When you choose to double down, you double your bet and receive only one more card. When you have two of the same card, such as a pair of twos, you can split them and play them as two hands with two separate bets. Very few casinos allow you to surrender your hand. When you have a bad hand, you can surrender and save half your bet.
At first you’ll find it hard to remember how to act during various in-game scenarios, but the more you play, the more you’ll learn how to play your hand by instinct.
A game that makes it harder for you to win in the long term, such as one that allows the dealer to hit on a soft 17, should be avoided. [4] X Research source Avoid continuous shuffle machines when playing in person. These machines make keeping track of possible cards you and the dealer can draw an impossibility.
6:5 odds are worse for you than 3:2. Consider that if you bet and win twice on the first odds, you’ll bet ten units to win 12 units. 12 units on the second odds makes for four bets totalling eight units bet to win 12 units. [6] X Research source
Beginner players have no way of knowing if the dealer has a card worth ten points face-down under an ace. Card counters however have a better idea and can use their information to make money on this bet.
The idea is that you’ll keep a total value of all the cards on display, and as more face cards are left in the deck you’ll make more blackjacks while the dealer busts more. The Hi-Lo method is a common counting system, but other systems exist that give different point values to certain cards such as aces and fives.
A running count of three is fine in a one-deck game, but this number means less when there are multiple decks since there are more cards to factor that reduce your chances of winning. For example, a seven running count divided by two decks leaves you with a true count of about three. But if there are six decks in play, the true count is only about one.
An online card counting simulator can help you practice. Some simulators can correct your counting mistakes and track your winnings.
Card counting is legal but casinos frown upon it because it costs them money.
