How To Play Blackjack

Hit

A “hit” is simply asking for another card from the dealer.

Depending on what the dealer is showing and the online casino’s rules, a general strategy would be to ‘hit’ when your cards total fourteen or less.

For example, say the dealer is showing a 9 and you have a 3 and 4 for a total of 7 (seven), basic strategy assumes the dealer has a face card and is at 19. So, you need to hit and work your way as close to 19 without going over 21, which is also known as busting. You can hit as many times as you feel comfortable, but don’t bust.

Stand

“Standing” is choosing to receive no more cards from the dealer.

A player would “stand” when they’re confident they have a high enough hand to beat the dealer, typically on hands that total fifteen or more (depending on what the dealer is showing).

Let’s say the dealer is showing a 7 and you have a King and a 9. Remember, the dealer is typically forced to stand on 17 and you’re at 19 with little wiggle room to hit 21 without going over. So, you would stand without taking any more cards.

You may also stand after taking more than two cards. For example, if you think the dealer – who is showing a King and may be sitting on 20 – you’ll probably “hit” a time or two to get close and if your hand reaches a total of 20, you would then stand and look for the push/tie.

Split

A “split” is only an option when a player is dealt a pair. “Splitting” a pair turns the original pair into two separate hands, doubling the amount of hands the player has on the table and doubling the player’s current bet.

Choosing when to split is a bit complicated, and depends on which pair you receive, and what the dealer’s showing. When you’re choosing to split, remember these three things:

• Don’t split a winning hand. If you’re dealt two 10s, it’s tempting to split, but don’t. If you’re dealt two 10s, you know you have twenty, which is likely a winning total. Hold tight.
• Only split good cards. Generally, you won’t ever split pairs lower than 6, except possibly a pair of 2s. As always, your decision is partially based on what the dealer is showing. For example, if you’re dealt a pair of fours (a low, mathematically unfriendly card) there’s no point in splitting – you’ll just end up with extra hands full of fours.
• Each time you split, your wager doubles. Just try to remember what you’re getting into – splitting doubles your potential winnings, but also your potential losses.

For example, if a player was dealt two 8s, they could split these. They would then have two hands worth 8 each, and receive an additional card for each hand. They’d then play these hands the same way they’d play one – choosing to hit, stand, double down, or even to split again. Because 16 is an unfavorable number in blackjack, splitting 8s is good strategy. Other splits may not be so easy.

Double Down

“Doubling down” is choosing to double your original bet and commit to receive only one more card from the dealer.

As an example, a player should generally “double down” if their hand totals 10 or 11, as the odds of the next card being a ten or face card is in the player’s favor in the long run. Again, this will depend on what the dealer is showing as well as the casino’s dealer rules.

Remember – doubling down doubles a player’s bet, and they only get one more card. If the player gets a good card and win, they win double, but if they get a bad card and lose, they’ll lose double.

An example of this would be, you were dealt two 5’s for a total of 10 and the dealer is showing a 6 or 7. The assumption is they’re sitting on a face card and will either have to sit or stay and your double-down bet is looking for an ace or face card.

When to (Not) Buy Insurance

The option to ‘buy’ insurance is offered when the dealer’s face-up card is an Ace. Insurance is a side bet which protects the player from the dealer having a two-card blackjack. If the dealer’s other card is revealed to be a 10 or a face, the player will receive a payout (usually 2:1) having taken insurance. However, if the dealer has any other card (which is statistically more likely), the player loses both bets. Often insurance bets must be at least half of your initial bet.

So the next time you’re playing blackjack games at Ignition Casino or Slots.lv when should you take insurance? Mathematically, never. We recommend never taking insurance unless you are card counting, which is impossible at all USA online casinos and most land-based ones too. In the long run, insurance bets lose money. So, it’s best to steer clear of them.

Is it better to surrender early if I don’t have good cards?

In most cases the short answer is yes only because you’ll get back 50% of your original wager. If your odds of winning are less than 50% and the dealer is showing a face card or ace, it is sound strategy to surrender your cards. The amount of decks in play slightly impact this decision-making progress, but our blackjack strategy chart can help you understand when to risk the biscuit and when to fold.

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