In a span of six months in 2011, Don Johnson, a professional gambler, won over $15 million playing blackjack at the Tropicana, Borgata and Caesars in Atlantic City. His winning streak turned him into a celebrity – something most blackjack pros avoid, but hey, who doesn’t want a lavish lifestyle?
Blackjack is serious business for a lot of gamblers. If you’re interested in learning how to play blackjack like a pro, you’ve got to start with the basics before learning strategy.
Goal:
Blackjack is played against the house. Your goal is to get a hand that’s higher than the dealer’s without exceeding 21. You also win if the dealer exceeds 21, and your hand is lower than 22.
Card Values:
Jacks to Kings: 10 points
Twos to Tens: Face value
Aces: 1 or 11 points
How to create the perfect hand:
At the start of the round, you’ll be dealt a two-card hand. You then modify your hand by initiating any of the following actions.
Hit: Request an additional card to increase your hand value.
Stand: Keep your hand as is.
Double Down: Double your bet, and receive one, and only one, more card.
Split: When your initial hand is composed of two cards of the same value, you can split them into two separate hands. At Slots.lv, you can split up to three hands. When splitting Aces, only one additional card is dealt.
Surrender: Forfeit the round and retrieve half your wager. The option to surrender is available only immediately after you’re dealt your two-card hand. You cannot surrender after hitting or splitting.
Insurance – When the dealers’ up card is an Ace, you can buy insurance for half your original bet. You get paid 2:1 if the dealer has a blackjack (Ace and 10).
Try to aim for a score of 17 or better, but depending on the dealer’s up card, a lower score can also do the trick. The internet is full of blackjack charts that depict the best move possible depending on your card and the dealer’s – just make sure you’re using a chart designed for the type of blackjack you’re learning. You’ll find Practice Play options available for all blackjack variants online at Slots.lv. With enough practice, you can become a blackjack celebrity in your own right.