You may be the most passionate gambler when it comes to pokies. But have you got everything it takes to be successful at Blackjack too? Here at online-casino-new-zealand.org you will find all you need to know about Blackjack and the tactics or techniques you should learn to be competitive against the dealer. Counting cards is easier than you thought it would be!
Get a basic idea
Getting acquainted with the basics of Blackjack would be a good idea if you are a complete rookie. The main aim of the game is to reach 21 points with as little cards as possible. The minimum amount of cards it takes for this is two. But other combinations are possible of course. With more than 21 points in hand, the game is lost.
Depending on the actual version of the game, the dealer might be at a disadvantage against you. He might have to pick additional cards while on 15 or even 16 points. In the meantime, you often have the liberty to stay at 14 or 15 points already. But more flexibility also mean additional randomness and less predictability. But you will learn more about this quickly.
Why count cards at all?
If you want to take proper decisions whether to pick one more card or not, you may want to have some information. This information helps you to take the right decision. It is very important at any stage to know which cards are still in play and which cards have already gone. The likelyhood of high-value cards being drawn can change during a game.
Decisions taken based on good information automatically put you at an advantage over the dealer. Not least because the dealer is occasionally bound to the rules and does not have a chance to react to certain events during the game. At the same time you may still have the outcome in your own hands. Therefore, counting cards makes a lot of sense.
Others have done it before
You should never ever think of an advantage player getting treated badly by a casino. Many other players have done it before. Playing with a maximum of dedication and attention to detail is not strictly forbidden. Nevertheless, it has occasionally happenend that players with very stereotypic tactics have been shown the door by the operators. You may want to mix up your styles a bit.
The history of Blackjack players counting cards goes back a long way. Already in the 1960s there were players writing books about it. These books actually sold well back in their day. But to rely on the information in these books today is a slight risk. Casinos have been quick to follow up and to make the circumstances for card counters more demanding.
Know what you are counting
You can actually the biggest help to yourself if you know what you are doing. Therefore you should always read the rules of the respective games very thoroughly. In online casinos, there are often many different versions of Blackjack games. Not all of them might take place in the exact same framework, even though they have the cards and the table in common.
In the old days, Blackjack was a game for one or two decks of cards. These set-ups have proven to be fairly easy to read. The longer a game went on, the more obvious it became which cards were still in play and which had long gone. This put players at a disproportionate advantage and nowadays Blackjack games are commonly played with six or eight decks.
Alternatives are there for you
At last, if you still have not got a clue what this card counting business is all about, you should not be worried too much. With six or eight decks in play and continuous shuffling going on, the effectiveness of card counting has been pretty much curbed by the casino operators. But there are other things within the rules' boundaries that could help your game.
The two classic options in any game of Blackjack are the split and the insurance. With the former, you can double your chances for the price of half your initial bet. All you need apart from some chips or money are two equal cards. The insurance on the other hand is your safe option if you think the dealer has a two-card Blackjack in hand.