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BLACKJACK GUIDE
This guide will go over what Blackjack is and what is mathematically best way to play it, which has been proven by countless simulations.
Blackjack is a game where the player plays against the dealer. The player gets dealt 2 cards, both face-up, and the dealer also gets 2 cards, but only one is face up. The point of the game is to beat the dealer by getting a higher value than the dealer's cards or the dealer busting. The highest value you can get is 21, anything above that means that you bust and lose. Best case scenario is when you receive an Ace and a 10 as your first 2 cards which is called "Blackjack" and pays 3 to 2. In the game of Blackjack the dealer must stand on Soft 17.
After receiving your 2 cards you will be given the option to Hit, Stand or Double Down.
Hit - Gives you one card from the deck
Stand - You stay with the cards that you have and can't draw anymore
Double Down - Doubles the amount that you bet and it gives you one more card, after which you won't be able to draw anymore cards.
Soft Cards - Soft cards are a mixture between an Ace and another card. They are called soft, because the Ace can be either 1 or 11. If the value of cards can exceed 21 its a 1, if not its 11, e.g. you draw a 5 and an Ace, the value would be 6/16 if you hit on that and get for example a 10 now the value of your cards will be just 16, since it counts it as a 6
Now to the part that most people want to see, how to play blackjack in the best possible way. It's called "Basic Strategy" and it's mathematically the best possible way to play every possible hand in Blackjack.
NOTE: Using Basic Strategy does not guarantee you to win money as what it does is lower the house edge (Casino's advantage).
Taking in to account that after every hand the cards get shuffled the house edge, using Basic Strategy the house edge would be
(Source: https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/calculator/).
Furthermore taking also in to account that splitting on PERP is not a feature that adds another 0.57% to the house edge, which adds up to a total of 1.029% which is much better (taking in to account that you play Basic Strategy Perfectly), since the house edge without basic strategy can go up way higher.
Side Bets:
What are side bets? - Side bets are bets that are independent from your original bet. On PERP we have the 21+3 and Perfect Pairs.
21+3 - 21+3 is simply put poker hands in Blackjack, it takes in to account your first 2 cards and the dealers up card. Payouts and combinations are shown below.
Perfect Pairs - It takes in to account your first 2 cards and as the name says they have to be a pair of some kind. Payouts and combinations are shown below
It may seem like side bets are the best possible way to make money, right? Well that is wrong they are fully based on luck and in the long run they heavily increase the house edge. Calculations from the site wizardofodds.com clearly show this.
21+3 House Edge:
(Source: https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/side-bets/21plus3/)
Perfect Pairs Expected Returns:
(Source: https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/side-bets/perfect-pairs/)
Conclusion: All in all, the house edge will always be in the Casino's
favor, this guide is to show the best possible way to play Blackjack in order to minimize losses. As previously mentioned Basic Strategy does not guarantee win on every hand or profit in the long run, what it guarantees though is a better chance to win some hands, but in the long run you will always be at a loss, because the odds are not in your favor. Also please don't play side bets no matter how good the payout looks, as math shows that you will certainly almost always lose money on them.
If anyone notices anything that I should fix about the guide, please let me know.
Thank you for reading!
This guide will go over what Blackjack is and what is mathematically best way to play it, which has been proven by countless simulations.
Blackjack is a game where the player plays against the dealer. The player gets dealt 2 cards, both face-up, and the dealer also gets 2 cards, but only one is face up. The point of the game is to beat the dealer by getting a higher value than the dealer's cards or the dealer busting. The highest value you can get is 21, anything above that means that you bust and lose. Best case scenario is when you receive an Ace and a 10 as your first 2 cards which is called "Blackjack" and pays 3 to 2. In the game of Blackjack the dealer must stand on Soft 17.
After receiving your 2 cards you will be given the option to Hit, Stand or Double Down.
Hit - Gives you one card from the deck
Stand - You stay with the cards that you have and can't draw anymore
Double Down - Doubles the amount that you bet and it gives you one more card, after which you won't be able to draw anymore cards.
Soft Cards - Soft cards are a mixture between an Ace and another card. They are called soft, because the Ace can be either 1 or 11. If the value of cards can exceed 21 its a 1, if not its 11, e.g. you draw a 5 and an Ace, the value would be 6/16 if you hit on that and get for example a 10 now the value of your cards will be just 16, since it counts it as a 6
Now to the part that most people want to see, how to play blackjack in the best possible way. It's called "Basic Strategy" and it's mathematically the best possible way to play every possible hand in Blackjack.
NOTE: Using Basic Strategy does not guarantee you to win money as what it does is lower the house edge (Casino's advantage).
Taking in to account that after every hand the cards get shuffled the house edge, using Basic Strategy the house edge would be
(Source: https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/calculator/).
Furthermore taking also in to account that splitting on PERP is not a feature that adds another 0.57% to the house edge, which adds up to a total of 1.029% which is much better (taking in to account that you play Basic Strategy Perfectly), since the house edge without basic strategy can go up way higher.
Side Bets:
What are side bets? - Side bets are bets that are independent from your original bet. On PERP we have the 21+3 and Perfect Pairs.
21+3 - 21+3 is simply put poker hands in Blackjack, it takes in to account your first 2 cards and the dealers up card. Payouts and combinations are shown below.
Perfect Pairs - It takes in to account your first 2 cards and as the name says they have to be a pair of some kind. Payouts and combinations are shown below
It may seem like side bets are the best possible way to make money, right? Well that is wrong they are fully based on luck and in the long run they heavily increase the house edge. Calculations from the site wizardofodds.com clearly show this.
21+3 House Edge:
(Source: https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/side-bets/21plus3/)
Perfect Pairs Expected Returns:
(Source: https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/side-bets/perfect-pairs/)
Conclusion: All in all, the house edge will always be in the Casino's
favor, this guide is to show the best possible way to play Blackjack in order to minimize losses. As previously mentioned Basic Strategy does not guarantee win on every hand or profit in the long run, what it guarantees though is a better chance to win some hands, but in the long run you will always be at a loss, because the odds are not in your favor. Also please don't play side bets no matter how good the payout looks, as math shows that you will certainly almost always lose money on them.
If anyone notices anything that I should fix about the guide, please let me know.
Thank you for reading!
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