If I had a pound every time someone asked me to reveal my secrets on the blackjack tables, well, I’d be a very rich guy. I’d have bought a flash car, a holiday home, maybe even my own island. OK, I’m probably getting a bit carried away here, but the point I’m trying to make is that it happens a lot.
Now down the years, it’s true that I’ve had a lot of success with the cards. At the risk of sounding big-headed, one of the main reasons for this is sheer talent. Some people have it, some people don’t. I’ve known plenty of players who’ve put in way more hours than me on the blackjack tables and still haven’t had a fraction of my success. They might claim they’re cursed or blighted with bad luck – a few of them might even believe it – but the hard truth is you make your own luck.
It goes without saying that not everyone has a flair for blackjack. However, even if you’re not one of the lucky few, there are some basic blackjack strategies that can set even the most erratic players on the right track. So in an effort to help my fellow man do better on the blackjack tables – and more importantly, to stop them bugging me all the time – here are my top three tips.
- Firstly, always stand on 17s. I’m constantly amazed by the number of blackjack players who get a 17 or 18 and still demand another card. Don’t lose your head in the thrill of the draw.
- Secondly, if you have an Ace in your opening pair, go for broke. The extra safety cushion you get from an Ace cannot be underestimated on the blackjack tables. Always be bold when you’ve got a soft Ace hand – after all, if you go over 21 with a soft Ace, you can just play it as a hard Ace instead.
- Thirdly, know when to split. If you’ve got two Aces or two eights, always split. Personally, I’ve also found that it’s well worth splitting when you’ve got a pair of fives or a pair of nines.
I could go on all day. Really, I could. But then I don’t want to give away too many of my secrets, do I? Still, if you always keep these three rules in mind, I guarantee your luck on the blackjack tables will be transformed overnight.
