Revealing 5 of the Most Advanced Blackjack Strategies

Whether you play in a real casino or your favourite online casino, you can rest assured that one of the most popular casino games you will encounter will be blackjack. At its heart, blackjack is an incredibly simple game to play. With the ultimate objective centred around hitting 21, blackjack pits the player’s cards against the dealer’s. Due to its popularity, it isn’t surprising that players have developed many advanced blackjack strategies that have been used to give them an edge over the house. In this guide, we will reveal some of the best blackjack strategies in the hope that you will try out some of them the next time you play.

How to Play Blackjack: Revealing 5 of the Best Advanced Blackjack Strategies

One of the reasons blackjack has become so popular globally is how easy it is to play. The rules of the game are largely universal, and because the game pits the player against the dealer, the house edge is just over 3%.

An incredibly social game, blackjack allows players to steadily build their bankroll at a relaxed and leisurely pace. If you want to find out more about some of the more basic strategies, you can do that by clicking here. However, in this article, we will focus on some of the more advanced strategies that you can employ in your blackjack play.

Standing

A successful American businessman and a keen blackjack player, Charlie Ergen once said:

‘Blackjack is very scientific. There’s always a right answer and a wrong answer. Do you take a card, increase your bet, bet big or bet small. There’s absolutely a right and wrong answer.’

Ergen is right. Decisions are always constant in blackjack, and one of the most important is knowing when to stand.

Standing in blackjack is where you are happy with the cards you have received and don’t want to pull another card for fear of busting or handing an advantage over to the dealer. Blackjack dealer rules will always determine that it’s the players who call first; because of this, standing at the right moment can often be critical when trying to make long-term profits.

When you play blackjack, there are no restrictions on standing. You can stand at any moment you feel is right, but some opportunities are more optimum than others.

One of the best features of blackjack is that every card is dealt face up, including your two-hole cards and one card from the dealer. Depending on what card the dealer pulls can determine what action you take.

The table below provides an overview of some of the most favourable times to stand and take your chance:

• Pros of this blackjack betting strategy:
• You can’t win if you bust. By standing, you at least have a chance of winning by making the dealer reveal their cards. There will be times when standing will result in a loss, but there will also be occasions when the dealer doesn’t quite hit the cards they want to hit, and by standing, they could bust.
• A third of the deck is in your favour—any 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 that the dealer pulls should mean that the odds of a hand victory are greatly in your favour. Whilst you won’t win every time, it’s good to know that using standing as an advanced blackjack strategy could pay off.

• Cons of this blackjack betting strategy:
• Dealers can run hot and cold. Some will go through a period of busting, while others will consistently hit the cards they need. Although the above blackjack strategy chart reveals the percentages of a dealer going bust, it’s important to gauge any trends or patterns the dealer is experiencing, as this should also play a part in your decision.

Hitting

Alongside standing, another heavily used blackjack strategy in the UK is knowing when to hit. Hitting is when you pull another card from the dealer in the hope that your total will end up closer to 21. Be careful, though. If you hit too much, there is a chance that you could bust your hand.

Similarly to standing, there is an ideal time to hit. Our blackjack strategy chart reveals more:

• Pros of this blackjack betting strategy:
• Hitting in blackjack is a fun way to play; it is the game in its purest form. Those who like to hit must be brave and not be afraid of busting.
• When the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, you can hit your next card with relative freedom knowing that you should be in a strong position. A decision on whether you hit your next card is one you will need to consider carefully.

• Cons of this blackjack betting strategy:
• Hitting based purely on percentages doesn’t necessarily take into account how hot or cold the dealer is running. It’s important to note the pattern of the table when trying to decide whether to hit or not.

Doubling Down

For those who like to play aggressively, doubling down is one of the blackjack perfect strategies that you can employ.

When you choose to double down, you are required to double your betting stake, and you will only get dealt one card. After that card, your hand will automatically be stood, and you won’t be able to pull any more cards.

Just like our two other blackjack strategies, there are more optimum times to double down over others. The following blackjack strategy table reveals all:

As the above double down blackjack chart shows, the perfect time to double down is when you have an Ace in your hand. An Ace in blackjack acts as an 11 and a 1, giving you flexibility.

It is also important to note that although the strategy would advise you to double down with an Ace, you can double down with any combination.

If you wish to follow the table above, doubling down is optimum if you hold an Ace and the dealer holds a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6—if the dealer has anything higher, we would advise you just hit or stand. If you are dealt a 19 or 20, it is advised that you stand and don’t risk doubling down.

• Pros of this blackjack betting strategy:
• Compared to other casino games, such as roulette, the odds for blackjack aren’t as generous. However, if you double down, it can see you make some nice returns.
• There are scenarios where if you double down and the dealer holds a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, even if you pull a low card as your double-down card, the dealer could still bust.

• Cons of this blackjack betting strategy:
• You only get one card and if you pull a low card, your position or odds in the hands may not overly shift. The same outcome could occur, but you would have doubled your stake for the same amount of risk.

Splitting

If you choose to split, you will have two hands to play with, but you will need to double your stake for your cards to be split. This strategy is only applicable if you are dealt two cards that are a pair—for example, two 8s.

A commonly used blackjack strategy, here are some of the best examples of when you should opt to split:

D = Double down

As the above split chart blackjack table indicates, hands where you are dealt a pair of 7s, 8s, 9s, and Aces are the best hands in which you should choose to split. However, if the dealer is holding a picture card or an Ace, it might be better to either stand or hit.

If you are dealt a pair of 5s, the ideal solution is to double down rather than split. If dealt a pair of Aces, the guidance would be to split regardless of whatever the dealer holds.

• Pros of this blackjack betting strategy:
• This advanced blackjack strategy gives you much more flexibility when it comes to your hand. Rather than just having one hand in play, splitting hands gives you two chances to win. If both hands win, you will double your stake. If just one of your hands wins, you will cover your bet.
• There are scenarios where splitting with certain hands against the dealers should stand you in great stead when it comes to statistically winning a hand.

• Cons of this blackjack betting strategy:
• Just like any gambling strategy, although splitting your bets gives you more flexibility, there is no guarantee that you will win all the time. There will be occasions where the dealer will beat both of your hands. An element of luck is still required.

Surrendering

When it comes to advanced blackjack betting strategies, surrendering is probably the least known. The blackjack surrender rule allows for half of your stake to be returned once the cards have been dealt. You would choose to surrender your hand if you don’t feel your cards can beat the dealer’s. It will occur once the dealer has dealt themselves two cards.

When you choose this strategy, you will be forced to sit out the rest of the hand. The following blackjack surrender chart reveals when a good time to apply this tactic could be.

S = Stand

SR = Surrender

• Pros of this blackjack betting strategy:
• As our blackjack chart with surrender information indicates, it gives you an opportunity to save some money if you feel you are going to lose a hand.
• It is a great strategy for those wanting to steadily build a bankroll.

• Cons of this blackjack betting strategy:
• Whether you choose to surrender or not can often come down to the bets you are placing. If betting small, some may rather take the risk and hit instead. If you are trying to enhance your bankroll stakes and surrender, you may have gone on to win the hand. You will need to judge the risk vs the potential reward.

Card Counting

Richard Munchkin is in the blackjack Hall of Fame. He once said that ‘Card counters need to have tunnel vision.’ Card counting in blackjack is arguably the most famous of all blackjack strategies, glorified in films such as Rainman, 21, and The Hangover. It involves maths and the working out of quick percentages and odds. To apply it effectively, there can be no mistakes, but plenty of blackjack card counting practice with a shrewd blackjack card counting trainer that can help you learn more about how it can be applied.

Using a complicated maths system, players can time when they want to place a big bet. Often outlawed by most of the biggest and best casinos, it is a strategy that often divides opinion. To find out more about card counting, visit this page.