Increase your Success Playing Blackjack

By Simon Skinner

If you've ever played Blackjack before, you probably have seen a person that wins more than seems normal. This is because that player knows the rules and strategies that twist the odds in his favor. Follow them and you'll see more success as well.

You can use specific guidelines for various situations in Blackjack that will allow you to have improved odds of winning. You can't guarantee a win in any one hand, but you can play statistically sound, so that you have a higher likelihood of winning over the long haul.

The first rule is of course it hit with nine or less. Following that, you should always double down with a 10 or an 11, unless the dealer is also showing a ten or an Ace.

If you're holding between 12 and 16 it's a little trickier, but you'll want to hit if the dealer has a seven or higher. If you have 17 or more, you should stand regardless of what the dealer has.

Different rules apply when you are holding an Ace, which gives you a soft hand. A soft 17 for example is an Ace and a six, which can be 17 or 7 depending on how you choose to play the Ace.

When you have between a soft 13 and a soft 18, you can afford to double down when the dealer is displaying a five or a six. If you have a soft seventeen or less you should hit and you can even hit a soft 18 when the dealer is displaying a six or higher.

You should stand when you have more than seventeen as long as the dealer doesn't have a high card. In addition to these rules for playing soft hands, pairs need special attention as well.

Some pairs never get split, these include pairs of tens, fours and fives. Other pairs always get split, these include eights and Aces. Others may or may not be split depending on the situation and your preferences.

Knowing these basic Blackjack rules can help you succeed much more easily and consistently. You should also take into account the environment you're in and the table you choose to play at to improve your success.

You want to keep an eye out for drunk players and for slow players, either of which can limit the fun action and can provide questionable decisions that affect your game as well.

You should not accept the dealer's offer for insurance unless you have been counting cards and know the exact odds of a situation.

Always keep track of your bankroll and don't sit a table with a minimum bet higher than 1/20th of your available chips. Higher than that and you can quickly run through your chips on a losing streak. Of course remember to enjoy yourself and respect everyone else at the table.

Get Better at Online Betting

Even if you've had trouble playing a good poker hand with the boys, you'll be glad to know that you can become a good online better if you know the right tricks. Fortunately, putting on a poker face is one thing you don't need to worry about with online play. But, you still risk losing if you don't know how to bet the right way.

There's no automatic advantage to online casino poker, and you can lose just as easily if you make bad bets. A bad hand doesn't become a good one just because you're playing at an online casino.

Just like you do when playing face to face, you'll still have a "tell" when playing online. There are many experienced online players who can identify a weak player even without the advantage of reading their face, so it's important to get a handle on proper online betting.

Browse a sampling of different online casino websites before you settle on one, and be sure the one you choose has the safety seal of approval. This will give you the peace of mind you need in order to play confidently. You'll also want to be able to see your winnings at all times, and have one or more games that you are comfortable playing. Some of the better known sites take good care of their customers by providing various levels of play.

You might end up playing with a total newcomer with hardly any experience, or conversely with a seasoned pro who plays in the World Series of Poker. Whichever the case, you will be committing financial suicide if you play at a table where the wagers outmatch your skills. You need to come to terms with your ability and bet accordingly.

It's important to stay calm and in control when you play online casino poker and other games. Whether you end up spouting off in a forum post or a chat room, it won't take long for people to read you and learn your weaknesses. This could potentially put dent in your pocketbook by allowing others an advantage over you, and it could possible get you kicked off of the site as well.

If you end up winning even a modest amount of money, don't dart away like a flighty horse. The unwritten rules of courtesy dictate that you should stay and play another hand or two. It's true that you may lose a bit of the money you won, but if you leave after winning a pile of money you'll develop a reputation as being rude. You might be tempted to ignore this thinking it doesn't really make a difference, but other players will remember the way you behaved, and chances are you won't be welcomed back next time. Always remember to give a polite goodnight when you sign off after playing online casino games.

If you find it too difficult to win at poker, you might want to give some other online casino games a whirl. Some games commonly offered by the top online casinos are craps, blackjack, and roulette. You may discover that mixing things up a bit and starting with small bets will help you slowly work your way up as you get the lay of the land. Over time, you learn effective online betting as you get more comfortable with the games you play and the atmosphere of the casino.