Blackjack

     

Regardless of what others may claim, blackjack for the bettor is only recreation. The myths that some promote concerning card counting gives the illusion that anyone can just mosey on down to the casino whenever they choose and make a card counter's withdrawal. The old adage about something being too good to be true has never had a better application than card counting. More on card counting later, but for now let's start with the fundamentals of the game. People who have played blackjack in a casino before may want to skip this section.

Casino blackjack is played on a small round or semi-circular table with 5 to 6 positions for the players facing a dealer who is positioned at the back of the table. The dealer either deals from his hand or from what is called a shoe. Shoe games generally play with 4 to 8 decks at a time while hand dealt games, called pitch games, use 1, or more often, 2 decks. (The number of decks is important and does have an effect on the house's edge over the player, discussed later.) The dealer will deal the cards from his left to his right. The first position to the dealers left is commonly known as first base while the last position is commonly referred to as third base. Figure 4.1 below shows a typical layout for a blackjack table.

1. First base
2. All tables have a spot
for players to place their bets
3. Third base
4. Drop box (where your
money leaves you)
5. Dealer stands here
6. Shoe loaded with cards
7. Dealer keeps denominations
of poker chips to make
change and pay winners.

When you arrive at the table take a moment to check things out. First take notice of the minimum and maximum bets allowed at the table. Also check to see how the cards are dealt and the progress of the game. In most pitch games, the house will not allow you to buy in halfway through a deck. Some casinos will allow it, but most blackjack players consider it rude. I suggest waiting till the dealer shuffles before joining a pitch game.

The dealer will gladly change your cash into poker chips. When getting change do not lay your money on the area where your bets will be placed (#'s 1,2,3 on figure 4.1 above). If you do happen to place cash in this area, the dealer will most likely check with you to see if you were intending it as a bet. However, better safe than sorry.

The amount you should buy in for is very dependent on what you feel comfortable with. The larger your bankroll, of course, the better your chances of hanging around for a while. A common rule of thumb is that it is best to buy in for at least 40 x the table minimum. However, buy in for whatever you prefer.

Along with your buy in, it is also a good idea to give the dealer a player's club card. The dealer will give your card to the pit boss who will grade your play. A lot of people are paranoid and suspicious about this aspect of gaming. The purpose of grading your play is to give the casino an idea of how valuable you are to them. In return, they will award a portion of your expected loss back to you in comps. Information obtained may also be used for marketing purposes.

When you are ready to play, place at least the minimum bet in the designated area. The dealer will deal the cards from his left to his right. In shoe games, the player's cards will be dealt up for everyone to see and the players will not handle the cards. In pitch games, the cards will be dealt down to the players. The dealer will deal himself/herself one card up and one card down. In pitch games, handle your cards with only one hand and do not pull them away from the table. If you are playing a pitch game and have a blackjack, which is a ten value card and an ace, go ahead and turn it over. A blackjack will pay 3:2 which is your original bet plus a half of your original bet. A $10 bet will pay $15. And keep in mind that a blackjack can only occur on your first two cards. Drawing to a 21 does not pay 3:2 nor does splitting aces and then getting a 10.

If the dealer is showing a ten or an ace after the first two cards have been dealt, he/she will check for blackjack. If showing an ace, the dealer will offer insurance before checking for blackjack. A very common error that players make is to associate their hand with their decision regarding insurance. The name of the wager, "insurance", implies that your hand has something to do with this bet. However, the value of your hand should have no bearing on whether or not you take insurance. Furthermore, if you are not counting cards, you should never take insurance. This includes accepting even money on a blackjack (which can be very tempting if you have been losing) because doing so is exactly the same as taking insurance. The insurance wager is simply a bet that the dealer has a ten value card in the hole. It is a separate side bet that has nothing to do with the hand you are currently playing.

In the game of 21, you have options. On any hand you can stand (take no cards) or hit (take a card). Remember that the object of the game is to beat the dealer. To do so, you want a hand as close to 21 as you can get without busting (going over 21). Depending on the cards you hold (and also on the house rules), you will have other options such as doubling down or splitting. (Rules for doubling down and splitting may vary from casino to casino.) Doubling down is when you no more than double your original bet and take only one more card. Splitting is when you divide like cards into two hands with an additional wager, equal to your original, and play the hands separately. Doubling down and splitting are the only times a player is allowed to raise his bet after the hand has been dealt. In addition, you may have another option, called surrender. Surrender is just what it says and allows you to give up half your bet without going forward. Surrender is a rare option as most casinos do not offer it.