Blackjack Tips

There are a number of things the novice, intermediate or advanced player can do to increase their chances at the blackjack table. Below is a selection of blackjack tips to help you play your best.

Always keep in mind that blackjack is a game of skill. Too few players attend to their game as though working on a skill set
The object of the game of blackjack is to beat the dealer. Far too many times blackjack tips are written that state that the object of the game is to get close to 21
· Although you can bring the edge to a low level in blackjack, in its modern form, even as a card-counter, the game is not possible to beat consistently. This may be the most important of all the blackjack tips to keep in mind; you can't always win. Accept that losses are a part of the game. This will help your mindset as much as anything and will keep you focused on your playing, keeping your skill level up
It is entirely possible to play with basic strategy and work the house edge down to under 1%
· If you play blackjack on instinct, and pay little attention to basic strategy (or these blackjack tips), you will be facing a house edge between 3 and 6%
· Never take insurance when offered. Only take insurance if you have a gut feeling that the dealer has blackjack, or if you are card counting and aware of the cards remaining in the deck.
Know when to walk away. A winning streak on a blackjack table can't last forever. Set a table limit for yourself and if you find yourself losing, take a break and save your remaining profits for another session.

These blackjack tips are just the tip of the iceberg. To learn more about blackjack, read our strategy and rules pages

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Basic Blackjack Strategy

... all you need to know

Blackjack strategy is a world made up of two halves. One half is comprised of those who believe that 'basic strategy' is all you need to know, while the other half believe it leaves something to be desired. Basic strategy is the standard name for the strategies that were discovered with a little computer help in the 1980's. Computer programmers realized that once you know all of the variables governing game-play, the specific rules for a table, and the number of decks in a shoe, you could program a computer to play blackjack for you. Having the computer play for them allowed the researchers to assess every possible situation a player could be presented with (two card total vs. a specific dealer's up-card) and determine which would be more statistically profitable for the player in the long run. This information is usually provided in the form of a table or chart that allows you to look up your two-card hand against the dealer's up-card. The chart indicates whether you should hit, stand, double, or split.

It's rather difficult to dispute the reliability of a blackjack strategy that was built on pure mathematics. Playing perfect strategy, depending on the game you're up against, helps bring the house edge into check, possibly lowering it to the point where the house has less than half a percentage point edge on the player. Advocates of basic strategy know their best chance at the table is to follow the laws of basic strategy to the letter. While people play with the best of intentions, they often fail to follow the strategy suggestions exactly. The reason for this is rather simple, but deceptively destructive.

Imagine yourself at the table, with your basic blackjack strategy firmly in mind, and you are dealt two fives against a dealer up-card of 7. Imagine also, that you're near the end of your session and your bankroll isn't as high as it once was. A common mistake often takes place under these circumstances. Many players see that basic strategy in this situation recommends that you double down and hope your next card is a ten, for a nice strong total of 20. A player who is on a downswing for their bankroll though, is not as willing to bet big, unless they are chasing their losses, which is never a good idea. This is where a very common blackjack strategy mistake is made. When basic strategy suggests one should double down, it's a mistake to think "that means I'll likely win anyway, so I don't truly need to double my bet, I'd rather risk less right now and be happy with my smaller winnings". While there is some inherent logic in this approach, because it's true that if basic strategy is suggesting you double down you have a better chance of winning than normal, actually holding back from doubling your bet limits the advantage that playing with basic strategy provides. You've probably heard that playing perfect basic blackjack strategy may help lower the house edge to less than 1%, but this simply is not the case if you don't take full advantage of every instance where it is advantageous to double down.

Consider this logically. The approximate house edge for a session of play can be worked out by watching your bankroll, seeing how much you have left, and seeing how much the house has taken. Not maximizing your wins on a double down situation will leave you winning just as often, but not winning as much. This has a direct effect on the house edge: it increases it. To keep the house edge at it's lowest you always need to double down when it is suggested by basic blackjack strategy.

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Blackjack Switch Rules

Deal	Deal out the cards.

Insurance	Protect your bet for the case when the dealer may have blackjack (see Rules for more info).

Double	Double the wager and gives you a third card.

Hit	Request one more card.

Switch	Switch the two top cards of your two hands.

Stand	Draw no more cards and start the dealer’s turn.

New Game	Start a new game round.

Rebet	Place the same bet as in the previous round and deal the cards.

Skip Turn	Skip your turn when you are playing in multiplayer mode.

Split	Split one hand into two separate hands.

Chat	To chat with other players, click this button, type your message and then click this button again (or press enter).

History	See the game history - dates, bets and results of your previous game rounds.

Help	Open the help file (which you are reading right now).

Options	Open the Options dialog box – see the Options section of this help file.

Cashier	This button appears only in Real Money mode. Click it to go to the Cashier. The Cashier enables you to deposit or withdraw money, view your transaction history, etc.

Play For Real Money	This button appears only in Fun Mode. Clicking this will take you to the Real Money mode account creation page. If you already have a Real Money mode account, it will take you to the Real Money mode Login screen.

Lobby	Press this to exit the game and go back to the lobby. You can’t exit in the middle of a game round.

Press this key	To do this
TAB	Tab between the buttons on the screen.
ENTER	Click the button that is currently highlighted.
SPACEBAR	Start a new game round (same as the New Game button).
Number keys	Raise your bet. Different number keys raise your bet by a different chip value. The number of functioning keys depends on the chips allowed for the current player and can be subject to change.
ESC	Exit the game and go back to the lobby.

Golden Palace Blackjack Switch and more secrets...

Blackjack Tips

Basic Blackjack Strategy