Blackjack is one of the world’s best-known casino games, popular and easy to learn. Its rules are straightforward and don’t take long to understand. Despite its simplicity, however, new and experienced players often have questions about it.
Why Is 21 So Popular?
For a start, Blackjack is fun to play, and how easy it is to learn means that you can get into a real money game pretty quickly. But the biggest reason for how well it’s like the world over is that it boasts one of the lowest house edges of all.
The house having a smaller mathematical advantage means that players stand a good chance of winning whenever they play.
What is the House Edge?
While most casino games have a fixed house edge, 21 does not. This is because there are several game variants, all with a slightly different set of rules, and the casino’s advantage will vary with each one.
When you know which variation to play and understand Basic Blackjack Strategy, you can lower the house edge down to less than 1%!
Is Winning at 21 All About Luck?
The short answer is no, not entirely. While luck does play an important part, as it does with all casino games, outcomes in Blackjack are also directly related to how well you play.
Players can significantly reduce the overall effect of luck if they make the correct decisions about each hand dealt them combined with what the dealer’s holding. Lady Luck still plays a part, but she’s in a supporting role in 21!
What Is Basic Blackjack Strategy?
Basic Strategy is about making the best mathematical decision at any given point during a game of 21.
The good news is that you don’t need to be a maths whizz yourself, frantically calculating all possible outcomes at every turn of a card. They’ve already all been worked out and turned into a set of rules which will tell you what your best move is according to the cards on the table, the ones you’re holding and the one you can see belonging to the dealer.
These rules work because there are a fixed number of cards in each deck and thus a finite number of combinations that can be dealt. It’s possible to deduce which decision is in your best interest in any given situation.
Should I Always Stand If I Could Go Bust?
No! While the Never Bust strategy may seem safer, it’s actually not good in terms of expected returns. The one and only strategy that works in this game is the Basic one.
Should I Surrender if I’m Dealt a Bad Hand?
No. Again, it’s sometimes advisable to Surrender, but you will forfeit half your stake, so over time this approach will significantly affect your bankroll.
What’s the Difference Between Online 21 and Live Games?
The basic rules remain the same whether you’re playing a game governed by Random Number Generators, with a Live Dealer in an online game, or at an actual land-based casino. The only difference is one of convenience since the internet-based games are easier to get into.