Maybe you didn't know this: Blackjack is a game of skill. Sure, there's a lot of chance involved, but chance tends to even out in the long run. If you don't know when to hit or stand


Maybe you didn't know this: Blackjack is a game of skill. Sure, there's a lot of chance involved, but chance tends to even out in the long run. If you don't know when to hit or stand, your success at blackjack may be dearly-bought.

Unfortunately, even playing an optimal blackjack strategy (as described below) doesn't turn the house edge around. It is smaller though than in most casino games. With a dependable strategy, strong discipline, and solid practice, you keep the house edge down while enjoying yourself the maximum.

Casinoguide's blackjack strategy

This strategy tells you what to do for each possible combination of your hand and the dealer's up-card. It's not that easy to memorize, so keep it within reach as you play.


H = Hit

S = Stand

D = Double

T = Split

 

Your hand
Dealer's up card
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
T
A
Sum
 
Up
to 8
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
9
H
D
D
D
D
H
H
H
H
H
10
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
H
H
11
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
H
12
H
H
S
S
S
H
H
H
H
H
13
S
S
S
S
S
H
H
H
H
H
14
S
S
S
S
S
H
H
H
H
H
15
S
S
S
S
S
H
H
H
H
H
16
S
S
S
S
S
H
H
H
H
H
17 or higher
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
Ace
 
A-2
H
H
H
D
D
H
H
H
H
H
A-3
H
H
H
D
D
HH
H
H
H
A-4
H
H
D
D
D
H
H
H
H
H
A-5
H
H
D
D
D
H
H
H
H
H
A-6
H
D
D
D
D
H
H
H
H
H
A-7
S
D
D
D
D
S
S
H
H
H
A-8S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
A-9
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
Pair
 
A-A
T
T
T
TT
T
T
T
T
T
2-2
H
H
T
T
T
T
H
H
H
H
3-3
H
H
T
T
T
T
H
H
H
H
4-4
H
H
H
T
T
H
H
H
H
H
5-5
H
H
T
T
T
H
H
H
H
H
6-6
H
T
T
T
T
H
H
H
H
H
7-7
T
T
T
T
T
T
H
H
H
H
8-8
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
9-9
T
T
T
T
T
S
T
T
S
S
T-T
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S

 

Some tips when playing blackjack

You should not enter a blackjack game and expect to win every time. However, with our strategy you reduce the house edge to a minimum. Read the basic mental strategy and you'll be able to enjoy playing blackjack for years to come.


Stick to your budget

Decide how much money you can spend during the session. Then decide the appropriate size of your bets. The higher bets you make, the sooner you will meat your budget and your session will end. If you want a long session, make smaller bets. If you want to play a short game with maximum winning potential, play big bets. If you touch your budget limitations, stop playing. This is where discipline comes in.


Do not underestimate the value of bonuses

A great feature in online casinos is when they offer casino bonuses to players who deposit money to the site. With the extra value added to your edge, you may actually turn out to be a favorite against the house!


The bonuses often require you to place a certain total amount of bets for the bonus to be paid out.


Don't give up

It takes a while before you'll feel comfortable with all situations that you will experience when playing blackjack. It might be a good idea to start playing for free to get a hang of it. Most online casinos have play money tables so you can get used to the game without risking your money.


Take your losses and move on

Losing can lead to frustration, but if you start chasing losses by playing more aggressively, you may turn out playing worse than your optimal strategy. This means you're increasing the edge of the house. That's a safe way of cementing your losses. When you can lose and keep smiling, you know you've reached a higher level of sofistication.