Poker Blackjack

As nouns the difference between blackjack and poker is that blackjack is (card games) a common gambling card game in casinos, where the object is to get as close to 21 without going over while poker is a metal rod, generally of wrought iron, for adjusting the burning logs or coals in a fire; a firestick or poker can be any of various card games. If you like Texas Holdem Online Poker Tournaments with friends and poker casino games, you will love Blackjack Free - Casino Texas Holdem Poker and 777 Slot Machine Blackjack 21 FEATURES: - Easy to play, full of fun! - 3D Authentic Casino Tables, choose your favorite!

Table Of Contents

This is everything you ever wanted to know about how to play Blackjack like a pro but were too ashamed to ask.

Bryce Carlson, Edward O. Thorp, Arnold Snyder, Russ Hamilton, Don Johnson.

1. In online blackjack, the house edge – assuming you’re playing with perfect basic strategy – varies from about 0.3% to 1%. This is one of the lowest house edge figures in the house. In poker, you’re not playing against the house. You’re playing against the other players.
2. Aug 07, 2016 Blackjack is a far less dramatic game than poker. You are playing against the casino house edge and not against the other players. Card counting is overwhelmingly the favoured advantage technique. The normal blackjack player usually faces a one-half to two percent house edge.
3. Free Blackjack Game Overview. Welcome to this online blackjack page where you can play the best free blackjack games. The benefits of playing online are that you can learn blackjack rules in no rush and there is no actual monetary loss if you lose! You can click the menu button on the top right corner to read the rules.

If these names don't ring any bells, then you're probably here to pick a trick or two before your next beer-and-Blackjack session with the guys.

Though gambling is not necessarily your passion in life, you certainly deserve to see their baffled faces as you show them how to play Blackjack.

And who knows?

Maybe in time, you'll get to sit at the big shots' table and make some serious dough.

Do you want to play easy Blackjack game online? Visit this page and get an immediate bonus to play low stakes Blackjack games!

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Blackjack 101

Since this is a guide on demand – made especially for rookies without any real experience or proper Blackjack skills – I'll start by introducing the game.

Blackjack might not the easiest way to spend your free time, but it is a good choice when you play Casino games.

Personally, I think it's the best game on the Casino floor.

You can play Blackjack in that shiny new casino just around the corner or join millions of thrill-seekers who've replaced classic tables for online simulations.

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Check out the best free sites to play live Blackjack games online!

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Of course, you can always host a Blackjack party at your home - if your friends share your passion. Some Casinos chips and a few decks of French playing cards are all you need to get the game going.

Whatever your choice is, you'll need a solid knowledge the basics of Blackjack, of the rules, and of the best strategy to play and to increase your winning odds.

Which One Is the Spade Again?

Like you can not learn a language before you studied its alphabet, you need to start from the basics if you really want to learn how to play Blackjack.

That's why this Blackjack guide starts from the A-B-C of the game.

I'm going to call this 'first lesson' How to Play Blackjack and What the Cards Mean.

This may be the last chance for you to clear any confusion surrounding card symbols and to finally learn to read them right.

Don't miss it.

Let's start from a classic deck of French cards because that's what you need to play Blackjack.

Yes, these are the same cards your grandfather use to play Slapjack, Crazy Eights, and Three-Card Poker.

In total, the deck features 52 cards divided into four different suits:

• Clubs (♧)
• Diamonds (♢)
• Hearts (♥)
• Spades (♤)

Spades and clubs are coloured in black while diamonds and hearts are coloured in red.

But since we are on PokerNews, I'm assuming you knew that already.

A traditional deck has 13 ranks and each suite has one card per each rank.

The first card is the ace (A), but it's not exactly the equivalent of a 1. In fact, this card can be the highest-ranking card of the deck.

The following ten cards form a string from two (2) to ten (10/T), while the last three are the Jack (J), Queen (Q), and King (K).

These last three cards are called the face cards.

Oh Wait, How Much Did I Just Score?

But 'I just want to learn how to play Blackjack', you say?

'I don't need you to remind me of my grandpa and his dusty old cards!'

I hear you, but be patient.

I'll get to that in less than a minute.

The reason I needed to dust off your grandfather's old deck of cards is that Blackjack has some restrictions when it comes to using suits.

In fact, suits are of value only in some variants of this game.

Since this is a Blackjack for dummies guide, you are free to ignore them now.

What's Really Important Here Is Getting to Know Your Ranks.

Since there are four suits, and each suit has one card of each rank, the math says that there are only four cards of each rank in the deck, right?

Scoring in Blackjack depends on the ranks a player holds in his or her hand, and his or her ability to count them according to the rules:

• Each ace is worth either 1 or 11 points.
• For all cards that belong to the two-to-ten string, the rule is the same – their rank equals their point value. If you hold a 5, for example, you hold exactly 5 points.
• Every face card, be it a Jack, a Queen, or a King, is worth 10 points.

So - let's see now how much did you just score.

Translate the ranks of cards you hold to their point value and add it all up.

That's really as easy as that. Your score in Blackjack is the sum of the value of your cards - not one point less than that.

And Now for the Easy Blackjack Rules (Finally).

When you play a game of Blackjack, you always play against the dealer.

Don't think about the other players at the table. Regardless of how many of you sit to play at the same time, there are always only two hands in play – the player's hand versus the dealer's hand.

And the winning hand in Blackjack is, you guessed it, the higher hand. Which, if you are lucky enough to get it, is also the one that gives its name to the game: a Blackjack.

A Blackjack is a hand 2-card hand that totals 21 points.

This is not an easy one to get, be sure of that. But it is also the one you'll be always hoping to receive. Every. Single. Time. You play.

But What about the Losing Hand?

The losing hand, the dead hand, or the bust, is every hand with a total sum of 22 or higher.

That's because as soon as you geo over the 21-point limit, you are out of the game. Regardless of the dealer's score.

Unfortunately, that's not the only losing hand in Blackjack. Because each hand that is one point short compared to the dealer's score…it's a losing one.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how to play Blackjack for dummies.

Blackjack 102

Your typical casino Blackjack table has enough space for seven players plus a dealer and includes the following phrases and/or signs:

• Blackjack plays x to y
• Dealer must draw to 16 and stand on all 17s
• Pays 2 to 1
• The table limits (min / max bet allowed)

What's That Nonsense on the Table?

Remember how a Blackjack – which is a hand with 2 cards that total 21, and is higher than the dealer's – automatically wins the game?

Well, that's almost true.

If the dealer also holds a 21, then the result is a so-called Push, meaning that your initial bet is returned to you and you neither win nor lose.

Blackjack pays 3 to 2, or in some Casinos, Blackjack pays 6 to 5, refers to payoffs and odds.

If you win against the dealer's hand, your initial bet is paid off 3 to 2, or in some casinos, 6 to 5.

With Insurances pays 2 to 1, you're offered to put an additional bet on whether or not your dealer will get a Blackjack.

Your hand can lose against the dealer's hand, but then you might cover your lost bet with a win on an insurance bet. Word to the wise, you can drop them both.

$5 minimum, $500 maximum is simply a reminder of the smallest and the largest amount of money you can put on the table.

A good guide on how to play Blackjack online should always direct you to play your first games on websites where the minimum bet is small enough to be beginner-friendly.

That's why I want to give you two choices:

Handheld Card Games Poker & Blackjack

• You can use these demo games to practice Blackjack online
• Or you can play cheap Blackjack games here

Should I Hit or Should I Stand?

Blackjack begins after all players have exchanged their money for chips and placed them on the designated spot on the table as their bets.

The dealer then deals the cards – two of them for each player, including himself.

The cards can be dealt either face down or face up, apart from the dealer's own two cards, of which one is always dealt face up and another face down.

The dealer then peaks to check if he's been dealt a Blackjack.

If not, the players are invited to hit or stand, though there are three more options to choose from – splitting, doubling down, or surrendering.

How you play your hand depends on the cards both you and the dealer have.

When you go for hitting, you're dealt one additional card.

If you choose to stand instead, you're keeping the cards you have.

To qualify for splitting, you need to have two cards of the same rank.

You'll receive two cards more, one for each of the cards you've originally been dealt, pay a side bet, and then start playing with two independent hands.

Both their bets and their payoffs are independent too.

When you double down, you need to place an additional bet, after which you'll receive one card more to add to your original hand.

The rules for surrendering vary from one casino to another, in a sense that some offer an early surrender option – to drop out of the hand before the dealer checks his cards for a Blackjack – and others a later surrender option, in which you must wait until after he's done that.

Either way, you agree to give up a half of the bet and are free to walk away with the rest.

How Do I Choose to Play a Hand?

The basic Blackjack strategy for beginners relies on knowing how to discern a hard hand from a soft one. The simplest way? Look for the aces!

If there's no an ace in it, or if that ace counts not as 11, but as 1, then you've got yourself a hard one, and you don't have much wiggle room.

Hard hands cannot count on aces to lower the total down and can be dangerously close to surpassing the limit of 22, which automatically makes them bust. Hitting is here quite a risk.

In a soft hand, however, you can count an ace either as a 1 or 11. It means that if another card is, say, a 9, you have either a total of 10, which makes you eligible for hitting or a total of 20, which could make your hand a bust if you choose to hit and receive anything but another ace.

But wait, there's more.

All this would be of little value if you were to leave without these Blackjack tips for beginners:

• Always check the dealer's face up card before you take action.

  If it's anything between 2 and 6, there's a good chance the dealer's hand will go bust, so don't take unnecessary risks. If it's 7 through ace, take your chances and play the hand aggressively.

• Skip placing the side bet for insurance pays 2 to 1.

  Experts calculate that this bet gives the house the advantage of almost 6% over the player. It's dumb because even if you score a Blackjack, your hand will pay off only the original bet.

• Be smart enough to take your time and don't get burned.

  The dealer might be rushing, so avoid the first base chair. Also, start small and give yourself a moment to assess the situation. Blackjack is only fun if you know how and when to move on.

• Oh, and take a primer from a Blackjack expert.

  When asked how to play Blackjack for beginners, gambling expert John Marchell spilt the following pearls of wisdom:

  'When your hand is 12-16 and the dealer shows 2-6, stand. In the same situation, hit only if the dealer has 7-ace. Always split aces and 8s and double 11 versus the dealer's 2-10, and hit or double aces-6.

  Also, blow off the guy who claims to be a Blackjack expert.'

That's how Bryce Carlson, Edward O. Thorp, Arnold Snyder, Russ Hamilton, and Don Johnson began counting their cards, after all.

Memorize this, try it on your friends, and stop if you're losing.

And though it won't save you if you're bad at math, we wish you good luck.

Where Can I Practice Blackjack Online?

Now, to the million dollar question:

what's the best online Blackjack site for a beginner?

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Looking back over the years of casino table games, particularly poker and blackjack, you might think they are just games but both require a certain amount of skill and strategy.

Taking the time to get to know these two favourites a little better, will definitely shed some light as to which one will be the best for you.

So we are weighing up the odds and looking at the strategies of each including some features that make the games so likeable.

POKER

Poker started out in the seventeenth century with a slightly different game called ‘poque’. It originated in France and they were known to play it with three cards and were popular for bluffing.

When the trend moved to America by French settlers, Louisiana and Mississippi were the first two states to start playing this game.

As it evolved in the 19^th century, they started introducing a 5 card variant that was called ‘poker’ as we know it today.

The most established game of poker was started in 1970; known as the all famous Texas hold’em.

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Odds

If you are looking for a game of chance, poker will be the one. Your game is mostly focused on winning against the players around the table than winning the casino house. However, if you look at the odds in poker the favour will definitely be for the house.

Your chances of winning in a poker game are about a percentage of up to 3% with about an average of 7-8% to break even. That leaves the house in charge with about 90% of winning. Players that have a bit of experience and knows what to look for in each possible hand might change the odds slightly. But do not get too comfortable, as you will be hoping that the odds will change to your advantage.

Strategy

Your skills around the poker table will be the one to keep you going. There are people playing professionally on a level that you might not think is at all possible. Should you be in the position to possess the extraordinary skills, you will not be banned, as it is perfectly legal. How to start winning in poker starts with the following categories:

• Learn the basics – To win the game you will need to do some groundwork. Poker is one of the games with the most variations to learn. Know the basic rules and which hand beats what. Take the time to have a look at how each hand will affect your strategy. Also knowing how to read the table and your position around the table.
• Advanced options – Some of the more advanced concepts are tight-aggressive, loose-aggressive and they loose-passive. You will need to know the difference and what each one means. Reading each component type will definitely make you the best player in the game.
• Apply your skills – Now that you have mastered your new skills, it is time to start practising it for real and apply them to the games you play.
• Continue learning – The last leg of being a successful poker player is to keep on learning. You will always find someone that has more skills than you. Keep on reading and improving your knowledge; you will certainly reap the rewards when it comes to high stake games.

BLACKJACK

Strangely enough, blackjack also originated in the 17^th century in France, renowned as ‘Vingt et un’ or more easily as ‘21’.

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The game was brought to Nevada in America, where casino owners decided to add an extra twist to the game.

If someone had a hand involving the ace of spaces and either the jack of spades or clubs, they will receive a massive 10:1 payout on their bet.

That was when the name changed to blackjack.

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Odds in blackjack

Comparing all the odds of the table games, blackjack has the best odds of all of them. It has a house edge of as little as 0.20% up to 0.63%, this can be determined by the number of card decks in the game. Your chances of winning can be increased by keeping an eye on the cards knowing when to choose which move.

Blackjack

Keep in mind that if you play for a very long time the house is sure to win. Not only does it acquire a vast amount of concentration and luck, but there is a built-in edge to protect the house as well. In order to beat the edge, you need to have a lot of skills

Strategy

The strategy to playing blackjack is very mathematical. You are constantly working out what your next move is going to be by standing, hitting, doubling or splitting. There are also some advanced ways of winning by watching the cards very closely. This is not seen as illegal, but some might find it very intimidating and you might be asked to leave the table.

Poker Blackjack Games Free

So start your strategy by learning the extremely important basics and the different types of games and variations you find in blackjack will definitely give you the upper hand when you are dealt your next hand. There is a vast amount of learning material available to get up to par, but the best way of learning is practising. Blackjack is very tiring and draining over a long period of time and takes quite a lot of effort to get to the top.

BLACKJACK VS POKER

So when you finally have a look at the difference between the two games you will find both of them require a lot of skill and of cause luck, however, if you have the necessary skills and training, you are sure to be a successful player.

It is said by poker players that they need a lot more skill in poker than the blackjack players as there are so many possibilities, but when you have a look at what is the world’s favourite game, blackjack tops the list by far. Poker players will play blackjack and blackjack players will play poker, but ultimately it boils down to individual choice and preference. So, it is up to you to decide.