Blackjack is one of the most popular card games played in casinos around the world. The object of the game is to have your cards total 21 or as close to 21 as possible without going over 21, and to beat the dealer’s hand. It’s a fun and exciting game, but there are a few things you should know before you begin playing.

Basic Strategy:

The most important thing to remember is that blackjack is a game of two people; the player and the dealer. It’s not just about getting a high score – it’s also about being smarter than the dealer. The best way to do this is by following some basic strategies.

Splitting:

You can split your initial pair of cards into two separate hands. This means that you can bet twice as much on your second hand, if you choose to do so. This can be an effective method of increasing your winnings, but it’s a good idea to use it sparingly.

Early Surrender:

This is a very useful feature of the game as it lets you forfeit half of your bet against a face or ace before the dealer checks for a blackjack. Generally this is done when you have a weak hand and can’t win with just your first two cards, but it can also be used to protect yourself from a bad dealer’s hand.

Resplitting Aces:

A lot of players don’t realize that you can re-split an ace, but it’s a very effective strategy. This is because you can draw more than one card to a split ace, which can make it harder for the dealer to have a blackjack.

Insurance:

Some casinos offer a side bet called insurance, which pays 2 to 1 if the dealer has a blackjack. This is a good bet for the player who knows their odds of getting a blackjack and doesn’t want to risk losing the original bet.

House Edge:

The house edge in blackjack is a little over 1%. This isn’t a huge amount, but it can still mean a significant loss over the long term.

Cold Deck:

Whenever you see a blackjack table that’s running cold, it’s usually because the shoe (the box holding all the cards) is giving the players bad cards. This can be a sign that you should move to another table or stick to your minimum bet until the hot table goes back up again.

Busting:

It’s never a good idea to bust in blackjack, but sometimes it can happen if you hit too many times. A bust is when you have more than one card that totals 21 or more than you’ve previously gotten from your first two cards.

Hitting on Soft 17:

A lot of players think that they can stand on a soft 17 because they have an ace, but this is actually a bad idea. Typically you should stand on hard 17 and only hit if your hand value is less than 17. However, when the dealer’s card is a 6, the ace can really help you out.