Standing in Blackjack: When to Trust the Experts

One of the most crucial decisions made in a blackjack game concerns hitting in blackjack or standing in blackjack. After you are dealt your cards, you will need to decide if you want to hit (be dealt a new card) or if standing in blackjack (ie. sticking with the cards you have) is the direction you want to take in the game. Since the odds in blackjack are based semi-wholly on calculations and figures, experts over the years have come up with a series of variables that have come to be known as the basic blackjack strategy.

So can the basic blackjack strategy be trusted? The answer is yes. Obviously, luck also plays a part in determining whether you win or lose the game. However, skill is the most important element and thus a clear understanding of the odds when hitting in blackjack or standing in blackjack means that you can bring the house edge down from 5% to lower than 3% (and in some cases, even more).

Nobody expects you to memorize the lists of statistics that make up the basic strategy. When you are forced to make a decision about hitting or standing in blackjack, you are always free to consult the strategy that can be found in any blackjack guidebook or on the internet. In the long run, you will find that you will be able to figure out the strategy for yourself and that is when you know that you are moving up a level in the game.