Now a days there's a casino within 3 hours of almost every major metropolitan city in the United States. With so many live blackjack options available it's worth discussing and examining the pros and cons of online and live blackjack. |
Card Counting Home | Online & Live BlackjackNothing beats a great game of blackjack. No matter what time of day or night that you walk into a casino, there are always players at the blackjack tables. On a Friday or Saturday night, you have to push through the crowds that gather around watching the blackjack players go up against the house. Blackjack is one of the most popular casino card cards around. Years ago, before the rise of Internet gambling, the only place where you could play blackjack was at a live casino. But those days are now gone. Blackjack is not just available at the nearest land-based casino. Now players can sit down at their own computer and enjoy blackjack. But not everyone is sold on the online version. Some blackjack players still prefer the action of a live game. When it comes to online blackjack versus live blackjack, there are many pros and cons. Advantages of Live BlackjackLive blackjack at a land-based casino is something to experience. The biggest advantage of live blackjack is the casino atmosphere. No matter how well developed the software is, an online game of blackjack just can’t compare to sitting in a land-based casino, surrounded by people and the sounds of the slots. Another big advantage of live blackjack is that the player can be sure that the game is genuine and the odds are not fixed as part of a computer’s program (although I should mention that online blackjack games are tested for authenticity but there is still some debate on the subject). When you are playing live blackjack versus online blackjack, then you know that the cards are reshuffled accordingly and that the game is genuine. The social aspect of live blackjack is a bonus, too. In an online game, you usually don’t even see a dealer. The cards just magically appear from the dealer’s “area”. In a live blackjack game, you can socialize with the dealer, the other players, and the people around you. That aspect of live blackjack versus online blackjack is one of the best parts of the game. Finally, the odds at live blackjack can sometimes be better than online blackjack. In live blackjack, you can double down on any two cards while many online blackjack games restrict doubling the hands that total 10 or 11. Also, many online games do not allow surrender which is an option at most basic blackjack tables. Disadvantages of Live BlackjackThere are some drawbacks to playing live blackjack in a land-based casino. The biggest disadvantage is location. Not everyone lives near a casino. In some cases, players have to hop a plane to fly to the nearest casino. Such trips can get expensive (especially with today’s airfares) and limit a player’s frequency in visiting a casino. Another disadvantage to live blackjack is that if you are a new player to the game, it will ultimately cost you in money while you are learning the rules. There are no free games at a land-based casino. | Advantages of Online BlackjackIn the debate of live blackjack versus online blackjack, the online version has many advantages. The most prominent advantage is convenience. With online blackjack, you don’t have to go any further than your own computer. There are no travel expenses, no high-priced drinks, and no tips to the dealer. Online blackjack is available to anyone who has access to a computer and the Internet. Also, a player doesn’t have to sit down and play at a table for hours on end. You can log on and off to play for minutes at a time as life’s schedule allows. When it comes to convenience, nothing beats online blackjack. You can also play online blackjack for free and this is a nice advantage for recreational or new players. For new players who just want to try it out, playing online blackjack for free is great practice and gives you plenty of time to learn the rules and hopefully develop a strategy to put into effect if and when you decide to play for real money. Also, not all players have the finances to consistently play for real money. So free online blackjack is a great way for those players to get in their blackjack fix while not risking any of their hard-earned cash. Game pace is an important thing to consider in live blackjack versus online blackjack. Live blackjack in a land-based casino can be tense and electric. The dealer and the other players at a blackjack table are not going to wait patiently while you dither around trying to make a decision. There is a lot of pressure to keep the game going. Online blackjack is much more relaxed. You can play the game at your own pace, however slow it may be, and no one is going to pressure you (unless you happen to be in a multiplayer game). You also have the Internet at your disposal if you want to look up any tips or strategies. Disadvantages of Online BlackjackPerhaps the biggest drawback of playing blackjack online is that you miss out on the live casino experience. As mentioned above, nothing compares to playing any game in a live casino. The atmosphere just can’t be beat and if you play online blackjack, you are going to miss out on that socialization that you get between dealers and other players. Online blackjack has another big disadvantage. Most of the software versions shuffle the decks after every hand which intentionally makes it impossible to count cards. So if you are a card counter who has had some success in live blackjack games, you won’t have the same success online. And finally, in the disadvantages of online blackjack, there are rule variations in some of the software that gives the house a slightly higher edge than in live games. As a player, you should always read the specific rules on any site before you sit down to play. |
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Most live dealer blackjack tables have seven seats. Betting typically starts at $5 per hand, but high-rollers can find games with minimum stakes of $1,000 and more. Let’s look at some of the features available at a typical table.
Blackjack is the most popular casino table game of all drawing in countless numbers of hungry players both in the brick and mortar casino, and in online casinos.
Are you a player who is knowledgeable about blackjack strategy? In this article, we detail the basic blackjack strategy charts and provide you with other handy tips to give you the best possible chance of leaving the casino – physical or virtual – in profit.
As with every classic casino table game, there is a lot of lingo thrown about which might sound double Dutch to novice blackjack players. What on earth does it all mean?
Ultimately, you will become more familiar with all the blackjack lingo as you develop your game, whether that is in the brick and mortar casino or at an online casino.
Nonetheless, we have listed some handy basic blackjack terminology below:
The first thing to get to grips with is ‘basic strategy’ which is probably the most essential ingredient of blackjack strategy.
The basic strategy detailed below is based on blackjack games played with 4 or more decks. Essentially, the basic strategy is a template which shows you the best course of action to take based on the cards dealt.
The below chart: Blackjack Basic Strategy Chart
The tables above are based on the standard blackjack rulesets. However, there are many different variations of blackjack both in physical casinos and in the online casino landscape.
These variations have different rulesets, so be mindful of the fact that some of the strategies above may not directly apply to the particular blackjack game you are playing.
In fact, the most useful thing you can do is check the specific ruleset of the blackjack game you are playing as soon as you sit down at the table.
Here are some general pointers and questions to keep in mind when playing your particular game of blackjack:
Here are some extra tips which relate to any blackjack game:
The charts above may look a bit intimidating and confusing if you are seeking a simple strategy to take to the blackjack table. However, there is a simpler method you can use to memorise the general points of the blackjack strategy above.
Also, you won’t be surprised to hear that in brick and mortar casinos you won’t exactly be welcomed with open arms into a casino if you rock up with these charts in hand.
The majority of casinos simply won’t allow you to enter with these kinds of guides. So, here are simplified guides of the charts above:
Player’s Hand Dealer’s Upfacing Card
HARD | 2 – 6 | 7 – A |
4 – 8 | H | H |
9 | D | H |
10 – 11 | D with more than dealer | D with more than dealer |
12 – 16 | S | H |
17 – 21 | S | S |
Player’s Hand Dealer’s Upfacing Card
SOFT | 2 – 6 | 7 – A |
13 – 15 | H | H |
16 – 18 | D | H |
19 – 21 | D | S |
Player’s Hand Dealer’s Upfacing Card
SPLITS | 2 – 6 | 7 – A |
22, 33, 66, 77, 99 | Split | Don’t split |
88, A | Split | Split |
44, 55, 1010 | Don’t Split | Don’t Split |
Extra tips:
Blackjack strategy is all about being mindful of the best action to take. If you memorise the main points of the charts above, you will be well on your way to mastering the wonderful world of blackjack.
There are advanced techniques which you can use, chief of which is blackjack card counting, which is essentially a method of tracking the cards which are dealt. However, this technique will not work with online blackjack games, as the virtual deck is shuffled for every single hand.
The best thing you can do to begin is to be fully aware of the specific ruleset relating to the blackjack game you are playing.
That being said, the majority, if not all, of the information in the charts will be applicable to any blackjack game. We are confident in saying that you will be thanking us for these magical blackjack charts!
Are you a blackjack buff? Are there any specific strategies which you use at the blackjack table? Comment below and let us know!