Classic Blackjack

The classic table game Blackjack is one of the most popular games amongst both the offline and online casinos and arguably, one of the simplest table games out there. The gameplay is easily understandable with a straightforward goal of scoring as close to 21 as possible without going over.   

Amongst its many variants, the most traditional version is generally known as Classic Blackjack or just Blackjack. It is played with 1 to 9 decks of 52 cards each and no side bets. The card’s values correspond to their numerical value from 2-10. All face cards such as Jack, Queen, King have the numerical value of 10 and the Ace can either be a 1 or 11 depending on the player.

Despite its simplicity, there’s more to this game than meets the eye. Players have no choice but to rely on their luck when it comes to the cards they will be dealt with. However, it will be up to their strategy and reasoning to decide what betting options to take in order to increase their probability of winning. This blend of luck and control makes Blackjack a thrilling and beloved game throughout generations.

Classic Blackjack: Soft and Hard Hands

If you have played Blackjack before, you might have already encountered the term ‘soft’ or ‘hard’ hands in Blackjack. A “hard hand” is a hand without an ace, or a hand wherein all aces have a value of 1. A hand with an ace that has the value of 11 is called a “soft hand.”

This is an important concept to know in Blackjack because it dictates the next courses of action a player can take. Having a soft hand is considered a good thing in blackjack because already having an ace with a value of 11 has a higher probability of drawing a card closest to 21 without the risk of bust.

Another type of hand is called a “stiff hand” and has a value of 12 through 16. This hand offers a difficult position for the player because a stiff hand is usually too low to beat the dealer’s card but too high for the player to risk taking another card.

Classic Blackjack: Take A Hit or Make A Stand

The most basic strategy in Blackjack is to keep in mind the type of hand you are dealt with, whether soft, hard or stiff because this will help in determining the betting option you need to do. Take into consideration the dealer’s visible card before making a decision and try to guess the possible combinations of his hand.

With a bit of tactical thinking, a player’s luck can improve with these simple techniques. The game can be as complicated or as simple as you want it to be!

Below is the most common Classic Blackjack strategy chart when it comes to playing soft hands:

Blackjack Strategy for Soft Hands
Player’s soft hand value of:	Dealer’s card	Strategy
13-14	5-6	Double, otherwise Hit
15-16	4-6	Double, otherwise Hit
17	3-6	Double, otherwise Hit
18	3-6	Double
	2,7,8	Stand
	9,10,Ace	Hit

Below is the most common Classic Blackjack strategy chart when it comes to playing hard hands:

Blackjack Strategy for Hard Hands
Player’s hard hand value of:	Dealer’s card	Strategy
8	8 or lower	Hit
9	3-6	Double, otherwise Hit
10	2-9	Double, otherwise Hit
11	2-10	Double, otherwise Hit
12	4-6	Stand, otherwise Hit
13-16	2-6	Stand, otherwise Hit
17-21	Any card	Stand always

Classic Blackjack: A Game to Remember

There’s really nothing quite like a good classic when it comes to casino table games. Classic Blackjack is arguably one of the most simple casino games out there but its simplicity doesn’t take away the excitement and suspense of potentially winning great rewards in just one stroke of luck. 

If you want to test out these strategies, then you can try playing Ezugi’s Unlimited Blackjack for limitless amounts of fun or Super 7 Blackjack if you’re feeling lucky!