What Skills Do You Need to Be Successful at Blackjack?
Blackjack is largely a game of luck that anyone can learn to play, but there is some skill involved in it too. If you are looking to get better results, it will be a lot easier if you have some of the following skills.
Good with Numbers
Clearly, it helps if you can quickly work out what your hand adds up to and what card you need to reach the magical number of 21. These are simple calculations but you might be surprised at how often people get it wrong.
The idea of keeping your bankroll under control is a little bit more complex, especially if you are using a progressive strategy that involves changing your stake every time. Otherwise, it can be easy to lose track after a few hands.
A more advanced skill is that of trying to memorize the sequence of the cards that have been dealt, as part of a card counting strategy. If you are using a basic blackjack strategy, you don’t need to memorize anything. Just have a strategy table close to hand as you play.
Ability to Keep a Cool Head
As with any type of casino game, it is easy to get carried away. This is when you are likely to abandon any strategy you had and make poor decisions. This can be because you are chasing losses or think that you are on a lucky streak.
In either case, it is far better to keep a cool head. This is how to make good decisions time after time. You will win some hands and lose others. The key to playing well is in making sure that you win more than you lose, which means not losing from your strongest positions and trying to sometimes win when you have a poor hand.
Staying in control of your emotions is a key skill for anyone who gambles. You’ll never know what card will come out next, so you need to have a solid strategy that takes this randomness into account and still lets you have as good a chance of winning as possible.
Good at Carrying Out Research
Not all online blackjack games are the same. Some are based on the European variant, while others use American rules. Some have side bets you could add in. The payout may also vary slightly between games from different providers. All of this means that the house edge varies.
The house edge is the advantage the casino has. This is usually expressed online as return to player (RTP). So a 98% RTP is the same as a 2% house edge. The lower the house edge, the greater your chance of coming out ahead. You could look on it as meaning that a small house edge means that you only need to win with fewer weak hands to come out ahead overall.
So, you want to look for a game with a good RTP. Side bets tend to have a poorer RTP than the main game, but if there is one that you think is worth it then look for this too. You could also look for great blackjack tips for beginners like doubling on 11 and standing on 12.
Be Able to Spot a Good Offer
You might get a great offer to join an online casino. In fact, these sites usually provide deals to welcome new players. This means you could get some free cash to start playing with. It is down to you to choose the best one, which isn’t just about the amount involved.
For example, not all of them let you gamble your free money on blackjack. Others make you play through your winnings too many times. You need to look for an offer that is suitable for blackjack and gives you a decent chance of walking away with some winnings.