Top Blackjack Strategies to Win the Game

Blackjack is a famous casino game where you compete against the dealer and not other players. The game is played using a regular 52 cards deck, and to start the game, you need to place your bets first. Once every player has placed their bets, the dealer starts the game of Blackjack. 

The playing cards’ suits only matter on rare occasions while playing the Blackjack game. As a result, you will be ready to almost turn a blind eye to the card’s suits while playing Blackjack. You would like to remember that there are only four cards of each rank in Blackjack.

Blackjack hands are rated depending on the rank of the cards in the hand.  The scores are calculated in the following way:

• Ace- 11 or 1 points
• Face Cards- 10 points
• All other cards- Their rank is that the point. E.g., a card of rank 5 will have 5 points.

You will need to add the cards’ points in your hand to calculate the score. The hand which has the upper total wins the Blackjack game. Although there could also be plenty of players playing Blackjack, you compare your hand only with the dealer’s hand and not other players. You need to keep in mind that if the score of your hand is above 22, then it’s a bust, and you’ll lose immediately.

If you want to win the Blackjack game and are serious about it, there are some strategies that you can use to make the most out of your dealt cards. Here are some of the best strategies that you can use to win the Blackjack game:

Double down on Hard 11, always.

Doubling down on a hard 11 against the dealer’s up card will always get you more money. However, an exception is if you are playing the Blackjack game with more than one deck and the rules specify that the dealer must have a soft 17. It is better to play an Ace card in such a scenario than just doubling down. 

Split pairs of Aces and 8s 

Whether the dealer’s up card is, always split a pair of Aces and 8s. Unfortunately, some players won’t split a pair of 8s if the dealer’s up card is 9, 10 or Ace. Their reason is that these cards are greater than 8, so why bet more money by splitting. But what they don’t understand is that you lose less money in the long run if you split the 8s against a 9, 10, or Ace as compared to hitting a hard 16. So, in short, always split a pair of Aces and 8s because even if you don’t realize it now, it will be beneficial in the long run. 

Don’t split pairs of 10s and 5s

Remember that a pair of 5s is a solid 10, and it is always better to have a hard 10 rather than two hands starting with 5s. You will find players splitting their 10s but more often than not, keeping a pair of 10 together as 20 has better chances to win. 

If the dealer’s up card is 2 or 3, then hit a hard 12

It is certain that you will lose money against the dealer’s 2 or 3 upcards, no matter if you hit or stand. But if you hit a hard 12, there are chances that you will lose a little less money. 

If the dealer’s up card is 9, 10 or Ace, try hitting a soft 18

 There is a misconception among the players that if the total count of their hand is 18, they are sure to win the game of Blackjack. Because of this reason, many players stand on soft 18 when the dealer has cards like 9,10 or Ace. In situations like these, you become an underdog irrespective of whether you hit or stand. But if you hit a soft 18, the chances are that you will be less of an underdog. If you draw small cards and your hand value increases to 18, your chances of winning the Blackjack also improve. 

If the dealer’s up card is 9 or less, then double down on 10

 If you hold double 10 cards, you are the favorite to win if the dealer’s up card is 9 or less. Therefore, doubling down to 10 is the best strategy you can use in such a scenario. 

If the dealer’s up card is 5, then always double down on soft 13 through soft 18

 If the dealer’s upcard is a 5 or 6, the best strategy for you is to double down on a soft 13 through 18 to have the best winning combinations. But always remember the number of card decks used in the game and the Blackjack table rules while applying this strategy. 

Surrender if you have a hard 16 against the dealer’s upcard of 9,10 or Ace.

 A hard 16 and 15 are the worst possible hands in the game of Blackjack, especially if the dealer’s up cards are a 9,10 or Ace. There is almost no way to pull a win with a hard 15 or 16. In such situations, surrendering is the only way out, minimizing your losses in the long run. 

If you play Blackjack with a single deck and the dealer’s upcard is 5 or 6, then double down on 8.

 Never double down on a pair of 8 if you play Blackjack with double or multiple decks. But in the case of a single deck, doubling down is always a better strategy to win the game than hitting. 

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