Single Hand Blackjack
Single hand or single deck blackjack: It’s fun even when you happen to be in a relationship. It’s something you get to do on your own (playing directly against the dealer), something that can be very profitable, something that’s not complicated – involving just one single deck – and something that youwager.lv gives you the chance to play online – you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own bed. Now that’s a great deal if you ask me!
What’s the Difference Between Single-Hand Blackjack vs.
Multi-Hand Blackjack?
Single-hand blackjack is exactly the same as multi-hand blackjack
with regards to the rules. However, there’s an obvious
re-configuration of hands from 1 to 3.
Advantages of Single Hand Blackjack
Single hand blackjack is consistently looked at as the most attractive choice of the game since it offers players the best chance to win. As a matter of fact, the house edge is just 0.15% when you stick to blackjack games with just one single deck. Sounds pretty good, right?
Well, it is. Getting the lowest house edge of 0.15% puts you on nearly a level playing field with the dealer and increases your confidence, too. Needless to say, if you really want to take advantage of the low casino edge, you need to understand and learn everything basic blackjack strategy first. If you begin your online casino blackjack experience without having a strategy first, it really won’t matter how many decks you’re playing with.
One of the biggest advantages of single hand blackjack comes for card counters. Betting with just one deck allows card counters to get a favorable count sooner than with multiple decks. In other words, these players get to bet big earlier on.
You’re intrigued now, right? Continue reading if you want to know more about Single Hand Blackjack.
Blackjack Basics
Of course you know by now (or maybe you’re just getting started in the wonderful world of blackjack) that the main objective of blackjack is to land a hand with a point total as close to 21 as possible. However, you can’t go over 21.
How do you calculate the value of a hand?
The value of a hand in blackjack is the sum of the point counts of each card in the hand.
Take into account the value assigned to cards:
- Cards from 2 to 10 are valued as indicated
- Face cards (jacks, queens and kings) all have a 10 point value
- An ace card counts as either 1 or 11 Soft total: a blackjack hand with an ace that can be counted as 11 without the total going above 21. For example, a soft 17 is an ace-6 Hard total: a blackjack hand with an ace that can be counted as only 1 since counting it as 11 would make the hand go over 21. For example, a hard 17 is an ace-6-10.
- A tie between you and the house (also known as a push) means that you don’t win nor lose.
Once all bets have been placed, each player and the dealer are given two cards. In a single-deck game dealt from the hand, cards are dealt facedown and you may pick them up with one hand (of course, in live blackjack). Either way, one of the dealer's cards is turned face-up so that you’ll be able to see it.
When the cards have been dealt, you can decide in turn how to play out your hand. After all players in the table are done, the dealer plays according to a specific set of rules: the dealer must then draw more cards to any total of 16 or less and must stand on any total of 17 or more.
In some cases the dealer will also draw to "soft" 17 -- a 17 including an ace or aces that could also be counted as a 7. As we previously mentioned, the most common soft 17 is ace-6.
Hit: If decide to hit, you will take another card or cards hoping to get closer to 21. If your total exceeds 21 after hitting, you will "bust" and lose your bet.
Stand: If decide to stand, you choose to draw no more cards hoping that the current total will beat the dealer.
Double down: You choose to double your original wager and receive only one more card despite its denomination.
Split: If your first two cards happen to be of the same denomination, you may choose to make a second wager equal to your first and split the pair, using each card as the first card in a separate hand.
Insurance: If the dealer's faceup card is an ace; you will be able to take insurance, which is a bet that the dealer has a 10-value card down to complete a blackjack. Insurance, which may be taken for half the original bet, pays 2-1 if the dealer happens to have 21. You will be winning the insurance wager and lose the hand, coming out even.
Perhaps you happen to be an experienced player or a newbie – it truly doesn’t matter. Blackjack gives every type of player the same chances of winning and winning big. This game is said to be the one game in the casino that is actually very possible to beat and beat with tons of frequency.
How to Win at Single Hand Blackjack?
There are many things you can do if you want to win at blackjack. In short, if you’re able to lessen the house’s edge this will give you a better shot at leaving the session with more cash that you started it with.
There’s plenty you can do to increase your blackjack odds. A great example of this is the basic strategy.
A Closer Look at Blackjack Single Hand Basic Strategy
There are many details and aspects you need to understand perfectly clear when you first begin to play blackjack. However, many experts out there will all agree that the most important thing you need to master is the basic strategy.
A little history on Blackjack’s basic strategy: this strategy was created by using a computer simulation of millions of blackjack hands. One of the first blackjack simulations was done by Julian Braun of IBM, considered to be as the world’s foremost authority in the field of computer analyses of Blackjack probabilities.
Essentially, these computer simulations proved the mathematical probability of improving the blackjack hand or beating the dealer, by being given playing strategy. This means that blackjack players now got to know what action they should take (hit, split, double-down, etc.) for each and every possible card combination.
One thing you want to keep in mind is that almost all basic strategy rules are absolute in the long run. This means that numbers don’t lie. There’s no way around them.
The basic strategy charts are pretty self-explanatory. However, you want to study them and learn all you can before diving into real money play at youwager.lv. On the left hand column you’ll find the total of the cards you have and the proper playing strategy based on the dealers up card.
Your Hand vs Dealer's Upcard
| 8 | Double on 5 to 6. Otherwise hit. |
| 9 | Double on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit. |
| 10 | Double on 2 to 9. Otherwise hit. |
| 11 | Always double. |
| 12 | Stand on 4 to 6. Otherwise hit. |
| 13 to 16 | Stand on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit. |
| 17 to 21 | Always stand. |
| A,2 to A,5 | Double on 4 to 6. Otherwise hit. |
| A,6 | Double on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit. |
| A,7 | Double on 3 to 6. Stand on 2,7,8 or A. Hit on 9 or 10. |
| A,8 | Double on 6. Otherwise stand. |
| A,9 | Always stand. |
| A,A | Always split. |
| 2,2 | Split on 3 to 7. Otherwise hit. |
| 3,3 | Split on 4 to 7. Otherwise hit. |
| 4,4 | Same as 8 above. |
| 5,5 | Same as 10 above. |
| 6,6 | Split on 2 to 6. Otherwise hit. |
| 7,7 | Split on 2 to 7. Stand on 10. Otherwise hit. |
| 8,8 | Always split. |
| 9,9 | Split on 2 to 9 except 7. Stand on 7,10 or A. |
| 10,10 | Always stand. |
When doubling down after pair splitting the following pair splitting rules apply:
Your Hand vs Dealer's Upcard
| 2,2 | Split on 2 to 7. Otherwise hit. |
| 3,3 | Split on 2 to 7. Otherwise hit. |
| 4,4 | Split on 4,5 or 6. Otherwise hit. |
| 6,6 | Split on 2 to 7. Otherwise hit. |
| 7,7 | Split on 2 to 8. Stand on 10. Otherwise hit. |
There’s no doubt that blackjack is by far the most popular casino table game in the world, with more players than other table games such as roulette, craps, and baccarat combined. However, while it’s true that at this particular time you might not have the skill of level of experience to win consistently, let me tell you that you can and you will be able to win at blackjack if you stick with it.
Patience, persistence and concentration are vital ingredients that you want to have if you want to be successful while playing blackjack. You already have the perfect online casino destination at youwager.lv. Now all you need is to learn your basic strategy for hitting, standing, doubling down, and splitting pairs.
Invest a little time learning to play well and you will be able to stretch your money a lot farther that you ever expected it to go. Trust me, it happened to me!