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Jun 11
blackjack’s popularity

6 Reasons for Blackjack’s Popularity

By Lifestyle No Comments

The sheer number of available casino games is constantly evolving with every day bringing a new game to the table, and it is the world of online casinos we have to thank for that. The flashy slots with slick graphics and exciting features that deliver massive payouts preoccupy our attention from day to day. But sometimes, you just want to have fun playing a simple game of cards. And you cannot find a simpler card game to better suit that requirement than a game of blackjack. It’s one of the most played and recognizable casino games for a number of reasons. And those reasons are just what we’re about to go through as we try to explain blackjack’s popularity.

Simplicity of Rules

Probably the key reason for blackjack’s popularity lies in the fact that you don’t need more than a few minutes to get ahold of the rules. The objective is to get as close to 21 without going bust with options to either hit, stand or split. These rules apply everywhere you might find yourself playing, so you don’t have to spend time learning them all over again. This makes it a perfect game for beginners as you can easily adapt to more experienced players.

It’s a Social Game

Speaking of experienced players, another reason for blackjack’s popularity is that you don’t compete against them. Instead, you get to play with them together against the house. This develops a sense of camaraderie which makes the experience of playing such an enjoyable activity. It also doesn’t discourage communication as can be the case with other games, and that dictates constant engagement.

The Fast-Paced Gameplay

The constant engagement implies that there’s always action happening, which means you cannot have a drawn-out game of blackjack. A single round of blackjack usually lasts less than five minutes so it’s a perfect choice to play when you’re on a tight schedule. On the other hand, it also doesn’t have a limit on playing time, so you can go from playing a round during lunchbreak to a whole week’s bender if you like. And, if you’re the type of player that prefers instant gratification, blackjack’s popularity shouldn’t come to you as a surprise.

It Has Pretty Great Odds

If you’re a casino regular, you know that every game has a built-in mathematical advantage towards the casino known as the “house edge”. The lower the house edge the better the chances for a player to win. When it comes to blackjack it has the lowest house edge of every possible casino game. It can go as low as 0.5%, which means you’re able to recover more than 99% of your deposits. But this is possible only if you employ strategy methods like card counting, which leads us to our next point.

Skills Give You An Advantage

As we all know gambling is an activity that relies primarily on luck. But aside from those games that rely primarily on it, there are also ones where skills play a significant role. Blackjack falls into the second category and with the perfect combination of basic strategies such as charts and already mentioned card counting you can take your chances of winning to such a level to even gain an advantage over the casino. And you can see how that can easily contribute to blackjack’s popularity since having an advantage means you can win on a regular basis. For more details as to how to use that advantage go check this article of ours on the subject.

It’s a Lot of Fun

And the last reason for blackjack’s popularity is the one that’s most important. Blackjack is primarily a game that brings a lot of fun, it’s no wonder it has been depicted in so many Hollywood movies. The drama, community spirit, and the promises of big payouts are all the contributing factors that add to its popularity. And only a click parts you from jumping in on some of that fun!Blackjack Perfect Pairs play now

Dec 16
How To Count Cards in Blackjack

How To Count Cards in Blackjack and Win Big

By Tips & Tricks No Comments

At Gambling, the deadly sin is to mistake bad play for bad luck. Luckily we are here to absolve you of your sin. Now, you may think that you are all that and you don’t need any help but answer me this. What do you do with a soft 18? Hint: just don’t surrender! If you don’t even know what a soft 18 is, you are at the right place. Now, let’s see how to count cards in blackjack like a pro and get mad dough by the end.

How to count cards in blackjack

So you know the deal is to get to 21 and not go over 21 (that’s why it’s sometimes called “21”). If the dealer gets closer to 21 than you, you lose. If both of you get over 21 you lose again (for more information go here). So, how do we prevent this horrible outcome? Well by counting cards of course, so how do we do it?

Well, first you need to master the basic strategy, which means you know when to hit, split, stand, double down and when to surrender. This isn’t too hard but, that’s level 0! With that covered, you move to level 1 called Hi-Lo, a strategy that can be used on a single deck!

So the nitty-gritty is this. You assign a value to the cards: the +1 (2-3-4-5-6), the 0 or the neutrals (7-8-9), the -1 (10-J-Q-K-A) and then keep count of the cards being dealt. That’s called the running count and it needs to be at least +2 for you to consider hitting or standing. But why?

Because the high cards are good for the players it allows us to get more blackjacks and generally to get closer to 21 before the dealer. So, a count of plus +2 means that there are extra high cards remaining in the deck. But, casinos have gotten wise to card counting and made it harder for the player by introducing multiple decks. Let’s see how to deal with them.

How to count cards in blackjack with multiple decks

To beat a multi-deck setup you will need to convert your running count into something that is called a true count. Let’s say the current running count on the first deck is +10 and this is a 6 deck game. When a second deck is added to play you just divide the running count by the number of remaining decks.

So, in this case, this would be 10 divided by 5 (decks, counting the new deck in play). And that’s pretty much it, go get them a tiger! Wait, but we’re only halfway into the text! Are you telling me there’s more!? Yap. Multilevel count? Multilevel count!

So there are many more variants of the Multilevel count: Zen Count, Wong Halves, or Hi-Opt II (electric boogaloo). These are all level 2 counts so you need to master all of the above-mentioned steps to be able to use them properly.

Let’s take the Zen Count system, to really see what’s the difference. We now have +2 (4-5-6), +1 (2-3-7), 0 (8-9), -1(A), -2 (10, J, Q, K). With this switcheroo in values, the accuracy jumps considerably! But, this method’s much harder to keep track of, so people mostly opt out of it in the beginning. Okay, we almost answered, “How to count cards in blackjack?”, but now we need a pop culture detour for our final lesson.

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How to count cards like in “21” – American drama film

So this movie is based on a true story about a group of MIT students who went to Vegas and took down the house. Now, this being a work of fiction, things are omitted for simplicity sake but it capers the card count mentality at its core. Yea, you need some smarts and persistence, but the most important thing is that you need to be cool as ice. So, let’s look at some tricks they pulled in the movie.

Disguises in 21

Now they get dressed up in fancy clothes to look the part of a rich person gambling regularly at the casino. They even put on wigs, glasses and even fake moustaches. But, sometimes you need to dress down to look a bit working class and go to a lower steak table. This is all to prevent calling attention to you.

Magic words in 21

In the movie, they have a bunch of “magic” words that the players used when they’re switching on the tables. They used them to keep the count alive. For example, the word “sweet” is integrated smoothly into the conversation to signal that the count is +16. Now, this is a cool technique if you’re a team but, if you are running solo there’s no chitchat.

A better technique for us lone wolves is to keep count with our fingers or better yet play at an online casino. That way you can stop worrying about casino security escorting you out for doing something perfectly legal.

Tipping the Dealer in 21

Now, this is a minor gripe but hear me out. We are here to win we can’t be splurging our money all willy nilly. You got a job to do and that’s to win big. They tipped everybody, not just the dealer and if you count it, it’s like a fifth of their winnings. The splurging comes after the big winners not during.

Now, you can finally answer the question “How to count cards in blackjack?”, so let’s recap: learn the rules of blackjack, learn basic strategy, then start counting cards. And when you’re done with that you pick a casino of your liking and bam that’s it. But, as we saw above it’s a lot of hassle to play at an on-land casino (disguises, magic words, dealer tipping). So, pick an online one with instant withdrawals to get an extra edge. Well, I give you Casino Brango, for all the gamers looking to gain an advantage. So, remember, eat your greens, always split 8’s and keep the count running.

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Feb 13
card counting

Card Counting in Blackjack

By Tips & Tricks No Comments

Card Counting Info graphicYou saw the movie “21” and maybe even read the book “Beat the Dealer”. If so, we bet you tried card counting and already have experienced the level of difficulty in card counting. It is a true skill one can master if practiced regularly. Card counting in Blackjack is today’s topic. For more information on Blackjack basics and tips, browse our blog.

Math as the Basis  

The “father” of card counting is Edward Thorp, a mathematician, an author, a hedge fund manager. He is the brain behind the popular technique of card counting in Blackjack, primarily. And with a good reason. As we stated several times before in many of our blog posts, gambling demands skills and techniques as much as it relies on pure luck.

Edward Thorp was thinking much about the house edge vs. the player’s edge, and he came to an interesting conclusion. Namely, he calculated that the player’s edge increases if a single 2 is removed from the deck of 52 cards.

What is Card Counting?

Card counting is nothing more (and nothing less!) than predicting the odds of to which extent the next card to be dealt favors either the dealer or the player. Players who count cards do this by keeping track of high-and-low-value cards. Consequently, when a player assesses that the next card to be dealt favors his or her hand, a player increases the bet. In case the assessment favors the dealer’s hand, a player can opt out, for example.

Assigning Values to Cards

The first thing a player should do is assign values to cards. Cards 2 to 6 get assigned value of 1. Cards 7 to 9 have zero as assigned value. The 10s and 11 have assigned value of -1. Next, every time the card comes out of the shoe, a player needs to either add 1, subtract 1 or do nothing depending on card that comes out.

The Running Count

Secondly, players should keep score of each card, and every round until the next shuffling. This is called “The Running Count”. Cards with lower values always favor the dealer. On the other hand, high value cards increase the player’s odds.

The True Count

The Running Count applies to every deck. However, in order to apply it to every deck, a player needs to divide the running count by the number of remaining decks. This is called “True Count”. For example, if the Running Count is 10, and there are 5 decks remaining, the True Count is 2 (10 ÷ 5). This means that the player’s edge increases by half percent.

The Edge and the Bets

If you have read carefully the text so far, you could conclude logically that the higher the True Count is, the bigger the player’s edge. You will mostly see the 6 deck Blackjack game. In this game, each point in True Count increases the player’s edge by 0.5%.

Upon shuffle, the Running Count is 0, and dealer’s edge is 0.5%. The odds become even when the True Count reaches +1, and so forth. What does it mean for the bets you should place?

Generally speaking, card counting is not a betting system. However, there are some widely accepted rules to what a player should do with his or her bets when applying card counting. So, here they are:

You should bet your base amount if a True Count is +1 or less.

Betting 2x the base amount is recommended when True Count is +2 or +3. When the True Count is +4 or +5, your bet should be 3x the base amount. If the True Count comes to +6 or +7, betting 4x the base amount is recommended. A player should bet 5x the base amount when the True Count reaches +8 or exceeds it.

Do you count cards? Share your experience with us.

Dec 16
Blackjack table

How to Choose a Blackjack Table

By Tips & Tricks No Comments

Before you get deeper into the Blackjack card counting, we suggest practicing with lower betting amounts. Becoming proficient at basic Blackjack skills is the first step you should take on a path to becoming a professional. We have already written about some of the basic strategies, tips, and betting rules. Today, we talk about how to choose a Blackjack table.

Look for the Low Minimum Betting Requirement   

When you walk into a casino, and search for the Blackjack table, you will probably end up at the first available one. This is a beginner’s mistake. This type of a table usually has a small number of players, or none at all. Number one rule when looking for the table is to observe the crowd. Table that gathers more players is likely to have more favorable rules. Moreover, the more players, the less dealings per hour, which is a good thing, but we will get to that later on.

If you do not see a table of this kind, feel free to ask around. Not just whether there is such a table, but what the minimum betting requirement is and when it is open.

Ask Around About the Table with Player-Friendly Rules

So, you have found a table, but are still not sure what to expect. In order to secure the most favorable terms, make sure the table features all or majority of the following rules:

  • Player blackjack pays 3-2 (and not 7-5, or 1-1)
  • Blackjack pays 2-1
  • You can double down after pair splitting
  • Dealer stands on all 17s
  • Single and double deck
  • Early surrender
  • Doubling down on any first two cards
  • Doubling down on soft hands
  • Doubling down after pair splitting
  • Resplit pairs
  • Resplit aces
  • Late surrender
  • Player is allowed to enter a game in mid-shoe
  • Manual or auto shuffle

Know the Number of Decks The Dealer Uses

Basically, the fewer the decks, the better from the player’s viewpoint.

The thing to watch out for here is whether the dealer is using a single or double deck of cards. As you may already know, the dealer pitches the cards to each player in every round. Alternatively, dealers use a dealing shoe when it comes to using six or eight decks.

However, the bottom line is that the game featuring a single deck of cards has the most favorable odds for the player. The more decks the dealer uses, the higher the house edge is. For example, the house edge with a single deck of cards can be as low as app. 0.04%. On the other hand, with eight decks of cards, the house edge goes to app. 0.64%.

Check How the Dealer is Dealing Cards

Using a continuous shuffling machine (or CSM) for shuffling and dealing cards is a standard nowadays. However, in land-based casinos, there are still dealers who do this manually. The old-fashion way of manual shuffling means a bit of stalling and making pauses. This gives you a short break every now and then and eventually leads to dealing less cards per hour. This is good. Why? Because, in a way it protects the player’s bankroll.

Therefore, playing at the full table with manual dealing, for minimal bets is the safest option. At least while you are still learning.

 

 

Dec 05
Blackjack betting rules

Blackjack Cards Value and Betting Rules

By Tips & Tricks No Comments

“For winning money at multiple-deck blackjack, bet variation is much more important than strategy variation“. – Stanford Wong

Beating the dealer’s hand is what Blackjack is all about. While doings so, the player needs to keep two things in mind: not going over 21 when the dealer does and push for the total that exceeds the dealer’s total. It may sound easier than it is. However, before you put yourself out there and aim big at the bet safe casino, you should know the basics, such as Blackjack cards value and betting rules.

Blackjack Cards Value

Blackjack is very straightforward when it comes to cards. Basically, what you see face up is what you get. Suits have no particular or unique value. As all picture cards, we value them as 10s. Regardless of the fact whether it is a king or a dame, for example, the value of that card will always be 10.

It is a bit different with aces. An ace card we count as either 1 or 11. Usually, an ace has the value of 11. The only situation when we value an ace as 1 is when we do not wish to exceed the total of 21 per hand.

A hand containing an ace that counts as 1 is called a „hard hand“. Contrary, a hand containing an ace that counts as 11 is called a „soft hand“. Interestingly, the same value of hands can be played differently. For example, a soft 13 can consist of A-2, while a hard 13 can consist of 10-3. It is important to learn the value of cards and how to differentiate the soft and hard hands because of the various strategies you can apply.

Nevertheless, as Stanford Wong pointed out at the beginning of this text, sometimes, bet variation is more important than the strategy. Therefore, let us explore some of the betting rules, for starters.

Betting Rules

The maximum number of players in Blackjack is 7. In order to be able to play, the player needs to buy a chip from the dealer. Chips have different values, showing the difference in bets. Players also need to note the minimum betting amount that is clearly stated on the table. Sometimes, casinos allow the players to play more than one hand per round. If this happens, the player should wager double the table minimum per hand.

Upon the dealing of the cards, the player needs to decide on the next move, respecting some of the standard rules.

Specific Betting Rules in Blackjack

“Hitting Rule“ refers to the situation when a player wants another card from the dealer. He or she should tap the table slightly with a finger behind his or her cards.

“Standing Rule“ implies that a player is content with the cards and shows his decision to stand with his or her cards by waving a hand over the cards, palm down. Alternatively, a player can tuck the cards under his or her chips in the betting box, to show satisfaction with the cards.

“Pair Splitting Rule“ is quite convenient when a player holds two same cards and wants to split them. That way, a player starts playing two separate hands and drawing as many cards as needed to each hand. Naturally, once you split the cards, it is a requirement to make another bet, equal to the original one. You can place the chip next to the original chip-bet on that hand. Now, the important thing to understand here with the splitting rule is that when you split aces, you can usually draw just one card to each ace.

“Doubling Down Rule“ provides the opportunity to double the initial bet in return for receiving only 1 draw card. Casinos usually allow doubling down for less than the original wager. However, it is debatable whether this is a good move.

“Surrender Rule“ is a tricky one. It allows for the player to surrender the first two card hand, right after the dealer has confirmed that he is not in a possession of a Blackjack. The surrender rule is applicable until the player has not drawn a card. When players wish to surrender they simply say: “Surrender“ or they draw an imaginary line left to right across the betting table.

What is your betting style in Blackjack?