Blackjack can be a complicated game with many variables affecting the entire game. This is why you need to understand the basics first and then strategize how to play your cards well. Doing so increases your chances of improving your blackjack skills and winning.
If you’re looking to beat the game, here is a blackjack cheat sheet designed to help you. Moreover, since there are blackjack variants, this guide offers an overall strategy that will help you move forward in any variant:
Go Back to the Basics
Blackjack isn’t just a game of chance since it also deals with strategies for you to play with every hand that’s dealt to you.
You could always go back to the basics to create opportunities during the game, where you relearn the basics, refine your decision-making process, and determine the best playing option to focus on.
Moreover, it’s time to get acquainted with your options: pair splitting (splitting two similar cards to receive a new card) or doubling (increasing your stakes instead of taking a free third card). If your casino allows you to surrender, you can add that option to your roster. Although these are basic options you can choose from when playing, refining these skills is best.
It would help if you experienced different stakes and choices to get the hang of the game, which means dealing with different cards. You need to know what strategy fits best, whatever the dealer’s upcard may be.
Thus, it’s best to practice with a deck of cards by yourself and play blackjack for your brain to recall these basic strategies repeatedly. Internalizing these basic strategies makes you better at playing the game too.
Choose a Table With a Double Down Option
It would help if you always chose a table with a double-down option to increase your payout. Double down allows you to win twice as much as you usually would, which is a great option whenever your dealer has a weak hand!
A blackjack double down offers twice the risk, you shouldn’t be afraid to double down, especially if you’re presented with the opportunity. Whenever you have a complicated eleven, picking a double down means you get a closer chance of hitting 21.
Likewise, whenever your dealer’s upcard is two-six, and you have a soft 16, 17, or 18 means there’s a greater chance for you to improve your hand than your dealer.
Use Your Strategy Card
A strategy card allows you to choose the best option of card combos based on three different decks (single-deck, double-deck, and four or more deck game). Moreover, you could check all the cards dealt with during an entire game and accurately decide what to do next.
The strategy card has instructions such as hitting and standing, splitting, doubling down, not splitting pairs, and even surrendering. Whenever things aren’t looking too good for you and you’re having difficulty choosing what to do next, using your strategy card isn’t a wrong choice.
It’s even better to have your own and take it to memory!
Split Your Pair of 8s and Aces
It’s reasonable for you to split your aces since these would result in a soft two or soft 12, a number you should avoid if you’re looking for 21 since there’s a big chance you’d bust.
The same goes for your eights since these results in 16, the worst hand a player can have in blackjack. When a player stands by a hard 16, they lose 70.99% of the time and only gain a winning chance of 29.01%.
With this, it’s best to split your eights and aces to receive a new card and gain a different hand. You can then deal with your new hand to increase your chances of winning. If you don’t want to split your aces, it’s best to do it when the count has reached a negative number. When this happens, you can expect low cards in the deck since it’s become favorable to the house.
Don’t Split a Pair of Tens or 5s
Getting a pair of tens or 5s is never bad since you’d only have two options: to hit or double down. If your dealer has a weak position with an upcard from 2 to 9, doubling down on a pair of 5s means improving your hand since you get twice the money with only a single draw.
This move lets you make the most of your draw with only 10 (or a pair of 5s.) Moreover, splitting your 5s means you’re left with a lower-value hand.
The same goes for getting a pair of tens. Since splitting tens means you’ll be playing with another hand starting with ten, you’ll mostly be starting from scratch when you’ve already had a total of 20, a number close to 21. Splitting your tens and 5s is a shouldn’t for your blackjack strategies.
Final Thoughts
You’re sure to dominate the game, especially since you have these cheat sheet guides to help you. Moreover, you’ve already gained insight into the importance of learning the basics before getting on to the challenging parts, such as splitting and strategy cards. Nevertheless, practice your skills and make the most out of your hand!
