Blackjack Strategy for Beginners
February 3rd, 2010 | Published in Gambling Games
Slots and roulette are games of chance. Blackjack is a game of math. In the long run, playing blackjack solely on hunches and gut feelings will not help you win. If you’re superstitious and like to make your bets based on superstitions, then blackjack is not the game for you.
Find the Right Table
The first thing you want to do is find the right table. Scout out several tables before you choose one. Watch a few hands at each table and pay close attention to the rapport of the dealer and the players. If there are heavily intoxicated players at a particular table, then move on. Intoxicated players can be both distracting and annoying and will, undoubtedly, take away from your enjoyment of the game. You want to have fun, but your ultimate goal is to win some money. If you are surrounded by drunk players it will most certainly lead to a lack of concentration on your part.
Crowded tables can make for an exciting atmosphere, but they can also be uncomfortable. Of course, you don’t want to sit at a table with no players, but you don’t want to be elbow-to-elbow with a throng of other players either. Again, an overly-crowded table can easily break your concentration.
If a table has a lot of slow/novice players it will limit the amount of money you can win per hour. Conversely, if players are slow it can also limit the amount of money you can lose in an hour because you’ll be placing wagers at a slower pace. Lastly, hostile dealers should be avoided. Much like the intoxicated players, an unfriendly dealer can break your concentration in addition to creating an unpleasant atmosphere.
Manage Your Money Wisely
The strategy of playing blackjack differs greatly from that of slots or roulette, but the principles of managing your bankroll do not. Don’t bet over your head, bet with it. Some experts recommend using the 1/20 rule. This simply means to never go to a table with a bet size that’s more than 1/20 of your bankroll. Obviously, if you don’t have a large bankroll or are playing to kill a couple of hours, you’ll want to find the tables with the lowest minimum bet. On the other hand, if you have a sizable bankroll and are looking to win some money and move on to the next game, you’ll want to go to a high-limits table. Many low-to-mid sized casinos will offer lower minimum bets that the higher-end casinos do not. Just about every casino will offer free drinks to blackjack players, just be sure to tip your waitresses.