Poker | Casino | Gambling | Bingo » Blackjack

How to Split Cards in Blackjack

IRC — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:20:14 +0000

Once new players grasp the basic strategy of blackjack the first thing they generally ask is, “When and why should I split my cards?”
Generally any card that starts with “F” should not be split; this is a simple rule to go by. So Face cards, Fives, and Fours should not be split.The reason for not splitting face cards is pretty straightforward. You do not want to throw away 20 which almost guarantee you a winning hand.Fours and fives also shouldn’t be split, splitting these cards only set a player up to get a very low end chance of winning, “14″ or “15″ or worse.So why you might ask why split other pairs? This is a bit trickier as the general rule of thumb here is only to split when
the dealer is showing an up card of between 4-7.
The reason being that you’re better off taking the chance to double your money when the dealer has shows a bust card.

Splitting Aces, as with any gambling venture you par take in it is essential you are aware of the house rules. These rules can differ when faced with Ace Ace. Obviously you want to split these cards, two is useless, and the other option being 12 is also no good for the player.
So you have to split aces EVERY time. Most Casino’s have a rule with regard to splitting aces, generally most stick with the one draw rule. This means that you can only draw one card to each Ace.
It is also a common rule that casino’s will not honor a true blackjack when you receive a face card on a split ace. This eliminates the bonus payout.
Splitting eights, a lot of professional players will only split Aces and Eights. The reason being the four horseman as they were known ran these cards through a mathematical algorithm and it was determined that the player splitting the eights has a much higher probability of winning the hand splitting the 8’s then standing on 16.

Blackjack: You Have the Advantage

IRC — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:52:50 +0000

Blackjack is one of those games where most of the time the advantage is to the player and you don’t need to play 20,000 hands in order to see a return. Unlike poker, you aren’t playing against all of the players at the table; you’re actually only playing against the dealer who has to follow strict rules while you can play anyway you like.

In Blackjack, you are allowed to increase your bet as the odds improve, and decrease it if the odds get bad insures that you don’t lose a lot. If you’re good Blackjack player, you can turn the odds against the casino to win more. There isn’t another casino game that allows you as many options to positively affect your situation after the initial play has begun.

Blackjack is about getting as close to the number 21 as you can without going over. While the suits of the cards mean nothing, their rank is very important. Two to 10 are counted by their number value, and the face cards, which include the Kings, Queens, Jacks and Tens are all counted as 10, and the Aces can be one or 11 depending on the player preference and the hand.

Each player is in competition with the dealer to create a hand that is higher or closer to 21 without going over that amount. Everyone is dealt two cards in the beginning, and if it’s a combination of a 10 and an Ace, it’s an automatic 21 called a Blackjack or a natural. If the dealer doesn’t have a natural then the player automatically wins, and a blackjack is usually dealt around 1 in 20 hands.

If the cards dealt total less than 21, the player can ask for more cards in an attempt to get closer to the 21 goal without going over that amount. This is called a taking a hit. If the player decides that he has enough cards, he can stop which is called a stand. And, if the player goes over 21, they automatically lose which is called a bust or a break.