What does it take to be a successful blackjack player? Luck, knowledge, and a little bit of agility.
Luck is self-explanatory. You need to get lucky enough with the cards to make money over the long run. But blackjack players also need to have knowledge about playing strategy, typical casino rules, and card counting if they hope to come out ahead.
Players need to be agile, able to adapt their strategy when the situation changes. This includes adapting to new blackjack online rules being implemented by casinos like the Winbig7 site, but also adapting in-game when things aren’t going your way.
That said, here are five ways you can adapt your online blackjack strategy.
Test the Games First
Not all online blackjack games are created equal. You should spend some time testing out different sites before you play for real money.
Most reputable sites will let you test drive their game for free, or for a small amount of cash like $10 to $20 (which is normal for online casinos like Winbig7). This lets you see how the game is set up, if it has any quirks or special rules, and whether the random number generator (RNG) is fair.
Not every casino has a “test drive” feature though as this is one reason why it’s typically better to stick with just a few online casinos that you know you can trust.
Only Make Mid-Game Adjustments
Just because you don’t make changes in the beginning, doesn’t mean you should never make adjustments. But there is a right and a wrong way to do it. The golden rule with in-game adjustments is that you should only change one thing at a time.
Make sure you adjust for one particular situation only, and stick with it unless the game changes significantly. Keep track of what you adjusted so if you have to go back, you can do things by the same method as before.
Here are some common mid-game adjustments that blackjack online players make: bet size, whether to hit or stand, splitting pairs or not splitting, doubling down or not doubling.
You will need to make changes if any of these situations happen:
- The dealer shows an ace
- The dealer’s hole card is a ten
- Dealer’s upcard is low (under 6)
- You have a blackjack
- The dealer shows a ten or an ace
- You have 16 and the dealer’s upcard is 4 to 6
Split Pairs Only Once Per Game
Splitting pairs is one of the most powerful moves in blackjack, but you should never split 20s. Many online casinos won’t let players split anything above 10; others will only let you split aces.
Most of the time, casinos will also limit how many times players can split pairs in a single game. You should avoid splitting more than once or twice at most, unless you have a strong reason to do it again mid-game.
You Missed a Double Down Situation
Double down bets are easy to miss in online blackjack. This occurs when the dealer’s upcard is a two.
It is common for players to double down with 9, 10 or 11 against a dealer ace, but not when the dealer has an upcard of 2 through 6. It’s easy to get impatient when you’re playing online blackjack and want to move on to the next hand.
Instead, take a moment to check out the dealer’s upcard before you make your move. You may realize that doubling down is a smart move against their two.
Don’t Flex Your “Muscles”
The last tip for playing blackjack online is a simple one: don’t flex your muscles unnecessarily . If you have worked out a good strategy for the game, don’t worry about making it “perfect”.
You shouldn’t change your strategy just because you’re losing or doing poorly. This includes betting more aggressively when you’re behind, or trying to double down on 11 vs. any dealer upcard.
Online blackjack games are fast-paced and you lose track of time. It can be easy to “fall into the zone” and play as fast as you can, but this is a bad idea for anyone who’s trying to win money consistently.
Always take your time with each hand, and make sure that any decision you make is because it has been well thought out, not just an impulse move.
Takeaway
These adjustments and tips should help you adapt to online blackjack games and be a better player overall. Just because the game is played through a computer screen, doesn’t mean it’s “easier” than playing at a casino or with other people. Good luck!
