Advanced Blackjack Strategy

Even though basic strategy cuts the house edge and is an invaluable tool for beginners, there are times when you should deviate from it. Find out more in these advanced blackjack card games strategy tips.

Learn to Count Cards

Card counting was popularized by a team of students from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who earned lots of money in casinos in America and Canada in the 1990s. But why is it so effective? Quite simply, it helps you play smarter during a game. And, surprisingly, it’s not that difficult to learn. All you need to do is monitor every card that is dealt, assign a value to each and then calculate the total.

The number cards between two and six are valued at +1; cards seven, eight and nine amount to 0; and 10s, aces and court cards command a value of -1. A positive total reveals that there are a lot of high cards left in the deck, a negative one suggests that a lot of low cards have yet to be played and a neutral one (0) tells you that a similar number of high and low cards remain. And knowing the makeup of the remaining cards helps you make informed decisions when it comes to things like insurance, splitting and doubling down. So, learn to count cards!

Take Insurance when the Time is Right

Although basic strategy advises you to avoid insurance bets, they can be useful on certain occasions. For instance, if you’re playing at a real casino or live casino online (with real dealers involved), you should buy insurance when the dealer has an ace and your card counting total is positive and high (e.g., +4), as a lot of cards with ten values sit in the deck.

Split 10s When the Time is Right

Though basic strategy warns against splitting tens, it may be advisable in some situations. For example, when the dealer’s up-card is a five or a six, and card counting reveals that there are a lot of 10s left in the deck, the dealer’s more likely to go bust. Thus, split your tens.

Use a Mixture of Positive and Negative Betting Systems

Don’t limit yourself to just one type of betting system in blackjack. Even though most of you are probably familiar with a negative progression system called the Martingale (which tells you to increase your bets after each loss, and decrease them after a win), you shouldn’t just rely on it. In fact, positive progression systems (which prompt you to raise bets after wins and lower them after losses) like the Paroli are also very valuable. Therefore, do some research on positive and negative betting systems and try to use a mixture of them.

Final Thoughts on our Blackjack Strategies

Following our four great tips won’t necessarily take you into the Blackjack Hall of Fame, but  it will bring your game to the next level. So, what are you waiting for?