Simple Basic Strategy for Blackjack

When people head out to Vegas they often want a crash course in how to play blackjack. Well it’s not quite that simple but we can make sure that you play as good as possible given your time constraints on learning the game. So here is the basic strategy that you are going to want to learn:

• If dealer shows 2 or 3 take cards until you have 13 or more.
• If dealer shows 4 5 or 6 take cards until you have 12 or more.
• If dealer shows 7 8 9 10 or Ace take cards until you have 17 or more.
• If you have an Ace in your hand, take cards until you have 19 against the dealers 9 10 or Ace, 18 for anything else. When your Ace can only count as a 1, go back to the above rules.
• Double your 2 card total of 11 against anything less.
• Double your 2 card total of 10 against anything less.
• Double your 2 card total of 9 against 3 4 5 or 6.
• Double Ace 7, Ace 6 against 3 4 5 or 6.
• Double Ace 5 Ace 4 against 4 5 or 6.
• Double Ace 3 Ace 2 against 5 or 6.
• Always split Ace’s and 8’s.
• Never split 10’s 5’s or 4’s.
• Split 9’s against 2 3 4 5 6 8 or 9 only.
• Split 7’s against 2 3 4 5 6 and 7.
• Split 6’s against 3 4 5 and 6.
• Split 2’s and 3’s against 4 5 6 and 7.
• Never take Insurance.

Ok, so that might be a little too much information for you to absorb in a few short days before you make your trip. So let’s break it down a little further. Simple basic strategy for blackjack is as follows:

Stand on:

13 vs 2 3
12 vs 4 5 6
17 vs 7 and up
Double 10 and 11 against anything less
Always split A,A and 8,8
Never take Insurance

If you can remember those simple rules then you will drive the house edge down and you should expect to lose between $5 and $10 an hour, if you are betting $5 on each hand. This is pretty cheap entertainment when it comes to playing blackjack. However, this is NOT a winning strategy, but if they give you two free drinks you will be ahead in complimentaries. So now if you can remember those rules move on to a few more.
Double 9 vs 3 to 6. Easy to remember this way 9=3+6.

Double Ace 7 6 5 4 3 2 against 5 or 6. 5 and 6 are “the weakest link” for the dealer. On that note, you can split 2,2 3,3 6,6 7,7 and 9,9 vs 5 and 6 too. You don’t split 4,4 since it is a good starting hand of 8, and 5,5 is actually 10 and 5,6 is 11, both hands are ones you will be doubling.

Flat bet the table minimum. Now when you get back you can use this as a winning strategy when playing online.