Playing Blackjack As A Part Time Profession

What is your day to day "job". Perhaps you are living out those golden years, have been retrenched or let go or are lucky enough to be a trust fund baby, or are otherwise working for a BOSS on the day or night slog. Ever thought of playing Blackjack as a profession- fulltime for a living, to earn a living? There is no reason to stop you, taken you know and can play Basic Strategy backwards flawlessly, have the ability to count a deck down in roughly 25 seconds using a counting method, and know 12 or more Advanced Strategies to increase your odds against the online casinos.

Confident about your playing ability and have no problem with the requirement listed above - you are on your way - YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL BLACKJACK PLAYER already. People require 3 very important things before they will be convinced to becoming a full time professional player - family, security, and finance. In fact these 3 factors will influence any person in any major job decision they take throughout their life, oh....and....where they live! Living in Las Vegas or Nevada is not quite your family neighbourhood! The lifestyle of a professional gambler could also not be to the players' liking - nor to his family's and he may lose more than just his money in the end. They must also remember that Blackjack does not come with full medical or unemployment insurance, and that his finance might not be large enough to cover a long run of losses, or to make the big bets needed to get the big one! It is a big decision, as changing any job should be, perhaps it can be taken slowly?

What if the player could make some sort of achievable goal during the time he still ahs that stable job, family, security, and extra cash to play with? If a player has "professional Blackjack" skills, why not let it work for him?

For example: A part time player has a day job making just under $ 100 / day . He keeps records his play at the tables and has a win : loss ratio of about 5 : 1, (5 wins out of 6 times). He wins on average 6 units of his smallest wager / hour. So...., if the table minimum is $5 and he places bets of between $5 - $25, he normally takes in roughly $30 / hour. Sometimes he wins more and sometimes has also lost $300, but consistency will ultimately pay off.

If a player wants to average wins of $100 / playing session, the same amount equal to his daily earned after tax income. Taking the win : loss ratio of 5 : 1, and a implementing a stop-loss set at $100, this means he had to win $120 5 x to cover for a loss of $100 on the 6th session. The players' stop-loss is set at $100 (daily work rate and maximum amount he can afford to lose). Each playing session would be treated as if it was a day at work, so...off days would simply be breaking even. Though the game of Blackjack is win some, lose some, a player can effectively double his income per day.

Any good player keeping records can come up with a similar plan or system - if he earns $50 a day and wins 2 out of 3 times, he can set a stop loss of $50 and aim to win $75 each time he plays.

The system can help players contemplating the move to professional, see that the income can remain the same or even be better than their current income at their present "jobs". They can prove it to themselves and ...become profit from playing blackjack. This system will show players what they are capable of, over a period as long as they want, until they feel comfortable to make the move.

Players who make the move to Professional must also realise that this play is a long term game, and not short term as played before. Basic playing principles much the same : small wager with a Count of +1 and larger wagers above it. This strategy is a "slowly slowly" strategy that makes most Counters their money (% advantage x size of bankroll). There are players who no bankroll, and only their table betting to play with. Here a conservative approach must be used to remove volatility from the game.

Some players (Counters) use Jerry Patterson's "Takedown" strategy. Jerry is the Father of "Alternative Blackjack" with his mentions of biases and strings of small and large cards due to shuffling and card pick-up routines. He explains why and how counters can avoid being 'caught' by betting large amounts as the count rises. "Takedown" is a method of betting for non-counters and Jerry explains that players should bet as the count drops, not as it rises, as it is now that the 10s are coming out.

Most successful Counters use a bankroll and increase their advantage when placing each wager based on the count, and end up earning more money long term, riding out the swings of the game. One such swing can result in a player quitting Blackjack play all together, usually having lost all his money. 6 and 8 deck games are the hardest to beat due to shuffling biases, which is hard to prove mathematically. Traditional Patterson betting strategies are more effective against one and two deck games, which are still common in Las Vegas.

Jerry in "Takedown" also recommends that players lock up their winnings and play on to other limits. i.e. a player must set a goal of say $150 for the day, but if he needs to bet out of his $120 win, he must not. If he got to $150, same deal. Jerry calls this a "winlock" and explains that players must divide their winnings into 3 piles. Using the above example, the player pockets his $120 and place his $30 win in 3 piles, two $5 chips each. He will place bets from 1 pile only. For the next hand he places a 1 chip bet from pile #3. If he loses, he bets the last chip from pile #3. If he loses, he is done for the day. If the player however gets on a winning streak he replenishes pile #3 back to 2 units. He then places the next win on pile #1, then pile #2, and finally to pile #3, the betting pile. He might get these 3 piles up to 8 units each, then hit a losing streak and lose pile #3, then it is time to QUIT. This is an excellent way to maximize your winnings and minimize your loses.

Online Casinos For Those Who Like BlackJack.

Real casinos provide Black Jack players with different sets of rules plus different bonuses. Can on-line casinos compete with real casinos in respect of game variety? Normally, every on-line casino has Black Jack with its sets of rules. For example, casinos with Microgaming and Cryptologic software offer players up to eight different variations of rules. However, some on-line casinos offer various special games based on Black Jack rules. You will find interesting to familiarize and try these games, moreover the advantages of casinos compared to them are very weak.



Double exposure Black Jack

Double exposure Black Jack is available in Microgaming and RTG software on-line casinos. In this kind of Black Jack both cards of a dealer are dealt face up to compensate this advantage of the player, the dealer wins all ties except for Black Jack. The rest of the game based on the rules of Black Jack, and variations may exist in respect of the number of splits, combinations allowed to double, etc.

The advantage of casinos with the standard rules of this game is about 0.7%.



Pontoon

Pontoon is available in Cryptologic and RTG software on-line casinos. In contrast to ordinary Black Jack the player has much more opportunities to double plus the rule of five cards with double paying works out, on the other hand, the dealer's cards are dealt face down therefore indefiniteness rises and ties are not in the favour of the dealer. More detailed rules of the game are the following: The game is played with pack of 52 cards, the nominal value of cards is the same as in Black Jack. The hierarchy of combinations is the following:

1. Pontoon (the same as Black Jack);

2. Five cards combination (five cards without bust);

3. Combination of cards comprising not more than 21 points, the closer to 21 the better

4. Bust (more than 21 points);

The dealer deals two cards face up to the player and two cards to himself face down with pontoon check. The game of the dealer is the same as his game in Black Jack: he should take up to 17 and remain on 5 cards or over 16 (except for soft 17).

The player has more opportunities: splits are left enabling to one re-split. An opportunities arises for doubling with any quantity of cards, at the same time, the player can continue to buy even after doubling. In contrast to Black Jack the player should buy a card (double) while having not less than 15 points.

As in Black Jack after taking cards the player and dealer compare hands. If the player has extra cards, he loses the game automatically. Pontoon or Five cards combination in case of gain is paid 2:1, other winning combinations are paid 1:1. In case of a tie the dealer wins. There is no insurance or by-bets.

With the game based on optimal strategy which is simpler than that of Black Jack. The total advantage of on-line casinos is 0.17%.



Caribbean 21

Caribbean 21 is so far available only in RTG software on-line casinos. The is played with one pack of cards, in contrast to Black Jack:

1. Ace is always one point;

2. The combination of an ace and two 10 points cards is called Caribbean 21 and is paid 3:2 to the player for the primary bet (but not for the double bets);

3. The player can double on any cards as many times as he wants after doubling it is possible to buy several times;

4. The player can split any two cards;

5. The player can give in at any time at the same time losing the half of available bets;

6. The dealer wins all ties;

7. Initially the dealer deals himself only one card face up;

8. If the dealer has an open ace, the player can have Caribbean 21 insurance, the insurance is paid 9:1

With the game based on optimal strategy advantage of on-line casinos is not more than 0.2%.



Spanish 21

Spanish 21 is so far available only in RTG software on-line casinos.

The game is played with six-eight "Spanish" packs of cards, 10 are removed from a pack (only 10s, queens, jacks and kings are left). As the less quantity of 10s in a pack is in favour the dealer, the player has the following bonuses:

1. 21 of the player always wins, as well as Black Jack of the player beats Black Jack of the dealer;

2. The player can double with any number of cards;

3. The player can double and buy after split of aces;

4. The player can give in after doubling;

5. 5-cards 21s are paid 3:2;

6. 6-cards 21s are paid 3:1;

7. 6-7-8 and 7-7-7 different suits are paid 3:2, of the same suits are paid 2:1 and spades are paid 3:1;

With the game based on optimal strategy advantage of on-line casinos is not more than 0.4%.



Super Fun 21

Super Fun 21 can only be found in RTG and Microgaming software on-line casinos. The game has a range of positive differences from standard Black Jack in favour of the player, to compensate it casinos pay Black Jack to the player 1:1. The difference is the following:

1. The player can split up to 4 times;

2. It is possible to double with any number of cards, including after split;

3. After split of aces it is possible to split, buy and double them;

4. The player can give in at any time of the game for a half of a bet (including after split);

5. 20 or less points of the player with 6 cards win automatically if there were no splits;

6. 21 points with 5 cards are paid 2:1 if there were no splits;

7. Black Jack always wins;

8. Black Jack of diamonds is paid 2:1 (all the rest are paid 1:1)

With the game based on these rules the advantage of on-line casinos is not more than 0.75%.



Black Jack Switch

Black Jack Switch is available in PlayTech software on-line casinos

In contrast to the standard Black Jack the player makes two similar bets and he gets at the same time two hands, the dealer gets two ordinary cards. The player can switch upper cards between hands (for example in one hand we have 6, 10 and in the other hand we have 10 and 5. We change place of 10 and 5 and we get instead of two bad hands two good hands: 6,5 and 10,10). The basic rules are the same as in standard Black Jack: there is doubling on two cards, one split and it is possible to double after split. To compensate the change advantage of the player the dealer gets the following bonuses:

1. The dealer does not make Black Jack check;

2. Black Jack of the player is paid 1:1;

3. If the dealer gathers 22, it is considered a tie against any not fired hand of the player, except for Black Jack;

The basic strategy of the game is rather complicated, however, if the player follows these rules, he diminishes the advantage of on-line casinos to 0.05%.

Online Blackjack Odds

Blackjack is one of the most popular card games played in casinos worldwide. It's no wonder that the game of Blackjack has been studied by many gambling professionals. Through this intense study methods have been revealed which allow players to subtly increase their odds while playing the game of Blackjack. Many people think that Blackjack is just another game of chance, like a slot machine or roulette, but this simply isn't the case. If you compare the odds of blackjack to other casino games that you will run into, you will find that the odds of blackjack are much better.



The blackjack card game is very popular worldwide, and some speculate that it may just be the most popular card game ever. Blackjack is enjoyed by people in nearly every casino worldwide, and even played by many religiously online. Blackjack websites have grown in number over the years, and can offer a convenient place to play or just go for a few practice hands.



What has made blackjack such a popular card game? One of the main reasons is that when blackjack is played properly, the house has an edge of a little less than 1%. When you compare this number to other table games at the casino, you can see that the odds of winning with Blackjack are much higher than anything else.



With these kinds of odds, why are casinos still making money with Blackjack and not losing it? Basically, it´s because most players who play Blackjack don´t play the game properly or well enough to make a good living off of it. It´s a shame that most players give up such a great advantage just with lazy playing.



The fact of the matter is that as a player, you can affect the odds of your Blackjack playing. Unlike real games of chance like roulette, the decisions you make during the game of Blackjack ultimately affects your odds and how many times you will end up winning your hands. It would be smart to research more about how to increase your odds at Blackjack. People have been increasing their odds in Blackjack for years, and thus their pocketbooks, too. Casinos try to spot out these Blackjack professionals, but it's not like they can completely stop them since what they do is completely legal - it isn't cheating in any way shape or form.



In Blackjack, instead of the game being based on a chance set of independent events, it is dependent on the cards that have been previously played. This is the main reason why it isn't cheating, you're simply making smart decisions based on the cards that you've already seen.



In a nutshell, the large cards left in the deck, yet to be played, favor the player. The smaller cards yet to be dealt favor the dealer. This is the main reason why card counting is important in Blackjack, and will increase your odds of winning more often than not. There's many places with free information online that will help your Blackjack game. Take advantage of this advice, it can't hurt.

Managing Your Blackjack Money

The first thing you need to do is decide what your stake is. Maybe you are going to Las Vegas for 4 days and your “play money” is $1,000. If you are smart, you will divide this up equally and only play with $250 per day. If you lose your $250 the first day, stop. Wait until the next. This is probably one of he biggest tests of self-discipline.



The next thing you want to do is avoid blowing your daily wad in one sitting. With your $250, take out $100 and get your chips and start to bet conservatively. You want to stretch out the playing experience and play the ups and downs. Make sure you check out the minimum amount for the table.



Let’s say you take your starting $100 and bet $5. You lose the first hand. What do you do next? Many players will double their bet hoping to break even by winning. This is commonly called throwing good money after bad. What you should do is continue to bet the $5 and if you lose 3 or 4 hands in a row, change tables or take a break.



Never send good money after bad.



Now, let’s say you win that first $5 bet. The next hand you should increase your bet and make it $10. If you lose, go back to your original $5 bet. If you win, continue to increase your bet. Don’t double it each time; just make it a bit bigger. So, this time you wager $15. Again, if you lose, go back to the initial $5 bet. If you win, bump it up to $20. This way you are increasing your bet and still retaining some of your winnings. Always go back to your initial bet once the streak is over. Don’t walk away from table saying “I wish I had bet more”.



When you play blackjack, you will find that there are up and down streaks. You want to minimize your losses during the losing and increase your bets when you are winning.



I can remember playing in Canada, and there were five of us on the table. I had been having a bad day and just sat at this table and immediately started winning. This was a $5 minimum and that is what I started with. I kept increasing my bet as I was winning and in about an hour, I won over $3,000. My tablemates were all buddies and were betting $5 per hand whether they won or lost. They all won, but not much. They could have won so much more but didn’t know the correct strategy.



So, plan your money strategy as wisely as you plan your playing strategy. Smart betting, self control, and riding the winning streaks, will net you much more money. Good luck.

Making Sure You Win At Blackjack

Learn how to ensure that you win - and not lose - when you play blackjack.

When you want to make sure you win in poker tables, not only should you play for luck, you should practice and practice your poker face and poker skills as well. Hard work, isn’t it? On the other hand, while other forms of gambling such as the roulette or the slot machine do not require you to exert much mental effort when it comes to playing, they offer you lesser chances of winning.

Hence, if you don’t want to prevent yourself from losing money when gambling, the best option is to play blackjack.

If you haven’t ever played blackjack yet, the rules are similar to playing Lucky 9. In Lucky 9, your cards must reach 9 or the value nearest to it. Any cards beyond 9 are busted and players with cards totaling more than 9 must declare this round a loss. The same thing applies to blackjack but this time, you should aim for 21 instead of 9. While in Lucky 9, you’re only allowed to draw up to three cards, in blackjack, you can draw up to a whopping five cards.

Tips to Win at Blackjack

Now that we’ve refreshed your memory on how to play blackjack, let’s proceed to tips that will help you win big at blackjack.

Soft and Hard Hands

If you’re still unfamiliar with blackjack lingo, understand that a soft hand is the term used to describe cards that contain an ace and a number card such as a six and then using the ace as eleven to reach a total amount of 17. On the other hand, a hard hand would compromise cards that do not contain any aces or cards that have an ace but don’t give it an equivalent value of eleven.

Some people say that it’s always better to have a hard hand rather than a soft one.

Choosing Tables

Yes, the right table can have a good effect on your success rate in blackjack so choose carefully. First and foremost, make sure that the minimum allowed bet is not more than five percent of your total chips. Get to know rules variation for each table because these can affect your chances as well, no matter how slight.

Insurance

And lastly, try to avoid taking insurance at all costs or at least only when it’s your last resort. No matter how friendly he seems, dealer can be your worst enemy in blackjack. So taking insurance can be betting for your nemesis and sometimes against yourself..

Everything clear now? That’s good. Start gambling and winning some of that money then.

Las Vegas Blackjack

As the years fly by, more and more people play online Blackjack. Unfortunately, many of these people fly into Las Vegas (or their local establishment) and expect real-world Blackjack to be just like it is online-it's not.



I love playing Blackjack online, but nothing compares to playing at a real casino when the atmosphere is just right. It's a feeling that's hard to capture at home-although you can do things to get close. When you play solo online, it's all you. There are no other players taking cards. This can be a great joy or major source of pain offline.



Heck, when you play online, you can hit with 16 and the dealer showing a 6. No one cares, but you. When you step to the big boy tables in Vegas, you need to be more thoughtful-otherwise the table will hate you.



If you're about to sit at a real table for the first time, here's a great tip-sit in the middle. The spots immediately to the left and right of the dealer have a little pressure attached to them. First base (seat that gets the first card) is a crappy position as far as I'm concerned. And third base (seat that acts last, before the dealer) should only be occupied by someone who knows how to play. This seat is coveted by Blackjack players the world over.



Think I'm making it up? In Las Vegas, I've seen entire tables (yes, every single player but one) get up and locate to other tables, because some knucklehead made an incredibly bad move at third base. It happens, just don't let it happen to you. That's the worst feeling I'm sure. I'd recommend following this special tip. If you don't know what play is the right one, ask other players. Some will say they don't care (that's crap, they do). Others will offer advice.



As a personal rule of thumb, if someone is at the table with say 10-20x my wager, I'll ask for their opinion. Sometimes I've even cut deals for the big bettor on the hand (buying my hand basically). It's not just about you. It's an energy if you will. Try to keep harmony when you can.



Another big advantage of playing at a real table is seeing the cards in play. Online Blackjack tends reshuffle all decks used after each hand. When you play in the real world, strategy like counting cards comes into play. However, online blackjack nullifies this strategy (that's why they reshuffle after each hand).



Whatever you do, remember that Blackjack is fun. Have a blast at the table and try different tables until you find the atmosphere you love.

How To Win At Blackjack

When it comes to blackjack, you don’t really need to have excellent bluffing skills to win as you would in poker. Or even have an inordinate amount of luck as you would when spinning the wheel in roulette or simply trying your chances at a slot machine.

In the game of blackjack, you must not be afraid to take risks because this is the game that offers the best chances of winning. So take advantage of that and remember to always play to win in blackjack!

Blackjack Tip #1 – Play to Win and Take Insurance Only When You Have To
Remember, in the game of blackjack, you’re only gambling against the dealer and no one else. Yes, it helps to know the cards of other players because you’ll be able to determine the probability of your cards winnin,g but the most significant thing to concentrate on is how to beat the dealer’s cards.

Hence, don’t take insurance unless you have to since it’s truly just betting against yourself.

Blackjack Tip #2 – The Rules of Splitting
When the first two cards you’re dealt with are a pair of the same value (like 7/7), then you have the option to split your cards into two and play them separately, just as long as you place the same amount of bet on each card.

Now, while most players would either always or never split their cards, there is actually a strategy that can be applied to this particular situation and improve your chances at winning in blackjack. If you have two 10’s or two 5’s, it’s inadvisable to split cards so simply stick with them. If you have two 8’s or 7’s for example and the dealer shows you a card that’s equal or with a lower value like 6 or 5, that’s the time you should split your cards. When it comes to having face cards, you’re advised to never split them as well. But when it comes to aces, split them immediately.

Blackjack Tip #3 – Maximizing the Use of Double Down
If you feel that the first two cards the dealer gave you are so good, you always have the option of doubling down and doubling your bet. This is actually the best option available to blackjack players so never let the opportunity to double down slip you by. Be aggressive, especially if the situation warrants it!

Enjoyed reading the tips so far? Feeling confident right now? If so, go play blackjack and see how much your newfound knowledge can help you!