The Ultimate Guide to Playing Blackjack in Canada: Rules and Strategies
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Blackjack is a game played against the dealer, considered oneof the best table games to play at an online or land-based casino; itcan be a game of skill, peppered with some strategy and scoopfuls ofluck. The blackjack rules are very straightforward: to get as close to21 without going over. Also known as 21 worldwide, blackjack has manyvariants and elements that make the game fun and exciting. Thisarticle will provide a comprehensive guide to playing blackjack,understand the rules, and talk about strategies and general pointersto help you.
Blackjack Rules
The blackjack rules are straightforward — thegame is played with 6 - 8 decks of cards in a shoe. All the cards havea face value of 2 - 10, picture cards known as court cards, Jack,Queen and King, all valued at 10. Aces can be valued at 1 or 11,depending on the situation.
The game commences when the dealer shuffles thecards and then cuts the cards. The dealer deals out two cards face upto each player, then one card down and one up to themselves. Theplayer's objective is to get close to 21 without going over (inthis situation, this is called busting). The dealer aims to get closeto 21 or get the player to bust.
Oncethe dealing is complete, the dealer will start with the first player;at this stage, the player can choose from the following actions,depending on the player's cards and what the dealer's facecard up is, they can either:
Hit: The playeris dealt another card to improve their hand value. At this point, theplayer can request as many cards as they want until they get a valuedhand, hit 21, or bust.
Stand/Stick: This situation allows the player to stop takingany more cards and is happy to stick with the hand theyhave.
Double Down: In thissituation, the player can double their initial bet but only receiveone more card. This is considered a risky strategy at the best oftimes; however, it is potentially rewarding if that one card hits ahigh-valued hand and the dealer has a weak turn-upcard.
Split: There will betimes when a player has the same valued cards; in this situation, youcan split the cards and play them as independent hands, equalling thesame wager. In most casinos, you can split up to four times; however,this is down to the discretion of the casino.
Surrender: In this situation, it depends onwhat variant you play. It’s when the player throws away their handrather than play on or stand. In this case, the player will lose halfof the stake and patiently wait for the next hand tostart.
Insurance: Blackjackinsurance is a side bet offered to the player if the dealer’s upcard is an ace, as insurance against the dealer's hand beingblackjack. Blackjack insurance odds usually pay out2/1
Asall the players around the table finish their actions, the dealeropens up their face-down card and plays the hand to the rules. Thedealer must hit 16 or less and stand on 17 or more. There areoccasions, however, when a dealer hits a soft 19 with an ace; somevariations of blackjack may not let you stand on a soft 19 and inother casinos, they may let you stand.
The showdown is dictated by comparing the player's anddealer's best hand values. There are three possibleoutcomes:
The player wins if their hand is closer to21 than the dealer or the dealer busts
The dealer wins if their hand is closer to21 than the player’s or if the player busts
The hand is a tie or a push if the dealerand player have the same valued hand. In this situation, theplayer’s stake is returned.
BlackjackStrategy
Blackjack is a skilled game the majority of the time; however,to improve your chances, you must follow a number of strategies thatsuit the player. Every situation in every hand deserves a strategy, soyou have the best chance of beating the dealer. Strategy is based onmathematical calculations and probabilities; it can reduce the houseedge to 0.5%, which may be lower depending on how many decks areused.
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BlackjackTips
We have compiled several tips tohelp players play better blackjack and have more fun:
LearnBasic Strategy and Stick to It
Whenplaying any form of blackjack, be it online or land-based casinos, itwill serve you to always have a blackjack strategy at the back of yourmind; of course, a lot of the cards shown initially will be based onmathematical calculations; however, this will determine if your actionis going to be a hit, stand, split or even double down. By keeping toa format and routine of your own, you will reduce the house edge inthe long run and start to reap the awards of good strategy and goodplay.
Choose the Right Blackjack Game
Many casino card games,including blackjack, have many variants to the game, blackjack beingone of the games that can shift in your favour just by a good strategyand understanding of the game. That said, it is also essential to knowthat many of the games have varied odds and payouts; a case in pointis that some casinos will only pay out 6:5 on blackjack instead of theusual 3:2. Those odds alone increase the house edge by 1.4%, which isa massive disadvantage for the player. Another case in point is youshould look for a casino where the dealer stands on soft 17 ratherthan hit, as this also gives you a slight edge. Many online andland-based casinos play with 6-8 decks of cards; finding a casino withat least five decks is very unusual. Another house edge to look for isa casino that will double down with any two cards and offer latesurrender.
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Manage Your Bankroll Wisely
Suppose there was a recommendation on thedo’s and don’ts of managing your bankroll whilst gambling and notjust in blackjack. Top of the agenda would be never chase your lossesand never get angry if you are on a losing streak. Again, keeping witha strategy and a plan will save you emotionally, psychologically andyour bank balance, of course. Many players like to adjust their betsize after every couple of hands or double their bet if they win ahand. In the gambling world, many betting systems are devised andworked out over time; that said, it is best to keep your judgement andstrategy; that way, all the responsibility is on you.
Use CardCounting and Other Advanced Techniques
Like with many casino card games, a playerwill always have a slight edge if they know how to card count. Cardcounting is a process of sighting all the high and low cards andseeing when they are dealt back; this would be an excellentopportunity to see if the deal is rich in high cards such as 10s andAces at this point, this would be a perfect opportunity to increaseyour bet size and have better odds to hit a blackjack. The same goesif the cards are showing in low cards such as 2’s to 6’s; it wouldbe better to keep to minimum bets. Card counting isn’t illegal butis frowned upon by the casinos. If caught, you may face a lengthyban.
Of course,other, more advanced techniques can help you win at blackjack, Likeshuffle tracking, hole carding and ace sequencing. These techniquesinvolve high levels of observation and exploration of the patterns andflaws of the deal; these techniques are highly intricate and complexto master and will take many hours of table time to master.
