A few nights ago,
my husband and I were having dinner with two other couples. The conversation
eventually turned to blackjack, and someone asked me why I like that
game so much.
My answer was because
it's one of only three games where you actually have a good chance of
ending up either almost even with the casino or maybe even ahead a little.
And because you can do it with skill, not luck.
One of the guys
seemed a little intrigued by that statement and asked, "Why? What
is it about blackjack that makes it so beatable?"
And, of course,
all it takes is a little interest from one of my victims to set me off
lecturing on my favorite subject - gambling.
The first thing
you have to remember about blackjack is that the player has to make
his decisions first, before the dealer plays out his own hand. That
one fact is what gives the house its biggest advantage - a whopping
8 percent over the player. Think about it. Because the player acts first,
if he breaks, the house wins right away, even if the dealer subsequently
busts also.
But that's the casino's
only advantage. Everything else about blackjack gives the player a chance
to regain some of that 8 percent. Now, we're not talking detailed, perfect
basic strategy, nor are we talking about the benefits of some table
rules. We're talking about generalities, the way the game of blackjack
is structured.
For example, when
you are dealt a "natural" or a blackjack, you're paid 3-to-2.
For every $5 bet, you'll win $7.50. But if the dealer gets a blackjack,
he doesn't get to reach into your stack of chips and pull out an extra
$2.50. That advantage alone gives you back 2.25 percent.
Also, you're allowed
to hit or stand at will. No one forces you to take a card or to stand
pat. The dealer, however, does not have that option. He must hit cards
totaling 16 and must stand on 17 and higher. This one is your biggest
advantage; hitting or standing correctly gives you back 3.25 percent.
So, where are we
now? You've just regained 5.5 percent. The house started with 8 percent,
so you need another 2.5 percent.
You may double down
if you wish; the dealer may not. You've just regained another 1.5 percent
if you know the proper times to double. You're closing in on the house.
And, finally, you
have the option to split pairs. The dealer doesn't have that option,
which gives you another half percent. You've almost closed the gap with
your 7.5 percent of advantage regained. That means that when push comes
to shove, the casino has roughly only a half percent advantage over
you.
Notice, however,
that only one of these advantages, the 3-to-2 payoff for a natural,
is the only one you can't mess up. It's a given. The other three advantages
do depend on you and how wisely you make your hit, stand, double and
split decisions.
And you guessed
it. That takes some studying on your part. And recognizing good table
conditions.
When I first started
this column more than five years ago, the very first subject was blackjack,
and one of those first columns contained the chart that I use to play
blackjack. It had more than 200 decisions on it for more than 200 situations
you'll find at a blackjack table. Plus, I had a chart for single-deck,
double-deck and six-deck games. Plus there was a chart for each one
of those games for double after splitting and dealer hitting on a soft
17.
Okay, you can wipe
that look of horror off your face. I'm not going to do that to you again.
I've found a simpler way to teach blackjack basic strategy that I think
will make the game more enjoyable and less stressful. We'll start next
week.
Until then, aces
and faces to you.
