Blackjack Strategy NZ
Blackjack is hand down the most played online casino card game in New Zealand. The obvious reasons are the convenience, thrill, and most importantly, the low house edge. New players often don’t realise this already low house advantage can be reduced to as little as 0.5% by simply implementing a basic blackjack strategy.
To accelerate your gambling level to that of a pro, we have created this all-in-one guide to aid help you win more at the beloved game of blackjack. Our experts will also reveal and simplify the basics of card counting, giving you a taste of an advanced blackjack strategy.
Playing blackjack requires both skill and luck in order to reach 21 and beat the dealer. Ensuring you know the rules and fully understand all actions within blackjack variants is essential to keep the already low house edge to a minimum. While this is is the starter pack for all new casino players, implementing blackjack strategies can further ensure your gameplay is consistent and even promote potential winning opportunities.
Our team at Casino Martini has devised this all-in-one blackjack strategy guide to ensure that every hand you play is premeditated and calculated to sway the odds in your favour. Join us here as we start with the basics of blackjack strategies and continue into detail to give you the knowledge going forward to become a blackjack pro.
What is a Blackjack Basic Strategy?
The basic strategy in blackjack is used to promote winning opportunities and minimise losing hands. The concept has been developed and revised over time through calculations based on the hand you hold and the dealer’s up card. Players can follow or memorize a blackjack strategy chart that will give you the mathematically best decision to make given the cards shown on a blackjack table.
While this isn’t a sure-fire way to win at a casino blackjack table, it will help you win more money by instructing you when to double down and prevent you from playing a failing hand with a surrender move.
Along with these actions, blackjack players must adhere to the strategy charts for each and every move. The basic strategy must be followed to the exact move, whether it is hit or stand, even if your gut tells you otherwise.
Why Play with a Strategy?
Although the house edge within this gambling game is one of the lowest in the industry, making poor decisions and not adhering to a strategy chart will increase the advantage. Wagering with a strategy card by your side while gambling online is all too easy in today’s world. Play a game of blackjack within the RNG games sections and have your chart ready in a new window. Revise the chart and get comfortable with moves within the deck game.
One of the most common reasons gamblers play blackjack with a basic strategy is due to its fun and convenience. Knowing that every decision you make is mathematically calculated to give you the best chance at winning with the lowest house edge is exciting for every blackjack player.
Above all, we are all play blackjack games to win, and why not try out a proven method to promote your winning hands and minimise a losing hand.
Basic Blackjack Strategy Moves
Learning a basic strategy is the perfect way to ensure your gameplay carries less of a risk. Depending on the number of decks within the game, you can find images with ease through Google Images. Whether you are wagering in a single deck game or a multi-deck game, the strategy charts will have the following actions that you must be aware of before attempting to play a blackjack game.
Surrender
Within many blackjack variants, players have the option to Surrender their hand if they feel they are fighting a losing battle. This will then forfeit half of their initial stake to the house, and they will opt of the round. While this may seem like a cop-out for many players who feel the need to play through every hand. The Surrender move within a basic strategy will ensure you cut your losses short and prevent wasting the entirety of your original bet.
The move is offered either as an “early” or “late” move depending on the game rules. With early surrender, the blackjack player has the option to forfeit their hand before the dealer checks the second card. More commonly used is the late Surrender move in which the player can forfeit once the dealer has checked for blackjack.
Let’s take one example using the basic strategy and the Surrender action. A player is dealt an 8 and a 7, while the dealer has an up card of a 10. The player has a total amounting to 15 at the mid-range, which may make them go bust if they hit or possibly too low to stand as the dealer only needs a 6 or more. The basic strategy dictates the player should Surrender their hand and reclaim half their original bet.
Double Down
While surrendering ensures you don’t lose money on a poor hand, doubling down does the exact opposite and takes advantage of a winning hand by doubling your stake and receiving only one more card within the game. The move can be practised after you have checked both cards and the up card of the dealer.
Blackjack variants have different rules towards a double down. Make sure to check the rules within the type of blackjack game you desire to play. Using the basic blackjack strategy, let’s say the cards you are dealt amount to a hard 10. The terms “hard” are used when a player does not contain an Ace within their hand. Otherwise, it is a “soft” hand.
Here the basic strategy indicates the player should double their stake and receive one more card. The card is played with the hope the dealer will go bust, or you will receive a higher total than the dealer. The dealer must hit if their total amounts to 16 or less and stand on 17 or more within the game.
Hit
On blackjack charts using the basic strategy, players can hit and receive another card in an attempt to increase their total to or close to 21. This is often referred to by an “H” on a chart.
Stand
The hand you are dealt maybe your best winning opportunity. Here their blackjack charts dictate a player should play with the hand they are given with the hope they will beat the dealer. This often comes down to common sense as a player would hit if they had a soft 19.
Split
Within many online blackjack games, players can avail of the split move 2 of the same numbered cards or 2 face value cards are received. This permits the cards to be split into two hands, giving a player twice the chance at beating the dealer. The basic blackjack strategy suggests players should always split Aces and 8s and never split 5s or 10s. Depending on other pairs, the chart will indicate whether to split or not by analysing the dealer’s up card.
Advanced System – Card Counting
Once you have spent the time and effort studying the various actions within basic blackjack strategies, you can then advance onto card counting. The strategy of counting cards is not illegal in the online gambling industry. Circulating stories give gamblers the impression that card counting is illegal. However, casinos do frown upon this gaming strategy and can stop you from playing at any time as they are all privately owned companies.
This is rarely an issue within the online casino world, as you don’t have cameras from all angles watching blackjack tables as you would within a brick-and-mortar casino. Combining both a perfect basic strategy along with a high low card counting system can be very effective in lowering the house advantage to a minimum.
What is Card Counting?
The essence of card counting is to track what cards have been played within the game. Players often refer to the high-low strategy in which they allocate a high (10, Jack, Queen, King, or Ace) a number of -1 which means the player advantage goes down. In comparison, Lows are cards from 2-6 and can be allocated a +1. These cards, once eliminated, give the player an advantage over time. Finally, we have neutral cards: cards 7,8, and 9 holding a value of zero towards our card counting strategy.
How to Count Blackjack Cards?
As the cards are dealt around the table, note all of the values adding or subtracting the correct figure to a total running count within your head. Once you have calculated the original cards’ total value on the table, it is then easier to follow the dealer around the table and add or subtract as players, split, double down or hit.
Once you have completed the round, you will have a “running count”, which is your total value. The value must then be converted throughout the game to obtain a “true count”. This can be calculated by simply dividing the running count by the number of decks left in the game. As the value of the true count increases, so does the player advantage within the game.
The idea of counting cards using a calculated true count is to bet more as the true count increases and bet less as it decreases upon each round. It is recommended to set a minimum stake betting unit before the game commences and each time substrate 1 unit from the true count. The figure you are left with will determine how many units of your minimum stake you should bet.
Blackjack Betting Systems
Now that you are familiar with the basic blackjack strategy and the more advanced counting cards system. While they determine how you play the game, betting systems suggest how you should bet within the game in the hope of winning big and minimising losses.
Betting systems are used by gamblers within all tables games, devised through decades of gambling to give players an edge over the casino. These systems have their own set of pros and cons, and even though they don’t offer definite wins, they can secure and aid within bankroll management.
The three most common betting systems are positive progression, anti-progressive, and flat batting. Using a blackjack betting system can be fun and rewarding while using a perfect basic strategy and a bit of luck on your side.
Positive Progression
Progression betting systems advise players to take action and alter their bet, depending on the outcome of the previous round. Positive progression systems dictate players should increase their bets after a win with the hope they continue on the winning streak and lower their stake in the case of a loss. This allows players to bet their winnings without the pressure of losing putting up their own cash.
While using any positive progression system, it is vital to set yourself a target or number of wins in a row. Once reached, you should stop the progression system, return to your original stake, and start over again.
Negative Progression
Negative betting systems function in an opposing fashion. The Martingale Strategy is a perfect example of a negative betting system. To implement this system, players must double their bet after a loss is incurred. The idea of doubling your bet after each loss is that you won’t lose forever. Once you win, you will regain all of your losses plus make a small profit in return.
This system is only used if you lose the bet. If you win, return to the original betting amount and continue within the game. Be careful of the table betting limit while testing out a betting strategy. If you are doubling your bet and the bet exceeds the table limit, the system will be ineffective, and you will incur a hefty loss.
Flat Betting
Flat betting is applied by keeping your stake the same whether you win or lose. This will ensure you don’t incur huge losses and levels out your bankroll over time. New gamblers often use this betting system as they are learning the basic blackjack strategy and wagering through different casino games.
Practice on Free Games
The goal in blackjack is to beat the dealer and win money. Practising a blackjack strategy and getting a feel for various blackjack games can be costly at the start of a new player’s gambling journey. Nearly all online casinos offer free blackjack games, which will allow you to hone your skill without the pressure of wagering with real money.
Alternatively, to play blackjack freely on real money games, keep an eye out for no deposit bonuses. These bonuses can be claimed upon sign up at some online casinos or within VIP clubs. Use no deposit bonus offer where possible and combine all knowledge within this guide to play blackjack like the pros!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is online blackjack fair and safe to play?
If you want to guarantee all blackjack games you wager with are fair and safe, opt for one of the many top-rated blackjack casinos here at Casino Martini. All casinos we promote are licensed and regulated by leading governing bodies within the industry, and all games use RNG technologies to source a fair and random outcome.
Is the basic Blackjack strategy difficult to learn?
If you are considering learning the basic strategy of playing blackjack, you are in luck because it is easy and accessible through an abundance of charts. Memorizing the entire chart, however, can be tedious but rewarding once achieved.
What is an insurance bet?
An insurance bet can be placed within some blackjack variants if the dealer’s first up card is an Ace. This bet payout out if the dealer ends up with “blackjack”.
Can I play blackjack on my mobile?
Yes, the majority of blackjack games online are produced by leading software providers using HTML5. This ensures punters can play mobile blackjack with ease (and using great Blackjack strategy)from anywhere they may be.