Blackjack

Blackjack: Facts and Trivia

The Italians and French dispute who invented the game of Blackjack, however most believe it originated from the French game ‘Vingt-et-une’ – ‘21’.  Napoleon was possibly the most famous player – he was well known to enjoy playing Blackjack particularly while in exile in Elba.  When Blackjack was first introduced in the US, if wasn’t very popular so gambling houses introduced various incentives, including a bonus if players reached 21 with a jack of spades (black jack) and an ace of spades.  Although this incentive was soon removed, the name Blackjack has remained until today.

Blackjack is hugely popular all over the world, the combination of skill and luck required makes for a fast moving, fun and often rewarding game. 

Blackjack has enjoyed a renewed surge of popularity in recent decades, largely due to notoriety of card counting, including recent movies on the subject such as the 2008 film ‘21’.  Hollywood is not only making movies about Blackjack but they’re playing it as well!  William Baldwin, Shannon Elizabeth, Snoop Dig and Dean Cain are all celebrities who have been known to enjoy the game, and participated in the popular series, ‘Celebrity Blackjack’.

Many of the superstitions and myths surrounding Blackjack are as old as the game itself.  One old belief is that women bring bad luck to the game!  In times gone by, women often weren’t allowed at Blackjack tables or sometimes not in casinos at all!  This superstition has mostly disappeared today, however one still common belief is that of the ‘curse of a bad player’.  This is the belief that one bad player at a table will bring down the luck of all players. Lucky charms and particular rituals are the all important ingredient for some players, while others will follow betting rules such as betting big when on a winning streak, or for others the complete opposite of betting low after a win, brings them luck.  Ultimately, Blackjack is about both skill and luck.  Read on to find out more about the game, and the basic tips and strategies that can be used to maximize the chances of winning.

Understanding Blackjack

Specific and detailed instructions on how to play blackjack can be easily found within the games software (to download page).  Here is a basic outline of the rules and terminology of Online Blackjack to get you started:  In a nutshell, the goal is to reach a hand value of 21, without exceeding 21 (going ‘bust’).   Players are dealt 2 cards to start with and can choose to either ‘hit’ (be dealt another card), or to stand (not to receive additional cards).  Players play against the dealer whether there is one or several players at a table. Hand value all depends on the cards and how much their values add up to. Numerical cards are worth their face value, face cards (Jacks, Queens and Kings) are all worth 10, and Aces are worth either 1 or 11.

In Online Blackjack, players have various additional options to increase their chances of winning.   Splitting is allowed when a player is dealt 2 equal cards and chooses to split these 2 cards and play them as separate hands.  When you split cards, you will need to place an extra bet of equal value to your original wager.   To double down is when a player doubles their original bet after receiving their first 2 cards.  They must then continue and take at least one more card.   Some Online Blackjack games offer the opportunity to surrender.  This allows players to surrender their cards after the first 2 have been dealt (and before any further cards are dealt) for only half the cost of their original wager.

Blackjack Tips and Strategy

Counting cards is a Blackjack strategy first known to be used in the 1960’s when some clever players were able to win thousands in casinos until they were discovered.  This strategy does work, but naturally, all casinos have taken steps to prevent it – if suspected to be card counting, you will very likely be banned from the casino.  Nowadays, multiple packs of cards are used in any one game of blackjack and often are continuously shuffled.  This greatly decreases the usefulness of counting of cards.

There is however a basic strategy which all players of Online Blackjack and land based should try to master if they want to effectively play Blackjack. Basic strategy is based on the mathematics of the game and is a strategy used to reduce the house edge.  It essentially tells you what actions should be taken depending on the value of yours, and the dealers’ cards.  For example, players should usually look to ‘double down’ when their hand totals 10 or 11.  If your hand values 17 or more, you are advised to stand.  Basic strategy is usually grasped by consulting a basic strategy chart. Importantly – it does not guarantee that you will win, but provides you with the most mathematically logical decision to take.

While Blackjack is a very enjoyable game and easy to get to grips with, the more you play, the better you will become. You will start to find it easy to quickly evaluate any hand of cards and know the best action to take.  Like all casino games, know your budget and set for yourself time limits.  Consider lowering your bet when on a loosing streak, and upping it when on a winning streak.