Blackjack Tips

One of the most common mistakes made by blackjack players occurs when they are dealt an initial hand of 12 dealer’s upcard is a 2. The reasons most players blunder on this hand is because they are afraid to draw any 10 and bust.

The advent of live casino has revolutionized the way people play casino games. The traditional format of casino entertainment, land-based casinos, remains a popular option for many players.

In this article I am going to summarize ten legal methods to beat blackjack. Before I do, I want to remind the reader of some methods that definitely do not work. These include progression systems, timing/discipline, looking for hot tables & dealers, lucky charms and many others.

A common question that I get from gamblers is: “Can you win at blackjack without card counting?”. Much to their surprise the answer is yes. Here you will be able to learn how to play blackjack and win without counting cards. 

The house rules for blackjack at most casinos allow players to "double for less." Simply put, a player can double a hand for an amount less than the amount of their initial wager. Doubling takes place when the player has a big advantage on a hand.

In December 1990, a newsletter by the name of "21 News" first appeared.  The newsletter was a compilation of articles posted on the old Usenet group rec.gambling.blackjack. Its editor, Michael Hall, stated "The big advantage of the current nonprofit format is that there are no legal hassles with redistributing articles originally posted on computer news groups.

Promotions are a necessary part of running all casinos. They help bring players into the casino during slow times. Filling seats at the slots and tables is the first step to profitability. However, the mathematics of promotions is not well understood in the industry.

In “Blackjack Attack, Playing the Pro’s Way, 2nd edition” (BA), author Donald Schlesinger presents the “World’s Greatest Blackjack Simulation.” One of his achievements was to determine the win-rate per 100 hands for six-deck blackjack, using the Illustrious 18 (see this post), and four additio

Illustrious: (1) clear, conspicuous, distinguished (2) famous, eminent, outstanding. – Webster’s New World College Dictionary ©, 1996

The methods used to protect against blackjack card counters are among the most costly managerial decisions many casinos make. Contrary to popular belief, there is not an army of card counters waiting to pounce at the first opportunity.

In this post, I wrote about exploiting advanced knowledge of the specific location of a Ten or Ace in the shoe. Among the many ways an AP can know that an Ace or Ten will be dealt is when the bottom card is exposed to a skilled cutter.

There is a common misunderstanding among surveillance, security, and management that blackjack card counters are among the top reasons that shifts lose money (or have a reduced hold). One floor manager said to me that: “they walk out of here with $600 to $800 each time.” The primary purpose of game protection is not to catch card counters.

I received the following question from a reader:

Few who work in table games management and even fewer APs know that blackjack shoe games offer hole-carding opportunities. How could this even be possible? Yet advanced APs know that shoe games have been one of the most reliable sources for hole-carding opportunities over the last 20 years.