Why Mastering a Blackjack Strategy Chart Won’t Guarantee Your Success

If you’ve seen The Hangover, there’s a classic scene where Alan gets himself and his buddies out of debt by playing the perfect blackjack strategy. On the surface, it looks like memorizing the blackjack strategy chart and sticking to it is all you need to win. Oh, if only life were that easy.

If you haven’t played around with the blackjack basic strategy chart, let’s dive in and explain what it is and why you can’t solely rely on it to win long-term.

Blackjack is one of the best games in the casino in terms of the player’s odds (versus the house) but there is one caveat: you have to play with the optimal strategy. To play that strategy, you can open up a blackjack strategy chart and simply follow it. You look at the two cards you have, you cross-reference with what the dealer is showing, and then you just follow exactly what the chart tells you.

So the strategy chart seems simple enough, right? The truth is that, yes, this is the hard part. Play with the chart (or memorize it) and you’re going to improve your odds. The challenge is that there are some flaws here that need to be highlighted.

1. Match the correct game to the right chart

One thing that players often forget is that not all types of blackjack are the same. While the blackjack strategy card can guide you for the basic version of the game, what if you’re playing with Poker Pairs Blackjack or 21+3 Blackjack? As the rules of the game change, the table becomes less and less relevant.

Make sure that you’re using the chart that matches the game.

2. How many decks are in play?

Another challenge for relying solely on the charts is that the number of decks in the game can change. Some casinos might use one deck, some might use four or five. When that happens, there are more cards of each type in the game. That means the odds and probabilities change. You can’t always use the same blackjack table as the one size won’t fit all. There are different blackjack playstyles for each amount.

3. Count cards: It’s tough but effective

The last piece of this is that card counting needs to be a part of your strategy. Anyone and everyone who knows how to play blackjack games has heard about card counting. Having the ability to track which cards in the deck have been used up and which are still in the deck improves your odds.

Realistically, the perfect blackjack strategy (using the chart) gets you close to a 50/50 chance of winning. Card counting is what can put you over the edge and tip the scales in your favour.

So, that all sounds good, right? The challenge is execution. To be in a place where you have memorized the blackjack chart and can somehow have the space in your mind to track all the cards without missing any…that’s really hard.

💡 Tip 1

To start, you have to play online. If you’re going to go to a land-based casino and sit there with a chart, consulting it at multiple points, you’re going to get shown the door. One of the benefits of playing online blackjack, is that nobody will bother you. Play at a snail’s pace to your heart’s content. Check-in with whatever tools or strategies you like. You have complete freedom.

💡 Tip 2

The next thing you’ll want to do is learn the ins and outs of one game – likely the basic version of blackjack to start – and then go from there. Don’t start playing 15 different variations; stick to one and learn it inside out.

That means know the odds, the number of decks, what happens when the dealer hits a blackjack and more. And learn to be robotic. If you have the right chart paired with the right game, don’t deviate from it. These charts are crafted based on computer simulations to play the optimal strategy. They know and tell you exactly what to do.

💡 Tip 3

Now that you’ve saved your brainpower from making all the in-game decisions, the last piece is to put your mental focus towards card counting. This takes practice, so you’ll have to practice. At the end of the day, if you execute this all well, you’ll put yourself in position to win. That’s exactly why people try to do it.

We’re not gonna even try to fool you, beating the casino is hard. The odds are definitely not in your favour. However, blackjack is one of the games where the scales can be tipped slightly in your favour. Play with the optimal strategy using the blackjack chart. Know the games you’re playing to match the game to the right chart — and work on card counting. Eventually, you’ll be a pro at it, and you might just end up beating the house.