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Blackjack is a game in which you receive two initial cards.  You must stand or hit.  If you hit, you will receive another card.  The goal is to get a total of 21.  If you have a nine and a six, then you hit and get a seven for a total of 22, you bust.  Blackjack is an easy game to understand and master, but there are some tips that you can keep in mind when playing to better your overall chances of winning.

First off, Blackjack has some of the best odds in all casino games.  Of course, the odds will depend on the situation and the casino, but the majority of casinos offer a house edge of up to 1%.

One of the most important things you should know when it comes to blackjack is that you should learn basic strategy.  Basic strategy can help you out more than you could ever imagine if you are knowledgeable about it.  It all has to do with mathematics.

Although you do not have to know how to count cards in order to succeed and win at Blackjack, it does help.  However, you must keep in mind that counting cards is illegal and if you are caught in a casino, there will be consequences.

Many will say don’t play Blackjack at the casinos that require an ante per hand.  This is completely up to you, but it gives the house a higher edge.  The actually ante appears to not be much, such as $0.50, but it adds to the house edge, which isn’t something that you want.

Although it’s okay to use your instincts, don’t count on them.  More often than that, Blackjack players will go on a hunch, win, and think they can do it every single time.  Little do they know, a hunch doesn’t always work in the way that you want it to.  It could end up hurting your bankroll in the long run as well as your self-esteem.

You should split your Aces and eights but hold fours and fives.  It’s part of the basic strategy concept and mathematics. 

Keep checking back for more blackjack tips and strategies and maybe I’ll shed some light on card counting if you are really interested.

Strategy for Splitting Cards in Blackjack

This article will explain when you should split your cards and when you should keep them together in the game of Blackjack.

Many beginners are unaware that you are allowed to split your two cards when playing Blackjack; however, you are only able to split your hand when you receive a pair.  When splitting your cards, you are creating two hands instead of just one.  For example, if you were to receive two seven’s and you decided to split them, you would then create two new hands allowing a new card to be dealt to each hand.

In addition, just for extra information, when playing at live casinos, some will allow you to split one of your two hands should that hand receive a card that creates a pair.  This would then cause you to have three hands.

Below, you will find some general guidelines that will help you decide whether your cards should stay together or if they should part.

If you are dealt two 10’s or two face cards – also known as Court cards, (such as Jack, Queen, or King) – don’t split them.  If you have this type of hand to begin with, your hand totals 20, which is a very likely win and has a lot of potential, which is not something that you want to split up and more than likely give up your win.

If you are dealt two four’s or two five’s, don’t split.  Having a hand that totals 8 or 10 as a start has high potential due to the fact that it is likely if you hit that you will receive a card somewhere between 10 and an Ace.  It is practically a win situation and by splitting, you could cause more trouble than the hand is worth.

If you receive a pair of 8’s, they should be split unless there is an Ace, Court card, 9 or 10 in the banker’s hand.  The dealer, or banker, is more likely to win when they have a high card, which means your hand is weaker.  It is very likely that this hand will be lost and in order to minimize losses, there is no need in splitting the eight’s and having to bet for two hands.

If you get a pair of 2’s or 3’s and the banker’s card that is showing equals 7 or lower then split.  With a low showing card on the banker’s behalf, the banker has a weak hand.  Therefore, it just simply makes sense to split the cards and create two play hands to double your money that you’ll very likely win.

Always split 7’s if there is a five, six, or seven as the showing card of the banker.  The banker’s hand really isn’t all that great right now so by splitting your 7’s, you are creating the chance of receiving two hands that are much more improved than one that totals 14.

Last but not least, if the banker has a showing card of 8 and you have a pair of 9’s then split.  This is the only time that you should split your 9’s, though.  The banker will assume that they have a total of 18 and if you have a total of 18 (because of the two 9’s), then it will turn into a standoff.  However, by splitting your two 9’s, you increase your chances because more than likely, you will get a 19 on at least one of your hands.

I hope that the above guidelines will help you the next time you play Blackjack and receive a pair.  By taking the above outlined splitting strategies, you can minimize your losses and maximize your gains at the same time.