One Deck Blackjack at Bodog

On 09.26.11, In Blackjack Games, Blackjack Rules, Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, By Vivi

What would you say if I said I can show you where there is one and two deck blackjack on the internet? Would you be interested? Because I surely was.  I’ve always played at Bodog, but when I was there the other day I saw that they had two new options: 1 deck blackjack and 2 deck blackjack. I was so excited I started playing immediately.

I take that back, I didn’t start playing immediately; I looked up what the differences were between one deck blackjack and multiple deck blackjack. I searched a bunch of tutorial videos on YouTube.com until I finally thought I was ready to conquer the game. I also learned that it has the best theoretical player advantage out of all blackjack games in the casino.

Since there were far less cards involved, I knew that the rules were going to vary a little bit. The only difference I could see was only being able to double on your first two cards dealt, as well as only being able to split once. I noticed that the pace of play is so much longer with one or two decks, that these rules were most likely purely for speed of play.

I bet the minimum bet of $25 and lost the first couple hands. Then I doubled down and won. There is no surrender or insurance in this version so I had to play with extra care. And like I said the pace was a bit slower, I was hitting sometimes up to 6 times, when I’m used to only once or twice.

I switched over to two decks after a while and didn’t see any huge difference between the two. The rules were the same, the minimum bet just got smaller and there was an insurance option.

After I played at Bodog I went on http://www.gambling101.org/ to try to find more online casinos offering this special version of blackjack.

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Different Forms of Blackjack

On 09.19.11, In Blackjack Games, Blackjack Rules, By Vivi

When it comes to blackjack there are several forms that you can choose to play, usually playing online gives you the most choices. The average player doesn’t realize there are so many different varieties, and the advantages and disadvantages that go along with each rendition. Luckily Google.com was around to help me out with the differences.

American Blackjack: Played with four decks of cards, dealer stands on soft 17, player may double down on any two cards; you can also double down after splitting. You can only split an ace once, and cannot get blackjack from a split ace.

European Blackjack: Played with two decks, player can only split once, whether it be an ace or not. If both the dealer and player have blackjack the game is a push.

Blackjack switch: You play two hands at one time, and can interchange the cards dealt to each hand.

Double Exposure: First two cards dealt to the deal are face up, players lose on ties.

Caribbean 21: Same rules as regular blackjack except you try to reach 31 instead of 21.

Spanish 21:  Unlimited amount of double downs, no 10s in the deck, the option to rescue, or surrender and wager, and in some casinos an unlicensed version is called “Pontoon” and is played without a hole card.

Multiple Action:  allows a player to place up to 3 bets on a single hand. The dealer gets a hand for each bet the player places. This doubles the amount of hands a dealer can play. You can split and double, but it is limited.

French/German: No splitting. One ace is one or eleven, but two aces are 21.

Ok, now that you know the different rules and advantages for each rendition, you need to find the perfect Blackjack for you.

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Online BlackJack Tips

On 09.12.11, In Blackjack Rules, Blackjack Strategy, Blackjack Tips, Online Blackjack, By Vivi

Blackjack is probably the most popular game in the realm of casino games. It is thought to be the biggest money maker at the casino, so why couldn’t it be online as well?

Many gamers actually prefer to play it on the computer, in the comfort of their own home. You may not have a dealer to watch, and determine their tells, but there are plenty of advantages to playing blackjack online as opposed to in an actual casino. Here, I’m going to discuss various online blackjack tips.

So everyone knows that the goal in blackjack is to get up to 21, without going over.  You are always just playing against the dealer, no matter how many people are sitting at the table with you.

Speaking of people sitting at the table, always be watching their cards. Say for instance you have a 10 and a 6, all you need is a 5 to win, right? You then see many 10s on the table, plus the dealer has a 10, you must always assume that the dealer has another 10 that they could flip over and have a score of 20.

Therefore, you need to achieve at least 20, it is better to burst than to let the dealer win by default, because they have to go to at least 17. They cannot stop at 14, 15, or 16. This gives the player the edge over the house. So always watch the other players, and their cards to help determine whether the dealer could possibly have a 10 in the hole.

These are just some basic guidelines, check back often for more helpful yet fun tips and tricks!

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What is the True Objective of Blackjack?

On 11.18.10, In Blackjack Rules, By Vivi

This question seems like it would have an obvious answer. And you will hear from many places and from many faces that it is to bet a hand total of 21. Unfortunately, that is not correct.

While the number 21 plays a big role in the game of blackjack no matter whether you are playing blackjack in a casino at a table or playing online blackjack, getting 21 is not the true objective. There is more to blackjack than getting 21.

In fact, getting a hand total of 21 will not even get you the best payout. Getting a hand total of 21 implies hitting until all of the cards you are holding add up to 21. And while a three card or more total of 21 is most definitely one of the strongest hands in the game, it is not the much coveted blackjack. A blackjack must be made up of the first two cards you are dealt. That is known as a natural and will payout the best with a 3-2 payout. A three or more card 21 will only payout 1-1, if you win.

And speaking of winning, we are back to the point at hand. The true objective of blackjack is to beat the dealer without your card total going over 21. See, I told you 21 played a role in the game.

The objective is important because it determines your strategy. Take hard hands for example. If you had a hard 15 against a dealer’s 7 and were playing under the objective that getting 21 is your goal, you would most likely hit that hard 15 and the dealer’s 7 would mean nothing to you.

But if you were playing that same scenario with the goal of beating the dealer without going over 21, you would stand in hopes of the dealer busting since you have a decent shot of busting yourself. See how the two different objectives have different impacts on blackjack?

When working on your blackjack strategy keep the objective of blackjack in your mind. Yes, being dealt 21 is very nice, but it is not something strategy can do for you. However, blackjack strategy can help you to beat the dealer.

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About Online Blackjack Games and Variations

On 08.13.10, In Blackjack Rules, Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, By Vivi

Those who play online blackjack are bound to see blackjack variations from time to time. They crop up everywhere, in the majority of online casinos. They are out there—Face Up 21, Super Fun 21, Blackjack Switch and more. The problem is that not all novice online blackjack players truly understand these blackjack variations and the impact their rules have on their blackjack odds.

One of the biggest hits to a player’s blackjack odds comes from the payouts offered by these blackjack variations. Whereas in regular online blackjack games, a natural blackjack receives a 3-2 payout, in the majority of variations the blackjack payout is an even money payout.

And an even money blackjack game will take 2.27% off of a player’s blackjack odds. If you are playing according to basic strategy, the house’s edge will go from 0.5% back up to 2.77%. Playing in a game with an even money payout like that is only handing your edge right back to the house.

Another common rule found in blackjack variations pertains to doubling down. Many variations only allow players to double down on 9s, 10s or 11s. This impacts the player’s blackjack odds in a negative way again, taking 0.18% away from the player’s odds.

Typically doubling down can take 1.6% from the house’s edge. That is a big hit to their edge. And that is why many blackjack variations will only allow doubling down on 9s, 10s and 11s only.

The key thing to understand about blackjack variations is that they were created to take players’ money faster. And while they can be fun to play from time to time, they should only be played for fun in practice modes so as not to risk losing any money; or to play blackjack variations at low stakes. That is how you handle your blackjack strategy in regards to blackjack variations.

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About Single Deck Blackjack Games

On 07.23.10, In Blackjack Rules, Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

While playing blackjack online is fun—not to mention convenient—there will be times when novice blackjack players will find themselves in a brick and mortar casino. Naturally they would want to play blackjack.

Now these are good students of blackjack. They know that the more decks there are in play at a table the more the blackjack odds tip towards the dealer. Naturally these students of blackjack will seek out the single deck games that have made a comeback in brick and mortar casinos.

But they are back with a twist.

The twist is the payout. In many—not all but many—of the single deck blackjack games to be found in casinos do not offer the usual 3-2 payout. Instead many single deck blackjack games offer a 6-5 payout.

Unfortunately many novice blackjack players do not quite understand what a 6-5 payout does to their odds.

Not only does a 6-5 payout meant that the player is receiving less for his blackjack in terms of the payout, a 6-5 payout also has a negative impact on a player’s blackjack odds.

Blackjack odds are based on your opportunity to make a profit from the game. When a house rule makes it harder for the dealer to win, it increases the player’s blackjack odds because that rule decreases the dealer’s chances of winning, which conversely increases the player’s.

In the case of the 6-5 payout, players lose some of their blackjack odds simply because they are receiving less money for a natural blackjack. Less money received in a payout means that the opportunity to profit is less, hence lowering the blackjack odds of the player.

When pulling up a chair to a 6-5 blackjack game a player is lowering their blackjack odds by 1.39%. Even playing with basic strategy cannot overcome this reduction in odds because of the payout, not because of house rules or player choices in plays.

Because of the reduction of odds—not to mention the lost money—it is best to avoid playing at 6-5 payout tables. If all of the single deck games are 6-5 payouts then play at the blackjack table with the least amount of decks.

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How Payouts Effect Your Blackjack Odds

On 07.16.10, In Blackjack Rules, By Vivi

The different kinds of payouts offered in both online blackjack and regular casino blackjack do not really seem to impact the player’s opinion of the game. As long as they are receiving a payout for their natural blackjacks they are happy.

If a player has done some research on blackjack payouts they know not to play in a game that offers a 6-5 payout. But they see it explained that they are receiving less money and that is the reason not to play in 6-5 payout games.

But there is another reason for avoiding blackjack games that do not offer players a 3-2 payout for their blackjacks: different payouts can actually reduce your blackjack odds.

Not only do you receive less money in a 6-5 payout game, it also reduces your odds by 1.89%. Just because of the change in payout alone.

For players who are fans of blackjack variations, such as games like Super 21, those games also have different blackjack payouts. Most of them, because of the potential—although it is not a great potential—to win a side bet, the payout for a natural blackjack is reduced. In most blackjack variations the payout is only 1-1, or even money, for a blackjack. A 1-1 payout reduces your odds by 2.27%.

A 1-1 payout actually has the worst impact on your blackjack odds of all of the different type of variations.

The reason a lower payout hurts your blackjack odds is because it reduces your opportunity to make money off of the game. Even though you are receiving something for your natural blackjack, it is not what you would traditionally make—that is why it reduces your odds.

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Why You Should Double Down

On 06.11.10, In Blackjack Rules, Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

A lot of the time novice blackjack players are nervous or hesitant about making a double down play in blackjack. It does not matter whether they are playing online blackjack or blackjack in a casino, they still get nervous about it.

The cause behind this is because the blackjack player has to put out more money, he has to double his wager. If he has wagered $10 on a hand and wants to double down, he has to increase his wager to $20. And not all novice blackjack players are comfortable with this right away.

But they need to become comfortable with this play because it can definitely benefit their blackjack odds. Doubling down in blackjack at opportune times can increase a player’s blackjack odds by 0.9%. That is quite the boost to one’s blackjack odds for one type of play.

The reason for this is because the player benefits when the house has to pay them for winning. When the house wins they do not receive a payout. Every time the house pays you, your blackjack odds go up. And if they have to pay you twice as much, it increases you odds even more.

But you only increase your blackjack odds with a double down if you are making the play at the most advantageous times. And when are those?

It all comes back to basic strategy. A basic strategy chart can tell you when the most opportune times to double down are. Usually it is when you have a 9, 10 or 11 as follows:

9 vs. dealer’s 3-6
10 vs. dealer’s 2-9
11 vs. dealer’s 2-10

If you are still learning your basic strategy, take a chart with you or have it open in a window next to the online casino’s window. Utilizing blackjack tips that go along with basic strategy can help increase your blackjack odds.

Make the most of your bankroll and increase you blackjack odds by knowing when to double down and making a double down when basic strategy tells you to.

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What a Dealer Hitting Soft 17 Means to You

On 06.04.10, In Blackjack Rules, Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, By Vivi

In the majority of online blackjack games that a player would encounter will have the dealer standing on all 17 hands, regardless of whether there is an Ace in the hand or not. However there are some online blackjack games and some blackjack variations in which the dealer is allowed to hit on a soft 17.

On the surface, a dealer hitting on a soft 17 does not sound like too bad of a house rule. In theory a dealer who has to hit on a soft 17 because the house rule makes me would be more likely to bust. But that is why it is a theory.

In reality the dealer is actually less likely to bust overall. The reason for this is that Ace. The Ace that is a friend to a blackjack player can also hurt when the dealer can hit on a soft 17. The dealer can reduce an Ace from 11 to 1 just as a blackjack player can. And because of that, the dealer has the chance to rebuild his hand to a stronger one.

For example, if the dealer has an Ace/6 he would have to hit. Let’s say that he hits and gets an 8. The Ace has to be reduced to 1, and he now has a hard 15, which he hits. If he receives anything less than a 7 he is still in the game. And there are more cards less than 7 than there are greater than.

It is because of the dealer’s increased chances of rebuilding his hand to be a stronger one that the house’s rule of a dealer hitting a soft 17 increases the house’s edge by 0.2%. That is a decent sized increase to the house’s edge. Which is why you should avoid any online blackjack games that allow the dealer to hit on a soft 17.

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Worst Blackjack Payout

On 05.21.10, In Blackjack Rules, Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

Do you know what the worst blackjack payout is?

It is not the infamous 6-5 payout that everyone has heard of, which might surprise you. No, the worst blackjack payout is actual a lot more common than the 6-5 payout. It is also more abundant than the 6-5 payout because it is found in blackjack variations, which are found in brick and mortar casinos as well as in online blackjack games.

So what is the worst blackjack payout? It is an even money payout, also known as a 1-1 payout.

The reason for this goes hand in hand with you receiving less money and your blackjack odds. On the surface just being paid less money for a natural blackjack is bad enough. After all it is the highest hand in the game and an instant win. It just feels like such a letdown to be dealt a natural blackjack and then only get a tiny payout.

But the amount of your payout is only part of why an even money payout is so bad for you. The other reason is that it hurts your blackjack odds. And more than a little.

Just playing in a game of blackjack with an even money payout will reduce your blackjack odds by 2.27%.

The reason for such a big hit to your odds is because of how much drastically smaller your winning payout is. Your blackjack odds are based on your opportunity for making money off of the game. When the opportunities, such as rules and payouts, are in your favor to make more money, your blackjack odds go up.

But when the opportunities favor the dealer then your blackjack odds go down because you have fewer chances to make money. And this is the case with an even money payout. It hurts your blackjack odds so much because it reduces the amount of money you are have a chance to make.

With your blackjack odds and your bankroll being hit so hard it makes an even money payout the worst payout in blackjack.

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