Basic Blackjack Strategy – Getting Started

If you want to truly conquer the game of blackjack then you will need to get to grips with the most basic strategy first because this serves as the springboard that leads you onto other, more sophisticated methods of strategy and risk assessment. Generally speaking, basic strategy is nothing more complex than a system of different charts which the player will refer to in order to determine which move is the least risky one when presented with a particular card.

The benefits of learning and utilising the basic blackjack strategy are very evident to see, and when used correctly, they can reduce the house edge (the odds of the casino winning over the player) by around 6-7%. This is a fairly substantial amount indeed!

The basic strategy system is the culmination of several years’ worth of hard work and painstaking research with a great deal of cross referencing conducted in order to ensure that the results identified are as accurate and reliable as possible.

With that in mind, there are two main types of basic blackjack strategy charts used and these are single and multi-deck strategies respectively.

Contrary to what you have initially thought, blackjack basic strategy is not an especially taxing or difficult process to consider, especially if you are proficient at reading and interpreting the charts associated with the strategy.

Thankfully, all of the charts follow the same basic format which is as follows.

The vertical column listed on the left hand side denotes the hand and cards of the player, whilst the horizontal column on the top happens to denote the hand and cards of the dealer.  With that in mind, the columns are then required to be lined up exactly, until there is a match between the hand of the player and the hand of the dealer.

Please note that in order to use the basic strategy effectively, you will need to actually commit it to memory. Put simply, do you think that a casino is going to sit idly by and wait for a player to then pull out a strategy chart for them to pore over before they make their next move? Absolutely not!

If you are new to blackjack strategy then your best bet is to ensure that you try and identify any logical patterns that happen to occur within the charts, and then use them as a learning point. If you are seriously struggling to actually memorise the chart and the values included within it, then your best bet is to make use of blackjack strategy cards. Of similar dimensions as a credit or library card, they can help give you a much needed boost.

It is imperative that you remember the following issue: as effective, informative and accurate as the basic blackjack strategy is, there is never any guarantees in this life that there is no chance of failure. Therefore, you need to be prepared for the possibility that you do and will make a negative hit.

If you intend to play at online casinos then there are a couple of basic rules you should follow. Firstly, only play at high quality online casinos that have gained a trustworthy and honest reputation over several years. For UK players we strongly recommend Virgin Casino whilst for players outside the UK we recommend 7Red Casino.

Secondly always make sure that you claim a bonus when you sign up to an online casino. For example, Virgin Casino offer new sign ups £150 free whilst 7Red Casino offer new sign ups $100 free. Again we prefer Virgin Casino as they have a great loyalty scheme. For every pound you spend you earn Vpoints. Vpoints can be traded for cash or great rewards such as return flights to Las Vegas. Win or lose you are always making money at Virgin Casino!