Pete Caldwell

Blackjack Strategy for the Casual Player

Be smart and avoid the common mistakes made by casual blackjack players. 

Casual blackjack players don’t go to casinos often, but when they do, they really enjoy both the atmosphere and the anticipation of winning.  But they often commit two major strategy errors that make their casino experience less enjoyable and profitable.  One is inconsistent play and the other is impatient betting.

Inconsistent Play 

When casual players first sit at a blackjack table, they have a pretty good understanding of basic strategy.  But after a while, many will start to have doubts and change the way they play the tough hands.  They also begin to hesitate more, ask the dealer what the “book” says, or ask other players what to do.  Gradually, blackjack becomes a bit stressful and less enjoyable for them.  Listed below are the hands that give these players the most problems: 

1.)  15 or 16 against the dealer’s nine, ten, or ace…do you hit, stand, or surrender? (Surrender will get half your bet back.) 

2.)  16 against the dealer’s seven…do you hit or stand? 

3.)  12 against the dealer’s two or three…do you hit or stand? 

4.)  Soft 13 through soft 17 against the dealer’s five or six…do you double down or hit? 

5.)  Pair of 8’s against the dealer’s nine, ten, or ace…do you split, hit, stand, or surrender? 

6.)  Soft 18 against the dealer’s ten or ace…do you hit or stand?

If casual players play these difficult hands the same way each time, blackjack will be more enjoyable and profitable.  They just need to make up their minds how they want to play before they sit down and stick with it…let the cards come to them.

Impatient Betting

Most casual blackjack players will play basic strategy and bet the same amount each hand (flat betting).  Even if played perfectly, the house still has a slight edge.  So, unless they have an unusually long winning streak, they probably won’t make much of a profit during their stay.  But, because they are normally competitive and won’t be coming back to a casino anytime soon, they tend to get impatient and increase their bets recklessly.  This generally leads to big losses.

Recommended Blackjack Strategy  

In summary, casual blackjack players should relax and enjoy themselves, execute basic strategy consistently, and flat bet a comfortable amount.  They should increase their bet only if they have been card counting or following some other betting system.  And if they happen to beat the odds during the trip, their casino experience will be even more enjoyable.

Article Tags: Casual Blackjack Players, Blackjack Strategy, Casual Blackjack, Blackjack Players

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