By Kent Ninomiya
So you watched the movie “21” and you think you’re going to strike it rich at the blackjack tables in Vegas. Well, before you empty your meager checking account and cash in those bonds Grandma gave you when you were a kid, there are a few things you should know. Here is the reality of casino blackjack from someone who played the game for 20 years. Benefit from my trial and error as I dispel the myths about card counting and slap you around with the cold, hard hand of reality. So listen up! Here’s the top 10 rules of blackjack.
The first rule of blackjack is: the house always wins. Let me repeat that. That house always wins! There would not be big gleaming casinos if they were losing money. They would not be handing out free buffets and cheap rooms if they were losing money. You would not still be living in your parent’s basement if it was that easy to take their money. You would be there right now living the high life. That said, there are ways to minimize the house edge, win you a little green, and have some fun while you do it. Read on.
The second rule of blackjack is: there is no such thing as luck. Human nature makes us remember our victories far more than our defeats. We tell our friends with great pride about that time we split aces twice and won three times our bet while neglecting to mention that you left the table penniless a few minutes later. If you are to win at blackjack you must take all the emotion out of the game. Don’t get too happy when you win. Don’t get too upset when you lose. It’s about the odds and the long run. If you play the odds you will do OK in the long run. If you make exceptions to the odds because you are feeling lucky, you will most likely lose in the long run.
The third rule of blackjack is: you must learn perfect play. Perfect play is exactly that. When you are dealt a hand in blackjack you must make decisions with the information in front of you. You know what your two cards are and one of the dealer’s cards. This determines whether you stand, hit, double down or split. For every combination of your first two cards and the dealer’s show card there is a predetermined action you should take. This is called perfect play and is well documented. You can find out what to do on the internet. Check out this link for a
perfect play chart. You can even buy one of these credit card sized charts at the casino gift shop. The casinos don’t mind if you look at the card at the table while you play. They realize that even if you use perfect play they will still win slightly more than half the hands. That’s the way the game is set up and in the long run that means most people will eventually lose. They key is to work the odds in your favor and quit while you are ahead. More on that later but first you must master perfect play.
Perfect play can be difficult sometimes because it forces you to do some things that seem stupid. This includes hitting on a 16 or standing on a 12 in some cases. Just know that perfect play was determined by statistical research by people a lot smarter than you. They sat through all those lousy math classes so you didn’t have to. So trust them. Asking whether you would rather lose by busting or having the dealer beat you is like asking whether you would rather have crabs or the clap. Neither sounds good. They key is to avoid both as much as possible.
It feels bad to hit on 16 and bust. What you need to realize is a loss is a loss. Whether you busted hitting on 16 or had a 20 and got beat when the dealer drew to 21, it’s the same thing. By hitting on 16 when the dealer shows a 10 you at least have a chance of winning. The odds say the dealer will almost always beat a 16 when showing a 10 so you might as well hit. Always stick to perfect play and the odds. Leave emotion out of blackjack.
The fourth rule of blackjack is: pick the right table. It may seem like blackjack is blackjack but it’s not. Blackjack is like women. The games are different and the differences can be a bitch. Different casinos have different rules. Different tables in the same casino have different rules. Walk around and find one that benefits you. Written right on the table is whether the dealer must hit or stand on soft 17. This is important. A soft 17 is when the dealer has an ace counting as 11 instead of 1 to help their hand add up to 17. When the dealer hits on soft 17 it improves their odds of winning. Look for a table where the dealer stands on soft 17.
There is a little known casino rule called “surrender.” It isn’t advertised so you need to ask the dealer if they offer “surrender.” Essentially you can “surrender” your hand after the first two cards and get half your bet back. This is great when you have a 15 or 16 and the dealer is showing a 10 or ace. It’s far better to lose half your bet than hit on a 15 or 16. Surrender will save you a lot of money in the long run so use it.
Blackjack can be played with a single deck, double deck or in a shoe with 6 or 8 decks. There are advantages and disadvantages to all of them. In single and double deck blackjacks pay 6 to 5 odds instead of 3 to 2. Also, you can only double down on 10 or 11, not soft hands with an ace. This limits your ability to capitalize on good hands. Most importantly, the cards are dealt face down making card counting much more difficult. If you are going to count cards you need a table that deals from a shoe. Also, avoid those tables with automatic shufflers that mix up the cards with every hand. They make counting useless.
The fifth rule of blackjack is: if you are going to count cards, do it right. If you think about it, counting cards isn’t really illegal. You are only using your brilliant mind and information that is right there in front of you. The problem is casinos are poor sports and don’t like to lose money. So like all poor sports they pout and take their ball home so you can’t play anymore. Actually they’ll ask you to stop playing blackjack and invite you to play roulette or craps or something else that will take your money. If they think you are a chronic card counter they will ban you from their casino and get all the other casinos to ban you too. They probably wont get their goons to rough you up, but you never know. They don’t like losing money in Vegas. The reality though is you probably aren’t big time enough to even be noticed. To win big money you must risk big money. Do you really want to hock your X-box and I-pod to put up the cash? I didn’t think so. Keep bets small and you will probably fly under the radar.
Basic card counting involves looking at every card dealt. You start the shoe with a count of 0. For every low card of 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 you add +1. For every high card of 10, jack, queen, king or ace you subtract -1. You ignore the middle cards of 7, 8 and 9.
The sixth rule of blackjack is: bet without emotion. If you play perfectly the house will win slightly more than half the hands. Varying your bet with the count will tilt those odds in your favor. If you are playing at a table with a shoe you should change your bet when the count reaches +9 or -9. You should have a consistent stake bet, say $10 at a table with a $5 bet minimum. Play every hand at $10 until the count reaches +9 or -9. At +9 double your bet. At -9 cut your bet in half. You may want to press your bet even harder if you are at the end of the shoe and you have a big plus count. The reason for this is simple. When you have a big plus count the shoe is full of 10’s and aces. This improves your odds of getting a blackjack or big hand with your first two cards. A minus count means there are more small cards in the shoe. That makes it more likely you will need to take more cards and lose.
Despite what you see in the movies, big plus shoes don’t come around that often. Sometimes you will play all night and never get one. You must be patient. If you confront a big negative shoe get up and go to the bathroom or switch tables. Don’t play when the odds are stacked against you.
The seventh rule of blackjack is: if you count cards, don’t get caught. The pit boss is watching you like you used to watch Jessica Simpson in the “these boots were made for walking” video. When you are counting cards imagine you are checking out a hot chick but don’t want her to think you are a pervert. Look at the cards but don’t stare. Look around once in a while so it seems like you’re not paying attention. Don’t move your lips or hold up your fingers while you count. I’ve actually seen people do that. Find a system that works for you that isn’t obvious. It could be how you place your foot or stack your chips. Just don’t make it obvious. Cameras are everywhere in casinos and there are lots of people watching you.
The eighth rule of blackjack is: avoid gimmicks. A lot of casinos offer gimmick blackjack games. Examples include side bets for different combinations of cards or the option to play two hands and switch your cards. Don’t fall for any of these. These games would not exist if the casinos lost money on them. They are unpredictable and impossible to figure out the new odds. Stick to standard blackjack where you have some control over the odds.
The ninth rule of blackjack is: don’t play when you are not at your best. You need to be sharp to play blackjack. If you are tired, hungry or drunk you will make mistakes. They offer those free drinks at the tables for a reason. The drunker you are the more you lose. Save your binging for later. Tell your buddies to leave you alone when you play. Nothing makes you lose count faster than a friend who wants to chat. When you are at the table play. Do nothing else. Also, beware the temptation to increase your bet just so you can “break even.” More money is lost trying to “break even” than at any other time at the table. Betting more means you can lose more. Slow and steady wins the race. If you are down don’t make it worse by losing more.
The tenth rule of blackjack is: know when to quit. The casinos wont bother you as long as you are not walking away with thousands of dollars. If you play right you could make a few hundred a session. Don’t rub it in their face. It’s time to cash out and take a walk. Go to another casino. Play another day. Don’t get noticed. That will invite the security goons to eye you on the overhead video camera. Trust me, you don’t want that. Most importantly, don’t play with money that you can’t afford to lose. This is gambling after all. You can follow all the rules and still drop all your cash. You can play like a jackass and still win. However, odds are you will do much better if you follow all the rules without emotion. Since there is no such thing as luck, the odds are all you have. Oh… by the way… good luck!
*** Kent Ninomiya ***
