All novice players make mistakes. That’s part of the process and if their game was flawless then they wouldn’t be novices. The issue with blackjack is that this is a very simple game, and one that works on small percentages, so if you make a mistake, it can be very costly and if you continue to make that mistake then you can turn a potential winning streak into a losing one.
In this article we’ll look at the most common mistakes and will hopefully teach you how to stop making them.
[showSites]
Don’t Call a Double on 11 With a Dealer Ace
Doubling 11 is usually a good move. If you’re not sure what Double is, then basically you double your stake and take one more card to get to your total. Obviously, a low card will give you a bad total, but the odds that you will get a 6 or more are in your favor and you’ll land a good total if your luck is in. However, when the dealer has an ace, they can trump even your best case scenario, taking all of your extra money with you. Instead of a Double, you should take a simple Hit in this situation.
There is a case for a Double here when the dealer has to hit on a soft 17, as the odds then tip back in your favor, but most dealers will Stand on soft 17.
Don’t Stand Weak with a Dealer 2
Any blackjack player will tell you that you need to place more emphasis on the dealer cards than your own, as they dictate how you play the game. Some dealer cards spell disaster for the dealer and the goal of the player is more or less just to remain in the game so you can watch them bust and then cash in. However, if the dealer has a 2 and you have a 12 or 13, a Stand is not advised. Many amateur players do Stand in this position, whereas complete novices, those who don’t pay attention to dealer cards, will Hit. In this rare case, the complete novices are right.
Don’t Take Insurance
There is never a good time to take Insurance, and doing so is often a sign that the player is a novice. Simply put, you will lose more money over the course of extended play if you take Insurance, so this only benefits the casino.
Don’t Play Low-Paying Blackjacks
A Blackjack is key. These will happen steadily over the course of extended play and without them your overall profits would be very slim. Therefore, don’t play on a table that offers very little return for getting a blackjack, such as even money. You want something that pays 2:1, which will be displayed in the middle of the blackjack table.
Don’t Increase Stake When Losing
Moving away from the actual strategy, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is to get frustrated and raise your stake when you’re losing. Players do this is an effort to recoup losses and there is usually an element of frustration involved. You should never play when frustrated and you should certainly never chase losses. This is how casual gamblers become addicts and it is how addicts lose everything they have in a few hours of gambling.