BlackJack Intermediate Strategy

Situational Blackjack

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There's no such thing as a card player that isn't superstitious, and those superstitions often influence situational factors such as how you should place your bets and which seat you take. However, for the experts, such factors are not just based on superstitions, as there are logical reasons why certain decisions you make outside of card play can contribute to your chances of winning.

How you place your bets plays a big role in whether you win or lose. Before you sit down at any table, carefully read the limits and rules for any casino or card room. Only sit down at tables that have limits which you're comfortable with. It doesn't matter how well you play basic strategy if you're playing beyond your means. Betting too much money per hand affects your ability to play the strategy, almost guaranteeing that the house advantage over you will skyrocket. Beginner blackjack players should determine how large or small your bankroll would be for each day at the casino. That number should give you at least 20 rounds of betting, allowing you a full day to play. For example, if you have $100 per day to play, your best bet is to play $5 limits.

The secret to winning is to know when to increase your bets. This is a real tough one because other than counting cards, which requires an expert to do, there are no defined measures to determine when you should raise your bets. However, situational blackjack means you have to learn to recognize the right moments to make right decisions. If you have been playing blackjack for some time, you will realize that there are times when it is unmistakable that a table is 'hot'. This happens when the dealer keeps busting and you are feeling invincible, getting 19s or 20s for your first two cards and not busting even if you hit on 15 or 16. When the game turns to your favor as such, you should start raising your bet, but you should know when the momentum dies down and retreat to your standard wager. One thing about gambling in general is to know how to 'catch the wind' and you can only learn this through experience.

The seating arrangement on the blackjack table can also be an important factor. If you noticed, newcomers generally stay away from the last seat on the left side. Often referred to as third base, this seat can influence the game for the entire table. If the player in this seat deviates from basic strategy, because he is the last to act, the whole table may suffer from his decisions. For example, if the third base player hits when he should stay, and takes away a 10 or a face card, the dealer may get a low card, make his hand and win. Inexperienced players at third base often get stares from the other players when they make the wrong moves. The first base player is also important in the sense that he leads the order of decisions round the table, especially if there are beginners at the table.

There are other factors outside of card play that will help you win in the game of blackjack, but some of them are only relevant if you are a seasoned blackjack player with knowledge of advanced strategy. The pros take into account every single detail in a blackjack setting, and they will take advantage of anything that can work in their favor to bring the house down. While some people consider the situational factors as superstitions, others may simply regard them as instinctual advantage.