Blackjack Strategy

If there is one playing decision that seems to confound most blackjack players, it’s knowing when to split a pair (and when not to). Don’t believe me? Assume you are playing a six-deck game with the dealer standing on soft 17 (S17) and doubling down after pair splitting is allowed (DAS).

I’ve been asked the above question hundreds of times from blackjack players. What follows is a synopsis of what I tell them. 

The subtitle of this book is “The Pros’ Approach to Beating Today’s Blackjack.” Trust me; this is exactly what this book is all about. 

Over the past 50 or so years, I’ve read my fair share of books containing trip reports written by card counters. But none was as unique, and well-written, as the recently published The Blackjack Insiders. (Publisher: Huntington Press). 

By using the basic playing strategy, a player can reduce the house edge to less than 1% (rules dependent).

For the most part, doubling down for less is not a smart play. Notice I said “for the most part.” There are exceptions, which I’ll explain shortly. But first, let me address the issue of doubling down for less in a traditional blackjack game.

Should you play blackjack with one hand or two? I’ve been asked this question numerous times from blackjack players. My answer is this: “It depends on whether you have the edge or not.” Let me explain.

Most land-based and online blackjack players have no idea of what taking “Even Money” means to their game. Yet, most players gladly take the even money when it’s offered.

It is a “battle to the finish” between the casinos’ two most popular table games, blackjack and craps. Which is the better game? 

Many blackjack players would like to tip a blackjack dealer but they don’t know how to go about doing it. In this article I will show you several ways to do it, including my favorite. 

First let me address the question I often get from players about tipping.

As promised, at the end of this article you will find the questions with answers to the challenging 21-question test given to the elite blackjack pros at the 2019 Blackjack Ball. Give yourself one point for each correct answer. (If you got 15 or more correct, you did better than all the blackjack pros that took the test.) 

The one question I often get from casino players is this: “What is the Blackjack Ball?” Therefore, before I discuss what went down at the 2019 Ball, I’ll briefly summarize its history and content.

Sit back, relax, and try answering the following 20 questions in this quiz about the game of blackjack. This quiz is not solely about blackjack strategy; rather, it also covers some interesting facts and statistics about the game.