Four Basic Steps To Improving Your Blackjack Game

Four Basic Steps To Improving Your Blackjack Game

All of your decisions in these four basic steps are based on the value of the dealer’s up card.

1. If the dealer’s up card is 7 or higher, continue to draw cards until you have a hard count of at least 17 or higher, or a soft count of 18 or higher. (A “soft” hand is one that has an Ace that is counted as 11. A hand that either contains no Aces or the Ace is counted as a 1 is called a “hard” hand.
   

2. If the dealer’s up card is 6 or lower, draw cards until you have at least 12. Stop when you have 12 or higher.
   

3. Double down when your first two cards total 10 or 11, If the dealer has a 9 or lower. To double down simply means you can double your original bet after you receive your first two cards. If you decide to double down you will then receive only one more card.
   

4. Always split aces and eights. Do not split any other pairs. To split a pair simply means that when you receive any pair on your first two cards, you can split them into two separate hands. You can then play each hand as individual hands.