A Trick for a Pair of 4s

On 04.23.10, In Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

It is best to play blackjack according to basic strategy. While using basic strategy is the best way to impact the house edge and make the best statistical play possible each round, it does not often allow for a lot of maneuvering or for any little tricks.

But there are times that a blackjack player can deviate from basic strategy a little bit to take advantage of a house rule. One such rule is being allowed to double down after splitting pairs, but there is only one real hand that can take advantage of this rule, and that hand is a pair of 4s.

Normally basic strategy advises to hit on a pair of 4s rather than split them. This is because there is not advantage to splitting them.

However if you are allowed to double down after splitting there are two instances with a pair of 4s that you should split, and that is when you are faced with a dealer’s 5 or 6.

Once you split those 4s you will receive another card so that each hand will have two cards again. If you are dealt a 5, 6 or 7 you will have a hand total of 9, 10 or 11. If the dealer is showing a 5 or 6 it stands that there is a pretty good chance the deck is running with lower cards, which will help when splitting those 4s.

If, after splitting and receiving a second card for each hand, you have a new hand total of 9, 10 or 11 it is time to double down. Again, if you look at a basic strategy chart you will see that the best play for a hard 9, 10 or 11 is to double down. This is because doubling down on a 9, 10 or 11 is offensive in blackjack and you stand a good shot at making twice the winnings.

So to review, when the house allows you to double down after splitting pairs and you are dealt a pair of 4s, it the best play to split those 4s. If after splitting those 4s either one of your new hands has a total of 9, 10 or 11 you need to double down.

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Next Best Hand to a Natural Blackjack

On 04.16.10, In Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

Being dealt 21 in your first two cards, a natural blackjack, is the strongest hand in blackjack. It cannot be beat; the worst thing that could happen is for the dealer to also be dealt a natural blackjack, in which case you would have to push.

While any blackjack player would love to be dealt a natural, there are a couple of other hands that can come close. These two hands can only be beat by the dealer being dealt a natural blackjack or by the dealer hitting to 21.

These two hands are an Ace/9 and a 10/10.

Both of these hands have a total of 20, although because of the Ace in the Ace/9 that one could be considered a soft hand. But no blackjack player worth their money would hit an Ace/9 and reduce that Ace from 11 to 1.

Of these two hands the most mistakes are made with the Ace/9. Too many blackjack players will hit because they get caught up in the Ace and think of how it is a soft hand. They miss the fact that their hand total is already at 20. Some blackjack players will double down on an Ace/9, which is a mistake for the same reasons. Never sacrifice such a strong hand like an Ace/9 for the risk of a double down. You have a better chance of winning with your hand just as an Ace/9.

Some players will also make the mistake of splitting the 10/10. They see that they have a pair and immediately assume that their best play is to split. If they checked a basic strategy chart they would see that it says to stand on a 10/10.

This is for the same reason that you stand on an Ace/9. A 10/10 is more valuable as it is than if it were to be split. Splitting a 10/10 is another one of those gambles that you do not make in blackjack.

Doing anything other than standing on these two hands is viewed as foolish and a waste of a strong hand. It is best to stand on an Ace/9 and a 10/10, and know that you stand a pretty good shot of winning the round.

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How to Lower the House Edge

On 04.09.10, In Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

Blackjack is one of the easiest casino card games to learn to play along with one of the lowest house edges to start with. But blackjack also has one of the easiest ways to lower the house edge. It is so easy that even novice players can do it.

The majority of blackjack games start out with a house edge of 2%-5% depending on the number of decks that are being used. The more decks being used the more the house edge goes up.

Basic strategy is the surest way of lowering the house edge. It is also the easiest. When used correctly, it can lower the house edge to 0.5%.

On the surface basic strategy appears to be only a chart. But that chart has the best statistical play for every single player hand versus any dealer up card. I say best statistical because all of those plays have been tested and put through simulation. So while they will not win every single hand, they will, over time, lower the house edge.

Using basic strategy to lower the housed edge and increase your own blackjack odds is actually very easy to do. After being dealt your hand, look for it on the left side of the chart. Hard hands, hands with Aces (soft hands) and pairs will be listed. All of the dealer’s up cards are listed along the top with columns running down the chart from each with the best play. When you find your hand check to see what play is recommended for that hand against the up card that the dealer is showing. Then make that play. It is that easy.

Being that easy to use is what makes basic strategy the easiest way to lower the hosue edge and increase your blackjack odds

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Surrender is Not a Bad Play

On 04.02.10, In Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

A lot of the time surrender is a play greeted with negative feelings. Many blackjack players feel that it is taking an easy way out or chickening out. But the truth is that it is a smart play to make, if available, in some instances.

Surrender is blackjack’s version of folding. It allows the player to bow out of the round. But unlike in poker, a player does not lose all of their bet for surrendering. In blackjack the player only loses half of their wager.

There are two types of surrender: early and late. In the early version the player can surrender before the dealer checks for blackjack. In the late version the dealer checks for blackjack first; only if he does not have a natural blackjack are players allowed to surrender. Early surrender favors players because it allows them out of the round even if the dealer has a blackjack.

According to basic strategy, the best times to surrender in blackjack are when you have a hard 15 against a dealer’s 10 and when you have a hard 16 against a dealer’s 9, 10 or Ace.

The reason these are the best times to surrender is because you have a difficult hand to do anything with and, the dealer has a strong starting point to either have a strong hand with his hole card or hit to build a strong hand. Your chances of winning with one of those hands against those dealer up cards is very small.

So given the ability to exit the round without losing all your wager—to surrender—is a better option that the more likely outcome, which is to lose and lose your entire wager too.

If you find a blackjack game, either an online blackjack game or one in a casino, that offers surrender play there. If you can find a blackjack game with early surrender do not walk away from that game.

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