Strategy guides, or cheat sheets as they’re sometimes known, are a great way for novice players to master the basic tenets of blackjack strategy. Using a mathematical model to outline the most profitable moves and casino odds at all points in the game, these guides will give you a broad knowledge of basic blackjack strategy.
The main features of a blackjack cheat sheet are the dealer’s hand and your hand. Moving down the Y axis, you stop at the point where your hand is listed, before tracing across to the value that matches the dealer’s up card. The point at which the two columns interest is the move you should be making.
However, while there is nothing wrong with using the guide in this way, it’s much better to use it as a learning tool. Indeed, in addition to helping you become familiar with which scenarios require you to hit, stand, split or double, these guides can show you the importance of looking beyond your own hand.
Most novice players will simply look at the total of their two starting cards and base their decision on this. However, what a seasoned blackjack player will try and do is consider a range of other factors, most importantly, the dealer’s face card. If the dealer is weak (i.e. showing a 3, 4, 5 or 6), then you’re much better off standing on weak totals. The reason for this is that it takes the pressure off you and places it on the dealer. By forcing the dealer to take a third card, you increase the likelihood they will go broke.
Moreover, by focusing on the dealer’s hand, you can tell when their strong and prevent yourself from doubling or splitting in an unprofitable spot. Indeed, while it may be right to split a pair of tens when the dealer’s face card is a 4, it’s bordering on suicidal to do the same thing when they are showing a 10.
Blackjack strategy guides are a good way to make more money when followed blindly. However, they are also a fantastic way to improve your overall blackjack knowledge and make you a lot more money over a long period of time.
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