Blackjack Strategy After First Hit

4/12/2022by admin

Blackjack is the most popular casino table game of all drawing in countless numbers of hungry players both in the brick and mortar casino, and in online casinos.

Are you a player who is knowledgeable about blackjack strategy? In this article, we detail the basic blackjack strategy charts and provide you with other handy tips to give you the best possible chance of leaving the casino – physical or virtual – in profit.

Blackjack strategy encourages you to surrender in two specific scenarios. The first scenario is when you hold a hard 16 (unless you are holding a pair of 8s – then splitting is the correct call) against the dealer’s 9, 10, or Ace. The other scenario is when you hold hard 15 against the dealer’s 10. Sometimes double down is available after splitting, sometimes not – it depends on the rules. Double down can increase your winnings and is valuable for those who use long-run strategies. Hit is a basic solution available for all blackjack games. Blackjack, formerly also Black Jack and Vingt-Un, is the American member of a global family of banking games known as Twenty-One, whose relatives include the British game of Pontoon and the European game, Vingt-et-Un. It is a comparing card game between one or more players and a dealer, where each player in turn competes against the dealer. Players do not compete against each other. Basic strategy in a six-deck game (with double after split, dealer stays on soft 17 etc. all the usual Strip rules), dictates that an A,2 against a dealer 5 is a double-down. Yet, on the appendix, the player's expected return is HIGHER if you hit, rather than double (compare.1334 for hitting, vs.126 for doubling). Busting is the worst. So what if you just never hit a hand that could go over 21? In this video, long time blackjack players Colin Jones and Loudon Ofton exp.

Basic Blackjack Terms

Hits

As with every classic casino table game, there is a lot of lingo thrown about which might sound double Dutch to novice blackjack players. What on earth does it all mean?

Ultimately, you will become more familiar with all the blackjack lingo as you develop your game, whether that is in the brick and mortar casino or at an online casino.

Nonetheless, we have listed some handy basic blackjack terminology below:

  • Stand. The player stays with the cards they were dealt
  • Hit. The player is dealt another card, and they can be dealt more if they wish. If the total of the cards exceeds 21 at any point, the player is bust and loses the hand
  • Surrender. This is where the player gives up half his bet to forfeit the hand
  • Double down. The player doubles their original bet and is dealt one more card, and it can only be one
  • Split. If a player is dealt a pair (two 4s for example), or two ten-valued cards, such as a queen and a king, the player can split those cards into two different hands. The player is then dealt another card to each hand. The player must make a second bet of equal value to the first to use the split
  • Hard hand. A hand without an ace
  • Soft hand. A hand with an ace

Blackjack Strategy Chart

The first thing to get to grips with is ‘basic strategy’ which is probably the most essential ingredient of blackjack strategy.

The basic strategy detailed below is based on blackjack games played with 4 or more decks. Essentially, the basic strategy is a template which shows you the best course of action to take based on the cards dealt.

The below chart: Blackjack Basic Strategy Chart

More Blackjack Tips

The tables above are based on the standard blackjack rulesets. However, there are many different variations of blackjack both in physical casinos and in the online casino landscape.

These variations have different rulesets, so be mindful of the fact that some of the strategies above may not directly apply to the particular blackjack game you are playing.

In fact, the most useful thing you can do is check the specific ruleset of the blackjack game you are playing as soon as you sit down at the table.

Here are some general pointers and questions to keep in mind when playing your particular game of blackjack:

Blackjack Strategy After First Hitting

  • How many decks are used?
  • Are surrenders permitted and are they early or late ones?
  • Are there any restrictions on double downs?
  • Are there rules regarding splits?
  • Is the dealer obliged to hit on a soft 17?
Blackjack Strategy After First Hit

Here are some extra tips which relate to any blackjack game:

  • Do not take on any side bets
  • Don’t take insurance. This is a side bet which can be placed if the dealer’s face card is an Ace to ‘insure’ you against the dealer having a blackjack. In reality, the odds are stacked against you and it is not worth taking this bet up
  • If it is not possible to split your pair, treat your pair as a hard hand

Basic Blackjack Strategy Guide

The charts above may look a bit intimidating and confusing if you are seeking a simple strategy to take to the blackjack table. However, there is a simpler method you can use to memorise the general points of the blackjack strategy above.

Also, you won’t be surprised to hear that in brick and mortar casinos you won’t exactly be welcomed with open arms into a casino if you rock up with these charts in hand.

The majority of casinos simply won’t allow you to enter with these kinds of guides. So, here are simplified guides of the charts above:

Blackjack Strategy Card

Player’s Hand Dealer’s Upfacing Card

HARD

2 – 67 – A
4 – 8HH
9DH
10 – 11D with more than dealerD with more than dealer
12 – 16SH
17 – 21SS
After

Player’s Hand Dealer’s Upfacing Card

SOFT

2 – 67 – A
13 – 15HH
16 – 18DH
19 – 21DS

Player’s Hand Dealer’s Upfacing Card

SPLITS

2 – 67 – A
22, 33, 66, 77, 99SplitDon’t split
88, ASplitSplit
44, 55, 1010Don’t SplitDon’t Split

Extra tips:

  • Surrender 16 when the dealer has a 10
  • If strategy says to double but it’s not permitted, hit. If you have a soft 18, stand

Blackjack Strategy After First Hitman

Are You Ready To Master Blackjack?

Blackjack strategy is all about being mindful of the best action to take. If you memorise the main points of the charts above, you will be well on your way to mastering the wonderful world of blackjack.

There are advanced techniques which you can use, chief of which is blackjack card counting, which is essentially a method of tracking the cards which are dealt. However, this technique will not work with online blackjack games, as the virtual deck is shuffled for every single hand.

The best thing you can do to begin is to be fully aware of the specific ruleset relating to the blackjack game you are playing.

Blackjack Hit Card

That being said, the majority, if not all, of the information in the charts will be applicable to any blackjack game. We are confident in saying that you will be thanking us for these magical blackjack charts!

Blackjack Hit Or Stand Strategy

Are you a blackjack buff? Are there any specific strategies which you use at the blackjack table? Comment below and let us know!

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