategies are based on understanding the probability of whether your hand will beat the dealer's hand -- or vice versa -- each time.

In basic blackjack strategies, you need to look not only at your cards, but also the dealer's up card. The first rule is to always assume that the dealer's hole card is a ten. Since there are more tens in the deck than any other possible number, it is likely that any card you cannot see is a ten. Remember that Kings, Queens, Jacks and Tens are all worth 10 points; so while there are only four Fives in a deck, there are 16 Tens. Since Tens are so plentiful, you also need to assume that when you hit, you are more likely to get a Ten than any other card. Of course, the dealer is also more likely to get a Ten, too. This is the core information that forms the basis of all blackjack strategies.

So, when you are playing following standard blackjack strategies, you look at your cards -- let's say you have a three and a ten -- and then at the dealer's exposed card -- imagine the dealer has a sixteen. The dealer must hit sixteen, but is most likely to get a ten which will cause him to bust; in addition, any card higher than a five will cause him to bust which means there are only 16 cards that would help him and 32 cards that hurt his hand. While your odds are better, his are so bad that most blackjack strategies will tell you to stand and hope the dealer busts. No, this won't work every time, but if you follow the odds with your blackjack strategy you will have the best possible chance of winning.