Look, everyone who has ever played blackjack at a casino knows that the odds favor the house.

Even if you are highly skilled. Even if you count.

That’s because most casinos use six decks.

Still, there are some ways to help increase your chances of winning.

The first thing you should look on either online blackjack games and to land base casinos is to find a table were the minimum bet is affordable.

It’s something I do because I am not a great card counter. Although I do try (as should you).

This is no problem to online casino sites where blackjack games begin as low as $0.10 but on real casinos usually the minimum bet is $5. Maybe in some downtown Vegas casinos you can find $2 or $1 games.

After finding a suitable blackjack table, you should start strategizing. Obviously, you want the highest cards total, to 21. Not over.

Second, you want to force the dealer to bust.

As you already know, the dealer has always one card revealed and given the rule that he/she must stay on 17 you can force him to draw when his revealed card is three, four of five.

If for example you have 12, 13, 14 or 15 and the dealer shows a 5 then do not ask for another card. Let him draw.

Another important feature on blackjack is splitting. You should always split Aces, eights and nines (when dealer shows a nine) while you shouldn’t split five’s or four’s.

Splitting, as well doubling should be used carefully as it cast cost you a lot of money.

Always double when you are expecting a ten but never when the total value of your cards is below 8.

Blackjack is a game of skill but you shouldn’t spoil the fun you can get by betting large amounts of money that you cannot afford.

Luckily, there are tons of FREE practice rooms at online casinos.
They want you to think you know the game inside and out, because most people fool themselves and start betting.

Still, it’s great to practice for free against a computer.

At some point, you’ll want to switch to real money on online casinos and finally visit some real establishments to try your luck under real conditions.

Those of you who read this regularly know that every few months I like to do a “tips on how to play” posting, for those new to the game. Or for those who go to brick and mortar casinos and just want to have a better chance to win.

So, for the intermediate and seasoned players, check back next week. You probably already know this stuff.

The basic and most elemental principle is this:  a card deck with tens and aces is likely to bust the dealer; thus, the deck of cards is in favor to the player.

Similarly, a card deck with small numbers is in favor to the dealer.

So you must try to card count.

I know. I know. I suck at card counting too.

First, the player should keep track of all the cards which were already played to be able to gauge how rich or how lacking the deck of cards is.

Assign a value of point to every card played.

This is basically what all card counters do.

How about simplifying it this way: a plus point is given to a card if it is favorable, and a minus point to a less favorable one.

Thus, high cards are assigned minus one (-1) point while low cards are given plus one (+1). Those in cards in between are given zero (0).

The card counter then keeps track of all cards played and designates either adding or subtracting points to each and updates the total from time to time. The total process is called ‘running count’.

Or, if you have the memory, you can ‘true count’.

This is obtained after the card counter divides the running count with the proportion of the card deck size remaining. This then determines the richness or lack in the deck of card.

Also, the counter should check the up card of the dealer.

This is to weigh his options and determine if he will bet the maximum or not. The point is that a positive count is of course very good, and a high positive count is always the best.

If your count is positive and high, then the deck of cards is in your favor.

With this, the dealer may hit and hit to reach 17 or may get busted. If you can determine that your count is high and the remaining cards are low, bet as high as you can.

Counting may seem hard. And it is, for folks with lousy memories, like me.

Practice. Practice on your computer.

Many online casinos have practice for free games.

They want you to get into it. And then play for real.

Another tip: limit your money and time.

When you have reached your limit. Stop.

Casinos want you to keep playing. Because eventually, they win. They know this. So if you get on a hot streak, think about stopping. Of course, if you are a card counter….

Play on.

I hope this helps. At least a little.

Keeping in mind that NOTHING is free, even when they say it’s free, Virgin Casino…a pretty cool online casino is offering up some nice bonuses.

You might want to check them out.

The brand, Virgin, is awesome, of course.

This online casino is about 6 months old. Even so, they are gaining quite a lot of interest amongst the online players I hang with.

A note to readers here. I have NOTHING to do with Virgin. They are not advertisers. They don’t pay me a penny to say good things about them.

In fact… all I am doing is asking YOU to CONSIDER checking them out. What you do after that is your business.

Me? I think they’re pretty cool, although I am not a heavy player.

Reasons behind their ranting success lie in their good planning skills and their ability to change.

Since their launch, Virgin Casino has gone through rigorous changes with its game selection.

I have also noticed that they add a few games every month or so. I like their flexibility.

Of course, it’s all about money.

Their knack for planning can be seen in the promotions that they offer their members, which are especially favorable towards BLACKJACK players like me.

Blackjack fans can get a $50 blackjack bonus every Tuesday of the month.

Mind you, it is a deposit bonus. But as the bonus is for this month only, you’d have to do this next Tuesday, the 27th.

OK?

Here is the hype from the site: they offer an interesting selection of 10 different kinds of blackjack games. This appeals to me.

The Virgin Casino is using WagerWorks software. You won’t have to download anything, which I like, as I am basically lazy.

New members are eligible for a 100 percent first deposit bonus worth up to a total of $100 upon joining the casino.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

This is a damned interesting case.

A blackjack player who was banned from Grand Victoria Casino, in Indiana, in 2006, has sued the casino (yeah)  claiming unfair treatment….just because he is a card counter.

The case is now before the state’s supreme court.

Guys name is Tom Donovan is a retired computer programmer who learned to count cards via an online class and subsequently was able to win around $65,000 playing blackjack over a 7 year period.

He was watched and banned from the casino because he won too much.

He sued, lost the original case. Then won on appeal.

This is a really important case for all of you card counters out there.

Me? I suck at card counting, although I try.

When I get better at it, will I be banned too?

Will YOU?

So far the casino has been arguing that Common law permits them to refuse anyone entrance to their premises, along as its not a “bad reason,” but Tom Donovan’s attorney Marc Sedwick, countered by arguing that “Gaming is a statutory creature” that didn’t exist in common-law times.

I like what this judge said: Justice Frank Sullivan Jr noted: “Your casino could offer only games where nothing but pure chance governs, the slot machines, dice and the like but your casino offers games where skill can be a factor, like blackjack and poker, in an effort to attract customers who think they have the requisite skill to win.

“But once you identify a customer who has the requisite skill to win, you pull the rug out from under them and say ‘Sorry you can’t play,’ ”

Precisely.

I will keep my eye on this one.