Top Five Blackjack Tips

There is a great deal of talk when playing Blackjack about counting cards. If you are able to do this well, which many of us (yes, including me) cannot do - then there are certain things that you should never do. For example, if you are unable to count cards, you should never buy insurance at the Blackjack table. You should also not sit at tables that consist of only you and the dealer. You will make out better when more players are at the table with you.

When you are dealt pairs, it is sometimes difficult to decide whether you should split them or not. As for basic rules, you should always, always split aces and eights. You should never split fives, 10s or face cards. To get a little more in-depth with the ideas of splitting, you should follow these rules: Always split sevens when the dealer has a card showing of the same value or lower. You should also split twos and threes when the dealer is showing a four, five or six.

How do you know when to stand and when to hit? I know, I know - sometimes it is such a difficult decision when you are sitting at the table, but there is a basic strategy to follow: When the dealer card is a six or lower, you should stand on a hard 13 through 16. If the dealer's face up card is a seven all the way through an ace, you should hit. If the dealer's showing card is a two, three, seven or higher, you should always hit a hard 12. If the dealer's face up card is a 10, you should hit until you get to 17. You should continue hitting if you have a soft 17. Any total is considered soft when there is an ace in your hand because the ace can fluctuate between being a one and 11.

It is quite important to keep your bankroll in mind when you are looking for a Blackjack table to sit down at. It is said you should sit only at tables that are five percent of the total amount you want to spend, or are willing to lose, at the table. This is important, especially when it comes to doubling down - when you add an additional bet to your original bet or split your cards.

There are strategy cards that you can print. They are highly accessible from the Internet and simply be printed out. They are completely legal so you can bring them with you to the casino and even use them right at the table. Be warned, though - people do not like to wait to long for decisions to be made. They are there for action and ready to play.

Keep the dealer in mind when you win. Dealers do not make fantastic wages - they survive based on what players give to them when winning. Though it is not mandated that you tip the dealer, it is always a nice thing to do and usually overly appreciated.