The Essentials of Blackjack
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On this page we summarize the things every player needs to learn about blackjack. Read this page if you are already familiar with the basics of blackjack and are familiar with things like splitting and doubling down. This information also applies to Golden Palace Online Casino's blackjack game.
Dealers busting cards
The concept of dealers busting cards is one of the most essential things to
know about while you play. The majority of your decisions will be influenced
by the dealer's up-card, or displayed card. If the dealer is showing a 4, 5,
or 6, they are known as busting cards. Essentially, if the dealer has this as
their up-card, it's not a bad idea to assume they have a card with a value of
10 as their hole card. If we take that assumption one step further, we realize
the dealer is likely holding either a 14, 15, or 16. Since we know the dealer
must draw cards until they reach seventeen, we know they would have to hit a
14, 15, or 16. Since we can presume (not with perfect confidence by any means)
that the dealer will also draw a 10-value card, the totals of 14, 15, or 16
are likely to cause the dealer to bust.
4, 5, and 6 as dealer up-cards are thus commonly called 'dealer busting cards', and offer an added opportunity in the game. If the dealer shows busting cards, you may be more inclined to double down or split where you wouldn't normally.
Splitting a pair
When you are dealt a pair of like cards in blackjack, you have the option to
split them. What is your best move? The rule of thumb is, always
split Aces and 8s.
For example, you are dealt two 8's on your initial cards. If you split those (a good idea) you will be playing two separate hands, each starting with an 8. Can you see why splitting two 8's is a good idea? Probability dictates that you should get two eighteens out of the deal, instead of a paltry 16 which you originally had in your hand. You can also gauge your decision to split by looking at the dealer's cards and seeing if they are bust cards. This goes both ways though, as some times it is best to stand on a low total if the dealer is showing busting cards.
Doubling down
Doubling down is the act of increasing your bet mid-hand when you see a good
opportunity. The primary 'good opportunity' available at the blackjack table
is the dealer showing busting cards. This concept was explained earlier and
becomes very important in the case of doubling down. The majority of casinos
allow you to double down on 9, 10, or 11. Always double down on these totals
if the dealer has busting cards showing. Otherwise, double down at your own discretion. It is best to always double down on an 11 as it gives
you a great chance at a good hand, but never double down on 11 when the dealer
is showing an Ace, because if you achieve a 21 and the dealer does also, the
dealer always wins.
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Use free blackjack to make more money! Use free online casino blackjack to make more money? Isn't that a contradiction? How can free play make you money? In fact, there are two distinct ways that playing free blackjack online can help make you more real money.
