Double Deck Blackjack Betting Strategy
However, whether or not I'll like the shoe game, I have already planned to revise my bankroll and betting strategy so that I'm not underfunded, and have enough BR to cover double downs and positive TC counts =3. AFTER I'm sure I know the differences between 2-deck and 6-deck blackjack, I'll work on this strategy. Multiple Deck Blackjack Strategy Charts Multi Deck Blackjack Strategy Chart. The following strategy charts are designed for multiple deck blackjack. Before you begin using these charts, make sure that you are playing in a multi deck blackjack game. These charts slightly vary for optimum performance on a game to game basis.
- Double Deck Blackjack Betting Strategy Games
- Double Deck Blackjack Betting Strategy Odds
- Double Deck Blackjack Betting Strategy Poker
With the emergence of digital casinos, the game that attracted most players was blackjack – for various reasons. First and foremost, we all have a familiarity with the game, whether we’ve seen it in movies or played it ourselves. The second reason was that it’s a perfect balance of technical skills and a game of luck.
It’s not only popular in Europe (where it originated) or the USA (where it quickly found wide recognition). Now it’s played by thousands of players everywhere. So, it’s only natural that these players are turning to the internet for newfound strategies and variants they can employ to increase their chances of winning — or, just to shake things up a bit. One method that’s worth knowing about is the Double Deck blackjack strategy.
First, let’s go through all the rules for playing with this strategy and how it can change up an ordinary game of blackjack. Remember, it’s always useful to practice before bringing this to a blackjack table — digital or otherwise. Test it out on your own before you wager real money. This way, you can avoid making any mistakes that would have been brought about because of negligence and lack of expertise.
The Basic Blackjack Strategy
For quite a bit of the game’s history, there were no strategies; blackjack was played more similar to poker in regards to how players would guess their opponents’ next actions by analyzing possible moves.
However, the game evolved rather recently. This was due to a Las Vegas casino’s decision to switch up their blackjack rules. The deciding factor in doing so was to bring in new players and, thus, more potential revenue. These new rules require the dealer to only show one card out of the two dealt.
Furthermore, drawing can only be done under certain conditions. Due to these alterations, it is easier to predict the dealer’s actions. This turn of events certainly increased the game’s popularity, as strategies for analyzing the dealer’s actions became more widespread.
The basic strategy isn’t perfect, but the concept is very intuitive and easy to learn. The method is recommended for those players who are just learning how it works. It also fits those who do it for fun while minimizing their losses to a certain extent.
The basic strategy serves three things:
- Get the maximum win on each winning hand;
- Get the least loss in the losing hands;
- Turn a losing hand into a winning one.
After figuring out how to apply these rules consistently, it will be easier to move to more complex strategies. Getting better with the basics is an essential step to playing correctly in general. It is also essential if you want to learn the Double Deck blackjack strategy for card counting.
Blackjack strategy chart, useful for multiple blackjack variations, including the double deck.
Basic Strategy for Double Deck
Basic strategies have some minor differences depending on the variant being played. For example, you may be allowed to double after the split, while in other cases, you won’t be. Also, some variants are dealt with one deck (see single deck blackjack strategy) while others use multiple decks. The basic strategy is adjusted based on the variant in order to produce the best results.
The Double Deck blackjack basic strategy uses two decks of 52 cards each. They are shuffled together and dealt at the beginning of each hand.
Here, players cannot surrender. However, it is possible to purchase insurance if they believe the dealer is about to hit 21. Check out this table to see a detailed guide on your actions according to this technique:
The biggest benefit of using these tables is that they are completely straightforward. You simply need to check the value of your hand, see what the dealer holds, and refer back to the table. It will show which rules apply in a particular situation and you’ll know the next best action.
What Are the Most Generous Rules You Can Find?
Several conditions that leverage players’ winning chances for the better (if applied perfectly) include:
- It uses one or two decks (for our case, it’s two).
- Unlimited doubling is allowed.
- Players can re-divide aces and draw cards to them.
- The player always wins whenever they get six cards and stay under the limit.
If all of these conditions are met, and you apply the blackjack basic strategy for Double Deck, together, they would give you a significant advantage. Of course, casinos take these rules into account, so they try to compensate for them and keep the house edge. So, be prepared for high table limits in exchange for the house edge being reduced.
As for regular players who are not interested in counting cards, the number of cards has little effect on the results. But on the other hand, if you do count, the fewer decks there are, the easier your calculations will be.
How Does the Number of Decks Affect the House Edge?
Players who work with the blackjack Double Deck strategy often prefer to know what’s inside the dealer’s shoe. The main reason is that it helps them apply advanced strategies more effectively.
Rules and calculations start changing as soon as you include more cards. Unfortunately for players, it’s directly related to the increased house advantage. The biggest changes start when you play with 6 or 8 decks.
Card Counting in Multi-Deck games compared to one-deck games, even the two-deck version can make a big difference. Casino owners are aware of this fact, and they try to take advantage of it. While it’s really hard to outsmart the system, it’s not impossible. You just have to come up with a tried and tested way to increase your chances of success.
Multi-deck games, such as the Double Deck blackjack counting strategy, include a higher number of cards. Therefore, players need to calculate all the cards still in play. Keeping track of a few (one or two) decks is very different from having more of them in play at once. Sometimes it makes it harder to determine how many cards are left.
There are even casinos that put a cap on the shoe, thus preventing players from calculating. If you come across such a table and still want to test your skills, one possible way to calculate the number of cards is to multiply the number of hands, including the dealer’s, by 2.7 on each turn. However, you need to factor in the margin of error.
Also, if you participate in a two-card pocket game when the dealer has the cards in hand, it can be challenging. Therefore, in order to keep accurate live counts in multi-deck games, you need to see cards in the discard tray.
How to Learn New Strategies Quickly
The only way to master any game is to study and practice. One way to memorize strategies is to play online. Not only are there many specialized training programs, but there are numerous online casinos you can try out. Practice basic strategy and more advanced systems such as the blackjack strategy card counting for Double Deck.
These simulators and online platforms give you a great opportunity to practice different strategy options. You can check the possibility of modifying the strategy tables and play around different rule settings. This way, you will develop your unique playing style and leverage the game in a way that you personally.
Advantages of Online Casino
We are all familiar with traditional casinos. They have their own pros and cons, but what about the new digital versions of casinos? Here are the reasons why you should choose online platforms in favor of the outdated ones:
- Speed. The game progresses quickly, but the player still has enough time to decide how much to bet, how much to play, and anything else. The time limit is renewed whenever a card falls on the table, and players are generally given 10-15 seconds, which contributes to the excitement. The game takes place pretty fast, even when there are 6 players at the table.
- Comfort. In a ground casino, it is considered rude not to play a lot. The online casino is the opposite. You can stop the game whenever you want for any reason (answering your phone, having a bite to eat, talking to someone, etc.). Add the comfort of your favorite armchair in the living room, or even play from your bed.
- Live dealers. Trained dealers give you the same experience as a regular casino. They can address you by your name (an alias usually, though you have a choice) and they can also answer a comment or question, as it would be in real life.
Important Considerations about Online Casinos
To be fully transparent, we also want to point out a couple of drawbacks. While they may not necessarily make your experience worse- or, they may not even happen- you should still keep them in mind:
- Traffic issues. Especially in online casinos with few tables, you may need to wait for a gap to be able to play. Also, you need to have a stable Internet connection if you don’t want to get disconnected in the middle of the game.
- Risks of being scammed. Some are suspicious about online platforms and whether they can trust them. There are times when players complain about a dealer or other players and point out suspicious behavior. Some rare instances shouldn’t be your reason to stay away from casinos, but you should definitely do your research before going in.
Why Play Blackjack?
The main reason blackjack is popular with gamers everywhere is its simplicity. The easier it is to learn, the easier you can improve your technique. The fact that it offers the opportunity for immediate profit without much thought makes it even more liked.
We are not only talking about experienced players, but also non-professional players who are doing it primarily for fun with no desire to deal with calculations and mathematical sequences. Of course, there are devoted fans, but with the right strategy and a little skill, it can bring significant profits to any player. This can help take the house edge below 1%.
More Useful Tips to Ace the Game
You can never have enough advice on how to improve your tactics. We present several additional recommendations that the most experienced players follow:
- Remember that the dealer can win any card. Never be sure of yourself. You should learn when to surrender or use the insurance option – when you do not have a good hand and have placed a high stake.
- Even if we do not count cards, it is common for 5 to 6 small cards to go over the limit.
- When you are counting cards, and the number is negative, like -1, it would be best to raise the stakes a little higher as you are likely to get a blackjack or at least 20.
- Stay focused on your game. Always calculate your moves with the mindset that there is no room for error.
- Do not play with beginner players if you can. They don’t know when to split, double, pull, and other essential moves. It may sound harsh, but it is one of the most important tips.
- Always have enough money to play. Of course, it shouldn’t be the house rent money or your food budget. It means you should have enough money left over from your budget to play comfortably and without fear of going into financial troubles.
Even when applying the best blackjack strategy that will increase the chances of success, nothing is guaranteed. You may have a high hand, but the dealer might still beat you without you seeing it coming. Don’t back down; just bet the same amount on the next round and keep your temper. There are many times when players rise from unfortunate situations and start winning consistently.
Two Worst Mistakes Beginners Make
Continuing on the educational segment, we will also look at the key mistakes newbies make to help us become better. Remember that this game is more of a game of skill and experience, unlike many other casino games.
Of course, blackjack’s popularity is largely due to its rules that seem easy to understand to the general public. However, the difference between a good player and a bad one is knowing the basics and when it’s time to quit. Let’s look at these two main mistakes that bad players make:
- Ignoring basic strategy. There are many ways to learn about the game from a professional perspective. For instance, you can use online articles, books, and videos. However, very few players are aware of the basic strategy, which is known to help in various situations. Those who haven’t dealt with some basic playing strategies don’t have a truly holistic view of the subject.
- Not knowing when enough is enough. Let’s take a simple example. One player comes in every day with $100 and aims to make $300. If it reaches $300, they must stop. Suppose they go on and make $400, which means they reached $100 above the expected daily profits. But then comes the losing streak and their profit comes down to $300 again. This is the moment when they should accept what they have and not try to reach $400 in profits just because they could.
Start Practicing Today!
As was the case with the growth and spread of the Internet, it would be unreasonable to leave the gambling industry unchanged. Thousands of online casinos offer a range of services that the player can’t even find elsewhere.
The easiest way to learn the blackjack strategy for Double Deck is to play the game more often. Repeat the right moves until they become a habit. If you are a beginner, we suggest playing with smaller funds while you are still getting used to the strategy.
Check out Bob Casino for different versions; start small and progress to more advanced techniques with a great skill set. Our simple online platform makes participating in online blackjack quick and easy. Just pick a game, choose what you want to bet, and have fun. Experience the intensity of a real casino at home with us!
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Of all casino games that you can choose from, Blackjack is one of the better options you will have. It is one of the only games that a skilled player can turn the house edge in their favor. Doing this is no small feat and will take some learning, patience and a bit of luck. But the sheer fact that you can turn the odds in your favor is reason enough to take the time to perfect the strategies and start making more money playing Blackjack.
The following article will become your new guide to Blackjack. It will cover every strategy out there that works and even a few popular methods that you should stay away from. This guide will assume you already know the basics such as; rules and how to play. If you are unfamiliar with Blackjack, please read our article on how to play blackjack and its history.
For those still with me, let’s dive right in and get to the meat. For this of you who wants to play Blackjack now, sign up at Club World Casino.
Basic Blackjack Strategies
Some mathematician has already figured the perfect way to play the game and took all the guess work out of it. There are a variety of charts that you can find anywhere for free that will show you exactly how to play each and every scenario at a Blackjack table. We won’t go into much depth about the strategy behind it, as we would be here for 2 days and you would likely need a Doctorate in Math to understand how it works.
The basic principle is that each situation has a mathematically correct decision that will show the best possible results. These decisions are made based on what the dealer up card is; and the chart will tell you exactly how to act. If you can read, you can use this strategy. This chart can be found in our Blackjack Tips Section for easy use.
It’s considered optimal strategy and will have you playing perfect Blackjack each hand. However, the built in house edge of .48% assumes everyone is playing perfectly. Most of the time players are making the incorrect mathematical choice and their odds will be much worse. So, even though we are playing optimally, we will still need something else to overcome the house advantage.
Blackjack Card Counting System
There are many misnomers about card counting that we need to clear up before we talk about how it works. The first is that many people think it is illegal or banned by most casinos. The truth is, casinos do not have specific rules, or bans on card counting. They may not like it, but you cannot be arrested if thought to be counting cards.
Having said that, a casino can ask you to leave for whatever reason they feel is necessary. If you’re believed to be a counter, they will simply ask you to leave. This is well within the casinos rights and there is nothing you can do about it. The casinos are scared of a good card counter, because it works.
Also, counting cards will not tell you exactly what card will come next. It merely gives you a solid basis on what the remaining deck contains. The goal of counting cards is to figure out when the deck has more high value cards and take advantage of this. When a Blackjack deck is rich in higher cards, the player gains a slight edge, thus making it invaluable information.
To start, you need to assign each card a value. Cards2 through 6 will count as -1. Cards 7 to 9 will count as 0. And, cards 10 through Ace will count as +1. This means anytime you see a 2, you subtract one from your true count. Anytime you see an 8, you keep the count the same. Lastly, anytime you would see a 10, you add 1 to your count.
Card Counting Example
We always start at zero and work our way up and down from there. We sit in on a hand and start our count at zero. We are dealt a 10 and a Jack. Both of these are +1 cards so we now have a count of +2.
The player next to us is dealt a 2 and 5, which are both -1 value cards. This now gives us a count of 0. The dealer shows a 2 up, which is also a -1 value and brings our count to -1. We keep doing this for every card we can see, even when the dealer flips over their down card, we count that one as well.
The principle behind card counting, as I stated above, is to take advantage of the deck when it has more high value cards. However, we don’t want to base this off of a single hands count. A typical Blackjack deck will contain 4-8 decks. Knowing only 8 or so will not give us a very accurate read on the deck. It’s important to go through a few hands before basing your bets off this count.
If you’ve gone through the deck a bit and your count is -4 or less, this means more high cards are in the deck. You should begin to make bigger bets to take advantage of this. You never want to deviate too much from your normal bet sizes, as this is a sure tip off to casinos that you are using some type of card counting strategy. If you go from betting $5 and all of the sudden bet $25, this is an obvious red flag.
On the flip side, if your count is in the positive, this would mean the deck has less of these high value cards and is not optimal for the player. Your best during a high count should be smaller to limit losses on a weak deck.
Blackjack Martingale Strategy
The Martingale Strategy is a betting system that uses a negative progression to recoup lost bets. This is one of the more popular betting systems around and is used by many gamblers. Its super simple to learn, and even easier to use.
To start the Martingale system, you pick a base amount to be bet and work from this point on. When you lose a hand, you will double the previous bet amount. When you win, you go back to the original base line amount we started with.
Let’s say we start out by betting $1 per hand. The first hand we are dealt a 20 and win. We are up $1 and continue to bet our base amount of $1 since we won the hand. This time we lose, and based on this system we need to double our previous bet.
At this point our winnings are at even and we have to bet $2 on our next hand. We are unlucky once again and lose our $2 bet. We are now at -$2 and have to double our previous losing bet which was $2. We do bet $4 now and win this time, giving us a profit of $2. We can now go back to betting our original amount of $1 and continue this process based on the rules of the system.
It’s crucial to note that you do not just double the initial starting bet. You always double the losing bet amount, not the starting amount!
Paroli or Reverse Martingale Blackjack System
This betting system is the exact opposite of the Martingale. Instead of doubling your losing bets, you will double all winning bets until you lose. At that point you would go back to the starting amount.
An example would be; if you bet $5 to start and win, your next bet would be $10. If you win again, you bet $20. Once you lose, go back to betting the original $5.
The advantage to using this system is that it takes a much smaller bankroll to employ. Using the traditional Martingale system of doubling losing bets can get expensive if you go on a bad run of cards.
The only downfall to the Paroli system is that you need to set a limit of when you will stop doubling your winning bets, thus putting a cap on your winnings. This threshold is often difficult to determine and can be more of a guessing game. It does work however, and can be a valuable tool in your arsenal.
Blackjack Parlay Betting Strategy
The parlay system has been around for decades and is quite common among horse racing bettors. The concept is to use part or all of your winnings on a bet to increase your next bet size. It’s simple in theory and allows you to win more using less of your own money. To demonstrate this system lets use an example.
You start with a bet of $10 and win. In Blackjack you always get 1-1 on your money except on dealt Blackjacks which is 3-2. However, we are not lucky enough to get dealt a natural 21 and only win $10. You would then take part or all of that $10 profit and put it towards your next bet. Your next bet could range between $11 and $20. Never exceeding more than your winnings from the previous hand, and the original bet amount.
The advantages to this system are much like the Paroli. You can have a much smaller bankroll to use this system to start. Also, it allows you the opportunity to win much more because you are increasing bets with money that was not technically yours before the hand. It can be viewed as risking $10 of your own money, plus $10 of the casinos to win $40. Anytime you can risk $10 to win $40 is a good deal for you.
Blackjack Labouchere Betting Strategy
This system is a bit more complicated, but much like the others is guaranteed to make a profit is used correctly.
To start, you write a series of numbers down. These can be any numbers you choose and as long as you want. It’s recommended to keep it between 4 to 8 and nothing more than a 7 to start. A good example would be: 1-3-5-7-5-2-2
Using the sequence of numbers you wrote down, you will take the first and last numbers in this sequence and add them together. Each number represents a unit which is equal to one bet. If your bet sizing is $1 per hand, then 7 units would be $7.
In the example sequence of; 1-3-5-7-5-2-2, our first bet would be 3 units which equals $3. If you win this bet, cross out the first and last numbers. You would now have a sequence of; 3-5-7-5-2. We would now add the first and last number of our new sequence together, giving us 5. Your next bet amount would be 5 units, or $5. Each time you win a bet, cross out the first and last numbers until you are done the sequence and start a new one.
If you were to lose a bet, you would add the amount you wagered on the losing hand to the end of the sequence. Let’s say we are still using the; 1-3-5-7-5-2-2 sequence and lost our first bet of $3. We would add the 3 on to the end of our sequence which represents how much we lost. Our new sequence of numbers would be; 1-3-5-7-5-2-2-3. Therefore, our next bet amount would 1+3 (first and last numbers of new sequence) giving us a total of 4 units to bet on the next hand.
In the example above you can see that each time we lose we are adding an extra unit to our sequence giving us the chance to win that lost amount back plus one extra unit. Each time we win, we are gaining that much more. In theory, this system will ensure you always make at least 1 unit of profit if followed correctly.
Double Deck Blackjack Betting Strategy Games
Blackjack Oscars Grind System
The word grind in gambling terms means to make money very slowly over a period of time. The Oscars Grind betting system will do just that if used properly.
Its goal is to use a progression of winning bets to keep you winning at least one unit. Each time you would win a bet, it is doubled the next hand until you lose. At that you point you would go back to betting one unit. Once you’re back to a profit of one unit, you would start the sequence over.
Example: You start by betting one unit of $5. You lose that hand and keep the bet at one unit. You are down $5 at this point. The next hand you win $5 and your profit is at even. Since we have not yet produced a one unit profit, we stick with the progression of doubling our winning bets. We would now bet $10 on the next hand. If we win, we would have a profit of 2 units and can now go back to betting our original amount of one unit. If we were to lose that hand, we would stick with the progression until we had a total profit of at least one unit.
If you start a progression over and win the first hand in that progression, just keep betting the same amount of one unit until you lose.
This strategy has its ups and downs, but does work quite well. It will limit losses when you go on a bad run, but in turn will not produce large winning sessions. It is a grind, but will show results with a little patience. It also requires a smaller bankroll that a negative progression would.
Blackjack Strategies Not to Use
Mimic the Dealer
This is one you will hear players use quite often. Its premise is to play by the rules of the dealer. After all, the dealer has a house edge, why can’t we do the same? The reality is, there will be many times that standing on a 12 or other low hand will have a much higher mathematical advantage.
If you go the dealers rule, you would have to hit on a 16 and stay on a 17. Correct strategy often dictates that you would stay on most hands when the dealer has a 6 showing. This is just one example of why playing by the dealers rules is never a good idea. In fact, the house edge goes from.48%, all the way up to almost 6%.
Taking Insurance
When the dealer shows an up card of an ace, you are offered insurance in most casinos. The insurance requires placing the same bet amount as you did to start the hand and wins if the dealer has a Blackjack in the hole.
The golden rule to live by in Blackjack, is never take the insurance bet. Its odds are some of the worse and will show a terrible return on your money in the long run. Even when the dealer flips over 4 Blackjacks in a row, resist the urge and “Just Say No”!