Blackjack Fact or Fiction

How well do you really know the game of blackjack? Check out this true or false article and find out how much you really know about the 21 game.

- Blackjack is one of the best games to play in a casino.

Fact. Not only is blackjack very easy to play, it also carries one of the smallest house edges among all casino games if you use basic strategy. And if you also learn how to count cards, you gain an advantage over the casino, so in the long run you make more money than you lose.

- 6/5 blackjack is a good game to play since it uses a single deck.

Fiction. Although the use of a single deck is normally favorable to the player, it is negated in this instance by the 6 to 5 payoff for a blackjack. Instead of a decreased house edge, the 6/5 blackjack actually bumps up the house edge to about 1.4%.

- Basic strategy cards are allowed in casinos.

Fact. Since the use of basic strategy cards only reduces the house edge but does not remove it, casinos let players use basic strategy cards.

- Card counting is illegal.

Fiction. Card counting is not illegal since no special equipment is used; only the mind of the blackjack player. Unfortunately, the casino shave a right to ban a player for simply using his or her head when gambling. Thus, even though counting cards is not really a crime, it can still get you evicted from the casino precincts.

- Blackjack players must never take insurance.

Fact… sort of. Most players should never take insurance as it is returns very bad odds for them. While it may seem good since it guarantees "even money," it is actually not so as the long term wins would earn a player more than that. The only ones who need to take insurance on occasion are card counters. For a card counter, it would be wise to take insurance if he or she knows the deck is rich in high cards.

- Bad players at a blackjack table will affect how your game.

Fiction. The odds of a player winning are not altered by how everyone else around him or her plays. That is one of the reasons why you must never try to give advice at a blackjack table. It is of no concern to you.

- Players should always hit on an 11.

Fact. It is impossible to bust a hand total of 11 since the highest scoring card that can be drawn is an ace, which the player can turn to either 1 or 11, whichever favors his or her hand.

- A "cold" dealer should be played against, and a 'hot" one avoided.

Fiction. There is no way to predict how long a dealer will stay "hot" or "cold" so it makes no difference who you play against. This assumes, of course, that the dealer is only being lucky or unlucky, and no cheating on his or her part is involved.

Hopefully your knowledge of blackjack has improved after reading this article. Keep yourself informed about the casino games you play. The more you know about them, the better your odds of winning and the more fun you will have.