Blackjack Strategy for Soft 18

On 12.30.09, In Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, By Vivi

Soft 18 is one of those hands that is not always played to its best advantage. Most blackjack players see that their hand total is 18 and stand, thinking that they have a pretty strong hand.

And in some cases standing is still the most advantageous blackjack strategy play to make. If the dealer’s upcard is a 2 through 8 it is better to stand.

If your blackjack strategy includes assuming the worst case scenario is that the dealer’s hole card is a 10, then he could have a 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 or 18. Since the dealer has to up on the 12 through 16, he stands a pretty good chance of busting. If he has a 17 you will beat him with your 18. And if he has an 18 you will push, but at least you will not have lost any money.

It is only when the dealer’s upcard is a 9, 10 or Ace that your blackjack strategy changes.

Normally if you were playing with a hard 18 you would be stuck and would have to stand. Assuming that the dealer’s hole card is a 10, he would then have a 19, 20 or blackjack. This would cause the hard 18 to lose, but having a soft 18 gives your hand a second chance.

While there is nothing you can do to beat a dealer having blackjack, you do have a shot at beating his assumed 19 or 20. Here, your strategy would be to reduce your Ace from 11 to 1 so that you are now playing with a hard 8. Now you can hit and possibly build a hand to compete with the dealer’s assumed 19 or 20.

You might beat him or you might not. But at least playing your soft 18 this way against a dealer 9 or 10 you have a chance, whereas a hard 18 would leave you standing with no chance to rebuild your hand

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Splitting 8s as a Part of Your Blackjack Strategy

On 12.22.09, In Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, By Vivi

It is in the best interest of your blackjack strategy to split a pair of 8s when you are dealt them.

There are two parts to a blackjack strategy, an offensive side geared towards lowering the house edge, and a defensive side to keep from losing too much in unfavorable situations.

Splitting 8s would be a part of the defensive part of your blackjack strategy.

If you do not split you are then playing with a hard 16—a stiff hand. Stiff hands are harder to play with because they have a better chance of busting than of hitting and staying below 21. In the case of stiff hands you are hoping that the dealer will bust.

But in the case of being dealt a pair of 8s, there is a way to turn what could most likely be a loss into a possible win. Your blackjack strategy in this case must be to split.

While it is true that you are betting more money because of splitting, you now have two hands to play, both of which start with an 8. You can think of this sort of strategy as giving your cards a second chance in this round. There now exists the possibility of winning one hand maybe two.

This is defensive blackjack strategy—utilizing playing options to turn unfavorable situations into situations in which you will lose less or improve your chances for that round.

You do not want to split every single pair that you are dealt, you do not want to split a pair of 5s or 10s for example. But should you ever be dealt a pair 0f 8s, remember to split them.

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Advancing Your Blackjack Strategy—Bet on Another Player’s Hand

On 12.17.09, In Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, Uncategorized, By Vivi

You can advance your blackjack strategy, lower the house edge a little more and possibly win a little extra money by betting on another player’s hand.

The reason you might want to bet on another player’s hand is because your neighbor may have an advantage but is hesitant to bet any more money on the hand.  If you bet on their hand, you can lower the house edge on that round by around 0.15%. And you can even make a little extra money off their hand.

Let’s say that you are playing at a table where everyone has bet the minimum of $20. The player next to you has been dealt 7-4 and the dealer has a 10. Your basic strategy will tell you that the best play for your neighbor is to double down. You see him hesitating to put forth another $20, maybe he tries to double for less with $10. You can offer to cover the other $10 so that both you and the other player can take full advantage of that hand. Now you have the chance of winning money off of your own hand and your neighbor’s.

Another good time to go in with another player’s hand is if he is dealt a pair of 7s and the dealer has a 6. Blackjack players know that 7 against a dealer’s 6 is a moneymaker. The other player should split the pair of 7s. Let’s say that he puts forth another $20 to split but is dealt another 7. He should split again. But if he does not, offer to cover the bet of the second split. Again, you are helping to lower the housed edge a bit and stand to win a little extra if that hand beats the dealer’s.

Something to remember is that blackjack is played as a player versus the dealer, even though there are other players at the table. The dealer represents the casino. And by helping out your fellow players, you are helping other players to beat the casino and have the casino pay players, rather than players losing money to the casino.

The point of having a blackjack strategy is to lower the house edge and win more money. Incorporating betting on another player’s hand is a nice addition to your blackjack strategy since it can work to accomplish those things. It also has the bonus of making you look like a nice player.

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Online Blackjack Can Improve Your Health

On 12.10.09, In Online Blackjack, Online Casino, Uncategorized, By Vivi

It has been shown in several studies that playing online games, such as online blackjack can actually lower your stress.

Studies at Oxford University in the UK and at McGill University in Canada have found that after playing games online, participants had lowered the amount of the stress hormone cortisol by an average of seventeen percent. Participants also found that they felt happier afterwards as well. Similar results were found in a study conducted by an Eastern Carolina University in the US.

The reason proposed for lowered stress and a happier feeling is that playing games online serves as an escape mechanism. When one’s mind is focus on games, such as online blackjack, their mind was diverted from the worries, anger and frustration that was causing them to be stressed.

As it pertains to online blackjack, after seeing the results from these universities studies, an online casino conducted its own independent casual survey. They found that 74% for their online blackjack players felt that they were less stress and happier after playing; they felt that playing was good for their health.

The remaining 26% of those online blackjack players did not feel that their stress had been reduced. Of that 26%, the majority of those players were playing in high stakes games. With large amounts of their money on the line it is no wonder that their stress was not reduced.

Stress has been linked to health issues including hearth problems, a reduced immune system, irritable bowel syndrome and headaches. Stress has also been linked to cancer as a possible contributing factor. Destructive behaviors are also linked to stress: excessive drinking, social instability and over eating, all of which can cause more health related issues.

So if playing some low stakes online blackjack can lower your stress a bit, you might want to give it a try. Or if you are not in the position to wager money, you can even try playing for free at online casinos.

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Making Insurance Profitable Rather Than a Loss

On 12.04.09, In Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, Uncategorized, By Vivi

In my last post I covered what insurance really is. Also discussed was why taking insurance will cost you more money in the long run. However, there is one instance in which it is actually profitable to take insurance.

If you are a card counting player then you are able to distinguish the one instance in which it is good to take insurance.

In order to be in that one instance two circumstances must be in place first:

You must be playing with a remaining deck that is rich in ten value cards. You must also have been dealt a natural blackjack.

Now, let’s examine the two profitable results that can happen once you find yourself in that instance of a high card rich deck and are holding a natural.

For this example, we will say that you are playing at a $10 table. You have been dealt a natural blackjack and the dealer’s up card is an Ace. You have been counting the deck as the game has been played. You know that the deck is rich in ten value cards. Because of the dealer’s Ace you are offered insurance. Because this is that one instance when it is favorable to take insurance, you take it.

The first result is that the dealer’s hole card is a ten value card—he has a natural blackjack too. You will collect on your insurance bet—this is because insurance is really a side bet on whether or not the dealer’s hole card is a ten value, and since it is you win the side bet with a 2-1 payout: $10. As for you both having naturals, that is a push and your original bet is returned to you. But you still made a net gain of $10 all because you took insurance. If you had not taken it, while you would not have lost any money, you would not have gained any either.

The other result is that the dealer does not have a natural, so you lose the insurance bet. But since you have a natural blackjack you won the 3-2 payout. You win $15 minus the $5 insurance bet. Your net gain is still $10.

This is how insurance can in fact be profitable for you.

But you must be dealt a natural blackjack. And you must have been card counting and know that the deck is rich in ten value cards.

If you do not have both of those then do not take insurance.

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