Blackjack Strategy

In the game of Blackjack you are competing against the Dealer (the House). The goal in Blackjack is to end the hand with a higher numeric total than the Dealer, without going over 21. Keeping this basic concept at the forefront of your mind will help you to understand and utilize playing strategies that can really pay off.

At the start of each new hand, our shoe contains a total of 4 full decks of shuffled cards. This means that, at the start of each new hand, cards that value ten have the highest probability of appearing, compared to any other numbered card in the deck. How does the knowledge that any unseen card is more likely to be a ten than anything else, play to your advantage? Well, in the majority of the situations that you will face while playing Blackjack, it will help you to decide your best course of action—meaning whether to Hit, Stand, Double Down or Split. Let's first look at when and when not to 'Hit'.

When Not to "Hit":

To paraphrase Shakespeare: To Hit or not to Hit, that is the most often asked question while playing Blackjack. For some Hitting is easy, for others it is a fearsome task. Though the result is the same, in many cases in Blackjack, there is a subtle difference between Standing and not Hitting.

In Blackjack, the main advantage the Dealer has over you is that he plays after you. If you Bust, the Dealer immediately collects your money… and even if the Dealer Busts, when their turn comes around, you still do not receive your money back. So, what can we conclude? If the Dealer has a high probability of Busting, better to stay in the game and let them, rather than Busting yourself.

As an example, let's examine a situation when the Dealer's Up Card is a 6. To begin, we must remember that the Dealer must Hit on 16 or below and Stand on 17 or above. As we have established, the odds are greatest (approximately 43%) that the Dealer's Down Card values 10 (rather than any other numbered card or Ace). This combination would give the Dealer a total card value of 16. Furthermore, there is a strong likelihood that the next card the Dealer will receive will equal 6 or higher (approximately 8 in 13), which would result in a Bust. What can we conclude from all of this? Very simply put, if you have a card total of 12 or above and the Dealer is likely to Bust (as in our example with a 6 showing), why risk it? Stay put and hope the Dealer goes down (Busts).

Let’s take a look at the other end of the spectrum for a moment. If, for example, the Dealer shows a 7 (or higher), you now find yourself in the opposite position of the situation that we have just examined. Remember, in all likelihood the Dealer’s Hole Card is a 10; and the Dealer must Stand on 17 or above. In this case you may well be forced to… yes, gamble. If your card total equals 17, in this case (or the equivalent of the Dealer’s Up Card, +10), Stand and hope for a Push (tie) or win. If your card total equals 16 or under, take the risk and Hit, until you reach 17 or above. Yes, you may well Bust… But, you must always take the risk of turning a bad situation into a winning hand.

When to "Stand":

Remember, all of your decisions, including choosing to Stand, should be based on a combination of three things: Your hand value, the card that the Dealer is showing and the probability of the next card having a value of 10.

Let's say that the dealer is showing any card from 2 to 6, and your hand values 12 to 16; using our foundation knowledge of the 10 factor, it is then strongly advised that you Stand.

Some players favor, when their hand contains an Ace plus a 7 or 8, Hitting; knowing that a likely 10 will leave their position unchanged, while an Ace, 2 or 3 will place them comfortably in the winner's seat. This is an extremely risky move and is not advised (unless the Dealer’s Up Card is an Ace or 10), as you may well find yourself facing a 5 to 9, leaving the high risk of Busting on your next Hit.

Our suggested "sure Stands" are between 17 and 20. Generally speaking, never try to improve on a likely winner!

When to choose "Double":

In the game of Blackjack, Doubling is one of the best and fastest ways of increasing your Bankroll. But watch out, because this can also be the easiest and quickest way to bring your Bankroll down.

The best numbers to Double Down on will be 9, 10 and 11. These numbers, however, have their exceptions and may require a different approach, according to the Dealer's Up Card. Doubling on an 8 or lower is not advised, however, as with 9, 10 and 11, there are exceptions.

So, let's look at your hand with a value of 9. The Dealer is showing a card with a value of 3, 4, 5 or 6. We advise that you Double. Why? Because, once again, a 10 will give you a total of 19, while the Dealer’s next card being a 10 will result in them Busting.

If, on the other hand, the Dealer is showing a card value of 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace, taking into account the probability of a card value of 10 or Ace occurring, your best move would be to simply Hit, rather than risk Doubling.

There is a theory that one should always Double with a hand total of 10 or 11. This is mostly commonly true, with exceptions to the rule. If the Dealer's Up Card is a 10 or Ace, then it is advised to simply Hit, as both you and the Dealer are on level ground and the risk of Doubling is unwarranted.

"Soft Hands" (hands including an Ace) of a value of 8 or under are normally hands to Hit on, rather than Double; with exceptions, of course. If the Dealer is showing a 3, 4, 5 or 6, take a chance and Double if you have an Ace + 3, Ace + 4, Ace + 5, Ace + 6 or + Ace 7. Why? Remember these hands have a double value. Anything from 2 to 8, according to your 'Soft Hand' total, will make a great difference. Plus, the probability of one of these lower cards occurring is quite high. And remember, when the Dealer is showing a 3, 4, 5 or 6, they have a high probability of Busting.

When to "Split":

According to the rules of Blackjack, one can only Split pairs of cards; that is two cards of the same denomination (i.e. two 3's, two Kings, etc). Like Doubling, Splitting can drastically increase your Bankroll or vice versa.

So, when to Split? Again, always assume that the cards you will receive, to your now separate two hands after Splitting, will be 1s. There are 3 sure cases; a pair of 8s, a pair of 9s (except when the Dealer's Up Card is 7) and a pair of Aces.

On the same note, there are certain pairs that you should never Split; a pair of 4s (in which case you should Hit), a pair of 5s (in which case you will either Double or Hit), and a pair of 10s (in which case you will Stand).

As for the other remaining pairs, we suggest the following: if you have a pair of 2s or a pair of 3s and the Dealer shows a 4, 5 or 6, by all means Split, as your chance of receiving a card with a value of 5 to 8 is quite favorable; meanwhile the Dealer, with a Down Card of 10, will be forced to Hit and likely Bust.

Many players will automatically Split a pair of 6s wishing to avoid playing with 12, and this is generally a good move; with exceptions, naturally. If the Dealer's Up Card ranges from 7 to 10, and we must assume a total of 17 to 20, then it is generally not worth the risk. If the Dealer’s Up Card is an Ace (but not Blackjack), then the Dealer still has too many ways to beat you and Doubling your bet is to be considered a bad bet. A pair of 7s follows the same strategy and, of course, it is recommended to Hit only if the Dealer's Up Card is an 8, 9, 10 or Ace.

Video Poker Strategy

What’s great about playing Video Poker?

• Find bluffing with a big pot too risky? There's no need to in Video Poker… there are no opponents!
• Tired of getting beat with good hands? Don’t worry, there are no other players there to take your pot, it’s in the bag!
• Bets keep mounting up on vague hands that don't pan out? In Video Poker, there are no betting rounds, so your first bet amount is final.
• Need more time to decide how to play your hand? In Video Poker you’ve got all the time you need.
• Problems budgeting your play? With Video Poker you know exactly how much you will spend per round, so there’s no better way to keep track of your money.

Getting to know hand values:

If you are not familiar with the Video Poker winning combinations and their values, then this should be your first step. Start by familiarizing yourself with the winning hand combinations. And there is no need to cram; have a print out with you while you’re playing. This will help you get to know what cards to hold and what cards to discard.

What to Hold:

Always remember your main objective and that is to beat the house. So, let’s say on your first draw a pair of Jacks is dealt. This is good, but what if one of the Jacks is a Diamond, as are the other three cards—an 8, 9 and 10 to be exact. Would you play it safe and hold the pair of Jacks, or go for the possible Straight Flush? We suggest going for the Straight Flush.

What is a "sure bet"?

A pair of Jacks, Queens, Kings or Aces. Always bear in mind that the easiest winning combinations to get in Video Poker have the lowest Pay Out...and the more difficult the combination to get, the higher the Pay Out.

How does this benefit you?

Well, the easier the combination is to get, the more often it will reoccur. Yes, you will play longer shooting for easy combinations, but your Bankroll growth rate will be at a snail’s pace.

There is no fool-proof way to win playing Video Poker, but the most profitable bet is to receive a Royal Flush with the maximum bet amount. And on your way to achieving this goal, always try to aim for the higher practical winning combinations. This can only be done by choosing your hold cards thoughtfully and strategically.

What’s our suggestion?

All Pat Hands Stand: (e.g. you get a Full House on the first draw) Stand.

Four cards to a Royal Flush: Hold 4 and Draw one.

Four cards to a Straight Flush: Hold 4 and Draw one.

Three of a Kind: Hold 3 and Draw two cards.

Two Pairs: Hold 4 and Draw one card.

A Pair of Jacks or better: Draw three cards, but if you have any of the above combinations, do not break up the hand. If you have a reasonable possibility of a far better hand - Go for it!

Two cards to a Royal Flush, with no combinations (that is Three-of-a-Kind for example): Draw three cards.

These are just a few tips to get you ahead of the "Video Poker Relay Race" and eventually that grand Royal Flush.