5 Tips Beginners Need To Get A Start At Blackjack

Blackjack is perhaps the most popular casino game. This card game of strategy and attention to numbers (also known as 21) has been featured in a lot of movies and has become synonymous with smart, fast-paced casino gaming.

For beginners who have little or no experience with blackjack, it might seem intimidating to jump in headfirst into the game, and for good reason. Players set themselves up for failure at this high stakes casino game by not being properly informed about the rules and strategies. These tips will help a beginner player to find their footing before jumping into blackjack with more experienced players. 

Play some mock games first

Before a beginner player tries their hand at an actual game with stakes, it’s advisable to play free, mock games first to get a hang of blackjack strategies. Free games help to teach about the game, build confidence and improve skills in a low-pressure setting.

Know the terminology

The first thing to do when learning a new skill is always to get familiar with the terminology. If a player doesn’t understand with what a hard hand and a soft hand are, chances are they’ll never effectively play the game of blackjack. There are online resources – like Casino Winner website – where beginners can read through the common blackjack terminology and get a theoretical feel of the game before tackling a real game.

Learn a basic strategy

The basic blackjack strategy is mathematically derived and increases the player’s chances of winning. The game is rigged in favor of the casino, but with this strategy, players reduce the risk of losing and when applied correctly, the casino’s advantage can be reduced to as low as 1%.

The basic strategy can be summarized like this: 

• Stand (stop asking for more cards) when your hand is 12-16 and the dealer has 2-6

• Hit (ask for another card) when your hand is 12-16 and the dealer has 7-ace

• Always split aces and 8s (play each of them separately, betting separately on each card)

• Never split 5s and 10s (bet on all cards together)

• When in doubt, surrender (give up your hand and get half of your bet back)

Note that some casinos do not allow surrendering a hand after gameplay has begun. Most casinos have a basic strategy card beginners can study to give a better idea of what to expect before the game.

Start small

It’s always wiser for players to start with smaller bets when they’ve approached a table. It gives players an opportunity t get a feel of the progression of the game and be more confident about winning against the dealer before placing larger bets. Players should set limits for how much they want to spend at the table and how much they’re willing to lose, and stick to that number to avoid overspending and leaving at a loss.

Know when to go big

No just going big, but also when to backtrack and make smaller bets to hedge against loss. If the game is in favor of the player, then the value of the bets can be increased to encourage higher wins, but when there’s a losing streak, players should know how to adjust for the loss to get the most out of the game.

It may sound like a lot of information to know before playing a game, but these tips will help to guide a newbie player to eventual success in blackjack. Most of all, learning and effecting basic blackjack strategies makes the game fun and exciting.