The nature of blackjack’s simple game makes it perfect for a wide variety of rule changes. Whether playing a friendly game in your house, at a casino, online, or on a cruise ship, there are a number of blackjack variations that you could see.
For the most part, the blackjack variations favor the house, which is why I recommend sticking to the standard game. Also, it’s easier to remember the basic strategy for one game rather than the standard game and all of its variations.
One blackjack variation that is pretty common is the removal of one or more cards from the deck. Traditionally, togel hongkong is played with a standard 52-card deck, with face cards counting for 10 points, an ace standing for one or 11 points and everything else having its face value. However, it’s fairly common to find a game where all of the tens are removed or all of the sevens are taken out of the deck.
In the game of blackjack, high cards favor the player and small cards favor the dealer. Therefore, any blackjack variation where the high cards are removed tilts the odds farther in the house’s favor. In contrast, any variant where small cards are removed tips the odds in the player’s direction.
Below is a complete list of how each card being removed from the deck affects the house edge. The percentages given are the amount that is added to or subtracted from the house edge. For example, removing all twos from the deck reduces the house edge by 0.40% and removing all aces from the deck increases the house edge by 0.59%. Keep in mind that in the standard game of blackjack, playing perfect basic strategy reduces the house edge to 0.50%.
Removed Card = House Edge
2 = -0.40%
3 = -0.43%
4 = -0.52%
5 = -0.67%
6 = -0.45%
7 = -0.30%
8 = -0.01%
9 = +0.15%
10, J, Q, K = +0.51%
Ace = +0.59%
Blackjack Etiquette: Getting Advice
Whenever you join a blackjack table at a casino, certain rules of etiquette are expected. Many of the rules are common sense, but some are not. I have covered some blackjack etiquette in the past, but today I want to talk about advice.
Not everyone at the blackjack table is of equal skill. Not everyone has the same knowledge or grasp of basic strategy. Some might count cards while others don’t. Particularly for new players, it can be tempting to get the advice of others if you’re not sure what decision to make. But is that okay?
In short: yes. It is okay to ask for advice and it is okay to give advice. If you are playing at the table with some of your friends, there is nothing wrong with asking them what you should do. Likewise, if your friend is stumped, you can feel free to offer advice.
You can even feel free to give or ask for advice from strangers. You should, however, only give solicited advice. If someone is looking at his cards and is pondering his decision, don’t offer advice if he hasn’t asked for it. Also, if he asks for advice, make sure he is asking you or the table in general. For example, sometimes a player will ask the dealer what he should do. If he asks the dealer and you answer, that is a breach of etiquette.
Whoa, wait a second, so you can ask the dealer? Who in their right mind would do that? They’re your opponent. Many people won’t ask the dealer for advice for that reason, but if you don’t know what move to make and want help, there’s no reason not to ask the dealer. First of all, no one knows proper blackjack basic strategy better than the dealer. After all, it’s his job. Secondly, he’s not going to lie to you about what you should do.
The dealer won’t lie because there is a table full of people and at least one person there would realize that he’s giving you bad advice. That would cause problems for the casino and it would call the dealer’s integrity and by association the casino’s reputation into question. That is a lot to risk for a simple piece of advice. Since the casino still has a house edge even when you follow proper basic strategy, there is no reason for the dealer to try to deceive you.
So in short, you can feel free to ask the dealer, your friends or strangers for advice and if you know basic strategy, you can feel free to give advice to someone who asks for it. If in doubt about whether you should respond, it may be best to stay quiet. Also, only give advice if you’re certain what the best move is. If you aren’t sure or don’t have basic strategy completely memorized yet, don’t try to help someone because you may end up giving bad advice.
Another thing to remember is that if you don’t have basic strategy memorized, it’s okay to bring your strategy card to the blackjack table. If you do, then you won’t have to ask for advice. Also, if you play blackjack at an online casino, you don’t have to worry about the proper table etiquette, since you’re playing alone.
