As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect. The secret to winning more often in blackjack is to play a perfect game.
But other than having someone be your practice dealer all the time, what can you do to improve your blackjack game?
As with any game of skill, strategy is the most important deciding factor in the overall outcome of your blackjack gaming. You can’t decide which cards you’re dealt but you can practice making good decisions.
The legendary blackjack player Don Johnson broke three Atlantic City casinos in one summer, winning 7 figures altogether. One casino manager said he played perfect blackjack. Johnson not only denied counting cards, the casinos analyzed his every play and confirmed he wasn’t doing that.
You can find this online or in countless Blackjack books. Once you've learned basic strategy, your disadvantage at the game will be.5%, which makes Blackjack the best game to play in the casinos. You can find this online or in countless Blackjack books. Once you've learned basic strategy, your disadvantage at the game will be.5%, which makes Blackjack the best game to play in the casinos. Better yet, wake up and DRINK the coffee while you play blackjack. Always tip the dealer when you win. If you do not tip the dealer after a winning session (you do not need to tip after each winning hand), sooner or later word will get around. As mentioned previously blackjack rules vary from casino to casino. Significant variations normally occur in the number of decks being dealt. The less decks there are the better for the player. When the dealer hits on a soft 17, it’s better that the player stands. If you play in Las Vegas, find out if doubling up after splitting is allowed.
Card counting may give you an advantage but if your skill isn’t perfect you blunt the edge of your sharpened play.
If you already know how to play Blackjack, you can skip this section. Otherwise, it will only take a few minutes to learn the simple playing rules. Tens and face cards count as 10, Aces count as either 1 or 11 (your choice), and all other cards have a count equal to their face value.
Here are 3 methods successful blackjack players have used to improve their games.
1 – Create Strategy Cards for Every Possible Scenario
This may be the most important lesson for any blackjack player. Rather than merely reading a book about blackjack strategy, some great players say they made index cards listing the best plays for every scenario.
Writing the cards out yourself helps. According to research highlighted by the Association for Psychological Science in 2014, writing out your notes is better than typing them into a computer. Educators have maintained for generations that writing down what you learn helps you rememeber it.
It’s easy to understand why most people stop writing things down after they leave school. After 12-16 years of writing, writing, writing you feel like it’s time to move on.
But if you really want to learn blackjack strategy, writing down the best plays for each situation will help you get there.
And there’s more. Researchers from the University of Waterloo also found that drawing enhances memory and learning even better than writing.
Blackjack is already a highly visual game. You don’t need to be an expert illustrator to draw simple playing card designs on index cards. Illustrating the hands and writing the best strategy on the back of the cards will help you.
How To Be Better At Blackjack Online
Study those strategy cards 2-3 times per week. If someone is willing to help you by showing the cards to you, you can practice making decisions from memory. This is a tried and true method for some expert blackjack players.
Considered a progressive learning method, using index cards for studying has helped thousands of people master trivia contests, spelling bees, professional certifications, and more.
2 – Play Those Free Online Blackjack Games
I know players who won’t touch a free online game for anything in the world. If there’s no money in the game they are not interested.
These are casual gamers. They’re not out betting the rent check every month. They only want to play for real money.
While that’s understandable, the cost of your blackjack education will be much less if you practice on the free games. You should be focusing on studying the cards and choosing the best strategy.
I’ve also bought cheap CDs loaded with old PC games. I practiced on an old Las Vegas games CD for years. I could take that CD with me everywhere I traveled and I didn’t have to worry about access to the Internet.
Free game play provides valuable experience for you down the road. Blackjack is one of the easiest games to learn because the free games are so much like the real experience.
3 – Host A Monthly or Weekly Vegas Night Party
If you and your friends get together at least once a month why not use that time productively?
You’ll have fun, enjoy good company, and gain some useful experience. As the host of the party you should be the dealer for the blackjack table.
Playing by dealer’s rules offers two benefits. You’ll discover first-hand why the house rules are the way they are. The advantages the dealers play with become more clear when you are the house.
You’ll also have the opportunity to see how other people play the game. Learn from their mistakes and their experience. And because it’s a party everyone can share their opinions on what the best strategies are.
If you want to go all out, you can buy cheap table game equipment for roulette and craps. When I was practicing with friends we kept it simple. We were only interested in learning blackjack.
4 – Only Bet the Minimum
Most players start out doing this. If your game is improving to the point where you feel ready to start increasing your wagers, ask yourself 1 simple question.
Am I walking away with more money than before? If the answer is “yes” then continue making higher wagers. If the answer is “no” then go back to only betting the minimum.
Having some skin in the game is fine but if you’re not winning then you are either breaking even or losing. Betting the minimum on every hand helps you focus on improving your game. And your money lasts longer.
If you’re also learning to count cards at the same time you’ll think you’re giving up an advantage by not raising the wager when your count hits the mark. In that case, go back to the simple question.
Are you walking away with more money than before?
It’s easy to try to learn too much early on in your card playing career. Many players take on too much challenge. If you’re not ready to play a more complex game then stay with the simple strategy for a while longer.
Test the waters every few weeks and see how it plays out for you. Don’t abandon the minimum bet strategy just because you think everyone else does.
5 – Set a High Loss Limit
Before you start raising wagers, consider playing with a high loss limit.
Many people are ready to lose their entire bankroll when they gamble. If you hit the casino with $200 in your pocket and it’s all entertainment money, then it’s all good.
But if your goal is to improve your blackjack game you should always leave the table with money. Even if you wait until you only have 1 minimum wager left, walk away before you’re broke.
Many players say they quit at 50%. If you lose half your stake you know it’s not your night and you should move on.
If you really want to improve your game set a low tolerance for bad luck or bad play. It doesn’t matter if you’re being dealt awful hands or if you’re making mistakes.
When you’re 20% down call it quits. This is a way of injecting discipline into your game. Some players stop gaming for an hour so they can come back fresh.
If you’ve set a high loss limit you push yourself toward excellent play. You don’t need to lose all your money to learn how to play blackjack. Since I began playing with this rule I’ve never left a blackjack table with less than half my money, talk about great bankroll management.
Conclusion
You should continue reading blackjack tips and tutorials. See how other players recommend handling situations. There are so many things casinos do to change up the game that we should always learn from each other.
But when all is said and done the only person who needs you to play better is you. How you improve your game and where you stop doing that is up to you.
I’m only suggesting you shake up your learning process until you are justifiably confident in your game. You may not always leave the table with more money than you started, but you should always leave the table feeling like you gave it your best effort.
The best blackjack players never stop learning.
Sometimes I write really philosophical articles about why you should play blackjack, and how building character is a reason for playing blackjack. And sometimes I write silly articles mocking blackjack system salesmen. But this article is a list of practical, hard-core blackjack tips. These are some practical ideas about how to become a better blackjack player and how to win at blackjack.
12 Hard Core Blackjack Tips - A List
- Re-learn basic strategy once a year.
- Play blackjack at 5 new casinos this month.
- Read 2 new blackjack books a year.
- Stop playing blackjack online.
- Stop playing blackjack for a month.
- Find 3 blackjack forums where people ask questions. Write 20 thoughtful, detailed answers to their blackjack questions.
- Create your own blackjack book by collecting your favorite online blackjack articles into a file on your computer. Review this blackjack book periodically.
- Play a blackjack session well below your typical stakes.
- Play a blackjack session well above your typical stakes.
- Find a friend or relative who doesn't know how to play blackjack, and teach that person how to play blackjack, basic strategy, and card counting.
- Track your wins and losses in a blackjack journal.
- Launch your own blackjack website or blog.
12 Hard Core Blackjack Tips - Elaborations
Constant and never-ending improvement should be your goal playing blackjack. The basic principles and math behind the game of blackjack don't really change much, but your skills as a player can and do change. If you want to become really good at blackjack, then you need to focus on changing and improving. You're either getting better at blackjack or getting worse. Focus on getting better at the game. That's how to win at blackjack.
Re-learn basic strategy once a year. Why? Because basic strategy is the foundation of all other blackjack success. People who want to earn a blackbelt in karate must master only seven basic moves. The ones who succeed are the ones who focus on these fundamentals. The ones who fail want to learn something new all the time. Focus on mastering the fundamentals, and basic strategy is the most fundamental of all blackjack skills.
Play blackjack at 5 new casinos this month. Why? Because playing blackjack at new casinos means you'll be dealing with different table conditions. And dealing with different table conditions will help you to improve your game. You'll challenge your mind and learn something different. You'll become more flexible and expand your repertoire of blackjack skills.
Read 2 new blackjack books a year. Why? Because if they're good blackjack books, you'll gain new insights into the game. And because if they're bad blackjack books, you'll be able to recognize the mistakes. Knowing what not to do when playing blackjack can be just as important as knowing what to do.
Stop playing blackjack online. Why? Because you can't count cards online. So if you're playing online, you're always playing with a disadvantage. If you want to play blackjack really well, then avoiding negative expectation situation is a critical habit to develop. Live blackjack is radically different from online blackjack. Become good at live blackjack.
Stop playing blackjack for a month.Why? Because you probably need a break anyway. After your month-long vacation from blackjack, you'll be more eager to play, you'll be more relaxed, and your game will improve because of the time off you took. Boredom breeds mistakes, and if you never take a break from playing blackjack, then you'll get bored and make mistakes.
Find 3 blackjack forums where people ask questions and write 20 detailed posts answering these questions. Why? Because writing about blackjack and answering questions will clarify your thoughts on some of the finer points of blackjack strategy. The best way to master a skill is to teach it to someone else. And the act of having to write about blackjack strategy will force you to think about blackjack strategy. And thoughtful blackjack play is winning blackjack play.
Create your own blackjack book by collecting your favorite online blackjack articles into a file on your computer. Review this blackjack book periodically. Why? This will expose you to some of the new ideas about blackjack on the Internet. You'll learn to discern the good advice from the bad advice. Creation and synthesis will force you to think about your game. The examined life also applies to a blackjack player's life.
Play a blackjack session well below your usual stakes. Why? You'll be able to test your discipline levels. Most mediocre blackjack players play more carelessly when they're playing for stakes that don't matter to them. Your goal is to be an excellent blackjack player. Demonstrate the discipline to play perfect blackjack even when you're playing for stakes which don't mean much to you.
Play a blackjack session well above your usual stakes. Why? This is another test of your discipline level. If you're playing over your bankroll, you might make incorrect decisions or conservative decisions you wouldn't make if you were playing your usual stakes. You'll get to know your own tendencies better at the blackjack table by doing this. Physician, heal thyself. Know yourself.
Best Way To Win At Blackjack
Find a friend or relative who doesn't know how to play blackjack, and teach that person how to play blackjack, basic strategy, and card counting. Why? Because teaching other people how to play blackjack will force you to think about the game. Mastering a skill becomes easier when you're forced to teach that skill to someone else. Besides that, blackjack is fun, and teaching someone how to play will remind you of how much fun it is to play blackjack at an extremely high level of skill.
How To Be Better At Blackjack Book
Track your wins and losses in a blackjack journal. Why? Because in blackjack, wins and losses are how you keep score. If you're losing consistently, session after session, month after month, year after year, then something is wrong. You cannot manage what you don't measure. By tracking your performance in a blackjack journal, you're measuring your performance.
Launch your own blackjack website or blog Why? If you haven't figured it out yet, I think that thinking about the game will improve your skill level. And writing about the game of blackjack will force you to think about the game of blackjack. This will put you ahead of 99% of the blackjack players out there, because that's how many blackjack players DON'T think about the game.
12 Hard Core Blackjack Tips - Applications and Meaning
If you read through that list of blackjack tips and the elaborations on each tip, you'll pick up on a few themes. The main themes are that your blackjack game should be constantly improving, and improvement comes from thinking about the game. What I want for you is to be constantly learning and improving as a blackjack player. Excellence is worth pursuing, in blackjack and in life.
How To Become Better At Blackjack
And the techniques for becoming excellent in blackjack apply to your entire life. Thinking about what you do, making rational decisions, helping others. These things all help you become a better person, not just a better blackjack player. These are the things that will demonstrate for you how to win at blackjack.
Take action on one or more of the hard core blackjack tips in this article, and see for yourself if your game doesn't improve.
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