Blackjack Strategy

Whenever basic strategy tables call for land-based or online blackjack players to double down, it’s because players have an advantage. It’s a chance to turn a profitable hand even more profitable.

But not all potential gains are equal. On some hands, doubling down will nearly double the profit you could expect if you hit without doubling. On others, the gain is only a few tenths of a cent per dollar wagered.

So what’s the big deal with a soft 17? It’s that most blackjack players frequently misplay this hand. In fact, below are five common mistakes made by players; but first, I want to be sure you understand what is meant by a “soft 17” hand. 

Learning the techniques of card counting (meaning, accurately keeping track of the cards as they are played out) can be mastered by most serious players. Yet, most counters often fail to become successful because of one (or more) of the following blunders:

When a dealer shows a 10 upcard at online or live blackjack, she or he is in the driver’s seat because they have a 77% chance of getting to a final hand that totals 17 through 21 and only a 23% chance of busting. A ten, therefore, is a very strong dealer upcard. This means we have to be more aggressive when we are a dealt a stiff hand (hit rather than stand) and less aggressive when we are dealt a two-card soft hand (hit rather than double down).

If you’re serious about winning more when you play blackjack, then I encourage you to utilize the following Best Blackjack Strategies I’m about to share with you.

The following ten tips are for casual blackjack players who want to increase their odds of winning while having fun playing blackjack.

One of the playing decisions available to land-based and online blackjack players in some (but not all) casinos is to surrender their hand. For the uninitiated, surrender works like this.