Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games. This classic card game is a brilliant mix of skill, luck and strategy. It also has a long history of being enjoyed first in land-based casinos and now at internet ones as well. To succeed in this game, however, knowing the finer points is essential.
Doubling down is a great example of this, and it is worth knowing how to do it like a pro when you play. If you like to play at the best NJ online casinos, finding out how and why to double down is very useful.
What is doubling down in blackjack?
Before we look at some top blackjack tips and learn how to double down like a pro, it is necessary to explain what it means. In simple terms, it allows players to double the value of their original bet if they believe they have a very strong hand. If, for example, you had bet $10 to begin with, doubling down would increase your bet to $20.
The decision to double down is made after the initial two cards have been dealt. After choosing to do this, you must take one more card and then stand. If you win, then you get back more as your original bet was doubled.
But how can you employ this tactic like a professional?
Look out for the three best hands to double down with
When thinking of how to play blackjack like a pro, it all comes down to knowing which hands to double down with.The first hand to look for is holding a hard nine (i.e. you do not have an ace but your cards add up to nine), while the dealer has between two and six. This hand is impossible to go bust with after justone more card and makes it worthwhile, due to the dealers initial card being weak.
The second way todouble down like a pro is when you get dealt a hard 10 or 11 but the dealers card is lower. This tips the odds in your favor. As the dealer has to hit until 17 is reached and so risks going bust, doubling down is wise.
How else can you double down like a pro?
The last way you will see professional blackjack players double down is when they get a soft 16, 17 or 18 (i.e. your hand adds up to one of these numbers with an ace in it) but the dealer has between a two and a six. The key to this being a great double down hand is that your ace can act as an 11 or a 1. This means that getting one more card should see you with a strong hand.
Tip the blackjack odds in your favor
Blackjack is one of the most popular online casino games because it usually comes with the lowest house edge. Due to that, it is a game which you can profit from overall but only if you use the right strategies. Knowing how to double down like a pro is certainly valuable and can give an extra dimension to your play.
