How to Play: Live Blackjack Strategy
If you want to win this world-famous casino game, you'll need a good blackjack strategy. That's one of the main reasons why some many people love playing it – because the player is (partly) in control of their destiny. Knowing how to win at live blackjack is crucial to your success.
The good news about live blackjack strategy is that it's virtually identical to the traditional game played in brick-and-mortar casinos. The bad news is that you still have to learn it, which can be tricky for a beginner. We don't want to worry you, of course. The basic blackjack strategy for beginners is a matter of following a simple chart. The key to true mastery, however, is understanding why some moves are better than others. You can then use other techniques such as card counting to press your advantage.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves, though. On this page, you'll find a basic blackjack strategy guide with charts and tips for new players. By the time you're done reading through you'll be able to cut the blackjack house advantage to its bare minimum. Also, note that this page does not cover the basic rules of blackjack. Check out our live blackjack tutorial if that's what you're looking for.
What Is Basic Blackjack Strategy?
Basic Blackjack Strategy is the mathematically optimal way to play blackjack. There is a statistically best move to make in any given situation you can be in while playing blackjack. This move depends on your current hand, the dealer’s up card, and the table rules. The best way to play blackjack live is to know what these moves are and use them accordingly.
Check out our basic blackjack strategy chart below if you want to know the exact steps to win blackjack.
We have to note a few things beforehand, though. Although this chart is tried and true and has been for decades, it won’t make you win every round and every hand. Just like every other casino game, blackjack has a house edge. That’s the inherent advantage of the casino over the players. There’s no simple way to overcome this advantage, so the player will always lose in the long run. That’s the nature of gambling.
Basic strategy in blackjack does not overcome the house advantage. However, it does minimize it. If you play according to the chart below, the average blackjack table will have a house edge of under 0.5%. That’s by far the best you can get with any game on even the best live casinos. It’s also why good players love blackjack so much – it’s not purely based on luck like roulette or similar games. Luck is still good to have, though.
Blackjack Strategy Chart
Below you’ll find the best blackjack strategy chart for most live tables with real dealers.
We should also note that the exact moves on this table depend somewhat on the table rules. For example, a single-deck blackjack chart would look a bit different. The one we made works for shoes with 4, 6, or 8 decks. In other words – most blackjack tables at casinos, both online and land-based.
Moreover, our blackjack chart was made with the assumption that the dealer hits to 16 but stands on a soft 17. Again, these rules apply to the overwhelming majority of live casino blackjack tables. We highly advise that you become familiar with this chart before moving on to advanced blackjack strategies.
Money Management in Blackjack
The situations that can occur in any live dealer blackjack game are infinite, so players looking to be successful will have to know online blackjack strategy and make use of itat all times. However, your moves are not the only control you have while playing. You also control the stake.
Money management is an essential skill every gambler should know. At its core, bankroll management protects you from losing too much or winning too inconsistently. However, it can have an even more important role while playing 21.
For starters, doubling is a key part of basic blackjack strategy. That’s the deeper level of money management you need to understand. Increasing your stake is a way of pressing your advantage if you have it. That’s why doubling is sometimes the best move to make, after all. If the cards you know look favorable, you double to win more. Moreover, card counting in blackjack is all about increasing the stake when the conditions are favorable.
Why is this so important? Because a winning blackjack strategy does not win the majority of the hands you play. Even professional advantage players only win about 42% of all blackjack hands. Winning blackjack is all about winning more money than you spend. If your bottom line is a positive number, you can consider yourself a winner.
Picking the Right Live Dealer Tables
Live dealer games provide a sense of being in a land-based casino and choosing where to play these games is essential.
Many online casinos are now offering live dealer blackjack, but players will find that the games do vary. Some providers use a studio, where the live dealer presents the games, while other casinos actually use a webcam in a land-based casino, which will offer a different experience. When choosing where to play live blackjack, know how the game is being transmitted as it can affect the quality of the game and the level of realism. Blackjack online strategies cannot change the fact that you’re playing at a player-friendly table (or otherwise.)
Also make sure that the casino site that has been chosen is using reliable and trusted software and that it is licensed and regulated, offering player protection for all. That much is a given, but it’s still worth mentioning.
Which Blackjack Tables are the Best?
You may have noticed that not all live casino blackjack games have the same RTP. Most hover around 99.5%, but not always. First of all, Blackjack RTP is calculated under the assumption that players are using basic blackjack strategy. However, the differences come down to small, subtle rule variations that can impact the game.
Most tables use standard Vegas Strip blackjack rules. Explaining how the differences impact gameplay is not easy, though. Instead, we’ll give you a list of the best rules in blackjack you should look for when deciding which table to use.
- Dealer stands on soft 17
- Double on any total allowed
- Split and re-split allowed, including on Aces
- Surrender option. Ideally, you want Early Surrender, though that’s hard to find
- 3:2 payout on blackjack (2:1 would be even better, but extremely rare)
- Six-card charlie
- As few decks as possible if you’re trying to count
- High deck penetration (using more of the shoe before shuffling)
Also, note that many modern live casino blackjack games use common draw rules. This means that all players share the same hand. While this doesn’t change basic blackjack strategy, it may affect advanced tactics such as card counting. Read our Infinite Blackjack strategy guide for an in-depth guide on how all of that works.
