Blackjack is a very entertaining game, but if you don’t know the rules, you’ll be losing your hard-earned money in no time. Luckily, however, the odds are pretty good in blackjack, so you only need to understand the rules once and you’re on your way.

Blackjack tips for beginners

Before you play blackjack for the first time, you should know the basic rules. As an absolute beginner, it is best to learn the rules first and then feel your way step by step using our tips and tricks. The most important thing is to know the cards and their probabilities. Also, you should concentrate on your game and not get distracted. Those are the first basics to playing blackjack successfully, but we’ll give you a lot more than just the basics.

Know the cards and their probabilities

Blackjack was originally played with just one deck of cards, i.e. 52 cards. Over time, more and more decks were added to make counting cards more difficult. Blackjack is played with up to eight decks of cards these days, with six decks played in most casinos. Blackjack tables with only one or two decks are very rare, but if you find one, be sure to take a seat.

Keep an eye on the table

One of the most important blackjack tips is to keep an eye on the table. This blackjack strategy might even be your secret weapon to win the game. Because a successful player never gets distracted and keeps his eyes glued to the table at all times. You must never lose focus and pay attention to things other than your own cards and what is happening at the table. Of course there are other things to consider, but this rule is the be-all and end-all of any blackjack game. Whether you’re playing at home or in the casino, your attention must be 100% focused on the table at all times.Especially in the casino there are a lot of disturbances due to the volume and people walking around. Your fellow players may also try to distract you and just one inattentive second can mean the end for you. Focus from the moment you sit down at the table and stay focused until the end of the game.

Know the rules

In order to play blackjack successfully, you need to know the rules, but as we just mentioned, these can vary depending on the variant. This also applies to blackjack card counting. Don’t sit down at a table if you don’t know the rules. One of the biggest differences between the variants is the number of decks. There can also be differences in betting, how cards can be split and what limits the dealer sets.Understanding the rules of the game only takes a few minutes and once you get the hang of the basics, you’re good to go. In fact, in the 1960s, some clever people calculated a strategy that puts you at the least disadvantage against the dealer. Since then, this blackjack strategy has been referred to as the basic strategy. With this strategy, you always base your decision on the dealer’s first card, the dealer’s up card, and your own cards. In short, you always stop when you have 17 or more.

Don’t beat these hands

Of course, you should also know which hands you should beat to win and which not. Because here too, according to the basic strategy table, there are certain rules or recommendations with which you can win the game for yourself.

Once you make the wrong decision, there is no going back and you will lose the game no matter how well you prepare. Each starting hand has a mathematical value that can produce different outcomes depending on how you play the card.

You should beat these hands

Blackjack Tips: The best hand in blackjack is worth 21 points. This hand cannot be beaten unless the dealer also has blackjack. The second best hand is a hard 20, which consists of two 10-value cards. You can split this hand and continue with two hands, but it will cost double and your chances of winning are already good.

Always pay attention to the dealer’s cards because if the dealer has an 8 or 9, his chances of getting a 10 are good, ending up with an 18 or 19. On the other hand, if the dealer has two sixes, he could even be dealt two more cards, resulting in a perfect blackjack.

Advanced blackjack tips

Don’t be afraid of a double down

A bet is made at the beginning of each round, even before the first cards are dealt. So you have to blind your bet. As a rule, exactly one bet is made and it is not possible to bring further bets into play. However, sometimes there are other rules and that’s when the double down comes into play.

A double down allows you to place an additional bet that must be the same amount as the ante, i.e. the blind bet. In return, you will receive an additional card. As soon as you get your third card, you automatically have a surplus and you have to wait to see the dealer’s hand.

How and when to use insurance

Blackjack Insurance is a side bet offered to you when the dealer gets an ace up card. This is essentially insuring yourself against the dealer getting a blackjack. You pay half your original bet and get your bet back should the dealer actually get blackjack. This is usually also on the tables: Insurance pays 2:1.

Insurance can be taken out before the dealer looks at his second card and if the second card is a 10, which means the dealer has blackjack, the insurance is paid out. If you also have blackjack, it is a tie.

However, insurance is generally not a good deal unless you are certain that there are still an unusually high number of 10s in the deck. To know this, however, you would have to count the cards, which is very difficult when using many decks and is also generally forbidden. The chance that the dealer will get blackjack with an ace up card is 3:2. In two thirds of the cases you can save yourself the insurance. Because if the dealer doesn’t get a blackjack, you not only lose your original bet, but also the insurance.

When to give up

Knowing when to call for another card and knowing when to stop taking is important, but knowing when to surrender is just as important. By giving up your starting hand, you get half your bet back. There are two ways to give up. Early surrender allows you to surrender your hand and only pay half of your initial bet before the dealer sees if he gets blackjack. This is probably the better option as it lowers the house edge of the game.

However, there is also late surrender, where you basically do the same thing, but only after the dealer has dealt another card. In this case, if the dealer doesn’t have blackjack, you only get half your bet back. Not all variants of blackjack offer both possibilities, so check before you play.

To put it succinctly, give up when the odds of winning are clearly against you. For example, if you hold a 16 and the dealer has a 9, 10, or an ace, you are very likely to lose. The same applies if you hold a 15 and the dealer has a 10.