How to win at Blackjack

They say that maria.com Blackjack is a game where skill plays a part in the overall success, or failure, of a player. But skill, or no skill, the house has a small mathematical edge. That edge is razor sharp, and over the long run will leave you to bleed dry.

Unless you’re a professional card counter, skill will not get you far. There will be times that you win, but it’s an illusion. Like a mirage in the desert, the winning sessions are just playing tricks with your mind. You remember all of the mirages. You never remember the losses.

The professional card counter turns the tables. The chewing gum is facing up. The edge is not slowly carving into the house. Scarlet floors. But it takes time. The long-term is longer than you think. Even the best of the best will experience long periods of heat, and long periods of dry spells. But over the long term, the dry spells are king. The casinos don’t have to worry about the long term. All those players, all those tables, all those chips rattling the cage 24-hours per day, seven-days per week.

Blackjack is a game that should be played with the result being the feel good factor. Become the face of the yellow badges worn by ravers during the acid house era. Play with money you can afford to lose so the pain doesn’t come when it happens. Keep the lips pointing upwards. Heading north. Reaching for the stars.

Leave the card counting for someone else. Casinos hate them like cowboys use to hate Indians. Do you really want to sit at a table with an arrow sticking out of your back? But for every cynic there is an avant-garde math wizard who can count cards with their eyes closed. If that’s you then go for it. Be in it for the long term.

Blackjack tips, Gambling

Blackjack is one of the most popular games on online casinos and it’s no wonder when you consider that it’s easy to play, quick and accessible, and everyone from beginners to seasoned casino goers can have a go. You can also play anywhere, including with friends at home, on the train to pass the time or online: all you need is a deck of cards (real or virtual) and you’re ready.

While blackjack is a great game, the thrill of a potential win is undoubtedly one of the best things about it.  And while many believe that it is entirely a game of chance, there are a number of things you can do to increase your odds and make a win all the more likely. Read on for our top tips on how to bluff at blackjack and get ready to be a casino whizz in no time at all.

Bluffing in blackjack comes in two forms: pretend to have a bad hand to make other players more reckless, or pretend to have a good one to trick them into surrendering. Your actual hand doesn’t really matter too much, since you’ll be keeping that secret til the last minute anyway; all that matters is to keep everything to yourself by keeping your emotions carefully under control.

If you have a bad hand, but the table you’re on doesn’t allow surrender, the best option is to pretend you have a great hand (or a blackjack). Do this by drawing another card slowly, as if you don’t really want to: this will suggest that you already have a good hand and don’t want to risk going over blackjack by drawing too high a card.

Once you’ve decided which way to bluff, you need to pop in subtle clues as to your mood. Sighing, raising your eyebrows or looking anxious are great ways of convincing opponents that you’re not doing so well, whereas looking smug or relaxing in your chair are good ‘tells’ for convincing them you have a great hand.

You also need to look at how you’re playing: are you playing as though you have a winning hand in front of you or not? If you can fool yourself then you’re doing well. However, don’t get too carried away, over the top expressions will be immediately obvious to a decent player as a bluff and they’ll be able to adjust their game accordingly.

When it comes to bluffing, remember that minor ‘tells’ can be more revealing than something bigger. With this in mind, be careful of every movement that you make: just because your face is set to make people believe you’re winning, it doesn’t mean your shoulders haven’t slumped and are making you look defeated. Some of the best players have given themselves away through tiny micro-expressions, so try to stay fully aware of yourself and the signals you’re giving off.

The amount you bet can also work as a method of bluffing as putting down large amounts suggests you’re confident of the outcome. However, remember that this method can backfire spectacularly, so try not to use it unless you’re desperate.

Of course, one of the best ways to secure a win at blackjack is to practice whenever you can. Invest in a deck of high-quality cards and practice at home, or try one of the casino games to improve your skill level and your ability to keep a cool head.

Practice can often make perfect and continually working on your game is one of the best ways to nab yourself a win. But remember, a win is never guaranteed, no matter how skilful you are, so relax, after all it’s just a game. Enjoying yourself is the number one objective, so don’t get too het up in odds and trying to read people, just have fun!

Blackjack tips

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Starr]Joseph Starr

In 1962 the godfather of card counting, Dr. Edward O. Thorpe, outlined a blackjack betting and playing strategy to eliminate the casino’s advantage and actually give the player an edge. He used a computer to quickly play thousands of hands, and the results proved his basic theory, which was: if the unplayed cards contained a lot of high cards, the dealer was more likely to bust. By keeping track of what cards had been played, the gambler would increase his bets when a lot of low cards had been played, and decrease his bets when the reverse was true. When Thorpe went to the casinos to test the results under actual playing conditions, he lost at first, but gradually began to win consistently.

The counting system developed by Thorpe will win at the casinos, but it’s hard to use and requires a lot of concentration and ability to do the math quickly in your head. Also the casinos have taken steps to neutralize the card counter’s edge. Newer methods, which are easier to use, and are more profitable were developed to fight back against the casinos. Among these are the plus-minus counting systems one of which is the Hi-Lo system originated by Stanford Wong. For this system cards two through six have a value of plus one, and tens through aces have a value of minus one. Sevens, eights, and nines have zero value. After the dealer has shuffled the cards and stacked the shoe, the player starts with a count of zero. As cards are exposed, the player keeps a running count. The higher the plus value goes, the more high cards are left in the deck, and the player increases his bet size.

In addition to the running count, advanced card-counters will keep track of the true count, also called the count per deck. This gives an idea of how rich the deck is in high cards and will help size the bets. For example if the running count is ten and you estimate there are three decks left in the shoe, the true count (ten divided by three) is three and a third. If the running count is ten and you estimate there are two decks left, the true count is five. You would bet more in the second situation where the true count is higher. The true count can also help you determine appropriate times to modify basic blackjack strategy. For example suppose you are dealt a ten and a two, the dealer’s upcard is a two, and the true count is plus three. Basic strategy says to hit in this situation, but you know the deck is rich in high cards, and therefore the dealer has a good chance of busting, so you would stand.

If you can keep track of a lot of information, Wong also recommends counting specific cards, such as aces, that have been played. Keeping multiple counts may affect your ability to play accurately, and if you lose the basic running count you are at a disadvantage. Don’t try additional counts until you can keep the running count expertly.

Blackjack played with a perfect basic strategy typically offers a house edge of less than 0.44%, but a typical card counter who varies his bets appropriately will have an advantage of about 1% over the casino. Card counting can be mastered by ordinary people, however, the amount of practice it takes to get to be an expert will vary from individual to individual. If you are serious about beating the casinos, practice for many hours before placing your bets.

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Joe Starr writes on a variety of subjects to keep his brain from fogging over. Visit his website http://allaboutcasinogambling.com to learn about popular casino games and strategies.

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Blackjack tips blackjack, card counting